First of all, you should have running Linux
with a GUI installed. I am fully satisfied
with Gnome GUI but I suppose that KDE will
be ok too (or any other GUI available).
Download or copy LinFBB (the main ftp site
is
ftp.f6fbb.org but there are many mirror
sites too). For example, if you get a file
like
x700e_full.tgz
it means that it is X11 version 7.00e and it
contains all you need in tgz archive to install
the BBS. On the other hand, a name like
xd700g_full.tgz
means that it is not X11 but daemon version 7.00g
and it is also complete to unpack. Further,
x700f01.tgz
and
x700g.tgz
are "upgrades" to any previous "full" package.
For example, after I have upgraded to x700g.tgz
I started to run X11 LinFBB 7.00g (04. August 1998).
BTW, X11 versions are not maintained anymore, so
I still run it here. It has some bugs but I like it.
Copy the archive file in /tmp directory.
You have to make a "base" directory where
your FBB will be installed. For example you
may type: mkdir /usr/local/fbb if you want
FBB to be there. You have to be logged as
'root' or 'superuser' to install FBB.
Then, you should locate yourself in that
directory: cd /usr/local/fbb.
Now, you should unpack the archive:
tar xvzf /tmp/x700b25.tgz (<-- use the right
name of the archive here).
When you finished unpacking the archive,
you may continue installing the software:
./install.sh is the command for that. The
setup will ask you for the 'base' directory
where FBB will be installed. If you chose
/usr/local/fbb again, you will be told that
such directory already exists and all files
will be overwritten. It is ok, so you should
answer yes. If everything is ok, you should
see on the screen that fbb system
directories are created. At the beginning
of that procedure, program will ask you for
bbs's callsign, name of the city, QTH
locator, your name etc. That details will
become a part of /usr/local/fbb/init.srv
file.
After that, you MUST check this file
again manually in order to fix some other
details needed (because installation script does
not fix all parts within that file).
Well, so far - so good. After you have checked
all configuration files, you may start the
software: ./xfbb.sh (<-- type this within
an xterm or something similar). When you
start your BBS for the first time, it will ask
you to create some files it needs, so you
should answer "yes" to the questions.
Notice: Folks, you see, at my place, I have a
dual-boot system, consisting of Windows NT and
Linux (each of them having their own partition(s)
and file system). I wanted to have 'independent'
operating systems that won't see each other. So I
made two NT's partitions as NTFS partitions and
rest of the space used Linux as ext2 partitions.
Well, first I have installed WinFBB under NT and X11
LinFBB under Linux. Both of them worked, but there
was a big "problem": I could not share their
system files. You might say: So, what a big deal.
But, my FBB's should serve as packet-radio forwarding
stations (regardless of which one I boot at the
moment), so it was really needed for new LinFBB
to "know", for example, the position where WinFBB
has stopped the mail exchange last time (and vice
versa, of course).
Well, in order to allow both WinFBB under
Windows NT and LinFBB under Linux to use
some common files, it is needed to put these
files in a place where both operating systems can
"see". So I do that by re-installing
WinFBB onto a FAT (FAT16) partition that is
recognized by NT and Linux too. The best way to do
that is to install a "fresh" copy of WinFBB on
a FAT partition and to copy complete "old"
WinFBB from NTFS partition over the fresh
installation (whenever you are asked to
rewrite existing files, you should answer
"yes").
When that is finished, you should have a "clone"
of the existing old WinFBB, but this time on
the FAT partition that is visible from under
Linux. Anyway, you should check if the "new"
installation is able to run as the "old" one.
I could also recommend you to check the file
tree of WinFBB in order to become more
familiar with it. The file tree of LinFBB
is a bit different so it is advisable to
note various details here and there.
Some files can't be used as they are under both
operating systems (without some neccesary
changes). That's why some file names should
be renamed (or, at least, you should make
appropriate copies of some files):
FBB is able to recognize and accept those renamed files.
Make a backup of the actual WinFBB (I do this
by copying the whole WinFBB file structure into
the other Windows partition that won't be
shared with Linux, like NTFS one). You'll never
know when a catastrophe may happen, so as a result,
you won't be able to start neither of WinFBB or new
LinFBB. As a precaution, the backup might be the
easiest way to recover at least the old WinFBB for
a while (until you configure your new LinFBB, ok?).
Now, you should restart your machine and boot
into Linux. Log on as 'root' or make 'su' from a
user's account.
Mount a shared FAT directory (where FBB files are):
mount -t vfat /dev/hda2 /mnt/win
(for example).
Copy LinFBB archive to /tmp directory.
Position yourself to the 'base' directory:
cd /usr/local/fbb (for example).
Unpack the archive: tar xvzf /tmp/filename.
Start the installation script ./install.sh
and, after asked for the 'base' installation
directory, chose /usr/local/fbb. It doesn't
matter if the program warns you that such
directory already exists so existing files
will be overwritten (by the way, if you
choose a mounted directory shared with NT,
many original WinFBB files, located there, would be
over-written by LinFBB files, so after returning
to Windows, WinFBB might not be functional
like before).
Copy /usr/local/fbb to /mnt/win/fbb but do
*not* rewrite existing files with the new files
having the same names.
Copy /mnt/win/fbb/init_w.srv to
/mnt/win/fbb/init_l.srv file.
Edit /mnt/win/fbb/init_l.srv to what is
needed for Linux. You may use the existing
file /mnt/win/fbb/init.srv as an example.
Copy newly edited /mnt/win/fbb/init_l.srv
over the /mnt/win/fbb/init.srv (if you do
not do that, maybe you wouldn't be able to start LinFBB
using ./xfbb.sh, like me at first).
Copy /mnt/win/fbb/system/port_w.sys to
/mnt/win/fbb/system/port_l.sys file.
Edit /mnt/win/fbb/system/port_l.sys to
what is needed for Linux and LinFBB. You may use the
existing file /mnt/win/fbb/system/port.sys
as an example.
Edit /mnt/win/fbb/xfbb.sh in order to fix
the right path.
Ensure that you are in FBB's main directory:
cd /mnt/win/fbb (for example).
Start the script ./xfbb.sh to run LinFBB.
If everything is ok, your LinFBB under Linux
should run with the same configuration as
your "old" WinFBB under Windows. From this point,
both FBB's should behave very similar (actually,
I must admit that WinFBB has much better visual
quality than X11 LinFBB, but probably the reasons
for that you may find in Windows-vs.-Linux-GUI
quality battles). FYI, my actual WinFBB is v7.00g25
(05. January 2000) and X11 LinFBB is v7.00g (04.August
1998).
Notice: Well, I have been using Protus
connection filters for a long time now. At
first, it was version 3.1/1.2 for DosFBB515c
and, later, version 3.3 for Dos/WinFBB700.
I have found Protus as very useful utility
because of its implementation of BBS-to-BBS
forwarding protection using MD2 algorythm.
One of the reasons I am going to cover Protus
in this document is a fact that its author
haven't made a manual in english yet. I keep
trying to translate the original manuals
from spanish into english, but it is a hard
process. Any good 'spanish-to-english'
translator is welcomed to contact me:
m.skoric@eunet.yu.
Protus offers several interesting features:
It can send a presentation message to
all users, informing about possibility
to make users' access more safe,
It can send messages to users who have
normal access, informing about utility's
existence,
It can send messages to users who have no
valid access (before disconnecting them),
It can send messages to new users who have
connected the BBS for the first time, informing
them about the password utility.
It can send messages to users who have entered
wrong password (before disconnecting them),
It can inform sysop about almost everything
related to users' connections (new user on
the system, unsuccessful connections etc),
Messages mentioned above could be translated
into various languages and used similarly as various
language files that FBB uses,
Messages mentioned above could be different
for different BBS ports,
Protus could be activated/deactivated at various
intervals of time using CRON.SYS system file,
Passwords could be managed remotely, using an
external server, developed by Jose EB5IVB,
...
Well, let's see what should be done in order to
implement secure access to the FBB packet
radio BBS, using Protus type of c_filter:
Users of Dos/WinFBB versions of Protus
already know that it is needed to create a new
directory \FBB\PROTUS where several *.PRT
files should be placed. In addition, the
main C_FILT*.DLL files should be copied
into \FBB\BIN as well as a couple of "system",
(i.e. config) *.PRT files that are going to be
within \FBB\SYSTEM directory.
After the sysop has copied all files into
the proper locations, it is needed to make
some configuration. The most important files
are two "system" ones: CONFIG.PRT and USERS.PRT
that should be carefully adopted to any
particular situation. Other *.PRT files will
work as they are in original, but they might
be translated because they are originated
in spanish (those files are just textual
information that are sent to users who
connect to the BBS). For your information,
I usualy don't care much about, because my
BBS's are so called "open systems". It means
they work quite normal for all users in the
same way as they worked before implementing Protus.
Only a couple of callsigns have password
installed and, when connecting, they know
what they are doing, so, they don't need
any additional info. Your mileage may vary.
So far - so good. When everything mentioned is
done, you have to restart your FBB in order
for Protus utility to be activated. In all
connections to your BBS (including console),
you should see a line like this: {PROTUS-4.0}
just after a line [FBB-7.00-AB1FHMRX$]. It
only gives an information that Protus is active on the
system. Users of your system who don't have
their passwords, connect just normally as before.
Users who's callsigns have password implemented,
are prompted for password just after their connections.
The author of Protus, Jesus EB5AGF, has made
several working "modes" of its utility. It
is possible for users to get various kinds
of security: a fixed phrase as a password
(similar when you connect to the Internet
via telephone line, but this way the phrase
can be masqueraded within the longer answer);
a changeable answer to the 5 numbers (just
like usual FBB sysop's password); a mode
that uses automatic answer from user's client
packet programs; implementation of MD2 and
MD5 algorythms; FBB-to-FBB automatic forward
protection etc. FYI, my WinFBB is equipped
with 16-bit Protus 4.0 (13. August 1999).
There is also a 32-bit module of the same date
that would be called from within 32-bit WinFBB
(I haven't tested those two).
Well, the situation regarding working location
of Protus files under LinFBB is somewhat different.
I have become familiar to the directory structure
that DosFBB and WinFBB versions of Protus have
been using, so I considered that it was enough
just to copy the same directory structure when
I started the installation of Protus under LinFBB.
It was wrong. After having pulled out the
remaining hair, the things started to work, so,
now I am going to tell you what to do.
I have already told you that I have
been running here both WinFBB under Windows NT
and LinFBB under Linux (see also Linux+WinNT
mini-HOWTO and Lilo mini-HOWTO). That means
all Protus stuff has already been installed in
a way WinFBB has required, except Linux
executable of c_filter file. I
put that file into /fbb/bin directory and,
after the next restart of LinFBB, I got the
info mentioned above: {PROTUS-4.0}. But the
password protection was not likely to work.
I was told to make a new directory /var/ax25/fbb/protus
and put *.prt files there. I didn't move *.PRT
files from \FBB\PROTUS but copied them into
the new location, because I wanted Protus to
run further under WinFBB as before. The utility
still didn't want to run, unless I copied
also *.PRT files from \FBB\SYSTEM to the
new location (/var/ax25/fbb/protus). After I
did that, Protus became fully functional.
Well, I suppose, the above info would be
useful for those of you who intend to run
*both* Windows and Linux FBB's on the same machine.
For the majority of LinFBB-only users, it is just
important to make /var/ax25/fbb/protus
where all *.prt files should be placed. Only
c_filter executable should go to /fbb/bin
and that's it.
About FBB-to-FBB protection: *both* partners
have to install Protus. Password for the
forwarding partner's callsign must be the
same at *both* sides of the link. The versions
of Protus don't need to be the same (neither
the versions of FBB, neither the operating
systems, HI!). Anyway, MD5 algorythm will only
work if both parties have Protus 4.x and
above (I still don't use that, but it is not
a problem, because my two boxes, DosFBB/Protus3.3 and
WinFBB/LinFBB/Protus4.0, make all things ok with MD2).
One of the interesting features of Protus is to
log unsuccessful connections. Due to the
different locations of *.prt files here, I have
separate logs for WinFBB and LinFBB c_filtering.
Those of you who are going to run only one version of
FBB, will have one complete log of connection
errors, your users make when they try
connecting your BBS.
As it was told earlier, if you implemented
password protection for only some of your
users (but not for all of them who connect
normally) - your system is considered as
an "open" one. It means that will be logged
only unsuccessful tries to enter the system
by "protected" callsigns. But, if you decided
that your BBS can be accessed by only those
callsigns who are protected with Protus, it
means that your system is the "closed" one.
Then, there is no way a user could enter your
FBB unless its callsign has given a password
within your Protus. Any unauthorized try to
connect your BBS is logged.
In addition,
you may decide to have a "guest" access or
a "read-only" as default for some ports
and/or for users who enter the wrong password.
Many combinations are possible. You could
even password protect your own FBB console!
To finish with this topic for now, just to
inform you that my X11 LinFBB is equipped
with Protus v4.1b7 (15. February 2000). It
has some minor bugs, for example, it logs
incoming connections with a SSID of -48 if
a user doesn't have a SSID at all (of
course, a SSID of -0 would be expectible
in such case).
Notice: You see, folks, that I keep trying to get
as many as possible versions of this great
software (Jean-Paul, F6FBB, must be very proud after
reading these words now). What I think when mention
"as many as possible versions" means that we have
learned how to get both WinFBB and LinFBB for X11 on
the same computer. But, that's not all. There is a
variety of daemon versions of LinFBB. In this section
we are going to discuss how to *add* a daemon LinFBB
to the existing two: X11 LinFBB and WinFBB!
Well, many amateurs suggested me to install some
packages that looked to me as not too much needed
for LinFBB itself - to be run. Anyway, I have installed
those packages before the installation
of LinFBB daemon version itself:
libax25.rpm
ax25apps.rpm
ax25tool.rpm
Now it is the right time to install fbbsrv.rpm
package. The archive is composed to make its
own directories, as "base" directories. The last new
daemon version to start with, that I managed to find as
a .rpm package, was 7.01f Release 4 (09. December
1999).
A file fbb.conf, that serves as the
replacement for init.srv, is located in the
following location: /etc/ax25/fbb.conf
Unless you are going to install daemon-only
system, you should make a backup of the
existing following files:
Now you have to edit /etc/ax25/fbb.conf
and change some paths in case you already
have X11 LinFBB installed on a different
path. Here you have some examples that cover
my particular situation...
Directory of data files, instead of /var/ax25/fbb,
should be /mnt/win/fbb/system
Directory of config files, instead of /etc/ax25/fbb,
should be /mnt/win/fbb/system
Directory of message files, instead of /var/ax25/fbb/mail,
should be /mnt/win/fbb/mail
Directory of compressed files, instead of /var/ax25/fbb/binmail,
should be /mnt/win/fbb/binmail
Directory of users, instead of .../home/fbbdos/...,
should be .../mnt/win/fbb/users... (<-- case you
don't mind that both your WinFBB and LinFBB users handle
the same location for users' files)
Directory of YAPP files, instead of /home/fbbdos/yapp,
should be /mnt/win/fbb/users/yapp (<-- the same
reason as above)
Directory of documentation files, instead of
/var/ax25/fbb/docs, should be /mnt/win/fbb/docs
Directory of pg programs, instead of /usr/local/pg,
should be /mnt/win/fbb/pg
Path and filename for import file, instead of
C:\FBB\MAIL.IN should be /mnt/win/fbb/mail.in
Now you have to edit /usr/sbin/xfbb.sh
and change some paths in case you already
have running X11 version of LinFBB on a different
path. Here you have an example that cover
my particular situation...
Base directory of XFBB software, instead of
/var/ax25/fbb, should be /mnt/win/fbb
So far - so good. Now it is the time to start
LinFBB daemon. The command for that is in the
location: /usr/sbin/xfbb.sh and it may
be executed within an xterm. If
everything is OK, you should get several
system messages on your screen, ending with
something like:
xfbbC/X server running ...
xfbbd ready and running ...
Well, daemon itself can't be used to access the
BBS so it is needed to activate a client
that is /usr/sbin/xfbbC. It has a couple
of parameters (a callsign/password pairs that are
stored in /fbb/passwd.sys). Note that xfbbC can
also be activated within another xterm.
If you are like me, you would like to activate one
more xterm with xfbbC in a way to monitor
your radio frequency. If you have enough room on
your screen, you may place all three xterm
windows side by side.
When you finish your xfbbC console session, it is suitable
to use the same xterm to eventually stop the
daemon. First of all, with the command ps ax
you should locate PIDs of xfbb.sh shell and daemon itself,
that you may kill after that.
Notice: Well, the main trouble I have discovered with 7.01f
daemon was the absence of Protus c_filter protection. As I told you
before, Protus is a "third-party" product, so it might have
some problems with the compatibility to LinFBB itself. Anyway,
it is also possible that a daemon version of LinFBB has some
special requirements over some "third-party" software.
I also noticed that my version of Protus was newer
than the version of daemon LinFBB I had at first. Beside
that, some hams, as well as F6FBB himself, have suggested me
to upgrade LinFBB. I have also found a "problem" that I am
still new in compiling Linux software, so, I'd rather
look for pre-compiled packages to install easily.
Jose, HI8GN, has offered daemon LinFBB v7.02g as a
.rpm package (18. September 2000). I got it
from his site:
http://hi8gn.dynip.com/indice.html. But, when I tried
to install it over the previous version 7.01f, it
complained about some existing LinFBB files.
Then I had to de-install the old package, after what
some config files remained as .rpmsave
files. It was nice, so I could use them to update my
new-installed config files.
Btw, the installation of Jose's package was performed
without problems, but the new daemon was not likely to run
as I expected, although I tried to configure it as best
as I could. So, I have decided to make copies of new
xfbbd and xfbbC from 7.02g package and
*de-install* the rest of its .rpm, in order to
install the previous version of LinFBB once again - the
version that I was satisfied with.
So far - so good. The "old" 7.01f version was installed again
and tested one more time to be sure it was ok. Then, I just
copied the previously saved executables from the new package,
over the "old" executables. In a couple of minutes, the new
daemon LinFBB v7.02g has come in place and function. Comments...?
Well, the new daemon is likely to check for some more directories
than the older version (mostly regarding 7plus
operations). Next, its xfbbC console client looks better
than the previous version. But, I still miss
xfbbX client, that I have found not functional.
I hope it will be fixed soon. Finally, Protus
c_filter utility is active too.
An interesting question might be: is that now a really upgraded
LinFBB daemon or not? Actually, I haven't changed the "old"
script xfbbd.sh with the new one, because during the
first tests with the new one I was getting lots of error messages.
Looks that the directory structure was a bit complicated for me
to set properly within the new version of xfbbd.sh.
In addition, there are still some mysterious messages telling
that m_filter has not been found or something like that.
The next tasks are to solve these issues.
