Freekbox Ethernet Configuration

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Most Freekbox 3 machines are configured with ifplugd, which automatically brings the ethernet interfaces up and down. They are set up by default to use DHCP and so will work without change with most DSL and cable connections or local networks with a router. For static ip's read below.

In a freekbox2 and some early freekbox3s, the ethernet interface is normally not configured. On those older boxes, therefore, some configuration must be done before the box can connect to either a network, or a dsl modem. Most networks require machines to be set up to use DHCP, which automatically assigns IP addresses and other related information, or in some cases one needs to set up a static IP.

To set up the interface in Debian, use your favorite text editor (as root) to edit the file "/etc/network/interfaces", for example:

nano /etc/network/interfaces

DHCP

Most network situations will use a dynamically configured ip address (DHCP). The following lines are needed in /etc/network/interfaces.

auto eth0
iface eth0 inet dhcp

On a freekbox, /etc/network/interfaces should contain the "auto eth0" line as a comment and the dhcp line is already uncommented. simply remove the "#" before auto eth0 and it should be set.

static

For static ip configuration, /etc/network/interfaces needs the following lines:

auto eth0
iface eth0 inet static
address 192.168.0.20
netmask 255.255.255.0 (substituting your own values)
broadcast 255.255.255.255
gateway 192.168.0.1

Static DNS

DNS information is set in "/etc/resolv.conf". An example of the file is below:

search freegeek.org
nameserver 198.107.0.14
nameserver 206.26.36.34

Most people using DHCP will not need to edit this file, though there are exceptions.

Bringing up the interface

THEN one needs to bring up (or take down and then bring up) the eth0 interface with the following commands issued as root

ifdown eth0
ifup eth0

OR simply reboot the machine, which will accomplish the same thing, since the "auto eth0" line will cause the interface to be automatically configured at boot.