Default IP Address on All Distributions

Joel Newkirk freerunner at newkirk.us
Thu Dec 18 23:16:32 CET 2008


I disagree - I've been a vocal proponent for many months of "tidying up"
networking, including setting IP and subnet to something less likely to
lead to conflicts.  Yes, I agree that the vast majority of people using a
FreeRunner as I type this are quite capable of performing the changes you
mention in under 2 minutes, but I also believe that most would be quite
happy if they were not required to do so every time they flash their FR.  I
personally use 192.168.0.202/30, with host machine (gateway from FR of
course) set to .201, solely because that lets me set a static config on
hosts to which I tether my FR and always reach even a fresh flashed image,
with minimal disruption accessing other networks. (we have over 50 subnets
at work, including 192.168.0.0/24, that I need to access 24/7)  But I'd be
wholeheartedly in support of a change to a less conflict-ridden subnet as
the default, or at least a change of default to /30.

"We've" not standardized on any set of IPs, and "finally" isn't even apropo
since the 192.168.0.202/24 IP has been the de facto standard at least back
to OM 2007.2.  And whether I am alone in not being "happy with it" or not,
I like to believe I know how to use my system, being a veteran linux
network/server admin for a broadband provider.


Taking a broader and longer view of things, the goal of Openmoko surely is
a smartphone that can be sold to general consumers, not just linux hackers,
and as such it's entirely sensible to establish defaults that will cause
the least degree of inconvenience to owners as possible.  (and in some
opinions - including my own, after answering countless hundreds of phone
calls from broadband users who don't even know what an IP address /IS/ -
necessary)  And the earlier that change is made the better for the long
term: the more FreeRunners there are in the wild, the more people there are
who will be affected at the point of changeover, and the more likely they
are to be less linux-networking-savvy than the average community member
today.  

I think an eventual goal may be to have a USB networking config GUI and
include that in initial setup steps for new owners or following a complete
reflash, but until then (and as default entry from that point onward) I
agree with establishing a default USBnet config that is less likely to
cause the user any extra effort.


Make the default network config as maintenance-free and interference-free
as possible, and any linux hackers who want it more convoluted can surely
take the 60 seconds they'd need to complicate it.  :)

j

On Thu, 18 Dec 2008 10:50:14 -0800, "Sargun Dhillon"
<xbmodder+openmoko at gmail.com> wrote:
> Most Linux users, or most users that this device is aimed at are
> intelligent enough to do a
> "ip addr add 192.168.0.200/32 dev usb0"
> "ip route add 192.168.0.202/32 dev usb0"
> This will only make two addresses on your network inaccessible. Then
> you can SSH into it, and change the IP address. This takes a whole 5
> minutes! It'll make you miserable to not have connectivity, I
> understand, but just handle it.
> We've finally standardized on a set of IPs, and -everyone- is happy
> with it, except a few individuals who don't know how to use their
> system.
> 
> Please stop complaining.
> -Thanks
> 
> On Thu, Dec 18, 2008 at 9:19 AM, Tilman Baumann <tilman at baumann.name>
> wrote:
>> One word.
>> zeroconf
>>
>> Oh, it is two words zeroconf and bonjour
>>
>> www.zeroconf.org/
>>
>> PS: As fallback for DHCP of course.
>>
>> Esben Stien wrote:
>>> Why on earth would you choose 192.168.0.*?
>>>
>>> This is probably the most common IP address on an internal network in
>>> the world and of course this means problems.
>>>
>>> If your network is configured with this IP range and you pop a
>>> freerunner in, it of course cause a world of pain. Please choose a
>>> more sensible default.
>>>
>>
>>
>> --
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> 
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-- 
Joel Newkirk
http://jthinks.com      (blog)
http://newkirk.us/om (FR stuff)





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