solaris newbie help : getting dsl to work on my ultra 10 ?

[purpledemon]

hey guys ... im tryin to get my ultra 10 running solaris 8 to connect to the internet using my linksys router ... i already have 2 windows machines connected ... but cant seem to get this computer online ... any help is appreciated ...

this is the story so far ( if some of this is vague, please ask me to clarify ... im new to solaris ...)

- the machine is an ultra 10 running solaris 8
- im tryin to use dsl connecting thru a linksys dsl router
- i used the instructions on the following site to try and get dhcp up and running
rite consulting : Setting up a DHCP client on Solaris
i used the option where dhcp has full control
- i did not specify a wait time in my dhcp.hme0 file
- when i reboot, i cant see an dhcp messages ? (maybe theyre goin by too fast ... how do i check them ? syslog ?)
- once the machine is up ... i cant hit any site using netscape
- i cant ping an external site either ... always get a host does not exist error
- i did an ifconfig -a last night and i think i had an ip assigned to me ... i can paste that info for you folks when i get home tonite
- i tried to ping one of the windows machines on my home network ... and that worked fine ... it said "system is alive" or something like that
- since then i think i tried tweaking too much without knowing anything and modified the hosts file and resolv.conf and some other things i prolly shouldnt have ... so im not sure where im at now ...

- anybody have any ideas on what to do next ?
a. can i keep going from here and get online ? if so, how ?
b. should i try doing this "sys-unconfig" thing and go from there ?
c. should i do a fresh install of solaris 8 (i have the media) and then try the process ?
d. should i stop using solaris and try something else ? linux ? bsd ?
e. stick to windows machines ?


thanks for your help

 

[ScottMac]

Forget DHCP. Just assign an address.

ifconfig eth0 (address) (mask) up

If you don't have a default gateway being assigned, you need to add it to the parameter list in the Linksys, or set one up on the Sun manually: either add an /etc/defaultrouter file or script / change a boot-time script to "route add default 255.255.255.0 (your gateway address) 1"

You can also turn on RIP on the Linksys (advertise a default route)...Solaris (used to anyway) will start routed and pick up the route from there.

If you can ping machines on your own network, then you have an address, you don't have a gateway / default route.

and/or check the status with ifconfig eth0

also check to see if you have a default route to your gateway (the Linksys)

netstat -rn

Look for 0.0.0.0 (or default) going to the gateway address.

It's been a while since I played on a Sun, if the ifconfig commands are incomplete, you should at least have enough info to get started.

At the very least, assign an address to verify that everything is working right, then play with DHCP once you know the Sun is the only variable.

JM.02 / FWIW

Scott

 

[n0cmonkey]

Another thing to check for (besides default gateway) is dns servers. If there is no default route the error may be "no route to host." So check to make sure /etc/resolv is getting populated with the correct dns servers. But static ips is the way to go.

 

[purpledemon]

thanks so much for the help guys ...
i still havent got it to work ... but the following is the log .... sorry for the long email ... just tryin to get as much info in to y'all

this is what i did :-

1. fresh install of solaris 8 (default install from the cd's for now) ... so that i could start from scratch with your suggestions

2. created a "/etc/defaultrouter" file with just this text

xxx.xxx.1.1

3. did a reboot ...

4. current info

a. ifconfig hme0

> hme0: flags=100483<UP, BROADCAST, RUNNING,MULTICAST,DHCP,IPv4> mtu 1500 index 2
inet xxx.xxx.1.104 netmask ffffff00 broadcast xxx.xxx.1.255
ether ............ (some crap here)
b. netstat -rn

> this prints out a routing table and this does have a default entry in it
looks kinda like this (i left all the other info out for now)


Routing Table: IPv4

Destination Gateway Flags Ref Use Interface

default xxx.xxx.1.1 UG 1 34

Routing Table: IPv6

default fe80::a00 ..... U 1 0 hme0



c. the etc/resolv.conf file is fully populated with nameserver info and is identical to the info on my windows machines (so this seems fine)

d. ping exercises
- ping xxx.xxx.1.101 returns
> xxx.xxx.1.101 is alive

however
- ping xxx.xxx.1.1 returns
> no answer from xxx.xxx.1.1

so, i guess im able to ping my windows machine but not my router ???


e. i looked at the dhcp clients table on my linksys router and that even had an entry for the solaris box ...
it had the ip and the mac address but no hostname ... also all the link lights are on with the correct colors

so .. it looks like i am connected to the linksys but i just cant get through ?

5. i then tried ifconfig hme0 xxx.xxx.1.104 255.255.255.0 up

the message i got was -
ifconfig: setifdstaddr: SIOCSLIFDSTADDR: hme0: Cannot assign requested address

allright guys ... i think thats all the info i could dig up for right now ... real tired and confused for now ....
any ideas ? where do i go next ? why does the default entry in the routing table for IPv4 not have an entry in interface ?
is IPv6 the problem ?

Thanks again .....

 

[rip22]

If you are setting up on a DHCP assigned IP address.

1. make sure that hostname.leo (or whatever name it got)is empty

cp /dev/null/hostname.leo

DHCP will not work if its not empty.

2. << created a "/etc/defaultrouter" file with just this text xxx.xxx.1.1 >>

Make sure its empty! cp /dev/null /etc/defaultrouter

DHCP will automatically put the needed entrys.

Reboot.

 

[purpledemon]

rip22,

thanks for you suggestions ...

i am tryin to stay away from dhcp .... since Scott and n0cmonkey recommended that ....

im sure ive tried it with empty files before and it did not work .... but .... i will try it again and let you know what happens ...
if it does not work ... i will revert files to the way they are now

Thanks

 

[rip22]

Well there a are a number of settings for getting it going with DHCP.

Don't forget:

touch /etc/notrouter
(no packet forwarding duties)
if you are going to try the DHCP again.

cp /dev/null/etc/resolv.conf
make sure its empty

etc/inet/hosts
should have only one line like this: 127.0.0.1 localhost
Any more lines will be added by DHCP if needed.


i am tryin to stay away from dhcp .... since Scott and n0cmonkey recommended that ....

I agree i would first try to set it up with a static Ip, but not always do the ISP allow that (they can even block/disconnect with there network management tools. Depends on your ISP). However DHCP works perfectly fine with Solaris also if you set it up proparly.

 

[purpledemon]

thanks rip ...

ok ... i followed all of your steps ....
and rebooted .... but im still stuck in the same position ....

an entry has been added to my /etc/inet/hosts file .....

xxx.xxx.1.104 unknown #added by dhcp

and an ifconfig hme0 ... still gives me the same data ....

but i still cant connect to the internet .... netscape doesnt bring anything up and i cant ping my router ...

ideas ?

Thanks

 

[rip22]

/etc/nsswitch.conf
Edit nsswitch.conf
change only the hosts line from default read files to: hosts: files dns
(enables your machine to resolve addresses using DNS)

Edit one more setting: edit /etc/init.d/ network
and change evry were you see "unknown" with your real hostname.

then reboot.

 

[purpledemon]

/etc/nsswitch.conf already had the entry for hosts .... dhcp had changed it ... so i did not modify it

i modified 1 location of "unknown" in the /etc/init.d/network script .... to hostname01

now it boots up with the correct hostname .... hostname01 ....

however ... as far as ping or the browser .... still no luck .... i cant ping anything ... nor go to any site

Thanks

 

[rip22]

purpledemon can you ping a local machine within your network?

Ok. try this: rm defaultrouter and create a new empty one.....

Reboot

 

[purpledemon]

rip22,

yes ... i can ping a local machine on my network ....

ping xxx.xxx.1.101 results in

"xxx.xxx.1.101 is alive"

i rm'ed the defaultrouter file and created a new one ....

i rebooted the machine ..... still the same problem .... no access ... the defaultrouter file is still empty

Thanks

 

[rip22]

One more just check your hosts file.

How many entrys has your host file now?

 

[purpledemon]

this is my /etc/inet/hosts file


#
# Internet host table
#
127.0.0.1 localhost
xxx.xxx.1.104 unknown #added by dhcp


not sure why that second line is still unknown .....
should i try changing it to hostname01 and reboot ?

Thanks

 

[rip22]

no leave it, its correct.

im just thinking why its not working it should work now....

ok rm resolv.conf create a new one and reboot.

 

[rip22]

btw, leave the new one empty and then reboot DHCP should add entrys to it.

 

[purpledemon]

ok

- rm'ed resolv.conf
- rebooted using init 6
- the new resolv.conf has been populated correctly by dhcp
- still no luck .... same problem exists ....

here are 2 more things that may or may not be of importance .......

1. i have 2 other windows machines on my home network, both of which work fine and can access web sites

winme machine : xxx.xxx.1.101
winxp machine : xxx.xxx.1.102

gateway : xxx.xxx.1.1

this is what happens when i ping machines

#ping xxx.xxx.1.101
> xxx.xxx.1.101 is alive

#ping xxx.xxx.1.102
> no answer from xxx.xxx.1.102

#ping xxx.xxx.1.1
>no answer from xxx.xxx.1.1


so, i can ping one of the machines ? but not the others ? why is that ?
the difference and this may be the root of the problem is ..... that the xp machine .1.102 is using a wireless card (its in the other room)
so its using the wireless capabilities of the router.....
whereas .1.101 ... the winme machine is directly plugged into the router right next to the solaris box


2. the other thing ....

during bootup i see 2 warnings on the console ....
something about warning: there are no nf devices plumbed and up

and another one which is very similar ...

these appear after dhcp has already gone thru tho and so they may not be important .... im not sure what they are ...
do you want me to try and put those error messages here ?


Thanks

 

[rip22]

Yes post the error messages. I think that the DHCP is setup correctly but the reason its not working might be with your local network.... Anyway lets see the error messages.

One more thing try this.

Remove all computers from the lan and then only plugin the Solaris directly to the router and see if you can ping external addresses (try 3-4 diffrent addreses)

 

[rip22]

Reboot also when after you have plugged in the Solaris to the router....

 

[purpledemon]

these are the warnings i get during boot up


warning: There are no nf devices plumbed and up
Unable to start NF FDDI SMT/SNM daemon
warning: There are no pf devices plumbed and up
Unable to start PF FDDI SMT/SNM daemon

that mean anything to you ?

im goin to try disconnecting things and rebooting ....

brb ....

Thanks

 

[rip22]

that mean anything to you ?

No

 

[rip22]

do the: touch /etc/notrouter

one more time and try the only solaris machine connected to the router....

 

[purpledemon]

rip22 ....
you ... my friend ... are a genius ....

i disconnected everything ... reset the router ... reconnected the router

started up my sparc .... and booyah ....

here i am on anadtech ... replying to your post ....

thanks so much ....

the only problem is (i know ... im whining) .... i need the windows boxes up and running too ...
not sure what was causing the problem ?
so i guess im goin to reconnect them one at a time ...
and see if that works ....

suggestions ?

Thanks

 

[purpledemon]

k ....

i connected the winme machine back ... this is the one that has a wired connection to the router ...
it came back up ffine and both machines exist happily ... for now ...
not sure what a restart will cause ?

next order of business is bringing the winxp with wireless access machine back up ...

 

[rip22]

Congrats!!!!

...hehe Thx buddy phugh....it was a tough one but im happy it worked out!!!!

the only problem is (i know ... im whining) .... i need the windows boxes up and running too ...not sure what was causing the problem ?
so i guess im goin to reconnect them one at a time ...
and see if that works ....

Yes thats right add the machines one at the time and test them. It should work.

If it dosen't work it could be something with your router/isp connection (ip address asignment)

I have to go to sleep now (1:40AM in Stockholm, Sweden)

Good night.