Step by step user guide for STUX GNU/Linux (index)

1. Assign an Host Name
   
   To assign an host name, open the Network Panel, double click on 'Host name' in the ' Select operation' section.
   you will see a window like this:
   
   
   
   Select your hostname and click Ok to set.
   
   
2. Set up connections
   
   To configure a new connection, open the Network Panel, double click on 'New connection'. Click Next to skip the introduction.
   you will see a window like this:
   
   
   
   Select the connection type you are going to configure, and press 'Ok'.
   
   
   1. Dial Up modem
      
      If you choosed to configure a dialup connection, a window like this will appear:
      
      
      
      
      1. Choose a name for this connection.
         
         
      2. Insert username and password as provided by your ISP.
         
         
      3. Choose the device where dialup modem is attached and its speed.
         
         WARNING: if the checkbox 'Always On' is checked, and the configuration is saved, STUX will try to reconnect automatically on reboot.
         
         Note for advanced users:
         
         
         Debug: PPP connections logs their status primarily in files:
         
         
         • /var/log/messages
         • /var/log/syslog
         • /var/log/pppd.stux.log
         
         To see what is happened to a ppp connection, you can issue a command like this:

         cat /var/log/syslog /var/log/messages /var/log/pppd.stux.log | grep -i ppp

         You can track pppd connections current status with a command like this:

         tail -f /var/log/syslog /var/log/messages /var/log/pppd.stux.log | grep -i ppp

      
      
   2. Ethernet
      
      If you choosed to configure an Ethernet connection, a window like this will appear:
      
      
      
      The name for ethernet connections is choosed automatically, that is eth0, eth1, eth2, etc.
      
      
      1. "Card not configured"
         
         If you don't want to use the ethernet card, check the 'Card not configured' option.
         
         
      2. 'Always on'
         
         To activate ethernet card, check the 'Always On' option.
         
         
      3. Use DHCP to configure the card.
         
         
         To do this, check the checkbox labeled 'Use DHCP';
         if required, specify the DHCP hostname provided by your ISP.
         
         
      4. Specify an IP address and netmask.
         
         
         To do this, check the checkbox labeled 'Specify IP address';
         choose an IP address and a netmask.
         Unexperienced users should use netmask=255.255.255.0.
         
         NOTE: If configuration is saved persistently, ethernet connections are automatically reconfigured at startup.
      
      
   3. ADSL (pppoe modem)
      
      If you choosed to configure an ADSL modem that supports PPPoE, a window like this will appear:
      
      
      
      
      1. Choose a name for this connection.
         
         
      2. If required, insert username and password for the connection.
         
         
      3. Be sure that ADSL modem is correctly connected to an ethernet card.
         
         
      4. Click button 'Search modem': this will search an ADSL modem on available network interfaces. If no modem is found, check if ADSL modem is powered and is correctly connected to an ethernet card.
         You cannot continue until ADSL modem is correctly detected by this procedure.
         
         NOTE: ADSL connections are automatically reconnected at startup until the checkbox labeled 'Restart at boot' (that is visible when the checkbox labeled 'Show advanced') is checked.
         
         
      5. When modem has been successfully detected by the 'Search modem' procedure, press 'Ok' to start connecting.
         
         You can track connection status in the Status textarea (see picture).
         
         Note for advanced users:
         
         
         Debug: PPP connections logs their status primarily in files:
         
         
         • /var/log/messages
         • /var/log/syslog
         • /var/log/pppd.stux.log
         
         To see what is happened to a ppp connection, you can issue a command like this:

         cat /var/log/syslog /var/log/messages /var/log/pppd.stux.log | grep -i ppp

         You can track pppd connections current status with a command like this:

         tail -f /var/log/syslog /var/log/messages /var/log/pppd.stux.log | grep -i ppp

      
      
   4. Wireless
      
      STUX supports several wireless cards and all cards are theorically supported via the NDisWrapper module that allows to use Windows™ XP drivers.
      
      NDisWrapper is not recomended (but sometimes there is no alternative) and sometimes loading an XP driver into memory could freeze system.
      
      
      If there is not a free wlan interface waiting to be configured, when you create a new wireless connection a window like this will appear:
      
      
      
      Here you can see the list of wlan interfaces and you can add new wlan interfaces loading the right module (driver). Once the driver is correctly loaded, the new interface should appear in the list of available wlan interfaces; to configure the free wlan interface, select it in the list and press the button 'Ok'.
      
      
      
      If there is a free wlan interface waiting to be configured, when you create a new wireless connection a window like this will appear:
      
      
      
      
      1. Insert the ESSID of the network where you wish to connect, or leave it empty to select 'any' network.
         NDisWrapper does not support 'any' option, so, if you use NDisWrapper, you need to specify the correct ESSID.
         
         
      2. Choose the driver that matches your card. If not available, use NDisWrapper.
         
         If you selected NDisWrapper, you will be prompted for the location of the Windows™ XP .INF file: you can use the CDROM shipped with the wireless card to locate the Windows™ XP .INF file.
         
         
      3. If IP address is provided by DHCP server, check the radio button labeled 'use DHCP'.
         You you want your own IP address, netmask and gateway, check the radio button labeled 'Specify IP address', insert IP and netmask.
         
         
      4. Press 'Ok' to connect.
         
         
      Wireless panic hint: if the wireless card stops to associate to the Access Point, unloading and reloading the module could help to restore a wireless connection.
      
      
3. Specify Domain Name Servers (DNS)
   
   
   For internet connections, usually you don't need to configure the DNS to resolve IP addresses because this is normally done by your ISP, depending on connection type.
   
   
   1. If you need to edit the servers that resolve IP addresses (DNS), double-click on 'Domain Name Servers' in the Network Panel.
      A window like this will appear:
      
      
      
      At least one Domain Name Server is required to resolve IP addresses.
      
      
   2. Insert your DNS servers.
      
      
   3. Press 'Ok'.
      
      For advanced DNS configurations, it's possible to edit directy file /etc/resolv.conf clicking button labeled 'edit /etc/resolv.conf'.
   
   
4. Specify a default route and a default gateway
   
   
   If you have multiple network connections, you need to specify which of them is the default, and optionally a default gateway.
   
   For internet connections, at least one default route is required.
   
   If you need to specify the default route, double-click on 'Default gateway' in the Network Panel.
   A window like this will appear:
   
   
   
   This program sets the current default route and/or gateway and, if configuration is saved persistently, will set boot scripts to re-set default route on startup.
   
   Select the default network interface and/or default gateway and press 'Ok' when ready.
   
   
5. Apply IP Masquerading ( use STUX as a NAT gateway for your LAN )
   
   
   If you have multiple network connections, and at least one of them is an internet connection, you probably want to share the internet connection with other network connections.
   
   You can do this with IP masquerading (aka NAT - Network Address Translation -,aka Network Bridging).
   
   To configure IP masquerading, double-click on item labeled 'Network Address Translation' in the Network Panel.
   A window like this will appear:
   
   
   
   In the picture above, we can see a NAT rule configured to share TCP/Internet connection on interface wlan0 with interface eth0.
   
   You can add multiple NAT rules.
   To delete a NAT rule, right-click with mouse on the rule, and choose 'delete' from pop-up menu.
   
   To add a new NAT rule:
   
   
   1. choose a rule name
      
      
   2. choose interface connected to the network you want to share.
      
      
   3. choose interface that will be allowed to use the shared connection.
      
      
   4. press 'Ok'.
   
   If the checkbox labeled 'restore at startup' is checked, and if configuration is saved persistently, the new NAT rule will be applied on startup.
   
   
6. Domain name registration for dynamic IP addresses ( DynDns™ client )
   
   
   If you have a dynamic IP address ( tipically ADSL or dialup connections ) and you wish to dinamically associate your IP address to an host name ( like example.net or yourname.homelinux.net ), you can use services like www.DynDNS.com. To use this service you need to register, download and run a client software that will check at fixed time intervals if your IP address is changed, and, if changed, updates the DNS in order to make your PC always reachable using an unique domain name, even if you IP address changes.
   
   STUX supports DynDNS.com service including DynDNS client software in distribution.
   
   If you wanto to use DynDNS:
   
   
   1. Register yourself on DynDNS.com, get at least the free service called Dynamic DNS^SM
      ( today is at: http://www.dyndns.com/services/dns/dyndns/ )
      
      
   2. double-click on item labeled 'Dynamic DNS' in the Network Panel.
      
      A window like this will appear:
      
      
      
      
   3. Insert the username and password used to register to DynDNS service.
      
      
   4. Insert your static domain name.
      
      
   5. If the checkbox labeled 'Restore at startup' is checked, and if configuration is saved persistently, DynDNS client will be started when system starts up.
      
      
   6. Click 'Ok'.