Re: Totally confused by Install Network Settings

[Magnus Eriksson <magetoo%fastmail.fm@localhost>]

On Thu, 19 Jun 2008, Bryan Pierce wrote:

> > Put your hostname in /etc/myname.
> > Put your router IP address in /etc/mygate.

> Are you saying that I should interupt the install process and set these 
> values (files) or is this for after the install is complete?

After the install.  But don't do what he says if you already set it up 
during install.  In fact, since things already work, mostly, just leave 
things as they are.


> > If your network interface is, say, xyz0, create /etc/ifconfig.xyz0
> > with the contents:
> >
> > up
> > !dhclient xyz0

> This is over my head a bit, since I don't know what xyz0 would be ( I suppose
> that by 'network interface' you mean the ethernet connection)

Yes; specifically the "name" of it as the kernel sees it.  Think of it as 
the name of the driver for your your particular network card (plus a 
number).

You'll have a bunch of these interfaces, but if you do an 'ifconfig -a', 
which you already mentioned works, the correct one is the entry that is 
'up', has a reasonable IP address, and mentions Ethernet.  You'll also 
(presumably) see a bunch of other entries like 'lo0', the local interface 
(for IP traffic that doesn't leave the machine) with an address of 
127.0.0.1, and 'ppp0', and so on.


> ( I interupted the sysinstall and tried to look at the ifconfig file, 
> but it looked like binary code - although I don't know a bleeping thing 
> about Ed so it could be me)

Yeah, /sbin/ifconfig is the command, and a binary file.  The 
/etc/ifconfig.foo0 file simply contains settings for the interface.  The 
man page for 'ifconfig.if' has the details.


But this is probably all academic since it seems your connection basically 
already works.


> The IP for the network -- OK, I can't seem to turn DHCP off on my 
> router, but what I was able to do is limit the DHCP range to 2 address - 
> forcing the IP to a single, easily verifyable address.

I don't think there's any need to do that, since it only changes the 
address internally, on your own private network (between router and 
computer).  Well, unless you just want it that way, of course.


> Th IP of the of my ISP's name server
>   svl-ans-01.inet.qwest.net = 205.171.14.195

> while this doesn't work...
>   #ftp ftp.NetBSD.org
> So one thing that I know - The network connection is working fine!!

> "no address associated with host-name" that the the problem there is a 
> 99% chance that if I could get the system resolving 'domain names' that 
> my problems would be solved.

What happens if you create the file '/etc/resolv.conf' and put the 
following there:
=====
nameserver 205.171.14.195
=====
?

(That's the name server you mentioned above.)

For a quick sanity check, you could also try one of OpenDNS's name 
servers, for example 208.67.220.220.

I'm guessing that this is because you get the IP address from your 
router's DHCP server; if you got it from your ISP's DHCP server, you would 
have the name server info included, and automagically set up.  But I never 
played around much with that sort of setup, so I could be wrong.


> There are still some questions, especially with "Host Name" and "Domain 
> Name."

Host name is just the name you want to give your machine, and domain name 
can be left blank.


Take care,
MAgnus