Internet only as root

[Jeff Vian]

Nils Philippsen wrote:

>On Sat, 2004-02-21 at 15:32, Paul Ryan wrote:
>  
>
>>    Hi I have a problem accessing the internet. I can only access it
>>as root. After numerous attempts to get my ADSL runing with the
>>Internet setup wizzard and the network device control, without any
>>luck.  The system would conect but it was like Mozilla, Gaim and Co.
>>didn't know that I was conected.  I finnaly had luck with adsl-config,
>>everything worked as root but only as root. When I boot to a normal
>>user there is no ppp0 conection listed in the network control (and yes
>>I did enable other users) when I use /usr/sbin/adsl-start it seems to
>>conect no error messages but it is the same as with the internet
>>conection wizzard Mozilla and Co. don't think that I'm conected.  One
>>other note if I do any configuation with the network control I have to
>>reconfigure my ppp0 conection with adsl-config again otherwise it
>>won't conect to the internet again.
>>    
>>
>
>Hmm, can you list the configuration files for us?
>("ls -l /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts")
>
>You also shouldn't need to use adsl-start directly, just "ifup ppp0" or
>"ifdown ppp0" or the network control program. Also, please give us the
>contents of the file /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-ppp0 without
>the "USER='...'" line.
>
>Normally you would configure all networking stuff through
>redhat-config-network (which will be renamed to system-config-network in
>FC2), not through adsl-config.
>  
>
Be careful about giving out incorrect information.
'adsl-config' is needed once to initialize and save the adsl settings. 
 After that you only use 'ifup ppp0' and 'ifdown ppp0'  to 
connect/disconnect.  

When using adsl you should never use the redhat-config-network tool to 
reconfigure the adapter used for the adsl connection.  If you do it 
breaks the adsl setup.

To address the issue with nothing seeming to work as a non-root user.

1. check /etc/resolv.conf and confirm that nameservers are listed. This 
is rewritten each time you connect via adsl.
2.  When you used adsl-config did you tell the system this would be the 
default route?
3.  Is there a default route listed in any of the  files 
/etc/sysconfig/network or /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-ethX 
files ??   If there is you will have a conflict in routing and it won't 
work properly.  Linux only allows one default route.
4. To check you have a correct default routing run the command 'netstat 
-r' after connecting via the adsl using 'ifup ppp0'.  There should be 
one or more lines per adapter, and only one line with a UG flag.  That 
one should point to the adapter connected to the adsl link.

If you are intending to be connected continuously it is easy to put the 
command to start the adsl connection in /etc/rc.d/rc.local (or 
/etc/rc.local). This will start it as root and then everyone can use it.

If you only use it sometimes, simply log in as your regular user. then 
open a terminal window and you can use a variety of ways to start the 
adsl connection from the command line,  'sudo' and 'su' are commands 
that will help. After connection any user on the system will have access 
(including yourself in the X environment you are already in.