Configuring Linux News Servers Objectives –This chapter will show you how to install and use News servers Contents –Understanding news –Installing News software –Configuring and starting the INN server –Setting up local newsgroups Practical –Setting up local newsgroups

Understanding newsgroups Usenet a store and forward messaging network –News and Mail are relayed from one system to another –Uses NNTP protocol RFC 977 –Can use the UUCP for modem users Reading news –You need a newsfeed –Newsreader –Mozilla mail –Slrn –Newsreader –List of newsgroups News Hierarchy –comp.os.linux.announce Subscribing –.newsrc list of newsgroups that newsreader reads

The INN server News database: /var/spool/news –Can take up anything between 10Megabyte to 5Gigabyte Cronjob for cleaning up stale news –/usr/lib/news/bin/news.daily INN server programs InndThe news server NnrpdHandles local readers ExpireRemoves old news NntpsendExchange news /etc/news/nntpsend.ctl CtlinndInteractive shell for innd server Main config files /etc/news/inn.confINND server main configuration /etc/news/newsfeedsDownstream news feed /etc/news/incoming.confDeclares incoming newsfeeds /var/lib/news/newsgroupsList newsgropus /etc/news/readers.confDeclares hosts that are allowed to read news

Understanding inn.conf File format parameter:value Parameters MtaMail Transfer Agent (sendmail) OrganizationHeader in all articles posted from our system OvmethodOverview storage methodes PathostAdd this host to the news path that passws this system PathnewsWehere inn binaries lives Domainthe domain name of this server Allownewnews Storageapi Hiscachesize innflags

Understanding newsfeeds Declares how incoming news articles are redistributed to other servers, news feeds to others. Format of newsfeed file: Site[/exclude, exclude…]:pattern,pattern…[/distrib, distrib…]:flag,flag…:param Format explained, colon separated : Fielddescription 1)The name of the feed’s: feed.domain.com, feed2.dom.com 2)Newsgroups patterns drops news patter ! Dont distribute further * All matches 3) Feed entry type 4) External programs/files /usr/bin/controlchan

Understanding incoming.conf Describes which host is allowed to feed me weth news Peer myfeed { hostname: myfeedsite.com } Myfeed is a label for the peer and myfeedsite.com is the peer that feed us with news

Understanding readers.conf Declares this server allowed clients that can read news and post news Auth ”localhost” { hosts: ”localhost, , stdin” default:” ” } Access ”localhost” { users: ” newsgroups: ”*” access RPA } Auth ”localnet” { hosts: /24 default:” ” } Access ”localnet” { users: ” newsgroups: ”*” access RPA }

Starting the INN server You need to prepare your INN history database INN is a stand alone server Start INND Remember to restart INND when you do changes # /usr/lib/news/bin/makehistory –b –f history 0 –l –I # cd /var/lib/news # /usr/lib/news/bin/makedbz –s `wc –l < history` -f history # chown news.news * # chown news.news /var/spool/news/overview/group.index # chmod 664 /var/spool/news/overview/group.index # /usr/lib/news/bin/makehistory –b –f history 0 –l –I # cd /var/lib/news # /usr/lib/news/bin/makedbz –s `wc –l < history` -f history # chown news.news * # chown news.news /var/spool/news/overview/group.index # chmod 664 /var/spool/news/overview/group.index # chkconfig –level 35 innd on # service innd start # ps ax ?S0:00/usr/lib/news/bin/innd –p ?S0:00/usr/bin/perl /usr/lib/news/bin/controlchan # ps ax ?S0:00/usr/lib/news/bin/innd –p ?S0:00/usr/bin/perl /usr/lib/news/bin/controlchan # service innd restart

Setting up Local Newsgroups Defining a newsgroup hirarchy ikea.generalikea.forsaleikea.technical.hardware Ikea.weekly.newsikea.jobsikea.technical.software Ikea.weekly.menuikea.wantedikea.os.redhat Updating configuration files Add descriptions on those newsgroups in /var/lib/news/newsgroups ikea.generalVarious information about anything ikea.forsaleEmployees forsale anything After this, add the ME entry in /etc/news/newsfeeds file ME : !ikea.* Nex you need a storage methode in: /etc/news/storage.conf method tradspool { class: 1 newsgroups:ikea.* } Restart innd # service innd restart

Adding the newsgroups The final step is to add the newsgroups Testing my newsserver Open your web browser (mozilla) and in address field type: news:ikea.generalnews:ikea.general # /usr/lib/news/bin/ctlinnd newgroup ikea.general # /usr/lib/news/bin/ctlinnd newgroup ikea.news # /usr/lib/news/bin/ctlinnd newgroup ikea.menu... # /usr/lib/news/bin/ctlinnd newgroup ikea.general # /usr/lib/news/bin/ctlinnd newgroup ikea.news # /usr/lib/news/bin/ctlinnd newgroup ikea.menu...