ether_hostton - Linux

Overview

ether_hostton maps an Ethernet address to a host name. It is a tool that is usually utilized to perform the inverse operation of ether_aton.

Syntax

ether_hostton [OPTIONS] <ETHERNET_ADDRESS>

Options/Flags

  • -a, –address: Specify a custom hardware address to translate. By default, the first local IPv4 address interface is checked.

Examples

Simple Usage:

  • Convert the Ethernet address 08:00:27:1e:c9:60 to a host name:
ether_hostton 08:00:27:1e:c9:60

Specify Network Interface:

  • Translate the address associated with interface eth0:
ether_hostton -a eth0

Common Issues

  • Incorrect Ethernet Address Format: Verify that the provided Ethernet address is in the correct format (e.g., XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX).
  • Network Interface Not Found: Ensure that the network interface specified by the -a option is valid and exists.
  • DNS Lookup Failure: Verify that DNS is properly configured on the system.

Integration

Combine with Other Commands:

  • Use grep to filter the output:
ether_hostton -a | grep "hostname"
  • Pipe the output to xargs for further processing:
ether_hostton -a | xargs -I {} echo "Hostname: {}"

Related Commands

  • ether_aton: Converts a host name to an Ethernet address.
  • hostname: Displays the host name of the local system.