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9front guide

Based on 9front-6165.2a79d5dddf41

This is a collection of notes on how to complete tasks I've found myself commonly performing while using 9front.

Most of what is here is straight from various parts of the 9front FQA, just ordered differently. If not from the FQA, I'll provide the source under the header for the section.

As I'm in the process of learning Plan 9/9front, feel free to contact me with suggestions or corrections.

I'm overly verbose at times because I'm extremely forgetful.

Building & installing the amd64 kernel

	% cd /
	% rc /sys/lib/rootstub
	% cd /sys/src
	% objtype=amd64 mk install
	% cd /sys/src/9/pc64
	% mk install

Now the amd64 kernel has been built. First, install the new bootloader to the 9fat partition:

	% 9fs 9fat
	% rm /n/9fat/9bootfat # Required, cannot copy over existing bootloader
	% cp /386/9bootfat /n/9fat/
	% chmod +al /n/9fat/9bootfat # defrag magic

Next, copy the kernel:

	% cp /amd64/9pc64 /n/9fat/

Finally, edit the bootfile variable in /n/9fat/plan9.ini to use the 9pc64 kernel: bootfile=9pc64

Reboot.

cpu/auth server setup

Following these steps sets up a machine with 9front installed as a cpu AND auth server. I don't cover fileserver configuration since I've just been logging in as the default user, but it is covered in FQA 7.3

For those of us coming from the *nix world... setting up a machine running 9front as a cpu & auth server will allow you to remote into it using drawterm (covered later) and have access to the rio GUI. Similar to X11 forwarding using ssh -X. I don't currently know the nitty-gritty of how it works, but remote access was something I wanted to set up right away.

First, add the line service=cpu to /n/9fat/plan9.ini. This defines the service variable during the boot process so the cpu kernel is booted.

Reboot.

Upon rebooting, you'll get something along the lines of the following:

	bad nvram key
	bad authentication id
	bad authentication domain   # You may not see these errors.
	authid: <glenda>
	authdom: <9front>
	secstore key:
	password: [glenda’s password]

Enter glenda for authid, 9front (or anything you want) for authdom, hit return for secstore key, and enter a password.

Now you'll be in an rc shell only, no rio GUI. You can run rio -i riostart if you prefer to make the rest of the changes using acme or sam, but I tend to just use ed to make the edits via the command line.

If you installed the cwfs filesystem instead of hjfs, reboot with fshalt -r. When prompted for bootargs during boot, enter local!/dev/sdXX/fscache -c, where XX corresponds to whatever your drive identifier is. Then type noauth twice, followed by end:

	config: noauth
	auth is now disabled
	config: noauth
	auth is now enabled
	config: end

Finally, run 9fs 9fat and edit /n/9fat/plan9.ini. Change the bootargs variable to one of the following.

* for cwfs -> bootargs=local!/dev/sdXX/fscache -a tcp!*!564

* for hjfs -> bootargs=local!/dev/sdXX/fs -m 702 -A -a tcp!*!564

* 702 will probably be a different value on your install, just don't change the value from what it was by default.

Reboot. The cpu server is now listening for connections.

Authorize remote connections (auth server)

We need to edit the file /lib/ndb/local, but this was a bit tricky for me at first. The contents of this file on a fresh install of 9front-5966.df2c352ae695:

	#
	#  files comprising the data,base, use as many as you like, see ndb(6)
	#
	database=
	file=/net/ndb
	file=/lib/ndb/local
	file=/lib/ndb/common

	#
	# entries defining the dns root. these will be overridden by any
	# authentic info obtained from the root.
	#
	dom=
	ns=A.ROOT-SERVERS.NET
	ns=B.ROOT-SERVERS.NET
	ns=C.ROOT-SERVERS.NET
	ns=D.ROOT-SERVERS.NET
	ns=E.ROOT-SERVERS.NET
	ns=F.ROOT-SERVERS.NET
	ns=G.ROOT-SERVERS.NET
	ns=H.ROOT-SERVERS.NET
	ns=I.ROOT-SERVERS.NET
	ns=J.ROOT-SERVERS.NET
	ns=K.ROOT-SERVERS.NET
	ns=L.ROOT-SERVERS.NET
	ns=M.ROOT-SERVERS.NET

	#
	# because the public demands the name localsource
	#
	ip=127.0.0.1 sys=localhost dom=localhost

	# example: adjust to fit your network
	#auth=cirno authdom=9front
	#ipnet=9front ip=192.168.0.0 ipmask=255.255.255.0
	#	ipgw=192.168.0.1
	#	dns=192.168.0.1
	#	auth=cirno
	#	dnsdom=9front
	#	cpu=cirno
	#	smtp=cirno
	#
	#ip=192.168.0.99 sys=cirno dom=cirno.9front ether=112233445566

	sys=cirno ether=000c29e16a29

Before making the changes, run ndb/query sys SYSNAME to get some info about your network. It will output something like:

	ip=192.168.1.23
	ipmask=255.255.255.0
	ipgw=192.168.1.1
	sys=cirno dns=192.168.1.1
	sys=cirno ether=000c29e16a29

Use this information to edit /lib/ndb/local so it looks similar to:

	#
	#  files comprising the data,base, use as many as you like, see ndb(6)
	#
	database=
	file=/net/ndb
	file=/lib/ndb/local
	file=/lib/ndb/common

	#
	# entries defining the dns root. these will be overridden by any
	# authentic info obtained from the root.
	#
	dom=
	ns=A.ROOT-SERVERS.NET
	ns=B.ROOT-SERVERS.NET
	ns=C.ROOT-SERVERS.NET
	ns=D.ROOT-SERVERS.NET
	ns=E.ROOT-SERVERS.NET
	ns=F.ROOT-SERVERS.NET
	ns=G.ROOT-SERVERS.NET
	ns=H.ROOT-SERVERS.NET
	ns=I.ROOT-SERVERS.NET
	ns=J.ROOT-SERVERS.NET
	ns=K.ROOT-SERVERS.NET
	ns=L.ROOT-SERVERS.NET
	ns=M.ROOT-SERVERS.NET

	#
	# because the public demands the name localsource
	#
	ip=127.0.0.1 sys=localhost dom=localhost

	# example: adjust to fit your network
	auth=cirno authdom=9front
	ipnet=9front ip=192.168.0.0 ipmask=255.255.255.0
		ipgw=192.168.0.1
		dns=192.168.0.1
		auth=cirno
		dnsdom=9front
		cpu=cirno
		fs=cirno
	#	smtp=cirno
	#
	#ip=192.168.0.99 sys=cirno dom=cirno.9front ether=112233445566

	sys=cirno ether=000c29e16a29

NOTE: The indentation of the lines under ipnet=9front ip=192.168.0.0 ipmask=255.255.255.0 DOES matter.

A more detailed explanation:

* auth and cpu must be set to the system name.

* authdom can be anything, but has to match the authdom we entered at the boot prompt earlier.

* ipnet should match authdom.

* ipmask, ipgw, and dns should be changed to values from the output of `ndb/query sys <sysname>`.

* You'll notice ip does NOT match the output from ndb/query. In /lib/ndb/local, ip must be set to the subnet ID of the network. This just means the last digit is 0. For example, if the output of ip from ndb/query sys <sysname> was 156.43.9.78, ip in /lib/ndb/local should be set to 156.43.9.0.

Reboot.

Start keyfs by running auth/keyfs.

Run auth/changeuser glenda to get the following:

	Password: # type password here, will not echo
	Confirm password: # confirm password here, will not echo
	assign Inferno/POP secret? (y/n) n
	Expiration date (YYYYMMDD or never)[return = never]: 
	2 keys read
	Post id: 
	User’s full name: 
	Department #: 
	User’s email address: 
	Sponsor’s email address: 
	user username installed for Plan 9

NOTE: Password MUST match what you entered for glenda earlier.

After "assign Inferno/POP secret? (y/n) n" you can just hit enter for everything else.

If everything is set up correctly, running netaudit should output something similar to:

	checking this host's tuple:
		ip=192.168.1.23 looks ok
		no dom= entry
		ether=000c29e16a29 looks ok
	checking the network tuple:
		we are in ipnet=9front
		ipgw=192.168.1.1 looks ok
		dns=192.168.1.1 look ok
		auth=cirno looks ok
	checking auth server configuration:
		we are the auth server
		auth/keyfs is running
		someone is listening on port 567
		run auth/debug to test the auth server
		run auth/asaudit to verify auth server configuration

Post-setup configuration

You'll probably want to be able to access websites and have rio running when you connect via drawterm. While you can add whatever you like to your profile, I recommend adding the following to /usr/glenda/lib/profile:

	webfs
	bind -b '#S' /dev
	rio -i riostart

Add those right below fn cpu% { $* } and you'll be able to interact with URLs, mount 9fat or other filesystems via 9fs, and rio will start automatically on connect.

Connecting via drawterm

Download and install 9front's fork of drawterm on the machine you want to connect to the 9front server from. As stated on the website, this version of drawterm is needed to connect to a 9front server due to some security protocol changes. Russ Cox's version won't work... that tripped me up initially.

Run drawterm -h <server_ip> -u glenda. A rio window with a prompt should appear. Hit return at the auth prompt, then type the password for glenda.

We're in!