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OpenBSD memo notes

Here I'm gonna be collecting random notes on OpenBSD, could be of help to other people as well.

This is probably going to be WIP forever, as I learn more, change configuration, etc.

I use amd64 snapshot version, you might want to use the last stable one (maybe even for a different arch).

Installation

At one of the mirrors[1] grab either `amd64/installXY.fs` or `amd64/installXY.iso`, depending on if you want to install from a USB flash drive or burn a CD. `*.fs` needs to be `dd`ed to the flash drive itself directly. See Creating Install media[2].

[1] mirrors

[2] Creating Install media

There is not going to be any WIFI firmware present on the installation media, so there are a few options to choose from before booting. The media has all the "sets" to install the system from already, so it's not really required. In case it is required however, it's best to use Ethernet, or USB tethering on your Android (hopefully) phone, which will most likely show up as `urndis0` interface and the installation process will use that. Another idea is to copy the required firmware[3] on the media and then drop into shell after booting, doing the necessary procedures to make OpenBSD see the firmware in the right place and configure the network interface, then continuing with the installation. I haven't gone this path.

[3] firmware

Now reboot and go to your...

BIOS settings

Chances are, you might need to disable all the crap that isn't going to work in OpenBSD anyway, anything you can think of that isn't a high priority. It's best to install the system first, then enable those things back one by one in case you need any. Thunderbolt, bluetooth, WWAN come to mind.

When it comes to hyperthreading support, keep it enabled. I tried having it disabled, OpenBSD behaved in very strange ways, eating one core to 100% at all times. This might have been only on that specific laptop, idk.

Configuration

See `/etc/examples`.

cp /etc/examples/man.conf /etc/examples/doas.conf /etc/

Now you can read extra man pages and invoke `doas`, which is like `sudo` but not `sudo`.

`/etc/sysctl.conf`

# get VM some of that internet
net.inet.ip.forwarding=1
net.inet6.ip6.forwarding=1

# don't go suspending with the lid down
machdep.lidaction=0

# allow audio/video recording (if you like videochats)
kern.audio.record=1
kern.video.record=1

# very questionable considering OpenBSD disabled
# hyperthreading for a reason, but just to show
# how to enable it
hw.smt=1

`/etc/wsconsctl.conf`

# I don't use touchpad, trackpoint is my friend
mouse.tp.disable=1

# no beep, no boop
keyboard.bell.volume=0

# faster key repeats
keyboard.repeat.del1=150
keyboard.repeat.deln=55

# blank the screen sometimes
display.vblank=on

# remap caps lock → control
keyboard.map+="keysym Caps_Lock = Control_L"

`/etc/rc.conf.local`

That file is supposed to be modified by `rcctl` mostly. Check the man page.

# APM: performance mode 100%
apmd_flags=-H

# rcctl enable vmd
# that's for VMs later
vmd_flags=

# rcctl enable xenodm
# X server
xenodm_flags=

# that's the interface we gonna use with VMs
# they will need DHCP working
dhcpd_flags=vether0

# nice thing about sndio, you get loopback recording for free
sndiod_flags=-s default -m play,mon -s mon

`/etc/vm.conf`

Virtual machines. I have 9front[4] and Alpine[5]. Both disabled by default, they can be started like so: `vmctl start 9front`. Add `-c` to get into serial console, at least in the beginning, in case you don't have those qcow2 images ready from somewhere else, in which case use `vmctl create ...`.

[4] 9front

[5] Alpine

vm "9front" {
        disable
        memory 2048M
        disk "/home/ftrvx/v/9front.qcow2"
        #cdrom "/home/ftrvx/v/9front.iso"
        owner ftrvx
        interface {
                lladdr 52:54:00:00:EE:03
                switch "uplink"
        }
}

vm "alpine" {
        disable
        memory 2048M
        disk "/home/ftrvx/v/alpine.qcow2"
        #cdrom "/home/ftrvx/v/alpine-virt-3.11.3-x86_64.iso"
        owner ftrvx
        interface {
                lladdr 52:54:00:00:EE:04
                switch "uplink"
        }
}

switch "uplink" {
        interface bridge0
}

`/etc/dhcpd.conf`

VMs are gonna need this service.

subnet 10.0.2.1 netmask 255.255.255.0 {
	# ip range to give away
	range 10.0.2.2 10.0.2.20;

	# that's host's IP address on vether0
	option routers 10.0.2.1;

	# you might want to configure something else here ofc
	option domain-name-servers 4.2.2.2;
}

`/etc/hostname.vether0`

inet 10.0.2.1/24
up

`/etc/hostname.bridge0`

add vether0
up

Run `/etc/netstart vether0` and `/etc/netstart bridge0` to get it up if you need it right now.

`/etc/pf.conf`

Allow traffic flow on `vether0`:

echo 'match out on egress from vether0:network to any nat-to (egress)' | doas tee -a /etc/pf.conf
doas pfctl -f /etc/pf.conf

`/etc/hostname.iwn0`

That's the WIFI. Your interface name might have a different name, see `ifconfig`.

join someAPnameHere wpakey superpassword123
join someOtherAP wpakey totallydifferentpassword123
dhcp

`/etc/hostname.tun0`

OpenVPN in case you need it, `pkg_add openvpn; mkdir -p /etc/openvpn`, and copy the config to that directory.

up
!/usr/local/sbin/openvpn --daemon --config /etc/openvpn/myvpnconfig

`~/.xsession`

This pretty much depends on what you want to use as your WM or DE. I use `i3`. Do a `chmod +x ~/.xsession` after editing.

#!/bin/sh

export LC_CTYPE=en_US.UTF-8

# I put extra stuff in ~/b
export PATH="$HOME/b:$PATH"

# caps as ctrl
# left ctrl to switch between layouts
# right ctrl as the compose key
setxkbmap 'se(nodeadkeys),ru' -option grp:lctrl_toggle,grp_led:scroll,ctrl:nocaps,compose:rctrl

# higher key repeat rate
xset r rate 150 40

# uncomment if you have any specific settings there
#xrdb -merge ~/.Xresources

if [ -x /usr/local/bin/dbus-launch -a -z "${DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS}" ]; then
	eval `dbus-launch --sh-syntax --exit-with-x11`
fi

# clean things up and run i3
rm -rf /tmp/i3-*
unset I3SOCK
exec /usr/local/bin/ck-launch-session i3

9front

`plan9.ini` needs `console=0` in order for the `vmctl` console to be usable.

Makes sense to add `monitor=none` as well.

If you don't like 9front to be using dhcp, provide a configuration in `/lib/ndb/local`. With previous virtual network config the gateway should be set: `ipgw=10.0.2.1`. Your VM's ip address should be in `10.0.2.0/24` range.

Alpine

If you're going through a usual installation using a CD bootable image and want to start with serial first, run `vmctl start -B cdrom -c alpine` and hit Tab soon enough for "boot:" prompt. Type "lts console=ttyS0,115200" and hit Enter. That will enable input/output on serial.

This is what I did to enable serial by default and to have an unnattended automatic boot - I edited `/boot/extlinux.conf`:

SERIAL 0 115200
DEFAULT lts
.....
TIMEOUT 5
LABEL lts
	.....
	APPEND root=.......... console=ttyS0,115200

I have my OpenBSD's files mounted using `sshfs`, so I need `fuse` module to load automatically on boot:

echo fuse | doas tee /etc/modules-load.d/fuse.conf

To get a working system clock with vmd, I build and install vmm_clock[6]:

[6] vmm_clock

apk add git alpine-sdk linux-lts-dev
git clone https://github.com/voutilad/vmm_clock
cd vmm_clock
make
doas make install
echo vmm_clock | doas tee /etc/modules-load.d/vmm_clock.conf
# take effect now
doas reboot