RE: New to FreeRADIUS and looking for answers...
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@lists.freeradius.org [mailto:freeradius-users-bounces+geoff=cmcnetworks.net@lists.freeradius. org] On Behalf Of Scott Holland Sent: Sunday, August 27, 2006 10:57 AM To: freeradius-users@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@gmail.com> Reply-To: FreeRadius users mailing list <freeradius-users@lists.freeradius.org> To: "FreeRadius users mailing list" <freeradius-users@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@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
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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@cmcnetworks.net> Reply-To: FreeRadius users mailing list <freeradius-users@lists.freeradius.org> To: "FreeRadius users mailing list" <freeradius-users@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@lists.freeradius.org [mailto:freeradius-users-bounces+geoff=cmcnetworks.net@lists.freeradius. org] On Behalf Of Scott Holland Sent: Sunday, August 27, 2006 10:57 AM To: freeradius-users@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@gmail.com> Reply-To: FreeRadius users mailing list <freeradius-users@lists.freeradius.org> To: "FreeRadius users mailing list" <freeradius-users@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@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
- List info/subscribe/unsubscribe? See http://www.freeradius.org/list/users.html
- List info/subscribe/unsubscribe? See http://www.freeradius.org/list/users.html
- List info/subscribe/unsubscribe? See http://www.freeradius.org/list/users.html
On Sun 27 Aug 2006 16:17, Scott Holland wrote:
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?
Both, or maybe one, or maybe the other. In the end FreeRADIUS works with the information sent by your NAS, so actually it is important to read the docs for your NAS, and run FreeRADIUS in debug mode (radiusd -X) to understand what information you are being sent. From there, configuring what to do with this accounting information is pretty easy :-) -- Peter Nixon http://www.peternixon.net/ PGP Key: http://www.peternixon.net/public.asc
"Scott Holland" <hollstar2047@hotmail.com> wrote:
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.
Does Apache come with documentation that says how to configure it for your site? Nope.
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?
You don't have a choice. If you're doing wireless: certificates. Not doing wireless: no certificates.
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?
It counts whatever information your NAS sends it.
A million questions not covered by the website, or docs!
Your NAS (or AP) documentation should cover much of this, too. But those manufacturers have usually punted on the problem, and shipped the product with nothing for RADIUS docs. What was I saying about commercial documentation? Oh, right... if you buy a RADIUS server, it will have documentation. Maybe. The documentation might even answer some of your questions, but not usually. The commercial documentation usually assumes you know what RADIUS is, what it does, and how it works. It then goes on to describe what the software does, and how to configure it. It does NOT describe how to configure it for your site. Funny... that's a lot like the documentation that FreeRADIUS has. Alan DeKok. -- http://deployingradius.com - The web site of the book http://deployingradius.com/blog/ - The blog
participants (4)
-
Alan DeKok -
Geoff Dornan -
Peter Nixon -
Scott Holland