Written 25 Aug 2026. This is a how-to, not a product card. Buy links are not tagged yet.

Give the leftover box a name that sticks

Ping and SSH are easier if the leftover box has a short name. leftover is a good one. Set it so the name survives a reboot.

denbox or atticpc work too. Letters and numbers, no spaces. A hostname is the leftover box's name on the house network. Is the leftover box still on? tells you to ping leftover. Your first weekend names the box during install, then people forget. This note is hostnamectl, the command that writes the name so it comes back after a reboot.

Skip this if the name is already good

On the leftover box, ask for the name:

hostname

If it already prints leftover, or a name you recognize and like, you are done. You do not need this note.

Set the name so it survives a reboot

On Debian or Ubuntu, as in what OS to put on the leftover box, set the name with hostnamectl. That writes the leftover box's name so it comes back after a reboot.

sudo hostnamectl set-hostname leftover

Swap leftover for denbox or atticpc if you picked one of those. Then log out and SSH back, or reboot. Reboot lives on shut down the leftover box without yanking the plug. If you were already rebooting after keep the leftover box updated, that reboot is enough.

Check from the couch

From another computer on the house network, knock three times. That is is the leftover box still on?:

ping -c 3 leftover

If ping still needs the number, the house router has not learned the name yet. Use the address from find the leftover box on the house network. A new router will not help. Some phones find leftover.local. Some do not. Do not buy a Pi-hole for this.

What next

If ping leftover works, you are done naming. If ads came back this morning, or SSH hangs, that is is the leftover box still on?. If the leftover is still on Wi-Fi, plug a cable: a cable beats Wi-Fi for the leftover box. Do not buy a NAS.

Skip

Skip this note if hostname already prints leftover or a name you like. Skip a new router. Skip buying a Pi-hole just to make leftover resolve.

Sources

Debian: hostnamectl. Ubuntu: hostnamectl. Debian: hostname. Official pages only. For the leftover box, see start with what you already have. For the first name, see your first weekend. For ping, see is the leftover box still on?.

Also on this topic

Is the leftover box still on?You left the leftover box on. This morning ads are back, or SSH hangs. Check if it is awake before you buy anything. Find the leftover box on the house networkThe leftover box has a number on your house network. You need that number to SSH from the couch. You do not need a new router. Your first weekend with the leftover boxInstall the OS, name it, and reach it from the couch. Do not buy anything this weekend. SSH from the couchType commands on the leftover box from your laptop, on the house network. Password login first. Do not open this to the internet.