• Linux Distros and BBBS?

    From Jeff Smith@1:282/1031 to All on Tue Nov 20 03:10:56 2018
    Hello There,

    As I have recently posted. I have had issues with networking on a BBBS PC that was running Ubuntu Linux v16.10. BBBS suddenly became unable to make outbound connections. Upon further checking I found that I was unable to make any outbound connections including Http, FTP, Telnet, Etc. The PC was able to connect to the router but nowhere beyond. I ended up moving BBBS to another Linux Mint v19.0 PC and BBBS can connect fine. On the Ubuntu PC I tried wiping the PC and doing a fresh install of an updated version of Ubuntu. I found that I still could not make any outbound connections beyond the router. I wiped the PC again and did a fresh install of Linux Mint and was then able to connect fine to anywhere. The initial connection on the Ubuntu PC problem was sudden. It was connecting fine then suddenly an hour later it couldn't connect. I must admit that I fail to understand why Ubuntu (Several versions) suddenly failed to be able to connect when it had been able to connect fine previously. But Linux Mint can connect fine using the same hardware. I should add that I tried changing the network cabling as well as alternate network cards and Ubuntu still was unable to connect.

    Jeff

    --- BBBS/Li6 v4.10 Toy-3
    * Origin: Fidoneet: The Ouija Board - Anoka, MN -bbs.ouijabrd.ne\ (1:282/1031)
  • From mark lewis@1:3634/12.73 to Jeff Smith on Tue Nov 20 05:04:28 2018

    On 2018 Nov 20 03:10:56, you wrote to All:

    [...]

    later it couldn't connect. I must admit that I fail to understand why Ubuntu (Several versions) suddenly failed to be able to connect when
    it had been able to connect fine previously. But Linux Mint can
    connect fine using the same hardware. I should add that I tried
    changing the network cabling as well as alternate network cards and
    Ubuntu still was unable to connect.

    this really seems to be pointing to the router being where the problem lies... if it has some sort of management interface that is exposed to the world, it is
    possible that some creatin has taken over the device al la MIRAI... what is your router device?

    )\/(ark

    Always Mount a Scratch Monkey
    Do you manage your own servers? If you are not running an IDS/IPS yer doin' it wrong...
    ... Anything good in life is either illegal, immoral, or fattening.
    ---
    * Origin: (1:3634/12.73)
  • From Jeff Smith@1:282/1031 to Mark Lewis on Tue Nov 20 07:02:48 2018
    Hello mark,

    On 2018 Nov 20 03:10:56, you wrote to All:
    [...]
    later it couldn't connect. I must admit that I fail to understand why
    Ubuntu (Several versions) suddenly failed to be able to connect when
    it had been able to connect fine previously. But Linux Mint can
    connect fine using the same hardware. I should add that I tried
    changing the network cabling as well as alternate network cards and
    Ubuntu still was unable to connect.

    this really seems to be pointing to the router being where the problem lies... >if it has some sort of management interface that is exposed to the world, it i
    possible that some creatin has taken over the device al la MIRAI... what is your router device?

    That was my thought at one time also. I talked to my ISP and convinced them to send me a newer replacement router. I replaced the router and Ubuntu on the problem PC still couldn't connect but on the same PC Linux Mint could connect fine. Again the fact that I don't understand is the connection problem just suddenly appeared and no changes had been made on my end that could/might have caused the problem. During the installs both Ubuntu and Mint saw the network interface and got DHCP assigned IP's. But Ubuntu couldn't connect to acquire any updated and third party files. But... Linux Mint could acquire any files it
    needed without any apparent problem.


    Jeff

    --- BBBS/Li6 v4.10 Toy-3
    * Origin: Fidoneet: The Ouija Board - Anoka, MN -bbs.ouijabrd.ne\ (1:282/1031)
  • From mark lewis@1:3634/12.73 to Jeff Smith on Tue Nov 20 14:05:10 2018

    On 2018 Nov 20 07:02:48, you wrote to me:

    this really seems to be pointing to the router being where the problem
    lies... if it has some sort of management interface that is exposed to
    the world, it i possible that some creatin has taken over the device al
    la MIRAI... what is your router device?

    That was my thought at one time also.

    ahhh...

    Again the fact that I don't understand is the connection problem just suddenly appeared and no changes had been made on my end that
    could/might have caused the problem.

    no driver updates or anything like that? what nic are you using and what drivers are loading for it?

    During the installs both Ubuntu and Mint saw the network interface and
    got DHCP assigned IP's. But Ubuntu couldn't connect to acquire any
    updated and third party files. But... Linux Mint could acquire any
    files it needed without any apparent problem.

    and this was with ubuntu 18.04? server or one with a GUI?
    is that #$(%!^ network-manager or systemd involved?
    is udev assigning the proper interface name to the nic?

    )\/(ark

    Always Mount a Scratch Monkey
    Do you manage your own servers? If you are not running an IDS/IPS yer doin' it wrong...
    ... Tomatoes in chowder.... what kind of sick freak are you?
    ---
    * Origin: (1:3634/12.73)
  • From Jeff Smith@1:282/1031 to Mark Lewis on Tue Nov 20 16:33:02 2018
    Hello mark,

    On 2018 Nov 20 07:02:48, you wrote to me:

    That was my thought at one time also.

    ahhh...

    Again the fact that I don't understand is the connection problem just
    suddenly appeared and no changes had been made on my end that
    could/might have caused the problem.

    no driver updates or anything like that? what nic are you using and what drivers are loading for it?

    Nope. I had been using the same integrated NIC that all versions of Ubuntu Linux that I had installed on that PC saw and installed drivers. I in fact had temporarily disabled the integrated NIC and tried both USB based NIC which Ubuntu immediately saw and installed. I also installed a PCI based Intel dual port NIC and installed it using it's Linux drivers and Ubuntu saw the PCI NIC had the same connection issue.

    During the installs both Ubuntu and Mint saw the network interface and
    got DHCP assigned IP's. But Ubuntu couldn't connect to acquire any
    updated and third party files. But... Linux Mint could acquire any
    files it needed without any apparent problem.

    and this was with ubuntu 18.04? server or one with a GUI?
    is that #$(%!^ network-manager or systemd involved?
    is udev assigning the proper interface name to the nic?

    Well.. I have installed Ubuntu 14.04, 16.04, 18.04, and 18.10 and Linux Mint 19.0, and CentOS v7. The OS at the time of the problem was Ubuntu 16.04. Once the problem occurred all versions of Ubuntu installed had the same problem. While Mint and CentOS didn't have the same problem using the same integrated NIC. All installs were a complete wipe and a fresh install.


    Jeff

    --- BBBS/Li6 v4.10 Toy-3
    * Origin: Fidoneet: The Ouija Board - Anoka, MN -bbs.ouijabrd.ne\ (1:282/1031)
  • From mark lewis@1:3634/12.73 to Jeff Smith on Wed Nov 21 11:20:14 2018

    On 2018 Nov 20 16:33:02, you wrote to me:

    and this was with ubuntu 18.04? server or one with a GUI? is that
    #$(%!^ network-manager or systemd involved? is udev assigning the
    proper interface name to the nic?

    Well.. I have installed Ubuntu 14.04, 16.04, 18.04, and 18.10 and
    Linux Mint 19.0, and CentOS v7. The OS at the time of the problem was Ubuntu 16.04. Once the problem occurred all versions of Ubuntu
    installed had the same problem. While Mint and CentOS didn't have the same problem using the same integrated NIC. All installs were a
    complete wipe and a fresh install.

    wow, you have been through everything... one of the things i was getting at when asking about the nic drivers was if they were all using the same version of the source code for that driver... apparently, though, the problem is higher
    in the tree... you can get to the firewall but can't get out... IPv4 or IPv6 or
    both? i ask because i can do IPv6 internally to a point... i do not, though... IPv6 is stopped at my firewall because it doesn't support IPv6 (yet) and have all the mods i require... IPv4 just works... i've had a few machines that i had
    to specifically disable IPv6 on so they would use only IPv4... until my firewall supports IPv6, i'm not even worrying about it other then some light reading here and there about it...

    )\/(ark

    Always Mount a Scratch Monkey
    Do you manage your own servers? If you are not running an IDS/IPS yer doin' it wrong...
    ... My train of thought is a Mag-Lev.
    ---
    * Origin: (1:3634/12.73)
  • From Jeff Smith@1:282/1031 to Mark Lewis on Wed Nov 21 15:01:14 2018
    Hello mark,

    On 2018 Nov 20 16:33:02, you wrote to me:

    wow, you have been through everything... one of the things i was getting at when asking about the nic drivers was if they were all using the same version
    of the source code for that driver... apparently, though, the problem is highe >in the tree... you can get to the firewall but can't get out... IPv4 or IPv6 o >both? i ask because i can do IPv6 internally to a point... i do not, though...
    IPv6 is stopped at my firewall because it doesn't support IPv6 (yet) and have
    all the mods i require... IPv4 just works... i've had a few machines that i ha
    to specifically disable IPv6 on so they would use only IPv4... until my firewall supports IPv6, i'm not even worrying about it other then some light reading here and there about it...

    The router here supports both IPv6 as well as IPv4 and I currently have a block
    of static IP's that I use. I have the DNS servers setup for both IPv6 and IPv4 use. I currently have the router's firewall's for IPv6 and IPv4 disabled. As I wanted to eliminate them as a possible cause. I had setup the PC to use both IPv4 and IPv6 as the primary and the other as a fallback to use. Neither arrangement made a difference to the connection problem. As I think I mentioned
    I have replaced/upgraded the router to a newer one and it made no difference to
    the connection issue of being able to make outbound connections. I was able to connect and ping the router. Oddly I was also able to ping the Google's DNS servers ok. But was unable to connect or ping Google itself OR anywhere else.


    Jeff

    --- BBBS/Li6 v4.10 Toy-3
    * Origin: Fidoneet: The Ouija Board - Anoka, MN -bbs.ouijabrd.ne\ (1:282/1031)
  • From mark lewis@1:3634/12.73 to Jeff Smith on Thu Nov 22 05:31:00 2018

    On 2018 Nov 21 15:01:14, you wrote to me:

    [...]
    it made no difference to the connection issue of being able to make outbound connections. I was able to connect and ping the router. Oddly
    I was also able to ping the Google's DNS servers ok. But was unable to connect or ping Google itself OR anywhere else.

    if you're still playing with this problem, i'm curious what traceroute says... ping is only basically helpful... traceroute can point to where the breakage is...

    )\/(ark

    Always Mount a Scratch Monkey
    Do you manage your own servers? If you are not running an IDS/IPS yer doin' it wrong...
    ... Sleep is a totally inadequate substitute for caffeine.
    ---
    * Origin: (1:3634/12.73)
  • From Jeff Smith@1:282/1031 to Mark Lewis on Thu Nov 22 09:55:50 2018
    Hello mark,

    On 2018 Nov 21 15:01:14, you wrote to me:

    it made no difference to the connection issue of being able to make
    outbound connections. I was able to connect and ping the router. Oddly
    I was also able to ping the Google's DNS servers ok. But was unable to
    connect or ping Google itself OR anywhere else.

    if you're still playing with this problem, i'm curious what traceroute says...
    ping is only basically helpful... traceroute can point to where the breakage is...

    When I get a chance I will wipe Mint off the problem PC and do a fresh install again of Ubuntu to do further testing. It might be a couple three days yet.

    Currently from this PC a traceroute of www.google.com is 8 hops averaging about 11ms per hop.


    Jeff

    --- BBBS/Li6 v4.10 Toy-3
    * Origin: Fidoneet: The Ouija Board - Anoka, MN -bbs.ouijabrd.ne\ (1:282/1031)
  • From Jeff Smith@1:282/1031 to Mark Lewis on Sat Nov 24 13:55:52 2018
    Hello mark,

    On 2018 Nov 21 15:01:14, you wrote to me:

    it made no difference to the connection issue of being able to make
    outbound connections. I was able to connect and ping the router. Oddly
    I was also able to ping the Google's DNS servers ok. But was unable to
    connect or ping Google itself OR anywhere else.

    if you're still playing with this problem, i'm curious what traceroute says...
    ping is only basically helpful... traceroute can point to where the breakage is...

    Well, therein lies a problem. Traceroute is not included in a default Ubuntu install. And because the internet is not available during or after the install process. I am unable to install it via apt-get. I will look at installing it from external storage if possible.

    Installed Ubuntu 17.04 and the internet was unavailable as expected during and after the install process. Also as expected I can still ping the router and Google's DNS servers but nothing else beyond the router. Linux Mint v19 which was on the problem PC previously could see and access the internet during and after the install just fine.

    I installed Ubuntu 17.04 and then 18.04.1 LTS on another PC and both Ubuntu versions installed fine. That PC has a Asus motherboard and the problem PC has a 1 yr old Gigabyte gaming motherboard. It's looking like Ubuntu's have some sort of problem with that Gigabyte MB. But... That doesn't explain why Ubuntu DID at one time see and use the internet without an apparent problem as BBBS had been on the problem PC and had in/out connections hourly.

    I'm looking at saying the heck with it am going/staying with Linux Mint on that
    PC.


    Jeff



    --- BBBS/Li6 v4.10 Toy-3
    * Origin: Fidoneet: The Ouija Board - Anoka, MN -bbs.ouijabrd.ne\ (1:282/1031)