History of PXE Server (Open)(No. 2)

[by Nugraha, 2009.05.01]

We want to make a diskless computing system so that we need a PXE Server. PXE stands for "Pre-boot eXecution Environment". PXE is a special extension of services provided by the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP). It uses a Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) server to provide minimal boot to a network client. Let's try to configure it!

What we need
Checking
- Network setting
- SSH check
DHCP and TFTP Server
- DHCP Configuration

What we need†

A computer with linux operating system to be configured as a server. Here we use Fedora Linux. This computer should have at least two network interface cards (NIC). One of the cards will be used to connect the server with client.
Computer that acts as a client. For a checking purpose we need this computer to have SSH facility (Windows or Linux is okay).
Network hub and cables.

↑

Checking†

↑

Network setting†

Turn on the hub, connect a network cable from Fedora Linux computer (server) to the hub (for example to channel 1).
Connect again a network cable from the client computer (Windows/Linux) to the hub (for example to channel 2).
Open Network configuration on Fedora Linux using root privilege. We should set network interface card that has been connected to the hub.
Assuming the network card is eth1, we set it to have:
- IP Address: 192.168.1.1
- Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
On the client computer, set the IP Address statically to be:
- IP Address: 192.168.1.2
- Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0

↑

SSH check†

Open SSH software on client computer, for example Putty or any command line software:
```
ssh username@192.168.1.1
```
If username is "nugraha" and hostname of server is "rsaito-necPC", then we must find this line after succesfully login:
```
nugraha@rsaito-necPC:~$
```
it means that we can access the server from the client.

↑

DHCP and TFTP Server†

Install dhcp, syslinux, and tftp-server
```
# yum install dhcp syslinux tftp-server
```

↑

DHCP Configuration†