Setting UP LTSP 5 on Ubuntu 8.04

When you set up LTSP on Ubuntu 8.04 you will notice that it is very easy to get going in LTSP 5. Most of the configuration is automatically done for you. Install the Ubuntu 8.04.1 Desktop CD. You must have a graphical interface running on the server to be provided for the clients. Once you have installed the Desktop, be sure your network is set to operate on a static IP Address. Next you will need to install several programs required for the ltsp setup.

sudo apt-get install ltsp-server-standalone openssh-server

Create your Thin Client environment on the server with this command:

You will supply IP Addresses to the thin clients using DHCP. The file you want to edit is /etc/ltsp/dhcpd.conf. Note this is not the normal dhcpd.conf file that you would edit, this is a special file for LTSP only.

Here is a partial example file. The first line ensures that clients will use this DHCP server:

authoritative;

The subnet is declared with the network and netmask:

subnet 192.168.7.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 {

The next line which is indented is the range that your DHCP server will supply. So on this network example you could have static IP Addresses from 192.168.7.1-192.168.7.124 and then the range will define what dynamic IPs will be supplied by the DHCP server.

range 192.168.7.125 192.168.7.246;

It is a good idea to provide a DNS server for the clients:

option domain-name-servers 12.32.34.32;

Define the broadcast address:

option broadcast-address 192.168.7.255;

The optional router will also be the gateway for your network:

option routers 192.168.7.2;

Now you can set up individual diskless workstations. In these examples the hostname for the workstation is declared:

host ws205 {

Because you want to declare these hosts it is important that you modify your /etc/hosts file so the workstation is listed there. Here the workstation number is tied to the IP Address on the network so that it is easy to trouble shoot as you know right where to go to fix either a network problem or a hardware issue.
—cut—

ws202 192.168.7.202

ws203 192.168.7.203

ws205 192.168.7.205

ws206 192.168.7.206

—cut—

The hardware MAC address for each network card is listed so that you can tie the IP to a specific diskless workstation.

hardware ethernet 00:13:90:00:D7:8F;

The fixed IP Address is noted.

Fixed-address 192.168.7.205;

Finally a location to get the image for the diskless workstation is provided.

filename “/ltsp/i386/pxelinux.0”;

That is the configuration for the clients as they will boot

#

# Default LTSP dhcpd.conf config file.

#

authoritative;

subnet 192.168.7.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 {

range 192.168.7.125 192.168.7.246;

option domain-name-servers 12.32.34.32;

option broadcast-address 192.168.7.255;

option routers 192.168.7.2;

host ws205 {

hardware ethernet 00:13:90:00:D7:8F;

fixed-address 192.168.7.205;

filename “/ltsp/i386/pxelinux.0”;

}

host ws247 {

hardware ethernet 00:13:90:00:67:AF;

fixed-address 192.168.7.247;

filename “/ltsp/i386/pxelinux.0”;

When you have finished restart the server. Run these commands to update your ssh keys.

$ sudo ltsp-update-sshkeys
$ sudo ltsp-update-image

Be sure to do it in that order.