Network Configuration for CSCF Managed Neoware Eon 4000 and E100 Terminals

If you are setting up the terminals with only one monitor/keyboard/mouse, do not power up the terminal until these are attached. The terminals will have to be rebooted to recognize new attachments.

Terminals Using DHCP for Network Configuration

The networking for most CSCF thin client terminals relies on DHCP by default. Over the network, the thin clients obtain their IP address and hostname fixed to the ethernet interface address of the terminal. Hence each thin client does have a fixed IP address and hostname which is regularly renewed by DHCP.

• The terminal must be assigned an IP address and hostname in in the campus DNS space.
  • All student lab terminals have an address on cstc1net (49-net).
    IP address: 129.97.49.XYZ, hostname: tcXYZ.student.cs
  • All office or research terminals have an address on cstc2net (59-net).
    IP address: 129.97.59.XYZ, hostname: tcXYZ.cs
  • All CSCF terminals have an address on cscfnet (15-net).
    IP address: 129.97.15.___, hostname: tcXY.cscf
    Hostnames and IP addresses are not directly linked on cscfnet
• The terminal must have an entry in the CSCF Inventory Database
  • Ethernet (hardware) address must be specified
  • Terminal's designated IP address must be specified
  • Terminal's designated hostname must be specified
• The terminal must be labeled with its designated IP address and hostname.

DHCP functions regardless of the subnet a specific network port is configured to use. So regardless of whether a network port is configured properly, a thin client should be able to receive its IP address and hostname at boot time.

Troubleshooting DHCP Failure

DHCP failures are frustrating because they tend to be intermittent. There are two common symptoms.

• Long boot time.
  The terminal's DHCP client timeout has had to expire multiple times.
• Unable to resolve connection hostnames.
  If your network port is configured correctly (on the correct subnet) and its switch is working then it is likely that your terminal did not obtain an IP address or hostname at boot time.

DHCP services in the Math Building and Davis Centre are notoriously slow. If a thin client (or any other DHCP terminal) fails to obtain an IP address and hostname then it is usually the case that the DHCP timeouts for the terminal are too short and/or the DHCP retries are too few. These settings can be adjusted after the terminal has booted to its main menu. Try doubling the DHCP timeout and retry values until IP aquisition is successful.

• Select Settings > Appliance > Network (or simply press F2)
• Select the Advanced tab
• Increase the timeout and retry values for the DHCP client. Try doubling each value until IP aquisition is successful. By default they are as follows.
  • Timeout: 30 seconds
  • Retries: 3 (some of the older Eons do not have a Retry option)

When you set these values you may be prompted from a password should the terminal's password already be set. This should be the CSCF Thin Client Master Password.

Terminals With Hard Coded IP Addresses

There are some circumstances where a thin client will require its IP address to be hard coded into the local terminal. As is the case with DHCP thin clients the following conditions must be met.

• The terminal must be assigned an IP address and hostname in in the campus DNS space.
• The terminal must have an entry in the CSCF Inventory Database
• The terminal must be labeled with its designated IP address and hostname.

Once the above conditions are met then one may configure the terminal's networking.

• The terminal will boot to ezConnect - Neoware Connection Manager.
• Settings > Appliance > Network (or simply press F2)
  • Deselect 'Use DHCP/Bootp' or change its value to 'Static'
    • Enter IP Address of the terminal: 129.97.XXX.yyy
    • Enter Network Mask: 255.255.255.0
    • Enter Broadcast IP: 129.97.XXX.255
    • Speed: Auto Sense
  • Select Edit Default Values
    • Client Name: name of machine without .cs or .student.cs extensions; eg tcXYZ
    • Domain: uwaterloo.ca
    • Primary DNS Server: 129.97.152.100
    • Secondary DNS Server: 129.97.152.10
    • Default Gateway: 129.97.XXX.1
  • Click on the OK button.

When you set these values you may be prompted from a password should the terminal's password already be set. This should be the CSCF Thin Client Master Password.