Magic Internet Addresses

[nigel at cmsfl]

I am running Exelan TCP/IP over Ethernet between two SYS V boxes.

I am having problems with Exelan modifying the /etc/hosts file.

Could someone please fill me in whats going on here.

Basically I set up the /etc/hosts file on both machines so that
things work correctly.  If I then reboot a particular one of the
machine B I find that the network startup has modified the /etc/hosts
file with incorrect values for machine A.

Communications work okay from A to B but not B to A.

I think I may have a mismatch between the Ethernet card generated
internet address (is there such a thing) and the network installation
internet address.  I suspect this because the Ethernet card was
replaced on machine A and the original address was retained.

At startup I think machine B is asking machine A's Ethernet card for
the address and so screwing things up.

Is my hypothesis correct ?

Is there a way to correct this without a re-install ?

Any advice appreciated (via E-mail please).
-- 
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<  Nigel Harwood  >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
<< Post:  Coles Myer Ltd, PO Box 2000 Tooronga 3146, Australia >>
<< Phone: +61 3 829 6090      E-mail: nigel%cmsfl at labtam.oz.au >>
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>