Using `net_adm` modules functions for localhost development nodes - erlang

Question

I'm poking around with the net_adm module and can't seem to get any joy working with localhost nodes. My machine is named:
> hostname
walden
and I start up a few local short-named nodes:
> erl -sname one -setcookie monster
Erlang R16B (erts-5.10.1) [source] [64-bit] [smp:8:8] [async-threads:10] [hipe] [kernel-poll:false]
Eshell V5.10.1 (abort with ^G)
(one#walden)1>
and
> erl -sname two -setcookie monster
Erlang R16B (erts-5.10.1) [source] [64-bit] [smp:8:8] [async-threads:10] [hipe] [kernel-poll:false]
Eshell V5.10.1 (abort with ^G)
(two#walden)1>
So far, so good.
(two#walden)1> net_adm:names().
{ok,[{"two",63489},{"one",63491}]}
(two#walden)2> net_adm:localhost().
"walden"
(two#walden)3> net_adm:names().
{ok,[{"two",63489},{"one",63491}]}
Both of the local nodes are registered but they aren't connected, which is expected.
(two#walden)4> nodes().
[]
Back on node one:
(one#walden)1> net_adm:names(two).
{error,nxdomain}
(one#walden)2> net_adm:names('two#walden').
{error,nxdomain}
(one#walden)3> net_adm:dns_hostname(two).
{error,two}
(one#walden)4> net_adm:dns_hostname(two#walden).
{error,two#walden}
Erlang correctly identifies my localhost as walden but dns_hostname/1 returns an error. Back on two:
(two#walden)5> net_adm:ping(one#walden).
pong
(two#walden)6> nodes().
[one#walden]
and
(one#walden)5> nodes().
[two#walden]
Okay, bummer. It'd be really convenient to use a .hosts.erlang file for localhost development nodes--via net_adm:worlds/0--but it seems like I'm stuck a bit. Am I missing something or doing something glaringly wrong? Could my overall system be misconfigured?

Answer 1

You need to pass a hostname to names and dns_hostname, not a node name. It looks like your nodes are already connected to me, since the other shows up when you run nodes().