Must change IP's and DNS

[Campsalot]

I'm not a Linux person AT ALL. I had a former IT guy that really loved it and he built our file server using Debian GNU 3.1. The thing has been great, has never went down and was always reliable. The problem is we have three Windows based PC's that access the file server for everything. We recently switched from DSL to Cable and cahnged our IP addresses. When that happened we lost our mapped drives to the Linux file server. Now I need to change the IP and DNS on the Linux box and have NO idea as to how to do it. Can someone help me? The server runs Debian GNU 3.1. I really am Linux dumb and need to to be baby stepped through this. Thanks!

[jledhead]

how do you log into the machine, gnome/kde or ssh remotly?

if thru ssh (or from a terminal/command window) and as root

nano /etc/network/interfaces

this should open up the network interfaces file in a text editor and you can move your cursor to the points that need changed (no mouse). edit what you want, ip address and dns-nameservers and then CTRL-X to exit, it will ask you to save, Y and ENTER if you want to save.

if dns-nameservers doesn't exist its fine. either you you then want to

nano /etc/resolv.conf

and change your dns address here and then save the file (same as above)
then you can reboot the machine and hopefully everything comes up as planned.

[Campsalot]

Jled, first of all thanks! This problem destroyed my day as we locked out all users to the server and no one got anything done.
I log in right from the server itself. There is no GUI, so evrything is keystroked. Firts I type in the password and then I'm at the root. Like I said, I'll need to be baby stepped through this as I'm a total dunce with Linux and key strokes. What about DNS?

[jledhead]

is this server running your internal dns or do you just mean change a dns server it uses?

[Campsalot]

Thanks jled, I solved the issue by setting my internal Sonic Wall to handle the problem. Thanks again for helping as you made my first Linux experience very manageable.