Networking Tips for Ubuntu and Kubuntu

Enable access to more software packages

Modified: 2006-08-15 21:43:52

Ubuntu does not have all packages available by default. You must enable the universe to be able to install certain software.

To enable the universe:

1. Open /etc/apt/sources.list:

   sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list

2. Add the following lines to the end of the file:

   deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu dapper universe
   deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu dapper universe
   
   deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu dapper-security universe
   deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu dapper-security universe
   
   deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu dapper multiverse
   deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu dapper multiverse

3. Now close save the file and close nano by doing the following: hit "Ctrl+X" and then "y" and then "Enter"

4. Run:

   sudo apt-get update

You should now be able to install such software as "gnome-art" and many others.

Warning: Only add these lines if you are sure you have not enabled the universe and multiverse already. Having duplicate repository lists can cause problems! For example, Automatix automatically generates a sources.list that enables the universe and multiverse. If you have used Automatix, do not add the lines above.

Easily share an Internet connection with another Linux box on your LAN

Modified: 2006-08-15 21:32:30

On the host machine (the one connected to the Internet)

1. Install the Firestarted Firewall:

   sudo apt-get install firestarter

2. Open Firestarter and in the menu go to "Edit -> Preferences"
3. Under "Firewall" click on "Network Settings"
4. Under "Internet connected network device" choose the device that is connected to the Internet (in my case "eth0").
5. Under "Local network connected device" choose the device that is connected to your LAN (in my case "eth1")
6. Check the "Enable Internet connection sharing" box.
7. Click the "Accept" button.
8. Now, to stop Firestarter if it is running, click the "Stop Firewall" button
9. Click the "Start Firewall" button.

On the client machine

Open /etc/network/interfaces and under the settings for your network device add this line (where 192.168.1.7 is the ip address of your host machine):

gateway 192.168.1.7

Find which files come in which packages

Modified: 2006-08-15 21:31:27

I needed to find out the packages that provided "sane-config". I found out that using "apt-file" allows you to search and find in which package a file is included.

To search packages file contents with apt-file:

1. Install apt-file:

   sudo apt-get install apt-file

2. Resynchronize the lists of the contents of packages from their sources:

   sudo apt-file update

3. Find which packages contains a certain file. (Example: "sane-config"):

   apt-file search sane-config

   The above command produces this output:

   elijahlofgren@ubuntu:~$ apt-file search sane-config
   libsane-dev: usr/bin/sane-config
   libsane-dev: usr/share/man/man1/sane-config.1.gz

   That means that the "sane-config" command (or file) comes in the "libsane-dev" package.

Easily log into your Linux box using FreeNX

Modified: 2006-08-15 21:33:05

FreeNX allows you to graphically login to your Linux box and run programs with near native speed.

1. Follow the Installing FreeNX server on Kubuntu Dapper Drake Flight 6 post in the Ubuntu Forums. It should work on any version of Ubuntu Dapper Drake.
2. Download the NX Client for Linux and install it on your client box.

Fix "You will not be able to change your system settings in any way (install, remove or upgrade software), because another process is using the packaging system database (probably some other Adept application or apt-get or aptitude)"

Modified: 2006-10-21 11:45:28

Open up Konsole and type in this command:

sudo dpkg --configure -a

From: Adept Updater stalls, says database locked...

Disable Firestarter logging to /var/log/messages

Modified: 2007-07-03 09:28:28

I was gettting a lot of messages like this in my /var/log/messages file:

Jul  3 09:13:47 localhost kernel: [17336617.480000] Inbound IN=eth1 OUT= MAC= SRC=192.168.1.7 DST=192.168.1.255 LEN=170 TOS=0x00 PREC=0x00 TTL=64 ID=0 DF PROTO=UDP SPT=631 DPT=631 LEN=150

I was able to stop those by opening /etc/firestarter/configuration and changing this line:

LOG_LEVEL=info

to this:

LOG_LEVEL=none