
Changing the Hostname on Debian 8, Debian 9, Debian 10, and Debian 11
The hostname of your Debian system is an important identifier that helps you and others on your network identify and communicate with your server. Whether you’re setting up a new server or need to update an existing hostname, changing it on Debian 8 (Jessie), Debian 9 (Stretch), Debian 10 (Buster), or Debian 11 (Bullseye) is a relatively straightforward process. However, the method for changing the hostname has evolved with each Debian release, so let’s explore how to do it for each version.
Debian 8 (Jessie)
Step 1: Log in to Your Server
Log in to your Debian 8 server using your root or superuser credentials. You can use SSH or log in directly if you have physical access.
Step 2: Change the Hostname
To change the hostname in Debian 8, you need to edit the /etc/hostname
file. You can use your preferred text editor, such as nano
, vi
, or vim
, for this purpose:
nano /etc/hostname
Replace the existing hostname with your desired one, save the file, and exit the text editor.
127.0.0.1 newhostname
::1 newhostname
Step 3: Update the Current Hostname
Immediately apply the changes to the current hostname by running the following command, replacing newhostname
with your desired hostname:
hostnamectl set-hostname newhostname
Step 4: Reboot Your System
For all services and applications to recognize the new hostname, it’s recommended to reboot your Debian 8 system:
reboot
After the system reboots, the new hostname should be in effect.
Debian 9 (Stretch)
Changing the hostname in Debian 9 is a similar process to Debian 8, but it introduces the hostnamectl
command for setting the hostname.
Step 1: Log in to Your Server
Log in to your Debian 9 server using your root or superuser credentials.
Step 2: Edit the Hostname File
To change the hostname, edit the /etc/hostname
file using your preferred text editor, such as nano
:
nano /etc/hostname
Replace the existing hostname with your desired one, save the file, and exit the text editor.
127.0.0.1 newhostname
::1 newhostname
Step 3: Update the Current Hostname
Immediately apply the changes to the current hostname with the hostnamectl
command:
hostnamectl set-hostname newhostname
Step 4: Reboot Your System
Reboot your Debian 9 system to ensure that the new hostname takes effect:
reboot
After the system reboots, your new hostname should be active.
Debian 10 (Buster)
Debian 10 maintains the hostnamectl
method for changing the hostname.
Step 1: Log in to Your Server
Log in to your Debian 10 system with root or superuser privileges.
Step 2: Edit the Hostname File
Edit the /etc/hostname
file to change the hostname. Use your preferred text editor, such as nano
:
nano /etc/hostname
Replace the existing hostname with your desired one, save the file, and exit the text editor.
127.0.0.1 newhostname
::1 newhostname
Step 3: Update the Current Hostname
Immediately apply the changes to the current hostname using hostnamectl
:
hostnamectl set-hostname newhostname
Step 4: Reboot Your System
To ensure all services recognize the new hostname, reboot your Debian 10 system:
reboot
After the reboot, the new hostname will be active.
Debian 11 (Bullseye)
Debian 11 maintains the same process as Debian 10.
Step 1: Log in to Your Server
Log in to your Debian 11 system with root or superuser privileges.
Step 2: Edit the Hostname File
Edit the /etc/hostname
file using your preferred text editor, such as nano
:
nano /etc/hostname
Replace the existing hostname with your desired one, save the file, and exit the text editor.
127.0.0.1 newhostname
::1 newhostname
Step 3: Update the Current Hostname
Apply the changes to the current hostname using hostnamectl
:
hostnamectl set-hostname newhostname
Step 4: Reboot Your System
Reboot your Debian 11 system to ensure all services recognize the new hostname:
reboot
Following the reboot, your new hostname will be active.
In conclusion, changing the hostname on Debian 8, Debian 9, Debian 10, and Debian 11 is a straightforward process. Regardless of the Debian version, you can use the hostnamectl
command and edit the /etc/hostname
file to set and change the hostname of your server. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can easily modify your Debian system’s hostname to fit your specific needs.