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SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES 10) Installation and Administration
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31.4 Configuring a Network Connection with YaST

There are many supported networking types on Linux. Most of them use different device names and the configuration files are spread over several locations in the file system. For a detailed overview of the aspects of manual network configuration, see Section 31.6, Configuring a Network Connection Manually.

During installation, YaST can be used to configure automatically all interfaces that have been detected. Additional hardware can be configured any time after installation in the installed system. The following sections describe the network configuration for all types of network connections supported by SUSE Linux Enterprise.

HINT: IBM System z: Hotpluggable Network Cards

On IBM System z platforms, hotpluggable network cards are supported, but not their automatic network integration via DHCP (as is the case on the PC). After detection, manually configure the interface.

31.4.1 Configuring the Network Card with YaST

To configure your network wired or wireless card in YaST, select Network Devices > Network Card. After starting the module, YaST displays a general network configuration dialog. Choose whether to use YaST or NetworkManager to manage all your network devices. If you want to configure your network in the traditional way with the YaST, check Traditional Method with ifup and click Next. To use NetworkManager, check User Controlled with NetworkManager and click Next. Find detailed information about NetworkManager in Section 31.5, Managing Network Connections with NetworkManager.

The upper part of the next dialog shows a list with all the network cards available for configuration. Any card properly detected is listed with its name. To change the configuration of the selected device, click Edit. Devices that could not be detected can be configured using Add as described in Configuring an Undetected Network Card.

Figure 31-3 Configuring a Network Card

Changing the Configuration of a Network Card

To change the configuration of a network card, select a card from the list of the detected cards in the YaST network card configuration module and click Edit. The Network Address Setup dialog appears in which to adjust the card configuration using the Address and General tabs. For information about wireless card configuration, see Section 30.1.3, Configuration with YaST.

Use the Address tab to adjust the following aspects of your network card configuration:

Type of Address Setup and IP Address Information

Depending on the purpose of your SUSE Linux Enterprise machine, decide whether a static or dynamic address should be used. Most client setups in corporate networks or home networks work fine with dynamic setup through DHCP. Servers or routers, however, should use static IP addresses. For details, refer to Configuring IP Addresses.

Hostname and DNS

To enable your SUSE Linux Enterprise machine to integrate into a network, set hostname and name service information. If DHCP is used for the network setup, these settings are made automatically. For details, refer to Configuring Hostname and DNS.

Routing

To ensure that network traffic from your machine takes the correct path, set a default gateway and, if needed, a route. If DHCP is used, these settings are made automatically. For details, refer to Configuring Routing.

Advanced Options

Some hardware needs additional options to be passed to the kernel to make it work. Access the dialog to enter these options with Hardware Details. Refer to Adding Special Hardware Options for details.

The DHCP setup that is run by default applies to most use cases. To fine-tune the DHCP configuration, use DHCP Options. Refer to Configuring IP Addresses for details.

If your machine should have multiple IP addresses, set them up using Additional Addresses. See Configuring IP Addresses.

Use the General tab to adjust the following items:

Firewall Zone

Determine whether your network interface should be protected by a firewall. For details, refer to Configuring the Firewall.

Device Activation

Depending on which applications or scripts you use to control your network devices, set the appropriate start mode. For details, refer to Starting the Device.

MTU

Set the maximum transfer rate (MTU) of your interface. Normally, you can safely leave this setting empty and run with the defaults. Only change this value if your setup explicitly requires it.

Configuring IP Addresses

When possible, wired network cards available during installation are automatically configured to use automatic address setup, DHCP.

NOTE: IBM System z and DHCP

On IBM System z platforms, DHCP-based address configuration is only supported with network cards that have a MAC address. This is only the case with OSA and OSA Express cards.

DHCP should also be used if you are using a DSL line but with no static IP assigned by the ISP. If you decide to use DHCP, configure the details in DHCP Client Options. Find this dialog from the Address tab by selecting Advanced DHCP Options . Specify whether the DHCP server should always honor broadcast requests and any identifier to use. If you have a virtual host setup where different hosts communicate through the same interface, an identifier is necessary to distinguish them.

DHCP is a good choice for client configuration but it is not ideal for server configuration. To set a static IP address, proceed as follows:

  1. Select a card from the list of detected cards in the YaST network card configuration module and click Edit.

  2. In the Address tab, choose Static Address Setup.

  3. Enter IP Address and Subnet Mask.

  4. Click Next.

  5. To activate the configuration, click Next again.

One network device can have multiple IP addresses, called aliases. To set an alias for your network card, proceed as follows:

  1. Select a card from the list of detected cards in the YaST network card configuration module and click Edit.

  2. In the Address tab, choose Advanced > Additional Addresses.

  3. Click Add.

  4. Enter Alias Name, IP Address, and Netmask.

  5. Click OK.

  6. Click OK again.

  7. Click Next.

  8. To activate the configuration, click Next again.

Configuring Hostname and DNS

If you did not change the network configuration during installation and the wired card was available, a hostname was automatically generated for your computer and DHCP was activated. The same applies to the name service information your host needs to integrate into a network environment. If DHCP is used for network address setup, the list of domain name servers is automatically filled with the appropriate data. If a static setup is preferred, set these values manually.

To change the name of your computer and adjust the name server search list, proceed as follows:

  1. Select a card from the list of detected cards in the YaST network card configuration module and click Edit.

  2. In the Address tab, click Hostname and Name Server.

  3. To disable DHCP-driven host name configuration, deselect Change Hostname via DHCP.

  4. Enter Hostname and, if it is needed, Domain Name.

  5. To disable DHCP driven updates of the name server list, deselect Update Name Servers and Search List via DHCP.

  6. Enter the name servers and domain search list.

  7. Click OK.

  8. Click Next.

  9. To activate the configuration, click Next again.

Configuring Routing

To make your machine communicate with other machines and other networks, routing information must be given to make network traffic take the correct path. If DHCP is used, this information is automatically provided. If a static setup is used, this data must be added manually.

  1. Select a card from the list of detected cards in the YaST network card configuration module and click Edit.

  2. In the Address tab, click Routing.

  3. Enter the IP of the Default Gateway.

  4. Click OK.

  5. Click Next.

  6. To activate the configuration, click Next again.

Adding Special Hardware Options

Sometimes a module of a network card needs special parameters to work correctly. To set them with YaST, proceed as follows:

  1. Select a card from the list of detected cards in the YaST network card configuration module and click Edit.

  2. In the Address tab, click Advanced > Hardware Details.

  3. In Options, enter the parameters for your network card. If two cards are configured that use the same module, these parameters are used for both.

  4. Click OK.

  5. Click Next.

  6. To activate configuration, click Next again.

Starting the Device

You can configure your device to start during boot, on cable connection, on card detection, manually, or never. To change device start-up, proceed as follows:

  1. Select a card from the list of detected cards in the YaST network card configuration module and click Edit.

  2. In the General tab, select the desired entry from Device Activation.

  3. Click Next.

  4. To activate the configuration, click Next again.

Configuring the Firewall

Without having to enter the detailed firewall setup as described in Section 44.4.1, Configuring the Firewall with YaST, you can determine the basic firewall setup for your device as part of the device setup. Proceed as follows:

  1. Select a card from the list of detected cards in the YaST network card configuration module and click Edit.

  2. Enter the General tab of the network configuration dialog.

  3. Determine the firewall zone to which your interface should be assigned. The following options are available:

    Firewall Disabled

    The firewall is not run at all. Only use this option if your machine part of a greater network that is protected by an outer firewall.

    Internal Zone (Unprotected)

    The firewall is run, but does not enforce any rules to protect this interface. Only use this option, if your machine part is part of a greater network that is protected by an outer firewall.

    Demilitarized Zone

    A demilitarized zone is an additional line of defense in front of an internal network and the (hostile) Internet. Hosts assigned to this zone can be reached from the internal network and from the Internet, but cannot access the internal network.

    External Zone

    The firewall is run on this interface and fully protects it against other (presumably hostile) network traffic. This is the default option.

  4. Click Next.

  5. Activate the configuration by clicking Next again.

Configuring an Undetected Network Card

It may happen that your card is not detected correctly. In this case, the card is not included in the list of the detected cards. If you are sure that your system includes a driver for your card, you can configure it manually. To configure an undetected network card, proceed as follows:

  1. Click Add.

  2. Set the Device Type of the interface from the available options, Configuration Name, and Module Name. If the network card is a PCMCIA or USB device, activate the respective check box and exit this dialog with Next. Otherwise, select your network card model from Select from List. YaST then automatically selects the appropriate kernel module for the card.

    Hardware Configuration Name specifies the name of the /etc/sysconfig/hardware/hwcfg-* file containing the hardware settings of your network card. This contains the name of the kernel module as well as the options needed to initialize the hardware.

  3. Click Next.

  4. In the Address tab, set the device type of the interface, the configuration name, and IP address. To use a static address, choose Static Address Setup then complete IP Address and Subnet Mask. Here, you can also select to configure the hostname, name server, and routing details (see Configuring Hostname and DNS and Configuring Routing).

    If you selected Wireless as the device type of the interface, configure the wireless connection in the next dialog. Detailed information about wireless device configuration is available in Section 30.1, Wireless LAN.

  5. In the General tab, set the Firewall Zone and Device Activation. With User Controlled, grant connection control to ordinary users.

  6. Click Next.

  7. To activate the new network configuration, click Next again.

Information about the conventions for configuration names is available in the getcfg(8) man page.

31.4.2 Modem

HINT: IBM System z: Modem

The configuration of this type of hardware is not supported on IBM System z platforms.

In the YaST Control Center, access the modem configuration under Network Devices. If your modem was not automatically detected, open the dialog for manual configuration. In the dialog that opens, enter the interface to which the modem is connected under Modem.

Figure 31-4 Modem Configuration

If you are behind a private branch exchange (PBX), you may need to enter a dial prefix. This is often a zero. Consult the instructions that came with the PBX to find out. Also select whether to use tone or pulse dialing, whether the speaker should be on, and whether the modem should wait until it detects a dial tone. The last option should not be enabled if the modem is connected to an exchange.

Under Details, set the baud rate and the modem initialization strings. Only change these settings if your modem was not detected automatically or if it requires special settings for data transmission to work. This is mainly the case with ISDN terminal adapters. Leave this dialog by clicking OK. To delegate control over the modem to the normal user without root permissions, activate User Controlled. In this way, a user without administrator permissions can activate or deactivate an interface. Under Dial Prefix Regular Expression, specify a regular expression. The Dial Prefix in KInternet, which can be modified by the normal user, must match this regular expression. If this field is left empty, the user cannot set a different Dial Prefix without administrator permissions.

In the next dialog, select the ISP (Internet service provider). To choose from a predefined list of ISPs operating in your country, select Country. Alternatively, click New to open a dialog in which to provide the data for your ISP. This includes a name for the dial-up connection and ISP as well as the login and password provided by your ISP. Enable Always Ask for Password to be prompted for the password each time you connect.

In the last dialog, specify additional connection options:

Dial on Demand

If you enable dial on demand, set at least one name server.

Modify DNS when Connected

This option is enabled by default, with the effect that the name server address is updated each time you connect to the Internet.

Automatically Retrieve DNS

If the provider does not transmit its domain name server after connecting, disable this option and enter the DNS data manually.

Stupid Mode

This option is enabled by default. With it, input prompts sent by the ISP's server are ignored to prevent them from interfering with the connection process.

External Firewall Interface and Restart Firewall

Selecting these options enables the SUSEfirewall2, which protects you from outside attacks for the duration of your Internet connection.

Idle Time-Out (seconds)

With this option, specify a period of network inactivity after which the modem disconnects automatically.

IP Details

This opens the address configuration dialog. If your ISP does not assign a dynamic IP address to your host, disable Dynamic IP Address then enter your host's local IP address and the remote IP address. Ask your ISP for this information. Leave Default Route enabled and close the dialog by selecting OK.

Selecting Next returns to the original dialog, which displays a summary of the modem configuration. Close this dialog with Finish.

31.4.3 ISDN

HINT: IBM System z: ISDN

The configuration of this type of hardware is not supported on IBM System z platforms.

Use this module to configure one or several ISDN cards for your system. If YaST did not detect your ISDN card, manually select it. Multiple interfaces are possible, but several ISPs can be configured for one interface. In the subsequent dialogs, set the ISDN options necessary for the proper functioning of the card.

Figure 31-5 ISDN Configuration

In the next dialog, shown in Figure 31-5, select the protocol to use. The default is Euro-ISDN (EDSS1), but for older or larger exchanges, select 1TR6. If you are in the US, select NI1. Select your country in the relevant field. The corresponding country code then appears in the field next to it. Finally, provide your Area Code and the Dial Prefix if necessary.

Start Mode defines how the ISDN interface should be started: At Boot Time causes the ISDN driver to be initialized each time the system boots. Manually requires you to load the ISDN driver as root with the command rcisdn start. On Hotplug, used for PCMCIA or USB devices, loads the driver after the device is plugged in. When finished with these settings, select OK.

In the next dialog, specify the interface type for your ISDN card and add ISPs to an existing interface. Interfaces may be either the SyncPPP or the RawIP type, but most ISPs operate in the SyncPPP mode, which is described below.

Figure 31-6 ISDN Interface Configuration

The number to enter for My Phone Number depends on your particular setup:

ISDN Card Directly Connected to Phone Outlet

A standard ISDN line provides three phone numbers (called multiple subscriber numbers, or MSNs). If the subscriber asked for more, there may be up to 10. One of these MSNs must be entered here, but without your area code. If you enter the wrong number, your phone operator automatically falls back to the first MSN assigned to your ISDN line.

ISDN Card Connected to a Private Branch Exchange

Again, the configuration may vary depending on the equipment installed:

  1. Smaller private branch exchanges (PBX) built for home purposes mostly use the Euro-ISDN (EDSS1) protocol for internal calls. These exchanges have an internal S0 bus and use internal numbers for the equipment connected to them.

    Use one of the internal numbers as your MSN. You should be able to use at least one of the exchange's MSNs that have been enabled for direct outward dialing. If this does not work, try a single zero. For further information, consult the documentation that came with your phone exchange.

  2. Larger phone exchanges designed for businesses normally use the 1TR6 protocol for internal calls. Their MSN is called EAZ and usually corresponds to the direct-dial number. For the configuration under Linux, it should be sufficient to enter the last digit of the EAZ. As a last resort, try each of the digits from 1 to 9.

For the connection to be terminated just before the next charge unit is due, enable ChargeHUP. However, remember that may not work with every ISP. You can also enable channel bundling (multilink PPP) by selecting the corresponding option. Finally, you can enable SuSEfirewall2 for your link by selecting External Firewall Interface and Restart Firewall. To enable the normal user without administrator permissions to activate or deactivate the interface, select the User Controlled.

Details opens a dialog in which to implement more complex connection schemes, which are not relevant for normal home users. Leave the Details dialog by selecting OK.

In the next dialog, make IP address settings. If you have not been given a static IP by your provider, select Dynamic IP Address. Otherwise, use the fields provided to enter your host's local IP address and the remote IP address according to the specifications of your ISP. If the interface should be the default route to the Internet, select Default Route. Each host can only have one interface configured as the default route. Leave this dialog by selecting Next.

The following dialog allows you to set your country and select an ISP. The ISPs included in the list are call-by-call providers only. If your ISP is not in the list, select New. This opens the Provider Parameters dialog in which to enter all the details for your ISP. When entering the phone number, do not include any blanks or commas among the digits. Finally, enter your login and the password as provided by the ISP. When finished, select Next.

To use Dial on Demand on a stand-alone workstation, also specify the name server (DNS server). Most ISPs support dynamic DNS, which means the IP address of a name server is sent by the ISP each time you connect. For a single workstation, however, you still need to provide a placeholder address like 192.168.22.99. If your ISP does not support dynamic DNS, specify the name server IP addresses of the ISP. If desired, specify a time-out for the connection—the period of network inactivity (in seconds) after which the connection should be automatically terminated. Confirm your settings with Next. YaST displays a summary of the configured interfaces. To make all these settings active, select Finish.

31.4.4 Cable Modem

HINT: IBM System z: Cable Modem

The configuration of this type of hardware is not supported on IBM System z platforms.

In some countries, such as Austria and the US, it is quite common to access the Internet through the TV cable network. The TV cable subscriber usually gets a modem that is connected to the TV cable outlet on one side and to a computer network card on the other (using a 10Base-TG twisted pair cable). The cable modem then provides a dedicated Internet connection with a fixed IP address.

Depending on the instructions provided by your ISP, when configuring the network card either select Automatic Address Setup (via DHCP) or Static Address Setup. Most providers today use DHCP. A static IP address often comes as part of a special business account.

For further information about the configuration of cable modems, read the Support Database article on the topic, which is available online at https://en.opensuse.org/SDB:Setting_Up_an_Internet_Connection_via_Cable_Modem_with_SuSE_Linux_8.0_or_Higher.

31.4.5 DSL

HINT: IBM System z: DSL

The configuration of this type of hardware is not supported on IBM System z platforms.

To configure your DSL device, select the DSL module from the YaST Network Devices section. This YaST module consists of several dialogs in which to set the parameters of DSL links based on one of the following protocols:

  • PPP over Ethernet (PPPoE)

  • PPP over ATM (PPPoATM)

  • CAPI for ADSL (Fritz Cards)

  • Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP)—Austria

The configuration of a DSL connection based on PPPoE or PPTP requires that the corresponding network card has already been set up in the correct way. If you have not done so yet, first configure the card by selecting Configure Network Cards (see Section 31.4.1, Configuring the Network Card with YaST). In the case of a DSL link, addresses may be assigned automatically but not via DHCP, which is why you should not enable the option Automatic address setup (via DHCP). Instead, enter a static dummy address for the interface, such as 192.168.22.1. In Subnet Mask, enter 255.255.255.0. If you are configuring a stand-alone workstation, leave Default Gateway empty.

HINT: Values in IP Address and Subnet Mask are only placeholders. They are only needed to initialize the network card and do not represent the DSL link as such.

Figure 31-7 DSL Configuration

To begin the DSL configuration (see Figure 31-7), first select the PPP mode and the ethernet card to which the DSL modem is connected (in most cases, this is eth0). Then use Device Activation to specify whether the DSL link should be established during the boot process. Click User Controlled to authorize the normal user without root permissions to activate or deactivate the interface with KInternet. The dialog also lets you select your country and choose from a number of ISPs operating in it. The details of any subsequent dialogs of the DSL configuration depend on the options set so far, which is why they are only briefly mentioned in the following paragraphs. For details on the available options, read the detailed help available from the dialogs.

To use Dial on Demand on a stand-alone workstation, also specify the name server (DNS server). Most ISPs support dynamic DNS—the IP address of a name server is sent by the ISP each time you connect. For a single workstation, however, provide a placeholder address like 192.168.22.99. If your ISP does not support dynamic DNS, enter the name server IP address provided by your ISP.

Idle Time-Out (seconds) defines a period of network inactivity after which to terminate the connection automatically. A reasonable time-out value is between 60 and 300 seconds. If Dial on Demand is disabled, it may be useful to set the time-out to zero to prevent automatic hang-up.

The configuration of T-DSL is very similar to the DSL setup. Just select T-Online as your provider and YaST opens the T-DSL configuration dialog. In this dialog, provide some additional information required for T-DSL—the line ID, the T-Online number, the user code, and your password. All of these should be included in the information you received after subscribing to T-DSL.

31.4.6 IBM System z: Configuring Network Devices

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for IBM System z supports several different types of network interfaces. YaST can be used to configure all of them.

The qeth-hsi Device

To add a qeth-hsi (IBM Hipersocket) interface to the installed system, start the YaST network card module ( Network Devices Network Card ). Select one of the devices marked IBM Hipersocket to use as the READ device address and click Configure. In the Network address setup dialog, specify the IP address and netmask for the new interface and leave the network configuration by pressing Next and Finish.

The qeth-ethernet Device

To add a qeth-ethernet (IBM OSA Express Ethernet Card) interface to the installed system, start the YaST network card module ( Network Devices Network Card ). Select one of the devices marked IBM OSA Express Ethernet Card to use as the READ device address and click Configure. Enter the needed port name, some additional options (see the Linux for IBM System z: Device Drivers, Features, and Commands manual for reference, https://www.ibm.com/developerworks/linux/linux390/index.html), your IP address, and an appropriate netmask. Leave the network configuration with Next and Finish.

The ctc Device

To add a ctc (IBM parallel CTC Adapter) interface to the installed system, start the YaST network card module ( Network Devices Network Card ). Select one of the devices marked IBM parallel CTC Adapter to use as your read channel and click Configure. Choose the Device Settings that fit your devices (usually this would be Compatibility mode). Specify both your IP address and the IP address of the remote partner. If needed, adjust the MTU size with Advanced Detailed Settings . Leave the network configuration with Next and Finish.

WARNING: The use of this interface is deprecated. This interface will not be supported in future versions of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server.

The lcs Device

To add an lcs (IBM OSA-2 Adapter) interface to the installed system, start the YaST network card module ( Network Devices Network Card ). Select one of the devices marked IBM OSA-2 Adapter and click Configure. Enter the needed port number, some additional options (see the Linux for IBM System z: Device Drivers, Features, and Commands manual for reference, https://www.ibm.com/developerworks/linux/linux390/index.html), your IP address, and an appropriate netmask. Leave the network configuration with Next and Finish.

The IUCV Device

To add an iucv (IUCV) interface to the installed system, start the YaST network card module ( Network Devices Network Card ). Select a device marked IUCV and click Configure. YaST prompts you for the name of your IUCV partner. Enter the name (this entry is case-sensitive) and select Next. Specify both your IP address and the IP address of your partner. If needed, adjust the MTU size with Advanced Detailed Settings . Leave the network configuration with Next and Finish.

WARNING: The use of this interface is deprecated. This interface will not be supported in future versions of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server.

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES 10) Installation and Administration
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