Freesco

Street

Street

Street

Soldato
Joined
17 Jan 2005
Posts
8,788
Location
Liverpool
I've heard some good things about Freesco and have been having trouble with my Netgear router lately so have decided to try it out. I've built myself a little PC that I can use and have tried to set it up, but have so far had no luck. I've just managed to blow up my PSU now so I'm putting the project on hold until tomorrow until I can get another PSU.

Was just wondering if anyone has had any experience of setting up a Freesco box with Telewest? And if they could give me a few tips on how to do it!

Cheers,
Andy
 
Quality stuff mate. Been using Freesco for four years on NTL. Also setup my mates with it. They know nothing about Linux. Installed all the kit on an old Celery and it has just worked flawlessly ever since. They even just turn it off at the wall at times instead of polite shutdowns. Perfect. :)

If you need any specifics answered - let me know. I can even send you a copy of a report from my own box if that helps.

Let me know where you are getting stuck, and I'll help from there.

My freesco box is a 100Mhz AMD 586 with 32MB EDO RAM. Currently running of an old 300MB hard disk. Uptime is only 180 or so days as the PSU fan died on 6/6/6. At that point it had an uninterrupted uptime of 400days.

This may give me an excuse to update my box to v3.6. Was planning to do this over Xmas as I want to use an old laptop hard drive for lower power consumption and less noise. (That old 300MB drive is getting clunky...)

:D
 
Here is a quick cut and paste of my freesco report.txt.... IP Address removed to protect the not so innocent... but this is a report.txt from my system. All the settings required. Should include the answers to all of the setup and config questions that you need. :D

Note the time server of time.cableol.net is an NTL one. So ideal for Telewest.

I have had a Freesco system setup from a blank hard disk to a fully configured system in only ten minutes. :)

Code: 
FREESCO v0.3.2 System Report. Generated - Thu Dec 21 20:25:20     2006
	
	
----- clock -----
Thu Dec 21 20:25:25 2006
	
	
----- cat /etc/system.cfg -----
# [System]
ROUTER=ethernet		#    dialup/leased/ethernet/bridge
HOSTNAME=stormbringer		#611.Router name
DOMAIN=Blah.local		#612.(Local) domain name
ENAMSQ=y  		#11.Enable NAT and firewall
ENAPING=y		#112. Enable ICMP responses.
ENABRG=n 		#12.Enable bridging mode
BIGMEM=y 		#13.If 16+MB RAM start ile command line history.
RAMDRIVE=y		#13.If 17+MB RAM you can enable ramdrives 
SAVERS=5,60  		#14.Savers - screen(min),hdd(x5 sec) 0 -off
SWPSIZE=32		#15.Swap size in MB on boot device. 0 - off
LOGSIZE=50000,5000	#16.System_log,logins_log sizes (bytes)
ENABEEP=y		#17.Enable beeps for certain events
ENAMON=y		#20. Enamble flashing leds for Internet packets
COLORS=y		#21. Enable console colors
ENAPNP=n		#22. Enable ISA PnP
DEFISP=		#    Default dialup ISP
RDONLY=n		#10. Make Freesco run entirely in ram with no disk usage.
    
# [Debug]
LOGDNS=n		#412.Log DNS requests
LOGHTTP=n		#182.HTTP/control logging
LOGCHAT=n		#183.Dialout chat script debug logging
LOGPPPD=n		#184.pppd debug logging
LOGDIALD=n		#185.diald verbose logging
LOGIDENT=s		#186.Debug ident or (s)tandard logging
LOGNET=1		#187.Log level for Netmeeting 0 to 4
LOGFTP=s		#188.Debug FTP or (s)tandard logging 
LOGFIRE=y		#189.Log default firewall.
    
# [Services] 		#    y - worldwide/s - local/n - disable
ENADNS=s 		#41.Enable caching DNS server
DNSCACHE=500		#411.Number of URL's to cache. 0 to dissable caching
ENACRON=y		#42. Enable Cron deamon
ENADHCP=y 		#431.Enable DHCP server
WINSADDR=		#432.	WINS address (if external)
LIZTIME=604800,604800	#433,434 default-lease-time,max-lease-time
ENAWWW=s 		#441.Enable Public HTTP Server
WWWPORT=80 		#442.	on port
ENAWWA=s 		#451.Enable Time Server  and control via HTTP
WWAPORT=82 		#452.	on port
TIMADDR=time.cableol.net	#453.Host timeserver address, empty - disable
TIMZONE=+0000		#454.	Offset to UTC (-1200 -:- +1200)
ENALPD=n 		#461.Enable Print Servers
ENATEL=s		#47. Enable telnet server
TELPORT=		#471. Telnet port.
ENADYNDNS=y		#49. Enable dynamic name client.
ENAID=n			#50. Enable ident server.
ENAFTP=n		#51. Enable FTP server.
FTPPORT=21		#512. on port.
FTPCON=5		#513. Maximum allowed FTP connections.
FTPANON=y		#514. Enable anonymous FTP connections.
PKGDOMAIN=http://www.freescosoft.com/home/0.3.x/  # Default package domain.
PKGDIR=/www/downloads	# Default package save directory.
    
	
# [ Print server #1 ]
ALLOWED0=1		# A picture that all client IP's must match.
LPPORT0=515
LPDEV0=lp1
    
# [Security]
TRUSTLN=n 		#241.Trust local nets y/n/p{artual}
TRUSTMD=n		#242.Modem links have access to local networks
RINGS=3,8		#220.Rings before answer at login,nologin time
MonTIM=""		#221.Nologin times for modem users
TueTIM=""
WedTIM=""
ThuTIM=""
FriTIM=""
SatTIM=""
SunTIM=""
    
# [Hardware COM Ports]
	
# [Modems]
MODEM0=cua1
MSPEED0=115200
ENANULL0=n
NULLSCRIPT0="CLIENT OK"
MINIT0="ATZ"
MADDR0=192.168.1.2
MTU0=			#541.Maximum Transmit Unit
MRU0=			#542.Maximum Receive Unit
	
MTUALL=			# MTU for all dial-in links
MRUALL=			# MRU for all dial-in links
# [ diald ]
RDTOUT=		#821 delay between dialing attempts (seconds)
RTRCNT=		#822 maximum number of initial attempts
DRTRCNT=	#823 maximum number of restoring attempts
RBKOFF=		#824 increase redial timeout after failure (seconds)
DFAILIM=	#825 maximum number of consecutive failed attempts
FPTOUT=		#826 timeout of the very first packet sent (seconds)
    
# [leased line router]
ADRTYPE=      	#921.if ISP supplies us with dynamic IP, then:
LOCAL=  	#922.fake local side ppp IP addr
REMOTE= 	#923.fake remote addr
    
# [ethernet/leased/printer/ras router]
GATEWAY=xxx.xxx.xxx.x	#62. 631.Default gateway, if exist.
DNSADDR=194.168.8.100		#414.Primary DNS address for ethernet connection
DNSADDR1=194.168.4.100		#415.Secondary DNS address for ethernet connection
PROXY=""		#914.HTTP proxy addr[:port]
    
# [Ethernet hardware]
IO0=0
IRQ0=0
IO1=0
IRQ1=0
    
# [Network 0]
USEDHCP0=y		#720. Use DHCP client to config this interface
DHCPLOG=n		#722. Enable DHCP client messages in the log
DHCPDNS=y		#723. Enable auto configuration of DNS via DHCP
INTNAME0=eth0		# Interface name (eth0|arc0e|arc0)
IPADDR0=xx.xx.xxx.xx	# IP adress of this interface
NETMASK0=255.255.252.0	# Network mask
NETWORK0=xx.xx.xxx.x	# Network address
BRDCAST0=255.255.255.255	# Broadcast address
IPRANGE0=""	# IP pool, empty disables DHCP on this interface
	
# [Network 1]
INTNAME1=eth1		# Interface name (eth1|arc1e|arc1)
IPADDR1=192.168.0.1	# IP adress of this interface
NETMASK1=255.255.255.0	# Network mask
NETWORK1=192.168.0.0	# Network address
BRDCAST1=192.168.0.255	# Broadcast address
IPRANGE1="192.168.0.20 192.168.0.30"	# IP pool, empty disables DHCP on this interface
 
Just the person I was hoping would respond! :) Did a search for Freesco and your name cropped up a bit.

For some reason only one of my NICs is showing up on there so I assume I've got a dodgy one, need to grab another in work tomorrow to test it with. Also what do I select as the connection type right at the start of the config? Do I chose ethernet router? Do I need to put in any of the Telewest DNS servers or will my modem supply those automatically?

Cheers :)
 
Ahha cheers, that'll teach me for replying without refreshing the page and looking! Ignore my post above.. Think your post has sorted me out. I'll have to wait untill tomorrow to get a spare PSU and NIC from work anyway so I'll let you know how I get on.

Thanks :)
 
Well I got a bit further.. My PSU came back to life, knew there was a reason I always bought Enermax! Also I don't think my NIC is faulty, think it was me being stupid and not setting it up correctly. I've got the two NICs set up and when I boot up, it gives me an IP address from my cable modem. However, I can't seem to get the LAN side working. It won't give out DHCP or anything over the other NIC so none of my PCs can access the internet. :(
 
Run the setup program and generate a report. Copy this to the PC. Then post the top part of it here.

OR... just compare it to my report, and then ask about the different bits.

For example, I assume you have a couple of plug n play PCI NICs. So these need IRQs and IOs of Zero setup. Note my report has the following which shows the two NICs:
# [Ethernet hardware]
IO0=0
IRQ0=0
IO1=0
IRQ1=0

Have you told Freesco you have two NICs..... Look where my report cuts off (I chopped off boring bits here). Notice how I have [Network 0] and [Network 1]? Do you have a network 1? And is your DHCP range exactly like mine? With a space in it?

Edit: More questions... Does the router have an IP Address for the LAN side in the report? Can you ping your router from the PC using this address (note - you will have to manually configure IP address of your PC to make this test work)?
 
Last edited:
I formatted my floppy.. Started again from scratch and I'm now sending this message through my shiny new Freesco router! :D It was fairly straight forward in the end.

Thanks for your help, now I'm going to tweak it a bit and have a play.. Cheers!
 
I assume you have found the Freesco forum at http://www.freesco.org/ (Click the Support link). It is unlucky timing as they are just recovering the forum from a messy crash, but it has always been full of advice and mad things to do with a cheapo server. Lots of tasks a simple machine can do. :)

I now have mine back fairly basic. Lost an ancient hard disk in it early in the year, so swapped back to an even older disk with a v3.3 install on it. Not quiet got round to the update to a new disk. Just lazy - LOL. Damn good reliable OS though with insanly long uptimes. (Just type "uptime" at the console).

One key thing I do do is to load the DNS.cfg file up with dead links to advertisers. This kills adverts from my web pages. Speeds up loading, and removes destractions.

Here is an example of the start of my dns.cfg file:
Code: 
# This file is a part of dns server config file.  
# Put all static IP's on your network here. Be sure to list there names twice.  
# Once with the domain and once without the domain.  
# NOTE: A bold capital "I" is actually a TAB using the default editor.  
#  
# 192.168.1.10Imycomputer.inetImycomputer  
127.0.0.1 a.as-eu.falkag.net  
127.0.0.1 a.tribalfusion.com  
127.0.0.1 a1040.g.akamai.net  
127.0.0.1 ad.be.doubleclick.net 
127.0.0.1 ad.doubleclick.net  
127.0.0.1 ad.law11.hotmail.com
Get more servers from collecting your own addresses from your favourite sites, and add in major lists like http://pgl.yoyo.org/adservers/

To do these changes, from the console:
cd /boot/etc
edit dns.cfg
Use ALT-X to exit and say "y" to save.
sync
sync
rc_dns restart

No need to reboot the PC like XP for updates like this. The restart command is used on the relevant script and does all the work for us.

Note the "sync" command is to flush caches before the restart.


Of course, you don't need a screen or keyboard. Just download a copy of putty and telnet in.

Even though I am no Linux expert, I am full of little hints for Freesco. :) Just ask away :cool:
 
Last edited:
Nice, might have to try that. Don't think I enabled Telnet in Freesco, can't seem to telnet into it. Am having trouble with port forwarding as well.. It just doesn't seem to work. But all that can wait until tomorrow, I'm happy I've got it working, and hopefully it should be a lot better than my Netgear router which kept crashing and dropping the connection! Thanks again for your help! Time for me to get some sleep now. :)
 
SSH is there somewhere. Just being lazy with Telnet. :p The Telnet port is only open to the internal network anyway. If this login was to be used externally, SSH is definatly the way to go. (And I am pretty sure it is now available as default in v3.6)
 
Yeh I figured out the port forwarding, I hadn't enabled it in the setup bit so when I tried to use it via the web login it wasn't working properly. Got the SSH bit working as well so I can use Putty to log in. :) Seems to be going better than my Netgear router so far.. Hasn't crashed at all. By now MSN would have logged me out and in several times, but I've stayed connected. Going to leave it running for the next week while I go visit my parents for christmas. :)
 
Schnippzle said:
Now all we gotta do is figure out how to limit connections per torrents to **** off housemates / give us our share of bandwidth =D
Click to expand...
I am not sure about this... go to the Freesco forums as I think some work has been done on this in the past.

One thing you could do is to add a third NIC to the router. Then put yourself on that NIC, and leave your house mates on the second NIC. Then you can "control" them at will. LOL.
 
No idea if Freesco does it, but you can patch ipcop to do layer 7 packet shaping (so you don't have to screw about with ports and all that).
 
tolien said:
No idea if Freesco does it, but you can patch ipcop to do layer 7 packet shaping (so you don't have to screw about with ports and all that).
Click to expand...
Freesco is a _very_ old kernel with various things missing from a "standard" Linux to make it fit on the floppy and keep it incredibly simple. (Does "lib5" mean anything to you?)

One can almost avoid knowing anything about Linux to be able to use it (well, my mates are clueless there... and I am more of a *nix hacker than any expert on it)

I feel almost dirty doing this... but at least they are quick descriptions of the two projects and kernel versions for anyone else reading this thread who is curious as to what we are on about :p .
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freesco
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ipcop


So a quick search of the Freesco forum looking for "traffic shaping" comes up with this:
http://www.freesco.org/support-forum/index.php?showtopic=13368

Yep - a Lightning written package for traffic shaping....

Could be an answer to investigate. :)
 
Last edited:
Does "lib5" mean anything to you
Click to expand...

It means "old" (circa 8 years IIRC) to me :p

The software is based on Linux, using a 2.0.39 Linux kernel (or 2.0.40).
Click to expand...

:eek:

IPCop's similar (not that I've spent all that much time playing with it) but AFAIK much more modern, though it's also quite restrictive - for example, it's a PITA (re)compiling modem drivers for it. If you can be bothered, something like Damn Small Linux and doing the rest of the work yourself gives you a much better result.
 
This is the beauty of Freesco - simplicity. The control panel and setup program have been turned into a collection of questions. No script editing or Linux knowledge required. Just a collection of answers - and the system is up and running. (I have had one system up in only 10 minutes after starting with an empty and formatted disk)

Best part to me is the use of ancient, scrap kit. Not many other uses I could find for my old 100Mhz AMD 586 with 32MB EDO RAM. :D

Oh - and the bullet proof reliabilty....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom