[NBLUG/talk] IP Host # as Host ID

[Andrew]

HarryH wrote on Sun, 14 Mar 2004 22:39:04 -0800:

> Hi,
> I noticed on my RH 7.2 that from time to time, if I go into
> super user mode ( su - and then password), the host IP number
> from my ISP shows up in place of server03, which is my Linux
> box Hostname:
> 
> [root at host-66-81-144-198 home]#
> 
> When I exit back to my user login, I get: [Harry at server03
> Harry]$.  This happens when the modem is connected to my ISP. 
> Noticed this some time ago but thought it a "fluke" but now it
> must be a bug or an intruder.  Any ideas?

The format for the prompt is set in the PS1 environment variable.
The next time you get the weird prompt, type "echo $PS1" (sans
quotes) and hit Enter. Then tell us what it says. Come to think
of it, you should do that when you get a normal prompt, too, so
we can see what changes between the two. Also, look in root's
.bashrc (/root/.bashrc). That's usually where the prompt is
defined. If you see any lines in there which start with "PS1="
then post them to the list as well. Hopefully, this will let us
see what's going on.

A.