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1. Issue-3

Greetings, this is Issue-3. It is all about getting networking up and running.

The best reference texts are the NAG (network administrators guide), and the NET-2 HOWTO in the LDP printed compendium, and on-line.

1.1 Drop-in and change the values, example configuration

You may find Raven easier, because it uses "real example values", rather than generic descriptions. However, you must remember to chage the values to yours! Obvious really. Do refer back to the main LDP docs, as they cover more variations, of different situations, However, once you have a working system, they will make more sense.

You should also use your imagination, and think up a different number than 67, and a different set of host names. Allocating IP_addresses is discussed in Issue-1 , basically 192.168.67.1 can be your TCP/IP address on your private LAN.

1.2 modem + ethernet card

The configuration files used here, work for a machine with a modem and an ethernet card, ie a typical small home/office machine. I recommend that you get an ethernet card anyway, because it allows you to take the machine anywhere (or bring a friends machine in), and connect over ethernet, with only a few edits to /etc/hosts, and maybe /etc/rc.d/rc.inet1 (or whatever).

If you don't have an ethernet card, this configuration will still work, as long as the loopback interface works correctly. You can use a "dummy0" TCP/IP interface instead of eth0, but this should not be necessary. To link two machines without ethernet, you can use a null modem serial cable and PPP or SLIP.

1.3 SLIP or PPP

Both are documented. Most people are moving towards PPP, but SLIP is still a common option, for connecting to your Internet Service Provider.

You will have to modify the chat script, or dip script, so that you phone the correct telephone number, and login as the correct name using your secret password.

In addition, different ISP's have different greeting messages, which is how the scripts know they are properly connected, and my ISP asks me if I want SLIP or PPP.

After connecting, you may have additional parameters that need setting, your ISP will help you. These work for me.

1.4 dial_ppp

Raven is a shareware magazine, but dial_ppp is available elsewhere as a Free package.

dial_ppp was inspired by an article in Raven, that enables a non-root user to get root permissions to establish and break the PPP connection, in a "safe and controlled manner".

A description of how it works, is a pending article in Linux World. (a new Linux oriented magazine from ther UK).

1.5 Apps

As well as making the connection you want to locate and configure apps to run over it. There are many choices, you want an email reader, a news reader, web browser and an ftp client.

With a local LAN, or even over a dial-up connection you can become a web server, by installing Apache or another httpd (daemon).

1.6 sendmail

Configuring sendmail is not difficult, but it can be confusing, when you want something now. Raven has a 10 line configuration that works for a typical home machine, and background information about how to test it and how it works.


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