Network File Sharing... How-to?

[V.T. Eric Layton]

As some of you know, I now have a neat little laptop computer up and running with Slack64-13.1 and MS Win7 Enterprise installed on it. I also have my main system here on my desk. I'm going to be setting up a wireless network on Monday (thanks to a Verizon upgrade to 15Mbps/5Mbps FIOS). I was wondering what's the easiest way to share stuff between the desktop and the lappy over the wireless network? Is anyone else here doing something like that?Thanks in advance for any suggestions and assistance.

[Urmas]

Wireless, wired, not much difference. Better to use "fixed" addies [instead of the default DHCP lottery] for both lappy and desky. That's pretty much it. Oh, and when it comes to the "connecting to your wireless network bit"... Wicd good. Found this thread on Slack/Xfce/Wicd:http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/sl...-3965-a-716923/

[V.T. Eric Layton]

Interesting. I'll give that a good read later. Thanks.

[amenditman]

when it comes to the "connecting to your wireless network bit"... Wicd good.

Totally agree with that. I always disable NetworkManager in KDE and install wicd. Nothing easier than wicd.

[securitybreach]

Like Urmie suggested, first setup static IPs for all your machines so you can map the network. As far as sharing, I use either ssh or Gftp if I want to use a gui. For sharing with WIndows, I would suggest using Samba or NFS

[réjean]

I use Samba to transfer files between my Linux machine and my wife's Win XP machine ( on a wired network ) . I can see her computer from mine but I have never been able to do it the other way around. So I do all the work from Linux ( either retrieving a file from hers or transferring one from mine to hers ).

[onederer]

My wireless devices (laptops, printers), all connect via a wireless Linksys access point that's connected to a wired router. The desktops are connected to a hub, that's connected to the router. With this setup, the entire system can talk to each other, and connect to the internet.

[ChipDoc]

That's a clever idea, onederer! I would have tried to brute-force it, but your solution is much more elegant and probably a whole lot easier to set up!

[V.T. Eric Layton]

wicd and ssh... sounds like a wiener! I don't need to share with Windows, so it'll be Linux

[ChipDoc]

I'm going to ask him to just set up the router and I'll handle the rest of it. I don't want no steeenkin' Verizon bloatware installed on my system. NO WAY, Jose!

Wrong move, Eric. Set up a Windows box for him to hook up to the new Fios system. That way he (and you!) can know for certain that it's working when he leaves. He'll be cool with the Linux thing - it's only the corporate folks (and their drones in the call centers) who fret over that.If your Linux setup doesn't cotton to Fios at first, at least you won't be wondering if the problem is in the Fios box.

[amenditman]

Wrong move, Eric. Set up a Windows box for him to hook up to the new Fios system. That way he (and you!) can know for certain that it's working when he leaves. He'll be cool with the Linux thing - it's only the corporate folks (and their drones in the call centers) who fret over that.If your Linux setup doesn't cotton to Fios at first, at least you won't be wondering if the problem is in the Fios box.

Exactly the advice I would give you.Verizon guy who set mine up a few years ago knew all about Linux and did not 'bloat' my system.With the downturn in the economy he is no longer a contractor for Verizon. They have got all the little worker ants in house now, in my area.Verizon employees do what they are told, even if it is wrong, or they loose their jobs.Remember several months ago a call center employee of Verizon was terminated for volunteering a cost saving solution to a caller's problem, can't remember what specifically.There was then a followup article, maybe LXer, which showed the contents of an internal email, stating that company policy forbade the customer service agent from helping customers to save money on their services from Verizon. The customer has to know what to ask for and specifically request it, otherwise, the CSA is supposed to play like they don't know of anything that will help.Just another reason I have no customer loyalty to that company.

[V.T. Eric Layton]

Well, my Win XP is crippled (no networking installed) on my desktop system. I'll have to let him test on my virgin Win 7 install on the lappy. And I was just semi-teasing about the Verizon putting bloatware on my system. I was there for the Verizon install at my uncle's house (for my brother). His system has a crippled Win XP install also. The tech used his own lappy to set everything up. I then plugged the CAT 5 from the router to my brother's machine and booted in Ubuntu. All worked perfectly. The Verizon guy was impressed.

[amenditman]

Last time I was on the phone with Verizon FIOS tech support, I managed to escalate my problem beyond the person who took the call.Guy came on the line and we started a discussion of what could be wrong with my customer's internet access.After a minute he asked me what distro I used on my computer, he is a hard core Gentoo only user. They do have some people who really know whats going on, but a lot are just phone answering 'script monkeys' (his description).Maybe you'll get someone who isn't straight out of 'Verizon School' and actually understands what they are doing.

Edited October 24, 2010 by amenditman

[Frank Golden]

A little OT here but I wonder why the various Linux developers insist on crippling theirrespective Distros with Network Manager when WICD is available, lately, even by default in the repos.Urmas hit it right on the head, WICD is the way.

[Frank Golden]

Well, my Win XP is crippled (no networking installed) on my desktop system. I'll have to let him test on my virgin Win 7 install on the lappy. And I was just semi-teasing about the Verizon putting bloatware on my system. I was there for the Verizon install at my uncle's house (for my brother). His system has a crippled Win XP install also. The tech used his own lappy to set everything up. I then plugged the CAT 5 from the router to my brother's machine and booted in Ubuntu. All worked perfectly. The Verizon guy was impressed.

Do you have a Wi-Fi router Eric?

[Urmas]

Maybe you'll get someone who isn't straight out of 'Verizon School' and actually understands what they are doing.

Just say The Word.

Urmas hit it right on the head, WICD is the way.

And yet I use Network Manager myself – becuse WICD doesn't do "mobile broadband". But if I know that a machine is NOT going to be connected online via mobile broadband, out goes Network Manager and in comes WICD.

Does Wicd support PPP, PPPoE, or Mobile Broadband?Not yet. Support for these are planned for wicd 2.0, which will be released in the late future.

That's pretty much a show-stopper for me.

[sunrat]

Just say The Word.

I was just about to post a link to that till I read your post. One of xkcd's best!

[ChipDoc]

Do you have a Wi-Fi router Eric?

I don't believe so. The Verizon guy should be bringing it with him when he arrives to install Fios this week.

[ChipDoc]

And yet I use Network Manager myself – becuse WICD doesn't do "mobile broadband". But if I know that a machine is NOT going to be connected online via mobile broadband, out goes Network Manager and in comes WICD.That's pretty much a show-stopper for me.

Pretty much for me too, since Mobile Broadband is my only available connection.

[amenditman]

That was the best one xckd has done in a while, all good, but that one was classic. Especially the crack at 'leet' speak. Love it.'Shiboleet' ~= ShibbolethWikipedia

Within the field of computer security, the word shibboleth is sometimes used[citation needed] with a different meaning than the usual meaning of verbal, linguistic differentiation. The general concept of shibboleth is to test something, and based on that response to take a particular course of action. This principle is frequently used in computer security. The most commonly seen usage is logging on to a computer with a password. If the password is entered correctly, the user can log on to the computer; if the password entered is incorrect password, access is blocked.There are various classes of computer security-related shibboleth. * Class 1: Something known; perhaps a password or another fact. * Class 2: Something held; a card or a physical tag of some kind. * Class 3: Something that is; a biometric feature such as a fingerprint or an iris scan.The three classes are also jokingly referred to as "something you forget," "something you lose," and "something you cease to be."In general, it is considered more secure to combine various classes of shibboleth, rather than using the approach of just requiring a class 1 shibboleth that is common today. So for example, a high security system might require an authorized user to login by entering a password, providing an encoded card, and passing a biometric test.

Or the older meaningBible, Old Testament

4 The people of Ephraim responded, “You men of Gilead are nothing more than fugitives from Ephraim and Manasseh.” So Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead and attacked the men of Ephraim and defeated them. 5 Jephthah captured the shallow crossings of the Jordan River, and whenever a fugitive from Ephraim tried to go back across, the men of Gilead would challenge him. “Are you a member of the tribe of Ephraim?” they would ask. If the man said, “No, I’m not,” 6 they would tell him to say “Shibboleth.” If he was from Ephraim, he would say “Sibboleth,” because people from Ephraim cannot pronounce the word correctly. Then they would take him and kill him at the shallow crossings of the Jordan. In all, 42,000 Ephraimites were killed at that time.

Enjoy the Sunday morning useless trivia.

[V.T. Eric Layton]

@ Frank... Paul's right. The wireless router will be here tomorrow; courtesy of Verizon.@ Urmas... HAHA! No need for mobile broadband for me at at this time, so wicd GOOD! I installed and fired it up last night on the desktop in Slack and on the lappy in Slack. I'll configure tomorrow after the Verizon guy is gone.@ Bob... useless trivia? Isn't that redundant terminology?

[amenditman]

@ Bob... useless trivia? Isn't that redundant terminology?

The more redundant and repetitive the better.

[V.T. Eric Layton]

OK, folks... a lot of this stuff is new for me... laptops, wireless connections, file sharing, etc. I've never had more than one system at a time. I managed to get the wireless working (with some extensive help from my friends ). I've given up for now on the video drivers. However, I would still like to set up the file sharing. I've done a few hours' worth of searching/reading this afternoon and I'm totally lost. TCP/IP is not my bag, man. Above, Urmas and other s mention that I should set static IPs. I'm assuming they mean device IPs and not the Static/Dynamic Internet IP. Right? OK, so how do I do that exactly? Do I do it within the router or within the operating system? *sigh* So much I don't know.

[Urmas]

The router. In your router's "admin page", look for relevant section (am not using Linksys, sorry). Anyway, you'll find out that your devices are currently "under" DHCP. Look for an option to "pin" specific IPs to specific computers.That's the first step – getting the router & IP addies "fixed". Calma, mahn... this is FUN, remember? :w00t:P.S. Drivers... check your thread in Town.

[securitybreach]

What is the exact make and model of your router?

[V.T. Eric Layton]

Westell 9100EM

[securitybreach]

Still looking on how to do it on your specific router but you may want to look at this video from Verizon on how to forward ports. Will be useful when have your router set. The bottom post has the video: http://forums.verizon.com/t5/FiOS-Internet...100em/td-p/3021 Basically what you need is to assign each of your machines a static ip in the router configuration. That way you can map machines to specific internal IPs when opening ports or sharing between machines. This is not your Verizon IP but your internal network IPs.

[securitybreach]

Think I found it for ya:

Log into your router. Go to the advanced menu and select IP address distribution and then connection list. There you can set up a static IP for the mac address of the PC, so it will always be issued the same address. Then your computer will show up in My Network and you can forward to it by name. I believe if you set up your PC to use a dynamic address and then go where I stated, you will be able to edit the entry and select a box that says make static. Or you can add a static entry there.

http://businessforums.verizon.net/t5/FiOS-...ress/m-p/162488

[V.T. Eric Layton]

OK. I think I set up static IPs for both devices. Now what?

[V.T. Eric Layton]

Myeh... tell you what, guys... let's not waste any more time on this. I'm really not up to the challenge of wrestling with Slackware to get this working. I think I'll just set it aside for a project during the cold, dark days of winter later this year.Thanks for the help so far, though.