network installation ( dhcp problem)

[Rick Stevens]

On Sat, 2007-03-24 at 01:41 +0530, Alok Pandey wrote:
> hi Rick
>  Thanks for your time :
>  Plz find the details just below to your reply..
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Rick Stevens wrote: 
> > On Fri, 2007-03-23 at 12:55 +0530, Alok Pandey wrote:
> >   
> > > Hi  linux Gurus,
> > > I am trying to configure a network installation server on CentOS(2.6.9).
> > >     
> > 
> > No, it's CentOS 4.something.  The kernel is 2.6.9-something.  Please be
> > clear... there are major differences between the different CentOS
> > versions.
> > 
> >   
> Server : Centos 4.3 final kernel (2.6.9-34.El)
> CLient : Centos 4.3 final       kernel (2.6.-34.el)

Hmmm. The latest CentOS is 4.4.

> > > The point where i stucked  is .
> > >     The client is not able to find my dhcp server. 
> > > The steps which i have taken is:
> > > 1) copy all the 4 cd disk to /data/network-install/x86/CentOs/RPM
> > > 2) copy all the 4 cd image to /data/network-install/x86/CentOs/ISO
> > > 3)configured NFS as (in  /etc/exportfs)
> > >      /data/network    *(ro,sync)
> > > 4)configured ftp as
> > >     anon_root=/data/network-install/x86/CentOs/RPM
> > > 5) Configured dhcp server by putting mac address ,hostname and ip.
> > >     
> > 
> > Are you sure you started the DHCP daemon, dhcpd?
> >   
> Yes: i have restarted  the dhcpd service.

Ok.

> > > Now  after booting the client with CentOs 1st cd and choosing te option :-
> > > 1) Lan Boot
> > >     results: perfect  (i.e it get the ip same  address as mentioned in Dhcp)
> > > 2) linux askmethod
> > >     a) Dynamic Ip by dhcp
> > >         results:- fail  with error
> > >         Pump Told us : no dhcp reply recived.
> > >     
> > 
> > Hell, the installer still uses pump?  Jeeze!
> >   
> What do mean by 'still uses pump' ??

Pump is a pretty old DHCP client.  It was replaced by "dhclient" quite a
while ago.
  
> > >     b) static ip
> > >     results:- proceed , but failed to mount the nfs share and anonymous 
> > > dir  shared by the server.
> > >     
> > 
> > This sounds like a firewall issue to me.  Get on the server and verify
> > that you've opened the firewall for NFS and DHCP.
> > 
> >   
> Yes : their  is no firewall  on the server .(i.e iptable is stoped)

Ok.  I'd do an "iptables -L -n" on the server just to be sure.

> > > Hope the above Information will clear my situation .
> > > I am not getting any way around, can any one show me a light.
> > > Any suggestion is welcome.
> > > 
> > > One thing i will like to mention here is that after installation , 
> > > client find my dhcp successfully . and also
> > >     
> > 
> > And also....what?
> > 
> > It's odd that after installation dhclient finds the dhcp server, but
> > not before.  Again, this could be a firewall issue and you're not
> > actually using DHCP but a fixed IP.  
> >   
> I know is odd but its happening . and i am getting the pump error when
> ever  i used the dhcp option at installation time.
> Firewall is off on server .
> Dhcp server is configured as,
>   ip range  50-100 is reserved for laptop(i.e they always get
> different ip  when plugged) and rest machines are hardcore  with their
> mac address.

You mean hard coded with their MAC address, right?

> Can you  suggest me were do i look for the fault.

How about if you take out the MAC addresses in the DHCP server and let
the new machines grab an IP from the server like your laptop does?  In
other words, get rid of any "host" clauses you have.  The reason is that

	host somemachine {
	    hardware ethernet aa.bb.cc.dd.ee.ff;
	    fixed-address www.xxx.yyy.zzz;
	    filename "/some/path/to/kernel";
	    option domain-name-servers www.xxx.yyy.zzz;
	    option domain-name "somedomane.tld";
	}

clauses are used ONLY for BOOTP/TFTP (diskless) clients.  That is NOT
the same thing as DHCP to support an NFS, FTP or web-based network
install, which is what you want.

It is somewhat unfortunate that the dhcpd daemon does DHCP and BOOTP as
it is a bit confusing.  On Solaris machines, for example, there's a DHCP
daemon that only does DHCP.  BOOTP stuff is handled by either the
"bootpd" or "tftpd" daemon.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
- Rick Stevens, Principal Engineer             rstevens at internap.com -
- VitalStream, Inc.                       http://www.vitalstream.com -
-                                                                    -
-      We are born naked, wet and hungry. Then things get worse.     -
----------------------------------------------------------------------