Recommendation of a Live CD that will do FTP/Telnet/DHCP

Tom Dunne

I'm teaching basic networking and I'm finding students are having a hard time getting their heads around FTP and Telnet.

So what I plan to do is use a live CD to set up two Linux servers in the lab (in this lab, it's all Windows, so I can't install Linux as I would like to) and allow them use both FTP and Telnet. I also want to expose them to Linux to show that it's not all Windows out there.

I want to download it here in work so I can play around with it at home over the weekend.

Any suggestions of a live CD that will do this for me? I'm thinking of Ubuntu Server. I tried Knoppix and Ubuntu desktop last night, but of course they didn't have what I wanted.

DCHP would be and added bonus, again to demonstrate the concept, but I am sure if FTP/Telnet are included, a DHCP server will be too.

Thanks,

TD.

Capt'n Midnight

telnet:
bring in an old router or jetdirect box or network printer to show them telnet isn't just for PC's

When they understand that each character is sent in a separate packet you can show them this - even better if you can get the router to do the telnetting on
telnet towel.blinkenlights.nl

Snowbat

tom dunne wrote: »

(in this lab, it's all Windows, so I can't install Linux as I would like to)

Why not? If your course requires it (or you feel it would be highly beneficial), it should be there - go argue your case. If for some reason this failed, take a look at running Linux in a vmware player on Windows:
http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2005/11/07/vmware-player-ubuntu-installation.html

You're unlikely to find what you need on a Live CD as they're not really aimed at server tasks. If you did:

• You'd have to create users and passwords at each boot
• It likely would come with a ssh server instead of a telnet server - telnet is no longer popular as ssh offers improved security and features
• Firing up a DHCP server on a network that already has a DHCP server will cause problems

SouperComputer

Most live distros will easily handle what you need. Knoppix is one example, just create a permanent store for your settings. DSL would work too. Im not sure what you thought was missing from knoppix TBH.

Otherwise you could run whatever distro you like is BOCHS or VMware as mentioned above. Ubuntu server as you mention would be perfect for that.

Capt'n Midnight

isn't the default password Knoppix ?
not too sure if shares from the live cd default to this

oscarBravo

When you run Ubuntu as a live CD, any packages that are not included by default can be installed after the fact (obviously only temporarily for the session), so it would be possible to use an Ubuntu Server live CD as a telnet or FTP server.

That said, the VMware route is an attractive one.

Tom Dunne

Snowbat wrote: »

Why not? If your course requires it (or you feel it would be highly beneficial), it should be there - go argue your case.

TBH, I am sick arguing my case for pretty much everything. I had to kick up a fuss to get something as fundamental as network cables. I teach evening class, so I am at a major disadvantage when it comes to getting things organised. Hence why I am packing it in after Christmas.

Snowbat wrote: »

If for some reason this failed, take a look at running Linux in a vmware player on Windows:
http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2005/11/07/vmware-player-ubuntu-installation.html
You're unlikely to find what you need on a Live CD as they're not really aimed at server tasks. If you did:

• You'd have to create users and passwords at each boot
• It likely would come with a ssh server instead of a telnet server - telnet is no longer popular as ssh offers improved security and features
• Firing up a DHCP server on a network that already has a DHCP server will cause problems

Creating usernames/passwords each boot isn't a major issue. I would do it once at the start of each lab session. Not as big a pain as it actually sounds.

There is no DCHP server on this network - the students build the network at the start of each lab session, assigning static IP address. It's good practice until I get the DHCP server up and running. Positive re-enforcement and all that.

Most live distros will easily handle what you need. Knoppix is one example, just create a permanent store for your settings. DSL would work too. Im not sure what you thought was missing from knoppix TBH.

I think it was an older version of Knoppix that I had. I did get the DHCP server working, but I couldn't find FTP/Telnet or SSH. I'll download a newer version and try again.

Thanks for all the suggestions, Vmware sounds like the way to go.

Snowbat

Looks like I was wrong - ftpd and telnetd do come with Knoppix. The second page of this thread explains how to start ftpd but they didn't manage to get telnetd working:
http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=100129

If one of the computers can boot from USB and you have a spare USB external harddrive, installing a distro on the external harddrive is another option.