9. PLIP on the Source side

This section describes how to set up the plip interface in the source server. If you run into trouble, I suggest that you read the PLIP MINI-HOWTO.

Check that your lp device is not set. You should not have this entry:

     $ cat /proc/devices 
     Character devices:
     ...
     6 lp
     ...
    

If you do have it, kill the lpd daemon and remove the lp module:

     $ /etc/rc.d/init.d/lpd.init stop
     Shutting down lpd: lpd

     $ rmmod lp
    

If you can't remove the lp module then you have to recompile the kernel with lp service as a module.

Now, the "6 lp" line has disappeared from the /proc/devices file, which is a reflection of the kernel capabilities.

You are not obliged to eliminate the lp device : the scheme may work with lp. Without guarantee (it works for me). Check it yourself.

Check that your parallel port is handled:

     $ ls /proc/parport/
     0/
     
     $ cat /proc/parport/0/hardware 
     base:   0x378
     irq:    7
     dma:    none
     modes:  SPP,ECP,ECPEPP,ECPPS2
    

If you don't have any directory under /proc/parport/ then you have to load the parport and parport_pc modules:

     $ insmod parport
     $ insmod parport_pc
    

You should see this new entry in /var/log/messages:

     Oct  9 20:50:47 louloutte kernel:
     parport0: PC-style at 0x378 [SPP,ECP,ECPEPP,ECPPS2]

     Oct  9 20:50:47 louloutte kernel: 
     parport0: detected irq 7; 
     use procfs to enable interrupt-driven operation.
    

I repeat the message "detected irq 7, use procfs to enable interrupt-driven operation", so:

     $ echo 7 >  /proc/parport/0/irq
    

Check that plip module is loaded:

     $ lsmod |grep plip
    

If plip module is not loaded, then load it:

     $ insmod plip
    

You should see something like this in /var/log/messages

     ==> /var/log/messages <==
     Oct  8 16:34:12 louloutte kernel:
     NET3 PLIP version 2.3-parport gniibe@mri.co.jp
    
     Oct  8 16:34:12 louloutte kernel: 
     plip0: Parallel port at 0x378, using IRQ 7
     

If you can't load the plip module then you have to recompile the kernel with plip service as a module.

The syslog message says the module is loaded on the plip0 interface. Configure the plip0 interface:

     $ ifconfig plip0 source pointopoint target netmask 255.255.255.255 up
    

Check that everything is okay.

     $ ifconfig plip0
     plip0     Link encap:10Mbps Ethernet  HWaddr FC:FC:C0:A8:00:02
          inet addr:192.168.0.2  P-t-P:192.168.0.1  Mask:255.255.255.255
          UP POINTOPOINT RUNNING NOARP  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0
          TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0
          Interrupt:7 Base address:0x378 
    

Now you can ping locally the source server:

     $ ping source
     PING source (192.168.0.2): 56 data bytes
     64 bytes from 192.168.0.2: icmp_seq=0 ttl=255 time=0.3 ms
     64 bytes from 192.168.0.2: icmp_seq=1 ttl=255 time=0.2 ms
     
     --- source ping statistics ---
     2 packets transmitted, 2 packets received, 0% packet loss
     round-trip min/avg/max = 0.2/0.2/0.3 ms
    

Verify that the route to target exists:

     $ route
     Kernel IP routing table
     Destination     Gateway         Genmask         Flags Metric Ref    Use Iface
     target          *               255.255.255.255 UH    0      0        0 plip0
    

If the route doesn't exist, add it:

     $ route add -host  192.168.0.1  dev plip0
    

When the target is configured you will be able to do a ping test:

     $ ping target
     PING 192.168.0.1 (192.168.0.1): 56 data bytes
     64 bytes from 192.168.0.1: icmp_seq=0 ttl=64 time=4.5 ms
     64 bytes from 192.168.0.1: icmp_seq=1 ttl=64 time=4.3 ms
     
     --- 192.168.0.1 ping statistics ---
     2 packets transmitted, 2 packets received, 0% packet loss
     round-trip min/avg/max = 4.3/4.4/4.5 ms
    

But if you try it now you should have:

     $ ping target
     PING target (192.168.0.1): 56 data bytes
     
     --- target ping statistics ---
     5 packets transmitted, 0 packets received, 100% packet loss
    

Now, the server network is ready to work. Congratulations.