Server auth for linux clients

[rouse01]

I am trying to setup a linux server to authenticate a group of linux workstations. The workstations are in a classroom environment, so on any given day a user may try to login at a random workstation. I'd rather not have to setup every user on every workstation. NIS was recomended to me on an earlier post.

The server is rh7.3 running samba with domain logons = yes. This works fine for the few connected windows machines, requiring a valid username & password.

I've tried the 'nis howto', which recomends the following to check the install:
/usr/sbin/rpcinfo -u localhost ypserv
It returns...
rpcinfo: RPC: Timed out
program 100004 version 1 is not available
rpcinfo: RPC: Timed out
program 100004 version 2 is not available

If I change the 'localhost' to the server's ip:
/usr/sbin/rpcinfo -u 192.168.1.10 ypserv
It returns...
program 100004 version 1 ready and waiting
program 100004 version 2 ready and waiting

Also, when I restart the server I get a 'attempting to contact yp server failed' message. This may be a clue?

On a linux workstation boot:
Listening for an nis domain server...

Is it possible to setup a user only on the server? Can someone give me a idea where to look, or is there a better solution?

Keith

 

[fluid11]

This could be a name resolution problem. Can the workstations ping the NIS server via its hostname? If not, try setting up a DNS server also, or just add the servers hostname/IP to each workstations /etc/hosts file.

BIND Home Page

http://www.isc.org/products/BIND/

ChrisP

 

[rouse01]

Fluid11, my server hostname is linux.home.kcs & I've got that in both \etc\hosts (server & workstation). The server nisdomainname is also linux.home.kcs & I can ping this from the workstation.
When I reboot the server I see this:
setting NIS domain [OK]
Binding to the NIS domain [OK]
Listening for an NIS domain server [FAILED]

Also get the same from the workstation.
Any idea where I should look?
Thanks for the help.
Keith