====== Howto set up a Thin Client with Linux ==
===== Abstract ==
This page descibes installation and setup of a thin client as a diskless worsation and the appropriate application server.
The server runs [[http://slackware.com|Slackware]] Linux version 11.0 on an AMD Duron(?), 1.1 GHz, 256 MB RAM.
For the client side the [[http://ltsp.org|Linux Terminal Server Project]] version 4.2 is used.
Client hardware is an eTC from www.epatec.de . This was the cheapest I could get. The detailed desciption about LTSP and eTC I found in the german magazine "Linux intern 1/07" from Data Becker on page 140ff.
/* eTC_a.jpg is in the wiki as well! */
===== Installing LTSP on the server ==
==== Install ltsp-utils ==
According to [[http://wiki.ltsp.org/twiki/bin/view/Ltsp/LTSP-42#Installation_of_LTSP_4_2|Installation of LTSP]] download [[http://www.tna.nl/ltsp/ltsp-utils-0.25.0-noarch-1TnA.tgz|ltsp-utils]] for Slack and install with ''installpkg'' This gives:
Linux Terminal Server Project utilities - ltsp-utils 0.25-0. This package includes the following utilities for LTSP server:
* ltspadmin For installing and managing the packages on an LTSP server.
* ltspcfg For configuring the services on an LTSP server.
* ltspinfo For querying the workstation, to learn things, such as which sound daemon is being used.
running ''ltspadmin'' gives hints for missing perl modules (LWP):
==== Install missing Perl modules ==
You can install perl modules with ''perl -MCPAN -e shell'' as root. See also [[http://search.cpan.org/~jhi/perl-5.8.0/lib/CPAN.pm|man CPAN]]. Setup questions will emerge, to select the autoconfigure option is the easiest way here. It gave me (among ohter things):
/usr/lib/perl5/5.8.8/CPAN/Config.pm initialized
Note: you can revisit this dialog anytime later by typing 'o conf init' at the cpan prompt.
After setup finished, I issued the following commands at the CPAN promt:
* ''install CPAN::Bundle'' as proposed. This lasted a long time and might not be necessary
* ''install LWP''
After that, ''ltspadmin'' worked.
Note: If you don't want to bother with the CPAN command line tool, www.webmin.com might be another option for you.
==== Install the LTSP client packages ==
Install the LTSP client packages by running ''ltspadmin'' -> "Configure the installer options" and follow the instructions in the extensive [[http://ltsp.mirrors.tds.net/pub/ltsp/docs/ltsp-4.1-en.html#AEN339|manual]]. I had a CD with the LTSP binares, so my only modification was:
Where to retrieve packages from?
[http://ltsp.mirrors.tds.net/pub/ltsp/ltsp-4.2/] file:///mnt/dvd/li/ltsp/
The LTSP client tree goes to /opt/ltsp. Then select "Install/Update LTSP Packages" -> "Use 'A' to select ALL components"
===== Configure LTSP ==
ltspcfg -> "S - Show the status of all services" gives:
Interface IP Address Netmask Network Broadcast Used
eth0 192.168.0.1 255.255.255.0 192.168.0.0 192.168.0.255 <-----
Service Installed Enabled Running Notes
dhcpd Yes no no Version 3
tftpd Yes no no No '-s' flag
portmapper Yes no no
nfs Yes Yes no
xdmcp Yes no Yes xdm, kdm Using: kdm
File Configured Notes
/etc/hosts no
/etc/hosts.allow no
/etc/exports no
/opt/ltsp/i386/etc/lts.conf Yes
Configured runlevel: 4 (value of initdefault in /etc/inittab)
Current runlevel: 4 (output of the 'runlevel' command)
The task is now to get all services into state running. You cann issue this command again after each configuration step. But take care to restart ltspcfg otherwise output might not be updated.
==== Configure DHCPD ==
Save origial config file: root@ilse:/etc# cp dhcpd.conf dhcpd.conf.org (on a different console)
''root@ilse:~# ltspcfg -> C - Configure the services manually -> 3 - DHCP configuration'' generates /etc/dhcpd.conf.sample for you. Move this over with ''root@ilse:/etc# mv dhcpd.conf.sample dhcpd.conf''
''dhcpd.conf'' has to be tweaked manually, because the Inetd expects all pathes relative to the TFTP root and the revision might also be corrected. For example change the generated ''dhcpd.conf''
subnet 192.168.0.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 {
range 192.168.0.100 192.168.0.199;
if substring (option vendor-class-identifier, 0, 9) = "PXEClient" {
filename "/tftpboot/lts/2.6.16.1-ltsp-1/pxelinux.0";
}
else{
filename "/tftpboot/lts/vmlinuz-2.6.16.1-ltsp-1";
}
}
to: (see also Linux intern 1/07 page 138)
subnet 192.168.0.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 {
range 192.168.0.100 192.168.0.199;
if substring (option vendor-class-identifier, 0, 9) = "PXEClient" {
filename "/lts/2.6.17.3-ltsp-1/pxelinux.0"; # FIX HERE!
}
else{
filename "/lts/vmlinuz-2.6.17.3-ltsp-1"; # FIX HERE!
}
}
Enabling the dhcpd daemon with ltspcfg fails because the tool only knows System V init scripts => append the command ''dhcpd'' to ''/etc/rc.d/rc.local'' to start it automatically at next boot. Additioanlly to start dhcpd right now, issue ''dhcpd'' as root at the command line.
Adjust ''option domain-name "your_domain.org"'' to your real network name (usually "local" or what ''hostname -f'' prints out) in ''/etc/dhcpd.conf''!
==== Configure TFTP ==
Slack starts tftpd at boot if /etc/rc.d/rc.inetd is runnable. Make it runnable with ''/etc/rc.d# chmod +x rc.inetd''. Start inetd with ''/etc/rc.d/rc.inetd start''. Check if it is running with ''/etc/rc.d# ps aux | grep inetd'': It should appear a line containing ''/usr/sbin/inetd''. Optionally check with ltspcfg if tftp is enabled
Note: For security reasons, you can/should comment out every other service in rc.inetd
==== Configure nfs and portmapper ==
tftpd can't start neighter nfs nor portmap on slack. Make ''/etc/rc.d/rc.rpc'' and ''/etc/rc.d/rc.nfsd'' runnable.
Save origial nfs exports file: ''cp /etc/exports /etc/exports.org''. nfsd won't start with an empty exports file. Therfore generate an exports file with "ltspcfg -> 10 - Create /etc/exports entries" first.
Start portmapper with ''# /etc/rc.d/rc.rpc start'' and nfs with ''# /etc/rc.d/rc.nfsd start''. Resart ltspcfg again and select ''S - Show the status of all services'' to check if both serices are running.
Note: It seems that nfsd starts the pormapper automatically, but making the portmapper file rc.rcp runnable won't hurt & you are on the save side.
==== XDMCP Configuration ==
See [[xorg_tips#kdm]] to enable in kdm manually.
FIXME Test how ltspcfg does this!
==== /etc/hosts /etc/hosts.allow ==
Running corresponding setup entries in ltspcfg modifies both files and saves the original version with the .sv1 extension.
Ajust hosts file afterwards: ltspcfg...
* ...adds aliases for your local net and overwrites already occupied hostnames!
* ...ignores your domainname settings, i.e. what ''hostname -f'' displays. Better to correct this!
==== lts.conf ==
Do you want to create a default lts.conf file (y/n) ? y
Finished adding /opt/ltsp/i386/etc/lts.conf entries.
Thats all!
===== Client Configuration ==
Because the client doesn't need a hard disk and fetches everything from the server, also the client configuration is done by editing files on the server, namely ''/opt/ltsp/i386/etc/lts.conf''. Because I have only one thin client, I have only the ''[default]]'' section in lts.conf. If you have more and different clients you must have more sections.
==== Keyboard ==
For a german keyboard, you have to add this to lts.conf
XkbModel = 105 # German keyboards have 105 keys
XkbLayout = de # German keyboard layout
==== Mouse ==
To enable a PS/2 add/modify the following lines in lts.conf Source: [[http://ltsp.mirrors.tds.net/pub/ltsp/docs/ltsp-4.1-en.html#AEN1835|manual -> wheel mouse]]
X_MOUSE_PROTOCOL = "IMPS/2" # "auto" also works here
X_MOUSE_BUTTONS = 5
X_ZAxisMapping = "4 5"
Note that this differs from config in Slack!
===== Printer Setup ==
==== Initial situation ==
* We have a printer connected to the thin client on parallel port and want to use that printer from the client(s) and the server.
* Cups is the printing system and already running on the server. See [[install_config_tips#local_printer_setup]] for that
==== Client Configuration ==
Add the following to to lts.conf on your application server:
PRINTER_0_DEVICE = /dev/lp0
PRINTER_0_TYPE = P
==== Server Configuration ==
Check which IP address your thin client gets assigned by looking a line like ''DHCPACK on 192.168.0.199'' at ''/var/log/messages''. This means that your thin client has the ip address 192.168.0.199. :?: Any better idea how to figure this out?
With Cups: Point your browser to the cups configuration page of your server, i.e. http://localhost:631 and add a "JetDirect printer", eg. socket://192.168.0.199:9100 .
With turboprint: FIXME
FIXME How to handle varying IP-Addresses or more than one client?