CHAPTER 6

LINUX NETWORKING

 Linux supports many different networking protocols such as: TCP/IP UDP/IP IPX/SPX Appletalk DLC DECnet

TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol)

It is focused more on delivering interconnectivity than on rigidly adhering to functional layers The TCP/IP suite of protocols allowed, through its layered structure, to insulate applications from networking hardware TCP/IP networking has been present in Linux since its beginnings. It has been implemented from scratch. It is one of the most robust, fast and reliable implementations and is one of the key factors of the success of Linux.

TCP/IP
TCP establishes a continuous open connection between a client and a server, over which bytes may be written--and correct order guaranteed--for the life of the connection. However, bytes written over TCP have no built-in structure, so higher-level protocols are required to delimit any data records and fields within the transmitted bytestream.

UDP/IP
Is a datagram protocol Does not require that any connection be established between client and server, it simply transmits a message between addresses A nice feature of UDP is that its packets are selfdelimiting--each datagram indicates exactly where it begins and ends. UDP, however, provides no guarantee that packets will arrive in-order, or even at all. Higher-level protocols built on top of UDP may, of course, provide handshaking and acknowledgements.

IPX/SPX
Short form for Internet Packet Exchange/Sequenced Packet Exchange is a proprietary protocol stack developed by Novell and based on the Xerox Network Systems (XNS) protocol. Linux has a very clean IPX/SPX implementation, allowing it to be configured as an:
 IPX router  IPX bridge  NCP client and/or NCP Server (for sharing files)  Novell Print Client, Novell Print Server

APPLETALK
Appletalk is the name of Apple's internetworking stack. It allows a peer-to-peer network model which provides basic functionality such as file and printer sharing. Each machine can simultaneously act as a client and a server, and the software and hardware necessary are included with every Apple computer.

DLC
DLC - Data Link Control operates at the data link layer and is designed for communications between Hewlett-Packard network printers and IBM mainframe computers on a DECnet network.

DECnet
is a group of data-communications products, including a protocol suite, developed and supported by Digital Equipment Corporation. The first version of DECnet, released in 1975, allowed two directly attached PDP-11 minicomputers to communicate. In more recent years, Digital has included support for nonproprietary protocols, but DECnet remains the most important of Digital's network product offerings.

Figure 28-1: illustrates a DECnet internetwork with routers interconnecting two LANs that contain workstations and VAXs.

CONFIGURE NETWORK INTERNET CARD (NIC)

1) To see NIC (or eth0 in Linux) detected and working by using command Login as root Type /sbin/ifconfig

Network Command
Some common Linux command for network a) ifconfig : configure a network interface , used to configure the kernel-resident network interfaces. It is used at boot time to set up interfaces as necessary. b) dhclient: This script is used by the dhcp client to set each interface's initial configuration prior to requesting an address, to test the address once it has been offered, and to set the interface's final configuration once a lease has been acquired. c) ping: is a computer network administration utility used to test the reachability of a host on an Internet Protocol (IP) network and to measure the round-trip time for messages sent from the originating host to a destination computer

CONFIGURE NETWORK IN GUI

STEP 1: System Administration Networking

STEP 2: Click at Wired Connection

STEP 3: Enable this connection tick box is checked

STEP 4: Select Static IP Address

STEP 5: Key in IP Address

STEP 6: click on General tab and enter hostname and domain name

STEP 7: Click on DNS tab to configure system s DNS settings, hostname, or DNS search path.

STEP 8: Click the Hosts tab, and then either click the Add or Properties button (after selecting a host) to create or edit an entry in your system s /etc/hosts file

STEP 9:Highlight an existing entry, and then click the Properties button to change /etc/hosts entries in the Hosts tab of the Network Configuration screen

POINT TO POINT PROTOCOL

is the protocol used for establishing internet links over dial-up modems, DSL connections, and many other types of point-to-point links. The pppd (Point to point daemon) works together with the kernel PPP driver to establish and maintain a PPP link with another system (called the peer) and to negotiate Internet Protocol (IP) addresses for each end of the link. Pppd can also authenticate the peer and/or supply authentication information to the peer. PPP can be used with other network protocols besides IP, but such use is becoming increasingly rare.

CONFIGURE EMAIL ACCOUNT

STEP 1: Click on Evolution in Ubuntu and select foward

STEP 2:Under "Identity , enter your full name and email address, click foward

STEP 3: Drop down menu server type and select POP

STEP 4: Select "POP" from the list of e-mail server types.

STEP 5: The first option on this window pertains to how long Evolution should wait between mail checks. If this box is not ticked, Evolution will not automatically check for new mail.

STEP 6: There are two server types available: SMTP and Sendmail. In this example server type is SMTP

STEP 7: Next, give the email account a name.

STEP 8: Choose the timezone you would like to use for this account.

STEP 9:Now that your email account is setup, you will see a window like the one above. To retrieve your mail, simply click on "Send/Receive" in the toolbar. You will then see your email start to tally in the Inbox.