# How to replace the value of beat.hostname?

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-replace-the-value-of-beat-hostname/54485>\
**Category:** Beats\
**Tags:** filebeat\
**Created:** [July 1, 2016, 12:40am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-replace-the-value-of-beat-hostname/54485 "2016-07-01T00:40:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![virtual](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ed8c4c/32.png) [@virtual](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/virtual)\
**Post date:** [July 1, 2016, 12:40am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-replace-the-value-of-beat-hostname/54485/1 "2016-07-01T00:40:52Z")

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I want to send the external IP address to Logstash instead of what Filebeat is currently sending as beat.hostname. I tried the following:

```
 fields:
    beat.hostname: 44.112.44.112

 fields_under_root: true

```

But that didn't actually replace the existing field, it just created a new one. I tried surrounding it in brackets - that results in Logstash errors (it didn't like the period). Any ideas?

I know I can just rename the field and then change our software, but I'm interested to see what would make this work in case I can't change the software in the future.

[latest versions for all software]

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**Author:** ![steffens](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/steffens/32/79630_2.png) [@steffens](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/steffens)\
**Post date:** [July 1, 2016, 9:47am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-replace-the-value-of-beat-hostname/54485/2 "2016-07-01T09:47:13Z")

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latest version meaning 1.2.3 or 5.0alpha4?

You can not change `beat.hostname`, but `beat.name`. By default `beat.name` is the hostname.

In version 1.x the `beat.name` is configured via `shipper.name` config. See [1.2 docs in shipper config](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/beats/filebeat/current/configuration-shipper.html).

In version 5.0alpha4 the shipper config section has been removed and `name` has become a top-level config option. See [docs](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/beats/filebeat/master/configuration-general.html).

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\
**Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 12:41am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-replace-the-value-of-beat-hostname/54485/3 "2016-07-22T00:41:05Z")

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