Network configuration, troubleshooting

Here are common problems with setting up the network, and solutions.

etc/

Except for a few exceptions, be sure that custom settings are located under /usr/local/etc/. /etc configurations can be updated by running processes. This explains why functionality can break, and may have to be updated if only relying on network configuration files in /etc .

rc.conf

This file is an exception and it belongs in /etc to be customized by the user.

Be sure to have the lines:

defaultrouter="192.168.[your gateway ip address here]"
hostname="[your computer's host name]"

To check your hostname, you may type at the command line:

# uname -a

These are common settings used for a wireless card:

wlans_ath0="wlan0"
ifconfig_wlan0="WPA DHCP"

hosts

Edit the file at /usr/local/etc/hosts.conf

The commented out line is artificially added here for explanation:

#gateway ip     localhost     localhost.namedgateway
192.168.x.x     localhost     localhost.yourgatewayname.com
#the localhost variable can optionally be replaced with the name of your computer

resolv.conf

Edit the file /usr/local/etc/resolv.conf . A line containing "DNS" may have to be commented out. resolv.conf should look something like this:

search gateway.yourgateway.com     # search + gateway. and the word name of your gateway ("gateway" is its localhost)
nameserver 192.168.x.x             # nameserver + numerical ip of gateway

References

• Thanks to those who both ask and answer questions at FreeBSD and other related forums.