Topic: How Do U CONFIGURE ANYTHING ???

[Wess]

OK , I setup E-Smith v4.1.2 ... it says it installed all these services like ftp and appache webserver and all this other stuff. Well how the heck to u configure anythign like the web server or ftp server . All i can do is connect to it thru a web browser and get the basic setup stuff like time, accounts , email , and stuff like that. I see nothing for any other services like the web server or ftp server or anything of that nature. Also ive seen in other threads that ppl are adding additional packages and stuff. HOW DO U CONFIGURE THE SERVER BESIDES THE TELNET OR WEB INTERFACE!! ??? any comments or help with newbie issues or stuff i should know would be appreciated. im basically a newbie to all *nix os's btw. THX in advnc.  : )

[Lloyd Keen]

Hmm, I'm afraid the answer to those questions is beyond the scope of this forum. But the basic rule of thumb is that most services/applications generally have a good readme file or a howto attached to them. The best place to start is grab a hot cuppa, print out the e-smith manual and have a good read. Then go through it again for good measure. There is a list of user contributed stuff on the e-smith site. Say you wanted to turn your e-smith box into an internet jukebox there is an excellent howto here: http://www.e-smith.org/docs/howto/jukebox-howto.php3 and most other apps that you need to install have a good howto with them. If it's not a production machine have a good play with it, the worst that can happen is you'll have to do a reinstall And search the forums for the answer to your question - it may have already been asked and solved. Good luck and have fun

[Kees Blokland]

That's the whole idea of e-smith: you don't.

If you want to play with all the stuff you mention, just install a standard distribution and do it all yourself..

If you want a plug, play and forget installation, that can be USED, use an e-smith box.

Go back and read what e-smith is all about, than read it again, until the urge to change anything goes away...

...nasty... no.. just trying to put you in the proper frame of mind  

have fun.

kees

[benefo]

Login as root. ('exit' from the server console, login as 'root' with admin's password)
Hack until you can hack no more.

[Wess]

I want to thank u guys first for your feedback be it negative or positive. Im not trying to go above or beyond the scope of the product , i am just wondering how to get to all the stuff that it installed with. One guy had mentioned loggin in as root. Im just wondering becuz it says it installed apache and all this other great stuff but im wondering how the hell yur supposed to administer or configure the web server , ftp , server , or add addidiontal software. Any feedback on how u ppl did any of this or even installed extra packages would be appreciated. Thx  = P

[Graeme Robinson]

Wess,
Following Lloyds' advice is your best bet.  This is the experienced users forum so you can't expect help for the basics - especially when it's all there for you to access already via the online manuals or by searching the forums.

Rule of thumb is to search for an answer in the manuals.  If you can't find it there do a search of the phorums.  If you still can't figure out what to do then post to the appropriate phorum being as specific about the problem as you can.

Download the manual or read it online:
http://www.e-smith.org/docs/manual/

Read it and you will have the power to do all you want - really!
If you are new to Linux your learning curve will be steep, but take heart in the knowledge that all you need is time & persistence to build your skills, and you are about to discover something that will astonish you - all the information is there.

Best of luck, though I know you won't need it.
- Graeme.

[Lloyd Keen]

Wess,
Do you have a network setup already? If so just fire up the Internet Browser on one of the machines on the same network as the e-smith box and in the address bar type in http://e-smith_server_ip_address/e-smith-manager Then enter "admin" as the username and the root password in the password section and it should bring up the configuration screen for the server. Hope this helps

[pkidd]

to kick a dead horse, e-smith (and linux) provides the incredible ease and freedom of "done for you" and "do whatever you want"; but it's not a desktop distro

[Wess]

Ok to answer a few questions here first. First off let me explain my stiuation a little. Yes ! i have a network its all NT/2000/9x though. I currently have 6 computers on it. Broadband isnt avialable in my area yet so there is no internet connection shared thru it though.

This is the whole reason why i wanted to get this e-smith box setup , is so that i have a router when i get broadband , and also as my first venturings into linux. And anyone that has refered to the manual u must be speaking of a different manual then i am. The HTML one dont cover jack besides setup and some crap about email. SAMBA , FTPSERVER , SSH , APACHE and everything else that is installed with E-Smith is nor covered or mentioned anywhere in the HTML manual. Know this is the stuff im trying to find out how to configure or whatever.

Oh, and for who ever mentioned connecting to it with a web browser that was the first thing i did  once i got it hooked up on the network. Its the same crap in there that the manual covers . some email b.s and thats about it . no configurement of the web server or ftp or anything like that.

So know that u know where i stand . Any help or directions to some real documentation would be appreciated . Thx   = P

[Dan Brown]

Wess wrote:

> and some crap about email. SAMBA , FTPSERVER , SSH , APACHE
> and everything else that is installed with E-Smith is nor
> covered or mentioned anywhere in the HTML manual. Know this
> is the stuff im trying to find out how to configure or

    As has been mentioned, there's nothing for you to configure directly with any of these--they're set up automatically.  That's the beauty of e-smith.  You want SSH?  Go to the e-smith-manager and turn it on.  Samba and Apache?  Installed and running by default.  FTP server?  Same deal.  The only "configuration" that is needed (or possible within the e-smith framework) is creating and configuring i-bays and printers.

    Perhaps if you'd explain what you're actually trying to do, it would help everybody understand what's going on.

[Jules]

Re Above :


How exactly do you want to configure Apache, ftp, etc ???
Do you want to change the ports the services run on or set up users or what ??


More info on the precise thing you want to achieve will 'honestly' reap more precise answers.


J™

[bjd]

Wess,

I understand your frustration, as a newbie LINUX sent me crazy! And I am still recovering.

The learning curve is very very steep and I feel the same frustration with e-smith as you do.

But it does do what it said it would do very very well - ie open it up, set it up and you have a proxy, web, email, ftp, server going which is easy to configure - for those services.

I am in the middle of getting telnet services restored and I have finally worked out how to do it - but it aint been easy.  I now have the breakthrough which will help me understand what is going on.

e-smith isn't really for the fine tooth comb fiddler, try Red Hat if you want to join that learning curve.

Apache is a web server and just works as far as I understand.  The folder for the web site resides in /home/e-smith/files/primary/html/ which if you FTP to the box as admin [with the root password] you will be able to upload and download your own site no worries.

FTP services relies upon the e-smith manager users and grops set up to control access - this is also used for Windows Networking and Appletalk as well.

The wiser people on the phorum will correct me if I am wrong.

feel free to email me direct if yo want to share frustrations.

[thorsten greiner]

some words about all those who ever helped me... this phorum is full of knowledge when - as mentioned before - the problem is defined precise enough. different ppl say different things while talking bout the same problem.

wess... if the answers do not cover your problem, be more precise what exactly you wish to configure. i you don't want to configure for special needs, just _use_ it, that's why e-smith is there.

and please... calm down your frustration. there are rules for forums. and in fact, if you don't understand the whole concept of this stuff, and want some windows-like point-and-click you are definately wrong. e-smith is fire up and let it run.

you might not believe it... but it works. other than windows.

so... see if you need a linux-based system with webserver, fileserver, mail-server, router and stuff and it's your choice with less knowledge about linux.
if you want to understand linux, pick a box, get a regular distribution and build the system from the very beginning. if you're not into anything of this.... drop it.

and last but not least, rtfm... there a lot of stuff around explaining things step by step.

thorsten

[Stephan Goeldi]

>there's nothing for you to configure directly with any
>of these--they're set up automatically. That's the beauty
>of e-smith. The only "configuration" that is needed (or
>possible within the e-smith framework) is creating and
>configuring i-bays and printers.

No, if you want to use it as a webhoster, you have to access more than only the e-smith-manager. And there also is the root shell, the /usr/share/doc directory etc. If you don't have enough to configure, install webmin (www.webmin.com) and access it via port 10000 from your webbrowser. Nice alternative. But real changes have to be done via template directories.

And it is true, that configuring e-smith has some USABILITY problems. The same is true for documentation and the e-smith websites. Of course, if you learned it, you know it. But as a newbie (and this is one of the e-smith-targed, isn't it?) you have to run into some walls before you know about.

An example?

Documentation: only for Windows 98. Everybody knows, that the microsoft crap changes configuration standards with every release.

But besides the usability issues, e-smith is a great product!

-goe-

[Andrei]

It's strange how I have never had any dealings with linux at all but for some reason. I am supporting 200 users through this one e-smith server. Also serving up a website, 50 users telecommuting through VPN and all I did was read the HTML manual. Maybe it's just me but you need to pump your brakes screw the command line when the GUI will do for now!

[Stephan Goeldi]

> Also serving up a website, 50 users
> telecommuting through VPN and all I did was read the HTML
> manual. Maybe it's just me but you need to pump your brakes
> screw the command line when the GUI will do for now!

Do you have multiple virtual apache domains on this server?
Do you have to let your customers edit and configure their email aliases and forwardings (and only their own mail-aliases, not those of the other customers)?
Is there a content management system like Zope etc. installed?
Do you ever take a look at the log files?

e-smith is able to serve you with this things. But I think it is ok, that it is not accessible via the e-smith-manager interface. If you don't know how to access the console, it is nothing for you.

.goe.

[Andrei]

Once again folks miss the point of e-smith server. The more I learn about Linux the more I will be able to customize E-Smith server. Also honestly if I really wanted to be able to do these things that you are asking right off the bat! I would get a subscription to e-smith support. Why would I kill myself with configuring something I have only a small clue about. Remember the product is free! If you want a deep tissue massage go to a massage therapist not your neighbor who read a book on massage.

Done!

[Jules]

Don't you just love open forums ??



e-smith is a great package out of the box.
If you take the time and energy you can customise it to your needs, everything is available to do what you need. Free doesn't mean that you don't have to spend TIME !! How many Windblows systems can you run the install and have a gateway and server with configuration that is at least fairly secure (or even working properly without applyng 'patches') ?

If e-smith is not for you, go get another distro and play with that, then when your pulling your hair out trying to get it close to doing what e-smith already does, come back to -e-smith and appreciate it.

[Kirrily Robert]

e-smith is not compatible with webmin, and using webmin can really mess up an e-smith system!  Check our FAQ at
http://www.e-smith.org/faq.php3#8q15 for more detail.

K.

[Jules]

Who mentioned WebMin ??

[Dan Brown]

Jules wrote:
>
> Who mentioned WebMin ??

Author: Stephan Goeldi (web_AT_goeldi.com)
Date:   06-05-01 09:26

[Jules]

I Sit Corrected