From Bubble

Note This page has been moved as-is from the previous wiki and need to be reviewed!

This page describes the necessary steps needed to get get a bubble node up and running.

Contents 1 Requirements 2 Installation overview 3 Download Components 3.1 Configuration File 3.2 Core System 3.3 Packages and Drivers 4 Review configuration file 5 Make your boot device 6 Boot your node

Requirements

We need basically some hardware for the node, plus an additional system to package the distribution.

• The node itself
  • Intel 386 compatible hardware
  • 16 MB RAM
  • A wireless interface supported by Linux (!)
  • A boot device supported by Bubble (floppy, CD-ROM, CF-Card, Network card, ...)
  • An optional network card
• A computer to package the distribution. There is no restriction on the Operating System, but it need to be able to create the boot device: format/write MS-DOS FAT filesystem (floppy/CF-Card node), burn ISO CD-ROM for CD-ROM based node, or act as BootP/DHCP/TFTP server for a network based node.

Installation overview

There are 3 ways to get the distribution packaged

• Build from source: this is probably the hardest way!
  You may want to build from source if you want to modify the distribution.
  Read Bubble development and if you still want to go on, get a tarball with the source and compile the whole stuff!
  Browse this wiki for more information.
• Use the RC-Matic: from one extreme to the other, the RC-Matic allows you to describe your configuration on the Web, and download all the parts needed to run your node.
  At this time, the RC-Matic only generates DiskLess images! Conversion to Bubble is under way. But the need of an custom image is very limited since Bubble is much more configurable at run-time than DiskLess.
• Use pre-build packages: last but not least, there are already some pre-build packages available, so you just have to download them, put it on your boot device and your node is ready!

This Install guide describes how to get a node up and running with pre-build packages.
Pre-build packages are available at http://reseaucitoyen.be/diskless/bubble

By using pre-build packages, you can have your bubble node operational in just a few minutes once you now your hardware configuration.
Installation is done in 3 steps:

1. Download the components;
2. Review and customize your configuration file;
3. Copy all the parts on your boot media.

Download Components

You will need 3 parts:

• The Bubble configuration file
• The Core System
• The Packages

Configuration File

Just download the configuration file template as base for your configuration: BubbleImage:bubble.cfg

Core System

The Core System is made of the Linux kernel and a root file system.

The package you need depends on how you want to boot your Bubble node:

• FAT based (Floppy, CF-Card): review SysLinuxBoot to select the right core package;
• CD-ROM based: download BubbleImage:core-images/cdrom-ide and the review IsoLinux boot page.
• Network based: review Network boot to select the right core package.

Packages and Drivers

Bubble is is very flexible in its content. You just have to download the packages you want to install. The only limitation is the disk space if you boot from floppy, and the available memory.

A complete list of the available packages and their parameters are available in Bubble configuration file. Read more about packages in Bubble package.

You will typically use:

• keybbe: Belgian keyboard mapping
• pcmcia: if you need to support pcmcia devices!
• wtools: wireless tools (not needed if you are using a wireless bridge such as the Linksys Wet-11)
• iptables: for the firewalling
• aodv: for the routing
• tinyhttp: a nice to have -- it includes a useful node status page
• ssh: if spaces allows it!

All the packages are located at BubbleImage:packages.

You will have also to download the drivers to support your hardware (wireless card, network card, ...)
There is already a whole bunch of driver packages available on BubbleImage:packages/drivers. If you are missing something, just tell me and I will include it.
Note that the driver packages always includes the dependencies -- you do not need to download them separately. E.g. if you have an Avaya PCMCIA card, the only driver package you need to download is BubbleImage:packages/drivers/orinoco_cs.tbz.

Review configuration file

Review your configuration file to match your hardware.

See Bubble configuration file for detailed explanation.
The template you have downloaded contains more than you usually need. You should just review and check all entries.

For each package tarball (.tbz file), there is always an associated Bubble configuration file template with the .cfg extension. This template contains the right values for the size and inode package parameters.

Make your boot device

You have now all the pieces of the puzzle! The last step is to dump everything on your boot device.

Details of the operation depend on your boot device:

• FAT based (Floppy, CF-Card): see SysLinux boot;
• CD-ROM based: see IsoLinux boot;
• Network based: see Network boot.

Note that all files should be placed in the same directory. The exceptions are:

• The PXELinux configuration file in case of a Network boot via PXE;
• Network boot again, the Bubble configuration file can be in a separate directory to allow multiple nodes to share the same code;

Boot your node

Just boot your node and you are done!

You may want to change the root password if you have enabled telnetd. Once done, copy the encrypted value from /etc/passwd to your Bubble configuration file.
You can do the same with your ssh public and private keys.

Enjoy!