Linux Networking How-To

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The Linux Operating System boasts kernel based networking support written almost entirely from scratch. The performance of the tcp/ip implementation in recent kernels makes it a worthy alternative to even the best of its peers. This document aims to describe how to install and configure the Linux networking software and associated tools.

Contents 1 General Information 2 Generic Network Configuration Information 3 IP- and Ethernet-Related Information 4 Using common PC hardware 5 Other Network Technologies 6 Cables and Cabling 7 Glossary of Terms used in this document. 8 Linux for an ISP ? 9 Maintainer 10 Acknowledgements 11 Copyright.

[edit] General Information

• A brief history of Linux Networking Kernel Development
• Linux Networking Resource
• Where to get some non-linux specific network information

[edit] Generic Network Configuration Information

• What do I need to start ?
  • Current Kernel source(Optional)
  • Current Network tools
  • Network Application Programs
  • IP Addresses, an Explanation
• Where should I put the configuration commands ?
• Creating your network interfaces.
• Configuring a network interface.
• Configuring your Name Resolver.
  • What's in a name ?
  • What information you will need
  • /etc/resolv.conf/
  • /etc/host.conf/
  • /etc/hosts/
  • Running a name server
• Configuring your loopback interface.
• Routing.
  • So what does the routed program do ?/
• Configuring your network servers and services.
  • /etc/services/
    • An example /etc/services file.
  • /etc/inetd.conf/
    • An example /etc/inetd.conf/
  • Other miscellaneous network related configuration files.
    • /etc/protocols/
    • /etc/networks/
  • Network Security and access control.
    • /etc/ftpusers
    • /etc/securetty
    • The tcpd hosts access control mechanism.
      • /etc/hosts.allow
      • /etc/hosts.deny
    • /etc/hosts.equiv
    • Configure your ftp daemon properly.
    • Network Firewalling.
    • Other suggestions.

[edit] IP- and Ethernet-Related Information

• IP- and Ethernet-Related Information
• Ethernet
• EQL - multiple line traffic equaliser
• IP Accounting (for Linux-2.0)
• IP Accounting (for Linux-2.2)
• IP Aliasing
• IP Firewall (for Linux-2.0)
• IP Firewall (for Linux-2.2)
• IPIP Encapsulation
  • A tunneled network configuration.
  • A tunneled host configuration.
• IP Masquerade
• IP Transparent Proxy
• IPv6
• Mobile IP
• Multicast
• NAT - Network Address Translation
• Traffic Shaper - Changing allowed bandwidth
• Routing in Linux-2.2

[edit] Using common PC hardware

• ISDN
• PLIP for Linux-2.0
• PLIP for Linux-2.2
• PPP
  • Maintaining a permanent connection to the net with pppd.
• SLIP client
  • dip
  • slattach
  • When do I use which ?
  • Static SLIP server with a dialup line and DIP.
  • Dynamic SLIP server with a dialup line and DIP.
  • Using DIP.
  • Permanent SLIP connection using a leased line and slattach.
• SLIP server.
  • Slip Server using sliplogin.
    • Where to get sliplogin
    • Configuring /etc/passwd for Slip hosts.
    • Configuring /etc/slip.hosts
    • Configuring the /etc/slip.login file.
    • Configuring the /etc/slip.logout file.
    • Configuring the /etc/slip.tty file.
  • Slip Server using dip.
    • Configuring /etc/diphosts
  • SLIP server using the dSLIP package.

[edit] Other Network Technologies

• Other Network Technologies
• ARCNet
• Appletalk (AF_APPLETALK)
  • Configuring the Appletalk software.
  • Exporting a Linux filesystems via Appletalk.
  • Sharing your Linux printer across Appletalk.
  • Starting the appletalk software.
  • Testing the appletalk software.
  • Caveats of the appletalk software.
  • More information
• ATM
• AX25 (AF_AX25)
• DECNet
• FDDI
• Frame Relay
• IPX (AF_IPX)
• NetRom (AF_NETROM)
• Rose protocol (AF_ROSE)
• SAMBA - `NetBEUI', `NetBios', `CIFS' support.
• STRIP support (Starmode Radio IP)
• Token Ring
• X.25
• WaveLan Card

[edit] Cables and Cabling

• Cables and Cabling
• Serial NULL Modem cable
• Parallel port cable (PLIP cable)
• 10base2 (thin coax) Ethernet Cabling
• Twisted Pair Ethernet Cable

[edit] Glossary of Terms used in this document.

• Glossary of Terms used in this document

[edit] Linux for an ISP ?

If you are interested in using Linux for ISP purposes the I recommend you take a look at the Linux ISP homepage for a good list of pointers to information you might need and use.

[edit] Maintainer

--Phoe6 (talk)

[edit] Acknowledgements

I'd like to thank the following people for their contributions to this document (in no particular order): Terry Dawson, Axel Boldt, Arnt Gulbrandsen, Gary Allpike, Cees de Groot, Alan Cox, Jonathon Naylor, Claes Ensson, Ron Nessim, John Minack, Jean-Pierre Cocatrix, Erez Strauss.

[edit] Copyright.

Copyright Information

The NET-3-HOWTO, information on how to install and configure networking support for Linux. Copyright (c) 1997 Terry Dawson, 1998 Alessandro Rubini, 1999 {POET} - LinuxPorts

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version. This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details. You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with this program; if not, write to the: Free Software Foundation, Inc., 675 Mass Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.