NEXS installation procedure

NEXS Installation Procedure

This is the procedure to install a schoolserver from a usb drive.

Requirements

You will need a server which can boot a usb-drive. Turn on the server and enter the BIOS. Check the boot

  priorities. Set usb hard drive as the first boot priority (ahead of the hard drive). If the server cannot boot 
  from a usb drive, you will have to use a cd. The server must have two NICs (Network Interface Cards). Modern 
  servers have one on the motherboard which provides an ethernet port in the motherboard io section. The second NIC
  is normally a PCI card which provides a second ethernet port. The motherboard port is known to the system as eth0 
  and is used to connect to the WAN (internet provider). The PCI port is known to the system as eth1 and is used to 
  connect to the XOs via wifi. It is also known as the LAN connection. The server normally will not have a monitor, 
  keyboard, or mouse (this is known as a 'headless' server since administration is performed by remote login over the 
  network - in this case, via the LAN using an XO.

Access Point

Set up the Access Point. This is done by resetting it (hold in the reset switch for a long time and then another long

  time (they usually have a long delay to prevent accidental resets). Then remove the power for a few seconds and restart.
  This reboots the AP so that it sees the changed settings. You can then access the AP via the XO. Start a web browser
  (Browse or Firefox (E-Paath). Enter web address: http://192.168.1.254 or, whatever the manufacturer gives as the default 
  address. You should see a setup form for the AP. Ignore the LAN side for now. Setup the WAN (wireless) side to use 
  IP address: 172.18.0.3 with mask 255.255.254.0. Enable DHCP with a limited range: 172.18.0.80 to 172.18.0.90, for example.
  Save the changes. You should now be able to ping the AP (terminal: ping 172.18.0.3). Set the network to broadcast 'schoolnet'
  as the SSID.

Install NEXS

Install NEXS on the server. Insert the USB drive and start the server (if using a CD, insert the CD). The server will take

  about 20 minutes to complete the install. When it is done, the server will power off.

Restart

Restart the server. Before doing so, you need to remove the USB drive (or CD). If you do not, the system will reboot from the

  USB drive (or CD). If you are using a CD, the CD tray should be open. Take out the CD. When the system restarts, close the tray.
  If the tray is not open, restart the system, open the tray, and remove the CD. Hit the reset button to restart the servers since it 
  may have detected the CD and be trying to boot from CD.

Complete Network Configuration

The reboot may take two or three minutes. When you think it is done, login to the server from the XO. In a terminal window, enter

  ssh admin@schoolserver. If the XO gives an error, try going to the /home/olpc/.ssh directory. Remove known_hosts. Retry ssh 
  admin@schoolserver. It will ask if you really want to do this, answer yes. Now enter the command: su ./netsetup with the following 
  four parameters: school server nameserver netmask. If the netmask parameter is 255.255.255.0, it may be omitted. If the nameserver is
  in the same network as the server, the parameter may be omitted (e.g. server is 192.168.2.77 and the nameserver is 192.168.2.1, then 
  the parameter is unneeded). The school parameter is a short name for the school, e.g. kavre. The server parameter is it's network 
  address (e.g. 192.168.2.77). You will have been given these parameters before you started the install. When the script is complete, it 
  will say: "done". At this point, logout.

Reconfigure Access Point

Use the XO browser to access the AP: http://172.18.0.3. Change the LAN (wireless) side so that the network is open and does not provide

  DHCP service.

Test server installation

  a. Look at the neighborhood view. You should see a circle with the designation: schoolnet. The XO should be connected 
     (shown as to semicircles outside the circle).

  b. From the XO, ping the schoolserver (172.18.0.1). If that succeeds, ping the schoolserver (ping schoolserver). If that succeeds, 
     ping the schoolserver (192.168.2.77). If that suceeds, ping the nameserver (ping 192.168.2.1). If that suceeds, ping Google 
     (ping www.google.com).

  c. From a browser: access Google. Do a search (e.g. OLPC). Access wiki.laptop.com.

  d. From a browser: access the schoolserver (http://schoolserver). You should see the school's Moodle page.

Test the 'mesh' connection

  a. Register the XO. If the XO does not show the registration option (along with restart, shutdown), then you need to use a 
     terminal window. Go to /home/olpc/.sugar/default. Use nano (sudo nano config) to edit the file: config. 
     Delete (ctl + k) the two lines: 
         
           [Server]
           backup1

     Enter ctl + x to exit nano (answer y to save the change). Now reboot the XO and you should see the register option.

  b. In a terminal window enter: olpc-netstatus You should see under telepathy the word "gabble". This means the XO is using the 
     AP for it's mesh (XO-XO) connections.

  c. Start a second XO. The two XO's should see each other in the neighborhood view. Start Chat on each XO. You should be able to 
     see each other in the chat room and type messages between the two XOs.

Exceptions and Notes

1. At the moment, the install CD requires you to enter return on the keyboard to start the install. This WILL be removed.

2. At the moment, the system will automatically reboot when the install is completed. You must watch for this and remove the

  usb drive or CD immediately (for the CD, it is enough to open the tray). Then reset to restart the boot process. This too WILL be 
  fixed.

3. Since 192.168.5.44 is in use by an unknown system, use the parameters for netsetup: sanepa 192.168.5.45 192.168.5.1 255.255.255.0

4. The netsetup script will be on the USB drive for now (This too WILL be fixed). So in step 5, when you login by ssh, you will need to

  mount the USB drive. Wait until the screen shows several lines (system is mounting the drive). You can then execute the script by 
  the command: /media/usb0/netsetup.