Linux Solutions

Welcome to the tutorial guide. The guide will provide you with instructions and information on how to install and configure networking by using yum.

Configuring PPTP
If you would like to install PPTP, which is a VPN Client, then please follow the steps as mentioned
-Please run the following command:
su -c ‘yum install pptp’

Configure PPTP
Now, please launch it beneath Internet, then input the following fields as described:
Server Tab:
• Name - short description of this connection
• Server - dns server name or ip address of the target PPTP server
• Domain - domain name if using Windows or Active Directory authentication
• Username - simply your username to login with
• Password - the password to use with the username above
Routing Tab: For Routing Style select ‘Client to LAN’. Then click Edit Network Routes then add the target network in the following format “192.168.0.0/24′ for all IP Addresses in the block 192.168.0.*. Next type a short name for this network route and click Add.

DNS Tab: Checking Automatic is recommended, if this doesn’t work however you can specify DNS Servers in the Server box. Also input something like “search mycompany.com” in the Options field which will make host name resolution simpler.
Encryption & Misc Tab: Defaults here should be good, but if you are troubleshooting you can uncheck everything.
In the end, please
-click Add
-and then Start

Google Talk configuration
If you would like to configure Google Talk, then please follow the steps as mentioned below:
-first of all, you need to open Pidgin.
-now, from the Accounts menu, you need to select Add/Edit
- now, please click Add button from the Accounts menu.
- after clicking add button, please enter the following information in the Add Account window:
• Protocol: XMPP
• Screen Name: your Google Talk username (without any @ symbol or domain).
• Server: Please enter a server value depending on the type of account:
- Gmail users should enter gmail.com
- Google Mail users should enter googlemail.com
• Password: If you want high security then please leave this blank otherwise you would like to sign in automatically, enter your password
• Local Alias: please leave this field blank
• Remember password: please check this box only if you’d like Pidgin to remember your password
• New mail notifications: you can check this box if you would like Pidgin to notify you of unread email in your inbox.
-in the end, if you are happy with it, please click Save.

Activating and Deactivating the network connections
If you would like to activate or deactivate the network connections, then please go to:
-Desktop
- System Settings
- Network
- then you can go to Devices Tab
-here you can choose Activate or Deactivate

Network configuration
If you would like to configure network connections, then please go to:
-Desktop
- System Settings
- Network
- Network Configuration
- now, you can click on Edit

Changing a computer’s name
If you would like to change the computers name then please run following command:
hostname your_desired_computer_name

How to change computer descriptions
If you would like to change the computer description, then please run following command:
su -c ‘cp /etc/samba/smb.conf /etc/samba/smb.conf_backup’
su -c ‘gedit /etc/samba/smb.conf’
-now, please search for thisline
…
server string = Samba Server
…
-after finding this line, please replace it with the following line
server string = new_computer_descriptions
-now, please save the edited file, then check for errors and restart
testparm
su -c ‘/etc/init.d/smb restart’
or
testparm
su -c ’service smb restart’

Changing a computer’s Domain or Workgroup
If you want to change a computer’s Domain/Workgroup, then simply run the following command:
su -c ‘cp /etc/samba/smb.conf /etc/samba/smb.conf_backup’
su -c ‘gedit /etc/samba/smb.conf’
-now, please search for this line
…
workgroup = MSHOME
…
-after finding the mentioned line, please replace it with the following line
workgroup = new_domain_or_workgroup
-now, please save the edited file and restart by running following command:
testparm
su -c ‘/etc/init.d/smb restart’

Assigning a Hostname to local machine with dynamic IP using free DynDNS service
If you are interested in assigning a hostname to a local machine with dynamic IP using free DynDNS service, then simply follow the steps as below:

-First of all, you need to register free Dynamic DNS and then automatically refresh IP in DynDNS Database/DNS every hour. We assume that the internet connections have been configured properly

-now, please run following command:

su -c ‘yum install ipcheck’
su -c ‘gedit /root/dyndns_update.sh’
-after running the command, you need to insert the following lines into the new file
USERNAME=myusername
PASSWORD=mypassword
HOSTNAME=myhostname.dyndns.org
cd ~/
if [ -f /root/ipcheck.dat ]; then
ipcheck -r checkip.dyndns.org:8245 $USERNAME $PASSWORD $HOSTNAME
else
ipcheck –makedat -r checkip.dyndns.org:8245 $USERNAME $PASSWORD $HOSTNAME
fi
-now, please save the edited file by running following command
su -c ‘chmod 700 ~/dyndns_update.sh’
su -c ’sh ~//dyndns_update.sh’
su -c ‘export EDITOR=gedit && crontab -e’
-after saving the edited, line, please append the following line at the end of file
00 * * * sh /home/YourUsername/dyndns_update.sh
-in the end, please save the edited file
Sharing folders
If you would like to share the folders, then simply:
- Right clrck on folder
- Share folder
- Shared folder - Share with: Select “SMB”
- Share properties
- Name: Specify the share name
Browswing network computers
If you are interested in browsing network computers, then simply go to:
-Places
- Network Servers

Accessing network folders without mounting
If you would like to access network folders without mounting, then simply go to:
-Applications
-Run Application
smb://192.166.0.2/linux

here we assumed that the network computer’s IP address is: 192.166.0.2

Mounting and unmounting network folders manually
If you would like to mount or unmount network folders manually and do not let users to read, then simply follow the steps as below:
The assumptions that we made over here are as following:
Network computer’s IP: 192.166.0.2
Network computer’s Username: shafkatshahzad
Network computer’s Password: mypassword
Shared folder’s name: linux
Local mount folder: /media/sharename
In order to mount a network folder, please run following command:
su -c ‘mkdir /media/sharename’
su -c ‘mount //192.166.0.2/linux /media/sharename/ -o username=shafkatshahzad,password=mypassword’

If you want to unmount network folder
su -c ‘umount /media/sharename/’

Mounting or Unmounting network folders manually
If you would like to know how to mount or unmount the network folders manually and allow users to read and write, then simply follow the steps as below:
Please note that following assumptions are made:
Network computer’s IP: 192.166.0.2
Network computer’s Username: shafkatshahzad
Network computer’s Password: mypassword
Shared folder’s name: linux
Local mount folder: /media/sharename
- To mount network folder, please run following command:
su -c ‘mkdir /media/sharename’
su -c ‘mount //192.166.0.2/linux /media/sharename/ -o username=shafkatshahzad,password=mypassword,dmask=777,fmask=777′
- To unmount network folder, please run following command:
su -c ‘umount /media/sharename/’

Mounting network folders on boot-up
If you would like to mount network folders on boot-up and let all users to read, then please follow the steps as mentioned below:
Please note that following assumptions are being made:

Network computer’s IP: 192.166.0.2
Network computer’s Username: shafkatshahzad
Network computer’s Password: mypassword
Shared folder’s name: linux
Local mount folder: /media/sharename

-Please run following command as below:

su -c ‘mkdir /media/sharename’
su -c ‘gedit ~/.smbcredentials’
-now, please insert the following lines into the new file
username=shafkatshahzad
password=mypassword
-now, you can save the edited file by running following command:
chmod 700 ~/.smbcredentials
su -c ‘cp /etc/fstab /etc/fstab_backup’
su -c ‘gedit /etc/fstab’
-you can also append the following line at the end of file
//192.166.0.2/linux /media/sharename cifs credentials=/home/yourusername/.smbcredentials 0 0
-finally, please do not forget to save the edited file

Mounting the network folders on boot-up
If you want to mount the network folders on boot-up and also want the users to read and write then simply follow the steps as mentioned below.
Please note that following assumptions are made:
Network computer’s IP: 192.166.0.2
Network computer’s Username: shafkatshahzad
Network computer’s Password: mypassword
Shared folder’s name: linux
Local mount folder: /media/sharename
su -c ‘mkdir /media/sharename’
su -c ‘gedit ~/.smbcredentials’

-please insert the following lines into the new file
username=shafkatshahzad
password=mypassword
-now, save the edited file
chmod 700 ~/.smbcredentials
su -c ‘cp /etc/fstab /etc/fstab_backup’
su -c ‘gedit /etc/fstab’
-now, please append the following line at the end of file
//192.166.0.2/linux /media/sharename cifs credentials=/home/your_username/.smbcredentials,dmask=0777,fmask=0777 0 0
-now, please save the edited file

If you followed the steps and guidance as provided in this tutorial then you would have successfully installed and configured the Networking.