Linux Networking Cookbook

2.4. Network Installation of Pyramid on Debian

Problem

You would rather install Pyramid Linux via PXE boot because you have several routerboards to install, or you have onboard nonremovable Compact Flash, or you just prefer to do it this way. Your installation server runs Debian.

Solution

No problem, you can do this because the Soekris boards (and PC Engines and all their little cousins) support netbooting. While the HTTP, TFTP, and DHCP services in this recipe can be on different machines, the examples here assume they are all on a single PC. Any PC will do (e.g., a workstation, your special network administrator laptop, anything).

To get started, first download the latest Pyramid dd image or tarball from http://metrix.net/support/dist/ into the directory of your choice:

	$ wget http://metrix.net/support/dist/pyramid-1.0b2.img.gz

Then, you need these services installed:

• DHCPD

• TFTP

• HTTP

• Subversion

You don't need a big old heavyweight HTTP server like Apache. Lighttpd is great for lightweight applications like this. Install them with this command:

	# apt-get install lighttpd lighttpd-doc tftpd-hpa dhcp3-server subversion

Copy this /etc/dhcp3/dhcpd.conf file exactly:

	##/etc/dhcp3/dhcpd.conf
	  subnet 192.168.200.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 {
	  range 192.168.200.100 192.168.200.200;
	  allow booting;
	  allow bootp;

	  next-server 192.168.200.1;
	  filename "PXE/pxelinux.0";

	  max-lease-time 60;
	  default-lease-time 60;
	}

next-server is the IP address of the boot server; it must be 192.168.200.1.

Next, configure tftpd by ...