When Parrot Linux is installed on a computer, it always names that computer, parrot. That can be very confusing if you have Parrot installed on more than one computer, or you want to have a different name for the computer than the default name. During installation, Parrot does not currently allow the user to specify a specific host name during any part of the installation.

There are two ways to change the host name.  Since Parrot is Debian-based, and Debian using Systemd for startup and system processes,  Systemd commands can be used, The “new fangled way.”  You can always use the “old fashioned way,” which requires editing the /etc/hosts and /etc/hostname files.  Either method produces the same result.

The New Fangled Way

Changing the host name using Systemd commands is a two-step process.

1. Open Root Terminal (accessible through the Menu -> System Tools).
2. Enter hostnamectl set-hostname NAME where NAME is the new name for your computer.
3. Close your terminal session, and your computer has been renamed without even having to reboot it.  You can check this by opening a new terminal session.  Looking at the prompt, you’ll see the new host name.

The Old-Fashioned Way

Changing the host name is very easy, but you do have to be careful that that you make sure you don’t assign a name that is currently used on the network. You will have to edit two system files: /etc/hosts and /etc/hostname.

1. Open Root Terminal (accessible through the Menu -> System Tools).
2. Enter the root password when prompted.
3. On the command line, enter pluma /etc/hosts. You can use any other editor that is on your system if you do not want to use pluma.
4. Locate the line that contains: 127.0.1.1 parrot where hostname is the current name of the computer, parrot.
5. Change host name to whatever you want. You can use letters, numbers, and dash (hyphen).
6. Save the /etc/hosts file and exit pluma.
7. On the command line, enter pluma /etc/hostname.
8. Look for the line that has parrot.
9. Change the host name to whatever you want, but it must be identical to the name you used in /etc/hosts.
10. Save the /etc/hostname file and exit pluma.
11. Exit Root Terminal.
12. Once you reboot your computer, you should see the new name when you open a terminal session or browsing devices on your network.

If you have any comments or notice any error(s) in these instructions, please feel
free to contact me.

Barbara

Updated 7-17-18:  Edited to add hostnamectl instructions.