Topic: USB Cable modem working well but...

[matman]

I am unable to complete the "Configure this server" wizard because when I choose "Server and gateway - dedicated" I get "Your system only has a single network adapter." and I am unable to proceed past that point.

The cable modem, a Motorola SB4200i is installed and running as eth1.  SME Server is running in server and gateway - dedicated mode right now and all seems well.  I was able to get it working because I originally configured and tested the server with 2 PCI NICs.  Then I removed one and connected the modem via USB (it supports ethernet connection as well).  Driver-wise it was just a matter of enabling the usbnet kernel module.

Code: [Select]

[root@gate ~]# ifconfig
br0       Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 00:02:44:66:EB:89
          inet addr:192.168.155.1  Bcast:192.168.155.255  Mask:255.255.255.0
          UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:15050 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:13253 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:0
          RX bytes:1930363 (1.8 MiB)  TX bytes:5242955 (5.0 MiB)

eth0      Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 00:02:44:66:EB:89
          UP BROADCAST RUNNING PROMISC ALLMULTI MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:15115 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:13343 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:3 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
          RX bytes:2181827 (2.0 MiB)  TX bytes:5265594 (5.0 MiB)
          Interrupt:10 Base address:0x1400

eth1      Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 00:0B:06:90:BB:E7
          inet addr:121.208.1.213  Bcast:255.255.255.255  Mask:255.255.255.0
          UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:21773 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:9065 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
          RX bytes:5152031 (4.9 MiB)  TX bytes:1303883 (1.2 MiB)

lo        Link encap:Local Loopback
          inet addr:127.0.0.1  Mask:255.0.0.0
          UP LOOPBACK RUNNING  MTU:16436  Metric:1
          RX packets:767 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:767 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:0
          RX bytes:73016 (71.3 KiB)  TX bytes:73016 (71.3 KiB)

tap0      Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 00:FF:77:D0:DC:42
          UP BROADCAST RUNNING PROMISC MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:233 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:100
          RX bytes:0 (0.0 b)  TX bytes:46360 (45.2 KiB)

[CharlieBrady]

I am unable to complete the "Configure this server" wizard because when I choose "Server and gateway - dedicated" I get "Your system only has a single network adapter." and I am unable to proceed past that point.

SME server has no configuration support for USB networking devices. If you think it should have, and especially if you can provide some hints as to how it should be done, you should open a bug via the Bug Tracker, in the New Feature Requests class under SME Future.

[matman]

Thanks Charlie.

I am happy enough with the way things are.  I hope I am not risking configuration or security issues if I don't run the configuration wizard after switching to a USB NIC.

I don't think I know enough to give useful advice on supporting USB networking in SME Server but if it configures as ETH1 once the driver is installed how much different is it really from a PCI NIC?  Can we then just consider this a workaround/tip for USB Ethernet modems?

[CharlieBrady]

I am happy enough with the way things are.  I hope I am not risking configuration or security issues if I don't run the configuration wizard after switching to a USB NIC.

I suspect that your system will stop working every time you apply system updates.

I don't think I know enough to give useful advice on supporting USB networking in SME Server ...

Obviously you've got it working this time. That possibly makes you the world's expert on use SME server with USB cable modems. If you write down all you have done, a developer might be able to make changes so that it becomes a permanent supported feature. The place to write the details down is in the bug tracker.

... but if it configures as ETH1 once the driver is installed how much different is it really from a PCI NIC?  Can we then just consider this a workaround/tip for USB Ethernet modems?

It's a workaround/tip at the moment. It could become part of the analysis as to what needs to change to provide permanent support.

[mike_mattos]

just a matter of enabling the usbnet kernel module. ??

could you expand on that?  It would be a neat trick to be able to add a USB adapter at times