06-Jan-2010

New router activated
Setup of the new router being completed – at least, as far as I could do without digging the documentation – I tested the wireless connection to make the last corrections: Change of the interla IP address so it matches the current router. Just in case it would be better to restore the Linksys router, when the Draytek didn’t work as expected. Next, I switched all internal and external connections, throw the power switch of the new router – and waited a while. It takes some time to establish all connections with all logging enabled: getting the connection data (DHCP), connect to the DNS servers and negotiate; setting up internal connections (DNS, for instance), AND handle requests.
First I tried to access the webs using the external names, but it took a few minutes before it succeeded.
Accessing the World Wide Web proved to be easier – I could access extrenal webs before I could access my own. From an external email account, I could send a message – and it arrived in either quarantine (by the spam filter) of in my mailserver. So mail (quite important) is no problem either.
Next, I tried to access the login host of my ISP, but that failed competely. It turned out I would have to set up something specific, after that, TELNETting to my ISP was no problem. From there, I could use Telnet and SSH to access Diana – after I figured out I have made a minor mistake in the port definition.
FTP however is another matter. Both anonymous and non-anonymous FTP fail when data is to be returned – I can make a connection but DIR fails. Setting mode to passive makes access possible. I’ve seen that behaviour before but I cannot recall what’s the cause. It must be some setting in the router’s firewall or NAT definition, that’s for sure. Time to RTFM 🙂
The VPN setting has been prepared but to test it, I’ll need to be outside. Something to test tomorrow.
ISDN to return
This modem can be connected to ISDN directly, and it offers the ability for Voice-over-IP, and ISDN backup. But for that, the ISDN cable – currently used to transport the ADSL signal to my modem – must be restored to it’s original function. Question now is how to get ADSL to my modem? I could of course move the modem near the splitter, but than I’ll have create a connection by CAT-5 cable to the bottom of the house. Something I’ve been considering for quite some time. Perhaps, this is the moment to do it.
Another possibility is using a second IDSL-cable to tarnsport the ADSL signal – that may well be a better solution, there is very little room left…

04-Jan-2009

New router
Just before Christmas, I ordered a new router, and after I came home on the last working day last year (Wednesday), I got the message the router was ready to be collected; If I only had that message BEFORE leaving the office – the supplier is more or less on my way home…
Anyway, this afternoon I got my new router, but before setting it up in the network, I did some setup, mainly the ports to be opened (all passing to Diana), some external ports mapped to standard ports (also on Diana) and some other additional setup: VPN, wireless, and matters on the internal network like the internal address. Of course, it’s a new address to be able to do the setup from a system in the network, and when replacing the Linksys router, the DHCP settings in Diana will need to be updated to refelct this change: It’s the default gateway and DNS resolver….. Or I’ll change the address when the router is separated from the network, before installing it. No chnages elsewhere in the network.
I’ll still have to do a bit of testing, but as far as I can determine, it looks fine. It works as an access point, anyway.
Replacement of the external gateway means I’ll be offline for a while – a short while, I hope. Somewhere next weekend, propably.

23-Dec-2009

Router problem
Usually, I check the logs on the system and mail over the web as soon as I get at my office. This morning I could access the operation desk (the protected access to do system manager work) but there it ended. ANY site on grootersnet.nl was inaccessible – couldn’t be accessed.
Tonight it turned out the router hung: ALL access failed. Not just incoming traffic. All traffic failed: DNS (it serves as a resolver), Outgoing traffic, it’s admin page – it all failed. So what remains was resetting it. That solved the issue – but also removed any clue of what may have caused it.
Well, I’m in for a new one anyway. But nevertheless, a VMS port of syslogd will be installed in Diana to serve as loghost for the router.
Access problems of another kind
Since the new PWS has a differential SCSI card installed – KZPSA-CA – I decided to hook it on the Shared SCSI and boot from the shared system disk.
Bit problem. Diana lost connection to the quorum disk and postponed all activity.It regained access and resumed after the HSZ50 was disconnected.
It may have been a termination issue – though there is a termination on the cable. But it might have been the -CA type. I have been able to boot the old AlphaServer 400 from this disk using a KZPSA-CY controller. So I switched the cards and retried. This time, though Diana keeps complaining loosing the quorum disk, it always regained access and continued. The new box started booting, but always ended starting MSCP serving. Nor did it enter the clsuter environment! So that may actually be the problem
But booting form it’s own (VMS 7.3-2) system disk succeeds, even when hooked up to the shared SCSI. The system joins the cluster, as shown in SHOW CLUSTER, and accessing the disks seems possible.
But here as well, Diana looses access to the quorum disk at times….
Perhaps Iĺl have to re-create the node-environment from scratch…