Chapter 12: Configuring Networks
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration
Objectives
Configure network interfaces using commandline and graphical utilities Set up a simple DHCP server Manage networked printing services
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration
Configuring Linux Networking
Learn more about
Networking protocols Network configuration
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration
Understanding Network Devices in Linux
Linux networking devices
Not shown in /dev directory Do not exist on system until appropriate device driver installed in kernel
Networking device
Named channel over which network traffic can pass
Device drivers for networking are kernel modules
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Understanding Network Devices in Linux (continued)
Kernel modules can be loaded or unloaded while Linux is running /dev/eth0
First Ethernet card installed on system
Media Access Control (MAC) address
Unique address assigned by Ethernet card manufacturer
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Understanding Network Devices in Linux (continued)
To obtain MAC address
Host broadcasts message to entire network segment using Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) Host with IP address responds directly to computer that sent ARP request with MAC address Source host stores MAC address and IP address
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Understanding Network Devices in Linux (continued)
arp command
Display ARP cache
Mapping of IP addresses to hardware addresses
Used mainly for troubleshooting network connectivity Refreshed frequently
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Configuring Networking with Command-line Utilities
ifconfig command
Set up network configuration in Linux kernel Parameters include:
Network interface IP address assigned to interface Network mask
Syntax
ifconfig device ip_address netmask address broadcast address
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Configuring Networking with Command-line Utilities (continued)
Packet
Unit of data that network card transmits
Broadcast address sends packet to all computers on same part of network Maximum transmission unit (MTU)
Maximum size of packet interface supports
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration
Configuring Networking with Command-line Utilities (continued)
View status of interface: ifconfig eth0 Stop Ethernet interface: ifconfig eth0 down Start Ethernet interface: ifconfig eth0 up Routing table tells networking software where to send packets that are not part of local network
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Configuring Networking with Command-line Utilities (continued)
route command
View or configure routing table within kernel Executed at boot time when networking initialized Output information for addresses
192.168.100.0 (eth0 IP address) 127.0.0.0 Other
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Configuring Networking with Command-line Utilities (continued)
Route command output
Destination Gateway Genmask Flags Ref Use Iface
Add route example:
route add -net 192.168.100.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 dev eth0
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Configuring Networking with Command-line Utilities (continued)
service command
Start or stop networking Relies on script /etc/rc.d/init.d/network
/etc/sysconfig/networking/devices configuration directory
Contains file for each network device ifcfg-eth0 file
Used by /etc/rc.d/init.d/network script As it executes ifconfig and route commands
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Configuring Networking with Command-line Utilities (continued)
ifup and ifdown scripts manage single interface, rather than all network interfaces
Better than using ifconfig command directly
Looks at parameters and associated functionality needed to cleanly manage interface
Example: ./ifdown eth0
Some systems have two or more physical network devices
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Configuring Networking with Command-line Utilities (continued)
IP forwarding
Allows packets to be passed between network interfaces Required for any router To enable: echo 1 > /proc/sys/net/ipv4/ip_forward
Linux includes graphical utilities that set up and manage networking
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Configuring Networking Using Graphical Tools
system-config-network program
Included with Red Hat Linux and Fedora Devices tab
List of each Linux networking device Name and type of hardware driver
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Configuring Networking Using Graphical Tools (continued)
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Configuring the DNS Resolver
DNS
Used to convert host and domain names into IP addresses Implemented by server that supports DNS
Reverse DNS converts IP address to domain name Resolving
Process of converting domain name to IP address or vice versa
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Configuring the DNS Resolver (continued)
Resolver
Client part of DNS Makes requests to DNS server Test by pinging another system using host name instead of IP address Configured by file /etc/resolv.conf Contains IP address of one or more DNS servers preceded by keyword nameserver Can include up to three DNS servers
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Configuring the DNS Resolver (continued)
Keyword
Word to which program reading configuration file attaches special meaning
Utilities for researching DNS problems:
dnsquery nslookup dig whois host
/etc/hosts file stores IP addresses and corresponding domain names in text file on host
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Configuring the DNS Resolver (continued)
/etc/hosts file
By default contains only host name localhost and own hosts name On small network:
Create hosts file that contains each host and IP address of host Avoid need for DNS server Can have nonlocal domain names resolved by request to DNS server
Configuring DNS resolver graphically uses system-config-network to set up resolver
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Configuring the DNS Resolver (continued)
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Dynamic Routing with Routing Protocols
Static routing
Uses preconfigured routing table Not good choice for:
Larger networks Unreliable connections
Dynamic routing uses specialized routing protocol to build and modify routing tables automatically
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Dynamic Routing with Routing Protocols (continued)
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Dynamic Routing with Routing Protocols (continued)
Routing protocols divided into two categories
Interior: designed for routing packets among networks under your control Exterior: designed for routing packets between networks controlled by different organizations
All routing protocols designed to exchange information among routers
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Dynamic Routing with Routing Protocols (continued)
Routing Information Protocol (RIP)
Interior routing protocol Oldest routing protocol still in common use Implemented in Linux using routed daemon Easy to configure and run Choice of most network administrators
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Dynamic Routing with Routing Protocols (continued)
Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) protocol
Interior routing protocol Designed to work effectively even in very large networks Uses technique called flooding Few Linux network administrators use it Implemented using gated daemon
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Dynamic Routing with Routing Protocols (continued)
Border Gateway Protocol (BGP)
Designed for routing between major national networks Supported by gated daemon
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Configuring a DHCP Server
DHCP server installed by default on many Linux systems /etc/dhcpd.conf file
Configuration for DHCP Instructs DHCP server which IP address ranges are available for DHCP clients
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Configuring a DHCP Server (continued)
When client requests IP address :
DHCP server leases address to client for specified time At end of lease client must request new IP address Whole arrangement transparent to user on client host
DHCP client can run on any operating system
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Networked Printing Services
Linux includes network printing capabilities
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Using Traditional Linux Printing: LPRng
Traditional Linux printing system Based on BSD version of UNIX Allows multiple users to print files at same time to:
Local printer Networked printers
Print queues
System administrator must define printers Printer definitions describe type of printer and features to be used
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Using Traditional Linux Printing: LPRng (continued)
Printing file in LPRng system
Application submits file to be printed (print job) Print job processed by print filter converts information from Linux application into formatting codes to produce desired output Printing utility stores print job in print spool directory
Default directory /var/spool/lpd
Lpd print server program keeps track of all print jobs in all print queues on system
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Using Traditional Linux Printing: LPRng (continued)
Correlation between print queue and physical printer not always one to one Linux print filter
Same as printer driver in other operating systems Converts documents or images into format that printer can use
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Using Traditional Linux Printing: LPRng (continued)
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Using Traditional Linux Printing: LPRng (continued)
Page description language
Special set of codes Determine graphic elements, text font, and everything else about what appears on printed page Most widely used:
PostScript Printer Control Language (PCL)
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Using Traditional Linux Printing: LPRng (continued)
Magic filter
Can convert documents for many different printers Convenient to support hundreds of printers Doesnt allow Linux to use specialized features of each printer Script /usr/share/printconf/util/mf_wrapper
Main print filter in Red Hat Linux and Fedora Starts magicfilter-t program Uses several other programs in conversion process
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Using Traditional Linux Printing: LPRng (continued)
Configuring local printer definitions
Each LPRng printer definition created as print queue entry in /etc/printcap configuration file
Uses complex format
Must provide appropriate Linux device name
Parallel ports use device name lp followed by device number Serial ports use name ttyS followed by device number
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Printing Remotely Using LPRng
Define printer on system that refers to remote computer and print queue on remote system
Key options in configuration file
rm remote system specified rp remote print queue specified
Once print job has been sent to remote system using lpd, user has no direct control over it
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Printing Remotely Using LPRng (continued)
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Understanding the Common UNIX Printing System (CUPS)
Provides new architecture for Linux printing Users browse network to find and print to networked printers and other devices System administrators manage printer definitions and print jobs across network Installed by default in Red Hat Linux and Fedora cupsd
Main print server daemon
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Understanding the Common UNIX Printing System (CUPS) (continued)
cupsd print server daemon
Uses HTTP protocol Manages printers using web browser interface
CUPS architecture uses network port 631
Start CUPS user interface
http//localhost:631/
/etc/cups/cupsd.conf file specifies setting for each active server option
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Understanding the Common UNIX Printing System (CUPS) (continued)
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Understanding the Common UNIX Printing System (CUPS) (continued)
Many printers are configured using PostScript Printer Description (PPD) file
Manufacturers can easily create text-based configuration file Permits printer to be graphically configured using standard utilities
CUPS class
Group of printers to which user can submit print job First available printer within used to print job
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Managing Printing
Printing policy
Brief statement of rules describing:
How printing resources can be used How printers should be managed
lpc utility controls LPRng or CUPS printing Alternatives printing system
Maps print command to different programs Based on which printing system in use
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Managing Printing (continued)
Alternatives command lpr command and lpc command
Symbolic links
Using lpc
Prevent new print jobs from being accepted by print queue Prevent print jobs from being sent to printer Cancel print job currently being printed See status of any printer
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Managing Printing (continued)
lpq utility lists each print job in print queue with status information lprm command deletes print job from queue Graphical print management utilities
Print Manager
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Summary
Ethernet card includes unique MAC address
Used by address resolution protocol
ifconfig command used to configure networking interface in kernel route command modifies internal routing table system-config-network utility graphically configures network devices
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Summary (continued)
DHCP server on Linux requires configuring /etc/dhcpd.conf file Linux printing relies on printer definitions Red Hat Linux and Fedora support both LPRng and CUPS printing using alternatives printing system Print jobs can be managed using command line utilities or graphical interface
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