New to FreeRADIUS and looking for answers...

[Scott Holland]

Hi Geoff,

I would agree nothing like winning and making it work! I have made the jump 
from software development to more server and networking stuff so I 
understand where you are coming from. Having said that, I for one like to 
see projects, or examples of how to handle a certain task and then be forced 
to go away and make it work - This, is what programming is often about.

The situation with FreeRADIUS is much the same in some respects its just the 
documentation that comes with the package doesn't really point you in the 
right direction in terms of how to go about a complete set up based on XYZ 
requirements.

As an example, I'd like to set up a FreeRADIUS server. I of course want it 
to be secure, but I'm not sure if I can get away with not using 
certificates. I don't know what the pros and cons are?

I'd also like to use a MySQL backend again because of the things I have done 
with the language and PHP but again, what are the pros and cons to this? 
Does this (in FreeRADIUS) act as the accounting part of the FreeRADIUS 
package and what exactly does it count? Does it count hours spent on the 
service, MB downloaded, what?

A million questions not covered by the website, or docs!

I for one remain keen to get this working and to learn more about Linux. 
WiFi excites me and I think FreeRADIUS could be a sensational part of 
setting up free wireless networks all around the world but its clear many 
people like me lack those basic answers like the ones I have mentioned 
above.

Please understand I don't want to rant on about it - Just expressing how 
keen I am, yet how frustrated! The fact only ten or so people help support 
this list (in terms of replies) is a shame. I would be more for setting up 
my own website to help people, but thats just me.

Again, I know everyone is busy but if someone could spare the time to help a 
newbie to the world of Linux and FreeRADIUS, I'd be very happy... I hope to 
share the knowledge you can all pass on one day...

Kind regards,

Scott


>From: "Geoff Dornan" <geoff at cmcnetworks.net>
>Reply-To: FreeRadius users mailing list 
><freeradius-users at lists.freeradius.org>
>To: "FreeRadius users mailing list" <freeradius-users at lists.freeradius.org>
>Subject: RE: New to FreeRADIUS and looking for answers...
>Date: Sun, 27 Aug 2006 13:59:25 +0200
>
>Agreed in most aspects, but how I find it easier to learn, and by learn
>I mean been able to understand why it works, is by trial and error,
>anyone can cut and paste a few lines in a file and get it working but
>really how much would you have you have advanced your knowledge on a
>specific project (freeradius for e.g) without having to go through all
>the trial and errors of debugging, making a few changes, debugging some
>more and eventually getting it right, that is an awesome feeling when it
>works, and it will work, eventually.
>
>Having documentation is great place to start or go back to as a
>reference. But to me you can't bet a few cups of coffee and some serious
>time chucked in to get the desired results.
>
>I think chaps like Alan are making invaluable contributions to all out
>there using it, there are a lot of people on the list and I see that
>mainly 8-10 people only ever take the time to answer people joining and
>asking questions (this is not specifically a Free radius list issue),
>may be wrong but that it was I have seen on the replies to posts.
>
>I know I am guilty of that, we read, we archive and we watch other
>people reply and tell ourselves "yup that was what I would have said"
>
>Why not step up and say it next time,
>
>Geoff
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From:
>freeradius-users-bounces+geoff=cmcnetworks.net at lists.freeradius.org
>[mailto:freeradius-users-bounces+geoff=cmcnetworks.net at lists.freeradius.
>org] On Behalf Of Scott Holland
>Sent: Sunday, August 27, 2006 10:57 AM
>To: freeradius-users at lists.freeradius.org
>Subject: Re: New to FreeRADIUS and looking for answers...
>
>I'm not going to get into what the project lacks as this is old news. At
>
>least Alan is working on documentation to support people like us. :)
>Having
>said that, I find it amazing as to the lack of overal support for the
>project on the Internet. Working examples seem to be hard to come by?
>
>All of the work I do is Microsoft Server based (no suprise)! I am new to
>
>Linux in almost every sense of the word yet I'm well aware of how
>powerfull
>it can be... The downfall of Linux on the whole, and I'm not talking
>about
>any one project and or distro, is the total lack of real support. When I
>say
>real support, I mean good, solid documentation to help new users from
>the
>ground up.
>
>If you think back to the days of DOS. You could find countless books on
>the
>subject. In Australia, you will find this very hard... The solution
>appears
>to be, the Internet which I can only assume is because of the "public"
>nature of Linux...
>
>Finding that sweet source of help on Linux however, on the magic
>Internet is
>harder than you would think - This is proven in FreeRADIUS a project
>which
>has been around for some time...
>
>We all know its fantastic, and we all know Linux is sensational even if
>we
>newbies can't use it... What upsets me is those users who clearly have
>their
>head around it who don't help guys like us! I'm not having a go at
>anyone on
>this project, I'm talking in general so please understand... :)
>
>I am very keen to move away from Microsoft based solutions and this was
>going to be my first project... The perfect box to handle the AAA
>requirements of my wireless network, and to act as proxy to filter the
>web............ How bloody hard this is...
>
>Regards,
>
>Scott
>
>
> >From: "affora deeb" <engineerafraa at gmail.com>
> >Reply-To: FreeRadius users mailing list
> ><freeradius-users at lists.freeradius.org>
> >To: "FreeRadius users mailing list"
><freeradius-users at lists.freeradius.org>
> >Subject: Re: New to FreeRADIUS and looking for answers...
> >Date: Sun, 27 Aug 2006 08:40:37 +0200
> >
> >hi Scott
> >i have the same problem u talked about
> >i need someone to help me in configuring free radius on linux server
>step
> >by
> >step
> >so please if any one can do this favour i'll be so thankfull
> >afraa
> >
> >
> >On 8/26/06, Scott Holland <hollstar2047 at hotmail.com> wrote:
> >>
> >>Hi Guys,
> >>
> >>I'd like to begin by saying I'm new, 100% in fact to both Linux and
> >>FreeRADIUS. Having said that, I am in a position where by I feel I
>need to
> >>use both to overcome certain problems I am having at work. Allow me to
> >>offer
> >>a very brief overview as I don't want to waste anyones time:
> >>
> >>We have a building with 10+ WAP. They are connected to an ADSL2
>service
> >>which is being abused by staff. I now have a HP DL340 1U Server, ready
>to
> >>be
> >>set up as a FreeRADIUS box but, have no clue as to how.
> >>
> >>In short, I need to better monitor what users are doing and restrict
>the
> >>level of access they have such as what websites they can visit and so
>on.
> >>In
> >>part, I feel FreeRADIUS can help.
> >>
> >>Having said all this, I'm at a loss like so many people it would seem
>with
> >>the FreeRADIUS concept. It appears powerfull on the surface however I
>seem
> >>to be unable to find any good material on the subject. Most of it, is
>old
> >>and dated.
> >>
> >>Yes, the documentation is good, but I see nothing that really guides
>you,
> >>step by step, in learning this complex program....
> >>
> >>While I'd love someone to spend the time to help, I don't expect it!
>What
> >>I
> >>would like, is someone to help me by pointing me in the right
>direction! I
> >>have been looking at the book RADIUS, which is currently very hard to
>get
> >>here in Australia. So hard, I'd have to get it from the US and wait
>around
> >>eight weeks as the publisher is yet to reprint a book first written
>back
> >>in
> >>2002...
> >>
> >>I hope you can understand where I am coming from and I look forward to
>any
> >>help people can offer.
> >>
> >>Regards,
> >>
> >>Scott
> >>
> >>
> >>-
> >>List info/subscribe/unsubscribe? See
> >>http://www.freeradius.org/list/users.html
> >>
>
>
> >-
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>
>
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