kubuntu-users Digest, Vol 65, Issue 2

[Brian Wootton]

On 01/06/10 21:22, kubuntu-users-request at lists.ubuntu.com wrote:
> ow can we make Linux more accessible for a bigger
> 	public?
>    

Network manager really needs to be sorted out. I play merry Hell every
>  time I install new and need to set up my static IP address, to my sat
>  modem via my router. It insists that I use DHCP. It used to be easy and
>  straight forward to set up a static route. Maybe it's me, but I have
>  difficulty with it. Thanks! Ric

I have 5 devices using wi-fi connections, all using
static addresses, that is Kubuntu lucid, mandriva 2010,
windows 7, Vista and an HP printer: all using WPA1/2 security.
I find the kubuntu network manager is marginally better
than Mandriva's - MS windoze is useless of course.
  I find there are 2 key steps to setting the complete static
network up:

1. Turn off DHCP in the router, if possible. I can't in my router
because I have a broadband talk phone plugged into it which has
to use DHCP - but my router also gives me device option tick-boxes
to 'always use the same ip', so I tick this for each device which
seems to work.

2. invent your own /etc/hosts, stash it somewhere so that you
restore it if the network manager decides you don't know what
your doing and tries for itself and edits /etc/hosts to suit
itself.

If you fire up your machines in the right order (kubuntu first)
then your kubuntu machine will respond to the ARP packets and
pass out ip addresses from its hosts file(the one you invented)
so that the other clever-dick network managers don't get in on
the act and overwrite your efforts.

Here's my /etc/hosts:

-----------------------------------------------------------

# generated by drakconnect
#127.0.0.1 meg
#127.0.0.1 localhost
# 127.0.0.1
# static home entries generated by brian
192.168.1.254   gateway
192.168.1.64    nutmeg
192.168.1.65    meg localhost
192.168.1.66    megaera
192.168.1.67    HP9A8E2A

# The following lines are desirable for IPv6 capable hosts
::1     localhost ip6-localhost ip6-loopback
fe00::0 ip6-localnet
ff00::0 ip6-mcastprefix
ff02::1 ip6-allnodes
ff02::2 ip6-allrouters
ff02::3 ip6-allhosts
---------------------------------------------------------------

Note gateway == router(or whatever you want to call it).
Note that I've hashed out stuff that the network manager puts in.
Leaving in the ipv6 stuff of course.
Also 'meg' is the kubuntu machine and you should note the localhost
alias at meg.
  Note also that when you set up a new wi-fi connection you must
use the manual option - so you have to know all the answers.
I have the same /etc/hosts on the mandriva machine except for the
localhost alias. The Lord knows what the windoze machines have got
but my network is now statically stable, every machine pings every
other machine and all get answers from the ip addresses as per the
the kubuntu /etc/hosts - also the router device table parameters
match meg:/etc/hosts.
  I must say it took me 2 or 3 iterations of<overwrite /etc/hosts:
reboot meg: reboot router:re-run network manager>  to get what I
wanted, but that was more to do with my lack of understanding as
to what was going on rather than any shortcomings of the network
manager.
  Hope this makes some sort of sense.
brian