how does this pc finds the nas?

[Spanik]

My network works, but I do not understand WHY it works. For some reason my pc can find the NAS by its "name", I do not have to specify the IP address. While this is nice to have, I do not understand where the link between "name" and IP address is made. I have nothing that does DNS resolution on my network (meaning for my equipment). My network is reasonable simple:
- modem/router from the provider that also provides DHCP for my network
- managed switches (fixed IP) that connect the pc's and laptops and also a single NAS
- the NAS and desktop use DHCP
- NAS has hostname "truenas"

The NAS runs Truenas and has SMB and NFS running. I use NFS with Gentoo, my sister SMB with Windows.

I have set my fstab like this:

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truenas:/mnt/nas/public                         /mnt/nas	nfs     noauto,rw,users,_netdev         0 0

Now if I do a simple "ping truenas" I get a response from the NAS. If I open Dolphin, the NAS is listed under "Remote" and if I click on that it connects to the NAS and mounts it at the mountpoint from fstab.

But where or what makes the translation from "truenas" to the IP address?

[Hu]

Perhaps you entered the name in /etc/hosts and forgot about it. What is the output of grep -n truenas /etc/hosts; echo $?? ZeroConf could be at play, although I wouldn't expect you to have ping reading ZeroConf results without more setup than you have described here.

[Spanik]

What you suggests gives:

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daw ~ # grep -n truenas /etc/hosts; echo $
$
daw ~ #

Checked /etc/hosts and there is only ipv4 and ipv6 localhost in it.

[szatox]

I Note systemd-resolved has a built-in mDNS service, make sure to disable systemd-resolved's multicast DNS resolver/responder (refer to resolved.conf (5)) or disable systemd-resolved.service entirely before using Avahi.

If you're on systemd this is one possible answer

Your router might also translate mdns to dns for you. Avahi is capable of providing this service for hosts that don't understand mdns.

[Spanik]

AFAIK I'm on OpenRC. running "emerge --seach avahi" doesn't list anything as installed.

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# rc-status
Runlevel: default
 chronyd                                                                                            [  started  ]
 sysklogd                                                                                           [  started  ]
 cronie                                                                                             [  started  ]
 dbus                                                                                               [  started  ]
 net.bond0                                                                                          [  started  ]
 netmount                                                                                           [  started  ]
 nfsclient                                                                                          [  started  ]
 sshd                                                                                               [  started  ]
 local                                                                                              [  started  ]
Dynamic Runlevel: hotplugged
 user.ikke                                                                              [  started 05:58:13 (0) ]
Dynamic Runlevel: needed/wanted
 rpcbind                                                                                            [  started  ]
 rpc.pipefs                                                                                         [  started  ]
 rpc.idmapd                                                                                         [  started  ]
 rpc.statd                                                                                          [  started  ]
Dynamic Runlevel: manual

[Hu]

What you suggests gives:

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daw ~ # grep -n truenas /etc/hosts; echo $
$
daw ~ #

You lost the bolded question mark, which would have caused echo to show the process exit status. It doesn't matter though. The answer to your underlying question lies elsewhere.

[pingtoo]

It is also possible you router (or whatever supply DHCP registration on your network) doing that.

for example I have OpenWrt on my network supply DNS/DHCP resolution/registration. The OpenWrt use dnsmasq as local DNS proxy/server as well as DHCP server. the dnsmasq can use dhcp client request with dhcp client options might contain hostname and the dnsmasq can use one of those options as domain name and registered in the local dns server database and since your PC client use that DNS server as your DNS resolver that could be the reason the name got automatically registered.

The dhcp client I refereed here is the truenas, just in case it is not clear.

[szatox]

Anyway, when you want to know what's going on on the network, you use a sniffer.

Wireshark for convenience, or tcpdump for compatibility and you'll have it figured out in a few minutes.

[Spanik]

Anyway, when you want to know what's going on on the network, you use a sniffer.

Wireshark for convenience, or tcpdump for compatibility and you'll have it figured out in a few minutes.

I'll try that. Maybe I'll have a log in a few minutes but that doesn't mean I'll understand what's happening in a few minutes. I'm far from a (network) wizard. I know just enough to be dangerous. First getting wireshark...