Very Computer

What is the proper way to configure a standalone non-networked
Solaris 2.x system ?
This is a SPARC workstation that has the standard ethernet
interface.  However, the interface is not connected to anything.
As far as I can tell, this is not addressed in the
sys admin answerbook.

One possibility is to not have an /etc/hostname.le0 file
and to "route add hostname localhost 0".
Are there any problems with that ? (it appears to
cause /usr/dt/bin/dtcm to hang).
Is there a preferable configuration for such a system ?

Does the recommendation change if the system will
occasionally be "networked" using PPP (dynamic address) ?

Here are some answers regarding the configuration of a standalone
Solaris 2.5 system that is occasionally "networked" using PPP.
There are lots of detailed documents about PPP, for example,
Michael McKnight's guide found in
rbdc.rbdc.com:/pub/solaris/sol2.x_isp_ppp16.ps.gz

1) Pick a name for the home machine (hname), put that in /etc/nodename
   You should not have an /etc/hostname.le0 file
2) In /etc/hosts, add "hname" to the line for 127.0.0.1
3) For (essentially) static PPP, things work best if the machine
   on the other side of the connection uses "hname" as the
   name for your home machine (and has the IP address for it).
   On the home machine, /etc/hosts uses a different name
   (e.g. hname-ppp) for that IP address.
4) Definitely do not use /etc/defaultrouter -- rely on
   default_route in /etc/asppp.cf
5) Change /etc/rc2.d/S69inet so that it doesn't
   run in.rdisc and doesn't run in.routed
   Just having an /etc/notrouter file is not sufficient
   If this is not done, in.rdisc will cause the
   link to be set up (phone call made...) at boot.
6) In /etc/asppp.cf, the ifconfig line should configure
   the interface "up" not "down".
   No need for an "attach" script.
   Kill the connection with a "kill -1" to the aspppd process
   (or wait for timeout).

: Here are some answers regarding the configuration of a standalone
: Solaris 2.5 system that is occasionally "networked" using PPP.
: There are lots of detailed documents about PPP, for example,
[snip]

Does anyone who has 2.5 know if PPP is easier to setup in that revision?
Is their a GUI setup program or must everything still be done by hand <sigh>.

Has anything changed in 2.5 that makes setting up PPP different than in
2.4?  I ask because I will soon need to do this to work from home.

Thanks,
Bryan

Solaris 2.5 (Sun SPARCstation 20).  While the documentation of PPP under Solaris 2.5 is good,
and appears complete, it is still a laborious, manual effort.  I wonder why it is so much
more difficult to do this under Solaris than under Windows 95.  After having edited my
/etc/Systems and /etc/asppp.cf files I can dial my ISP and log on but Ping doesn't find the
host.  I am still wading through the Answerbook and fiddling with files.  I echo the need for
a GUI or other, simpler method of configuring PPP.  I suspect the problem is that most
Solaris machines are connected to local networks and do not need to implement PPP to access
commercial ISPs (i.e., it's a case of supply and demand).