Solaris 9 Internet Connection
Hello.
I'm new to solaris and have been trying to connect a solaris 9 box to the internet.
This is the only solaris box on the network, everything else is windows and I'm beggining to think that this is where the root of my problems lie.
I have read other threads on this subject but I still can't get on the internet. I am using netscape communicator 4.78
I have added all the relevant information into resolv.conf ,nsswitch.conf , set up the default router etc. but when I try to access the internet using netscape, I get an error message saying 'There was no response. The server could be down or not responding'
Could my problem be that the nameserver I have specified in resolv.conf is a windows server, not a sun server? and this is simply not allowed
Can someone explain/help/point me in the right direction.
Thanks
# 1
No... The fact that your DNS box is a windows system does not matter :)
Have you checked _everything_? Especially your routing setup?
First off, try to determine whether the whole path from your Sun box to the Internet is open, so to speak.
First ping your local router. Then ping the router after that. Then the one after that. And so on, until you reach the Internet by, for instance, pinging the web server of your ISP. Finally, try pinging servers on the web. In all cases use IP addresses.
This is of course assuming that there are no firewalls blocking your pings. :)
I also thought of something else :) You may want to add the DNS servers of your ISP to your resolv.conf... I sincerely doubt whether your local DNS server has all the IP addresses for the Internet and it might even be configured in such a way that it does not link to DNS servers who might. So that might hamper your name resolution.
Of course there are many other things you can check, but let's tackle these first...
Good luck!
# 2
Thanks very much, here's where I've got to....
Accorinding to our windows people, the route out to the www only contains two hops and then a jump through the firewall.
First to the default router and then to a proxy server. As you suggested, I've pinged these two machines and they respond, but I can't ping the firewall (apparently this is the norm). Because of the firewall I can't try and go any further so...
I added the ip addresses of these two machines to the resolv.conf file (not sure if this actually does anything or not) and then told netscape to use the proxy server on port 8080 for http.
now when I try to go to sun.com for example I am prompted for a UserID and Password and the message 'Proxy authentication required for unidentified proxy server at <proxy IP>:8080:
This seems to be a partial success in my book as it seems I can actually get to the proxy server but I'm not sure what I can do about the 'unidentified' proxy server.
Can you help? I seem to be getting more and more out of my depth here!
# 3
No, don't worry... You're not getting into more trouble! You're actually on your way out of it :)
You said:
> I added the ip addresses of these two machines to
> the resolv.conf file (not sure if this actually does
> anything or not)
You should not do this... /etc/resolv.conf contains DNS settings and _not_ routers and proxies... You should enter the IP address for your default router in /etc/defaultrouter though :) And make sure that your routing table has an entry for it.
But, judging by the fact that you can contact the proxy server, it already has. So you're fine..
And then you said:
> and then told netscape to use the proxy server on
> port 8080 for http.
Which is perfect!
Now all you need is to get a username and password from the people who administer the proxy server. Once you have those you'll be happily on your way and surfing on the Internet...
# 4
I though as much about the resolv.conf, I have removed them.
I'd already added the default router and checked the routing table, and like you said, I wouldn't have been able to get to the proxy server if this info had been incorrect.
That's why I was getting confused in the first place, couldn't see where I'd gone wrong but being a newbie to solaris networking I thought I must have.
I will chase up our web admins, I guess it must be a case of altering the authentication type at the proxy server to allow the sun box out. It should be a fun exersice, they are good people but they are total windows and have been saying 'well it's sun isn't it...' at every opportunity.
Will let you know how I get on, as the authentication type info may be of use to other people.
Thanks for the help, much appreciated.
# 5
> they are good people but they are total windows and have been
> saying 'well it's sun isn't it...' at every opportunity.
Hah! That's funny, 'cause where I work we usually say comparable things to our Windows people :)
Going: "well, it's windows ins't it? should've used Apple, or Sun", depending on whether we're discussing desktops or servers.
Anywho: I hope you get things worked out with the proxy user id..
And I don't think you need some special authentication by the way. Just a normal uid and pw will do...
