[mythtv-users] diskless Mythtv USB

[R. G. Newbury]

gLaNDix (Jesse Kaufman) wrote:
> R. G. Newbury wrote:
>> I am about to set up a PXE network boot setup. I have seen it stated in 
>> different places that you need to have the boot server running as the 
>> DHCP server and also that you do not need the boot server to also be the 
>> DHCP server. The page linked above gives details for the dhcpd.conf file 
>> which clearly show that the DHCP server can serve static IP addresses to 
>> specific MAC addresses. This implies that the DHCP server can be on a 
>> different machine..but your Linksys router is not likely to have the 
>> flexibility to do it! I know that mine cannot.
> 
> are you running the stock LinkSys firmware?  I believe with the DD-WRT 
> firmware installed you can send extra DHCP commands, such as telling PXE 
> where to boot ... i haven't tried this yet, however ... but the DD-WRT 
> does blow away the stock LinkSys firmware as far as features!

I have the DD-WRT downloads here now. I am madly changing and updating 
my machines at present, but that upgrade is on the list.

> 
>> So you will likely have to turn off the router's DHCP server...but then 
>> again, in a small network, why would that be a problem? Just go all 
>> static and get the DHCP server to serve up a static address. A dynamic 
>> address is really only useful for things like wireless... but a static 
>> address is a lot safer for wireless especially if you add a MAC address 
>> filter.
> 
> how is a static address safer for wireless if you add a MAC address 
> filter?  i have my network setup so that my mythboxes and server are 
> statically set via DHCP (on my LinkSys) ... wireless any other devices 
> are dynamically assigned ... MAC address filter only allows both of my 
> laptops, nothing more ...
> 

I am thinking of situations where you want to allow someone access 
through a wireless setup, but restrict general access. The hacker has to 
  (hopefully) guess the SSID, guess the IP AND spoof the MAC address to 
get into even an OPEN site. To say nothing of WEP/WPA.

Personally, I prefer to limit the available DHCP served addresses so 
that access is as limited as possible. At the moment, DHCP service is 
entirely turned off, so my laptop has to tell the router who it is, 
rather than the router telling the laptop who it will be. That is safer 
(although maybe not by much!).

BTW, getting the PXE server to work turned out to be quite easy. I did a 
"chkconfig --level 5 dhcpd on", edited /etc/xinetd.d/tftp.conf to set 
disable=no, rebooted the server and PXE worked.

Biggest headscracher was getting the install process to properly 'see' 
the install directory. I eventually added the exact subfolder to 
/etc/exports and it worked. (Why the parent folder export did not work, 
I do not know... nor now care!)

Geoff







-- 
        R. Geoffrey Newbury			
      Barrister and Solicitor
  Suite 106, 150 Lakeshore Road West
     Mississauga, Ontario, L5H 3R2

   905-271-9600  Fax 905-271-1638
        newbury at mandamus.org