Is it possible to ARP address a Linux box?

Markus Reimer asks: "Is it possible to ARP address a Linux box in the same way you can ARP address som printservers and similar 'network boxes'? The thing I want to accomplish is setting an ip-address on a Linux box, remotely, when the box is first set up. (preinstalled Linuxsystem). On several print-server boxes you do this by using arp (e.g. arp -s 192.168.17.42 ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff) If I could do this it would be great! "