15.2. Basic Network Configuration Wizard

Normally you would have already configured networking during installation, but maybe you want to reconfigure it. For example, you have more than one network card, and the one configured during installation may not be the one connected to the internal network. This wizard will help you to configure this interface card and give a name to the machine.

If you need to reconfigure anything, you will have to restart your X session after all configuration steps are completed: as the machine will have changed its name and base address, the X authority mechanism will not let you run anymore programs unless you have restarted it. The wizard tells you about this, as shown in figure 15-3.

Figure 15-3. Wizdrake Warning

First, you have to enter the fully qualified domain name for this machine, if your network is directly connected to the Internet and you have a registered domain name. The server name should be part of this domain (figure 15-4).

Figure 15-4. Enter the Host Name for this Machine

You then have to specify which network interface card is connected to your local network - not the interface card which gives you access to the outside! If you have several network interface cards in your machine, be sure to choose the correct one (figure 15-5).

Figure 15-5. Select the Device Connected to your Internal Network

Then you have to enter the network address: the wizards configures a C class network, this will always be of the form x.y.z.0. In the example shown in figure 15-6, the network address is private. Do not choose such a network address if your network is directly connected to the Internet!

Figure 15-6. Enter the Network Address for your Private Network

You then have to enter the IP address for your server. Of course, this address must agree with the network address you have entered before. Also double check that the name you entered at the first step actually matches with the address you will enter here (figure 15-7).

Figure 15-7. Enter the IP Address for your Server

Finally, if you have a gateway, you need to specify the device and IP address of that gateway; which is the machine that gives you access to the Internet. The IP address field is only relevant if the gateway to the Internet has a fixed address: if you use a dialup connection by modem, for example, the device will be ppp0 and you will not specify the IP address as it is dynamically assigned at connection time (figure 15-8). If you have no Internet access, just leave both fields blank.

Figure 15-8. Choose the Network Device and IP Address of the Gateway to the Internet

You are now done with the basic configuration. The wizard will present you with all the information that you have entered, and you now need to select Configure if you are satisfied with the configuration, or you can select Back to go back and modify the configuration, as many times as you like (figure 15-9).

Figure 15-9. Confirm the Configuration


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