help with new VortexBox - mac environment, with smoothwall and sound hardware issue - HELP!

[effjaysee]

Hi team


I'm a newbie here, having built my first music server a week or so ago. Seemed like a good idea, and I like the idea of it. I am experiencing a few issues, and could use some help.




Setup.


IBM SFF P4 3.0GHz machine, 80GB Sata, 1GB RAM, internal network card. Resides on GREEN zone of my SMOOTHWALL firewall.




two iMacs connecting wirelessly to Airport Express, onto the ORANGE zone of my SMOOTHWALL.




When I get this working, I'll connect in my Samsung LA-46-C650 TV (DLNA) into the network on the green zone. Most used will be the Squeezebox server, to serve my squeezbox - which is currently wireless on the Orange zone, but will migrate to the greenzone when my cabling is complete. I hope it all works.




Background.


Built VortexBox, couldn't see it, saw the "no IP address for eth): DHCP not working?" stuff, and read through numerous pages here.


I read about static IP, read about "hardware is initialized using a guess method" approach, and adding four lines to my ifcfg file. I've never been able to see this VortexBox from my iMac (need to ensure I can bridge networks through my firewall), and have never seen a successful boot on the VortexBox TTY interface. I persevere, though!




Past actions in troubleshooting:

• I've assigned a static IP on the vortexbox (forum ref), and reserved this on the Smoothwall. Still no fix. Network is not up at bootup, still initializing hardware (sound) with the guess method.
• I ran an 'alsactl store' command to create the /etc/asound.state file that's missing (another forum ref).
• I checked my ifcfg-eth0, found that ONBOOT=yes, and my fixed IP were registering okay.
• I added the four lines to the ifcfg file using nano - service NetworkManager stop, service network restart, chkconfig NetworkManager off, chkconfig network on.
• NONE of this worked for me… in fact, the machine got so busy terminating processes and running hot, I rebuilt it from scratch.
• FYI my Smoothwall is at good ol' 192.168.0.1, and acts as the default gateway, routing everything that needs (and is allowed to get) out, through my cable modem.

Where are you now then?

• Fresh build – plain vanilla, no options taken.
• Fixed IP address.
• I've pPn-holed my orange zone connections (Airport network and iMac as belt-and-braces) through the SMOOTHWALL to the IP address of the VortexBox. I used SMB All (137:139) as the network port that the Vortexbox uses. Can't see itthe VortexBox from my mac.
• The network isn't coming up on boot; comes up later. Never specifies an IP address, or advertises (on the monitor, at least) what the hostname is.
• I still have the Audio issue – that ICH4, the Analog Devices AD1981B AC97a isn't recognised, and the Hardware is initialised using a guess method.

How can we help?

[*]I'd really like to know the solid way of addressing this Sound issue; I understand from what I've read here that this gets in the way of the network.[*]I'd like to be able to see that the machine boots to the network and reports it's IP address and hostname. I can then concentrate on making sure I can network this so that it's seen on the other firewall zone.[*]What network ports does the VortexBox use? I need to ensure the SMOOTHWALL is passing the traffic from my iMacs in the Orange zone, accross to the Green zone where the VortexBox lives.


I'll post some images of the thing taken immediately after it's rebuild tonight, in the next post on this thread. Hopefully they're helpful with your diagnosis – not having browser access to the box, I figured these were the next best thing.




Thanks in advance for your help, and best wishes from downunder.




Richard

[effjaysee]

first image - shows the status on fresh boot of the fresh build.

[effjaysee]

second image: results of my ifconfig. I've blurred out the mac address to 'protect the innocent'.

[effjaysee]

and for the finale, my if-cfg for eth0.

[Ron Olsen]

Thanks for posting all the detailed info on your problem; wish more people did that.


If I were you, I'd shut down the firewall completely and see if you can get VortexBox running and visible on your network that way. I'd also debug the sound problems with no firewall in the way.


Then turn the firewall back on and see what you need to do. Solve one problem at a time.


Personally, I don't see the need for a complicated firewall setup in my home network. My experience has been that they cause more problems than they solve. But if you enjoy dicking around trying to get things to work with complicated multi-zone firewalls...

[effjaysee]

thanks, Ron. I work in ICT, and have found that when you need to ask for help, it's best to get as much info together as possible - rather than expect people to wave a magic wand! I don't have the option of removing the FW - need this to NAT on my cable connection.




Eventually when I've finished my renovations, the wireless network will be redundant, and pretty much everything will be on the green zone. Until then, I'm stuck with this setup; the work (pain) required to move my airport express to the green zone is fairly large.




I'm happy that the VortexBox is seeing the green zone and talking happily with/through the firewall. If you take a look at the first image, the VB is getting out to the outside world and updating itself from the time server (119.47.118.129). And that's clearly getting back in. One item down...




The next thing I'd like to tackle is sorting out the network not coming up immediately on boot. Unless the relationship between sound hardware issues causing trouble with network (on here) is a red herring, I'd really like to sort out that sound item. Any ideas where I should look for Analog Devices AD1981B AC97a and Fedora?




Assuming that sorts out my network boot issues [I would expect the proof of that to be a network boot message showing the device name and IP address - just like mine currently doesn't], then the firewall 'issue' should be simply one of configuration, if I can establish the requirements (eg - "you need to get access to these ports"...)


I'll have a look into the broadcast address - 192.168.0.255.




I've also found port ranges available on my firewall, so will persevere with those, in the absence of specifics on what VB uses.




If I find any info on the Analog Devices AD1981B AC97a and Fedora issue I'll post here. IN the mean time if someone can assist with that first point, I'd be stoked. I'm no linux-head, but can work my way through a network issue. #8 )




best regards




Richard

[effjaysee]

thanks, Ron. I work in ICT, and have found that when you need to ask for help, it's best to get as much info together as possible - rather than expect people to wave a magic wand! I don't have the option of removing the FW - need this to NAT on my cable connection.




Eventually when I've finished my renovations, the wireless network will be redundant, and pretty much everything will be on the green zone. Until then, I'm stuck with this setup; the work (pain) required to move my airport express to the green zone is fairly large.




I'm happy that the VortexBox is seeing the green zone and talking happily with/through the firewall. If you take a look at the first image, the VB is getting out to the outside world and updating itself from the time server (119.47.118.129). And that's clearly getting back in. One item down...




The next thing I'd like to tackle is sorting out the network not coming up immediately on boot. Unless the relationship between sound hardware issues causing trouble with network (on here) is a red herring, I'd really like to sort out that sound item. Any ideas where I should look for Analog Devices AD1981B AC97a and Fedora?




Assuming that sorts out my network boot issues [I would expect the proof of that to be a network boot message showing the device name and IP address - just like mine currently doesn't], then the firewall 'issue' should be simply one of configuration, if I can establish the requirements (eg - "you need to get access to these ports"...)


I'll have a look into the broadcast address - 192.168.0.255.




I've also found port ranges available on my firewall, so will persevere with those, in the absence of specifics on what VB uses.




If I find any info on the Analog Devices AD1981B AC97a and Fedora issue I'll post here. IN the mean time if someone can assist with that first point, I'd be stoked. I'm no linux-head, but can work my way through a network issue. #8 )




best regards




Richard

[Ron Olsen]

effjaysee said:

The next thing I'd like to tackle is sorting out the network not coming up immediately on boot.



Check /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0; it should have ONBOOT=yes.


(Just re-read your first post and see that you already do this).


Here's what my ifcfg-eth0 looks like for a static IP address, created using the VB web GUI:



# Created by VortexBox web admin


DEVICE=eth0


BOOTPROTO=none


DHCPCLASS=


HWADDR=00:21:85:C4:14:00


MTU=1500


ONBOOT=yes


TYPE=Ethernet


UUID=5fb06bd0-0bb0-7ffb-45f1-d6edd65f3e03


DHCLIENTARGS=-I' 01:'


DEFROUTE=yes


NAME="System eth0"


IPADDR=192.168.1.152


NETMASK=255.255.255.0


GATEWAY=192.168.1.1


DNS1=68.87.85.102


DNS2=68.87.85.98


DNS3=68.87.69.150


PREFIX=24



This works on my VBA using Network Manager, not network. Try going back to


Network Manager instead of network and see if it will bring up eth0 at boot time:



service network stop


service NetworkManager start


chkconfig network off


chkconfig NetworkManager on



Note: these commands are executed once.



Unless the relationship between sound hardware issues causing trouble with network (on here) is a red herring, I'd really like to sort out that sound item. Any ideas where I should look for Analog Devices AD1981B AC97a and Fedora?



Try Google or the Fedora forum: http://www.fedoraforum.org


You could also run alsa-info to see what it finds about your sound card.


Does alsamixer see your sound card? If so, set all output levels to 100%.