[9fans] planning an installation

[9fans] planning an installation

[Matt]

Hi,

I've spent some tim ein the last few weeks trying to get a plan9
installation going as it's the most attractive OS I have come across.

Despite the documentation there are a few things I'm not dead sure about and
I'm hoping for some clarification.

I was hopnig to do a single computer installation but from reading through
the list archive I have half drawn the conclusion that this is not the way
to go. Plan9's distributed architecture is attractive on a network but am I
*forced* to have 3 machines dedicated to getting my first workstation going?

On the machine I installed on I couldn't get the network going. I did manage
to get it to respond to pings once but it has elluded me since. (on a
related note how do I ping out - i can't find a ping command anywhere!!)

I suspect that the problem lies with the single machine paradigm but could
use some help getting it going.

thnaks for your time and sorry for being so useless. Coming to something new
like this can really make your head hurt and hopefully it's just something I
can't see buried in the unfamilair.

my /lib/ndb/local

#################
database=
    file=/lib/ndb/local
    file=/lib/ndb/common

ipnet=lucid-net ip=195.182.167.0 ipmask=255.255.255.240
    dns=195.182.164.1
    dns=195.182.164.2
    ipgw=195.182.167.1
    auth=donk
    cpu=donk

# my other computer
ip=195.182.167.2 sys=lorry

#my plan 9 pc
ip=195.182.167.7 sys=donk ether=0020afbd3304
    proto=il

#################

my /rc/bin/termrc

fileserver=kfs
cpu=donk
facedom=FACEDOM
ndb/cs
sysname=`{cat /dev/sysname}
mount -c /srv/boot /n/termrc.tmp
bind -c /n/termrc.tmp/mail /mail
unmount /n/termrc.tmp

# i picked this tip up from mail-list - i was getting dhcp lookups
ip/ipconfig -g 195.182.167.1 195.182.167.7 255.255.255.240

ndb/dns -r

## it then does the normal switch which i wont produce here

Re: [9fans] planning an installation

[Kevin McQuiggin]

Hi Matt:

I'm a semi-newbie too, so take my comments for what they're worth:

> I was hopnig to do a single computer installation but from reading through
> the list archive I have half drawn the conclusion that this is not the way
> to go. Plan9's distributed architecture is attractive on a network but am I
> *forced* to have 3 machines dedicated to getting my first workstation going?

If you have Internet connectivity can't you simply set up a terminal
server and use other machines around the net? I have a single machine
going as a terminal in any case. I do have Internet connectivity and so as
things progress this is going to be the way it develops. I need info on
other Plan 9 machines that I can connect to, though.

> On the machine I installed on I couldn't get the network going. I did manage
> to get it to respond to pings once but it has elluded me since. (on a
> related note how do I ping out - i can't find a ping command anywhere!!)

Ping is in ip/ping, if you use ip/ping <host name or IP> that should work.

> I suspect that the problem lies with the single machine paradigm but could
> use some help getting it going.

If you have other TCP/IP based machines around you can ping them. They
should be able to ping your Plan 9 machine in any case.

I believe that you have to set up TCP listening to be able to telnet into
your Plan 9 machine etc though. 

Do you have your subnet mask and gateway set up correctly? All machines on
the same LAN should have identical subnet masks. I note that your DNS
shows as being on the other side of your gateway. This shouldn't be a
problem technically, but is it a typo instead?

Kevin

-- 
Kevin McQuiggin VE7ZD
mcquiggi@sfu.ca

Re: [9fans] planning an installation

[Russ Cox]

	I was hopnig to do a single computer installation but from reading through
	the list archive I have half drawn the conclusion that this is not the way
	to go. Plan9's distributed architecture is attractive on a network but am I
	*forced* to have 3 machines dedicated to getting my first workstation going?

Not so.  The installation process sets up a standalone machine.
If you expand to multiple machines, the recommended setup is
an auth server and a file server as machines separate from any
terminals.  If you're strapped for machines or space, though,
this isn't always practical.  It's possible to have one machine do
everything although the file service in particular is not as efficient
as using the standalone file server.  But it's quite usable.  In fact,
I'm using a terminal booted from such a wonder-machine
right now.

	On the machine I installed on I couldn't get the network going. I did manage
	to get it to respond to pings once but it has elluded me since. (on a
	related note how do I ping out - i can't find a ping command anywhere!!)

It's called "ip/ping".

	On the machine I installed on I couldn't get the network going. I did manage
	to get it to respond to pings once but it has elluded me since. (on a
	related note how do I ping out - i can't find a ping command anywhere!!)

netstat -i will print information about how your
network card is configured.  That might be a good
place to start.

Russ

Re: [9fans] planning an installation

[Matt]

Hi,

thanks to Kevin, Ross & pip for helping.
I've compiled an answer

>You _can_ set up a single machine as a Plan 9 node,
<< *cheers*

>but it will lack certain features (like a good fileserver).
I will add one later (as an exercise) when I get an appropriate SCSI (I have
an adaptec 2940 :(

> It's called "ip/ping".
dur

/net/iproute is an empty file
netstat -i returns nothing

this suggests something isn't quite right

at boot
/ndb/dns -r
tells me "can't read my ip address"

looks like I'm flailing

>If you have Internet connectivity can't you simply set up a terminal server
and use other machines around the net?
I hope so, what plan9 machines are around with open access like this?

>I note that your DNS shows as being on the other side of your gateway.
>This shouldn't be a problem technically, but is it a typo instead?

I am a little class 16 on the end of an ISDN leased line.
I have a router/gateway here (195.182.167.1) that connects to my ISP
I use their DNS 195.182.164.1
I've been using Windows on my home systems. I've got shell accounts at the
ISP.
My knowledge of TCP/IP is rudementary

I hope it's not plan 10 by the time i get going

Matt

Re: [9fans] planning an installation

[pip]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 630 bytes --]

>... "can't read my ip address"
And I guess it stalls for about 60 secs ? I think it tries for a minute to get
your IPaddr via DHCP, but I guess thats obvious.

Try the following line for your /rc/bin/termrc:

ip/ipconfig -g 195.182.167.1 ether /net/ether0 add   your_ip  your_netmask >>[2]/tmp/ipconfig.debug.log

> I am a little class 16 at the end of an ISDN leased line.
If I understand correctly, your netmask is a /28 ? Anyway, replace the netmask
above with whatever your windows machine uses as it's netmask, and I think
it should work. /tmp/ipconfig.debug.log should contain any errors or warnings.
-
pip


[-- Attachment #2: Type: message/rfc822, Size: 2907 bytes --]

From: "Matt" <matt@proweb.co.uk>
To: <9fans@cse.psu.edu>
Subject: Re: [9fans] planning an installation
Date: Sun, 9 Jul 2000 23:45:13 +0100
Message-ID: <008b01bfe9f7$5ae95be0$02a7b6c3@lucid.proweb.net>

Hi,

thanks to Kevin, Ross & pip for helping.
I've compiled an answer

>You _can_ set up a single machine as a Plan 9 node,
<< *cheers*

>but it will lack certain features (like a good fileserver).
I will add one later (as an exercise) when I get an appropriate SCSI (I have
an adaptec 2940 :(

> It's called "ip/ping".
dur

/net/iproute is an empty file
netstat -i returns nothing

this suggests something isn't quite right

at boot
/ndb/dns -r
tells me "can't read my ip address"

looks like I'm flailing

>If you have Internet connectivity can't you simply set up a terminal server
and use other machines around the net?
I hope so, what plan9 machines are around with open access like this?

>I note that your DNS shows as being on the other side of your gateway.
>This shouldn't be a problem technically, but is it a typo instead?

I am a little class 16 on the end of an ISDN leased line.
I have a router/gateway here (195.182.167.1) that connects to my ISP
I use their DNS 195.182.164.1
I've been using Windows on my home systems. I've got shell accounts at the
ISP.
My knowledge of TCP/IP is rudementary

I hope it's not plan 10 by the time i get going

Matt

Re: [9fans] planning an installation

[Matt]

> ip/ipconfig -g 195.182.167.1 ether /net/ether0 add   your_ip  your_netmask
>>[2]/tmp/ipconfig.debug.log

Hooray
it lives

Thank you for your help (and your OS)

Now for some proper delving about.

Are there any books any one would recommend? (and I can't read German :)

Matt

Re: [9fans] planning an installation

[Matt]

Hi,

> >>Are there any books any one would recommend? (and I can't read German :)
>
> there isn't one yet, as far as i know.
> now that there is more interest in the system, it is more likely that
> one might appear.


in fact the link on your page (http://www.caldo.demon.co.uk/plan9/)  to the
german book is now a 404
http://www.hanser.de/computer/buecher/18881.htm

btw thanks for your page, it's been a good portal to the plan9 world. Did
you ever finish the IrDA? None of your projects seem to have been updated
for a very long time :)

It's been wierd that all the people's pages who I have in my plan9
favourites folder have responded to my mails!

I've got too much work to do to work properly on it all.

No doubt some more questions will come.

Matt