Fresh VM and Fog 1.2.0 install having issues with iPXE boot
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@jcook The first step is to see if we can use an unmanaged switch between the target computer and your core switch.
The rest of your environment (up to this point) is setup correctly. The root of the issue right now is that when the iPXE kernel starts to run it will reset the network adapter causing the link to drop (if you watch the link light on the target computer) for a second while the network adapter is being configured. Its only out for a second, but with spanning tree in default mode it take 27 seconds for the port to start forwarding data again. The are 3 such network “winks” as the FOS kernel boots (PXE Rom -> iPXE, iPXE -> iPXE, and iPXE -> FOS kernel).
By using the unmanged switch the wink happens between the target and unmanaged switch. The core switch port never winks so it stays forwarding. Understand this is only a test to see if it is spanning tree issue.
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DHCP is much faster. It asks for the tftp server and after entering it I get the above and it seems to hang.
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@jcook good, then issue #1 has something to do with spanning tree. The next issue is if iPXE asks for the fog server address the proper dhcp options are not getting to the target. Can you confirm that the dhcp scope for this subnet is sending out dhcp options 66 {next-server} and option 67 {boot file}
<edit> crud that’s not the problem because the iPXE image is getting to the client. Is the FOG server and the target computer on the same subnet </edit>
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@jcook if you use a web browser to go to here, what do you see?
http://172.18.164.6/fog/service/ipxe/boot.php?mac0=78:45:c4:0e:5d:a3
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@george1421 No they are on separate subnets.
@Wayne-Workman I get the following (I changed the IP to my fogserver):
#!ipxe set fog-ip 172.18.164.6 set fog-webroot fog set boot-url http://${fog-ip}/${fog-webroot} cpuid --ext 29 && set arch x86_64 || set arch i386 goto get_console :console_set colour --rgb 0x00567a 1 || colour --rgb 0x00567a 2 || colour --rgb 0x00567a 4 || cpair --foreground 7 --background 2 2 || goto MENU :alt_console cpair --background 0 1 || cpair --background 1 2 || goto MENU :get_console console --picture http://172.18.164.6/fog/service/ipxe/bg.png --left 100 --right 80 && goto console_set || goto alt_console :MENU menu colour --rgb 0xff0000 0 || cpair --foreground 1 1 || cpair --foreground 0 3 || cpair --foreground 4 4 || item --gap Host is NOT registered! item --gap -- ------------------------------------- item fog.local Boot from hard disk item fog.memtest Run Memtest86+ item fog.reginput Perform Full Host Registration and Inventory item fog.reg Quick Registration and Inventory item fog.quickimage Quick Image item fog.multijoin Join Multicast Session item fog.sysinfo Client System Information (Compatibility) choose --default fog.local --timeout 3000 target && goto ${target} :fog.local sanboot --no-describe --drive 0x80 || goto MENU :fog.memtest kernel memdisk iso raw initrd memtest.bin boot || goto MENU :fog.reginput kernel bzImage32 loglevel=4 initrd=init_32.xz root=/dev/ram0 rw ramdisk_size=127000 keymap= web=172.18.164.6/fog/ consoleblank=0 rootfstype=ext4 loglevel=4 mode=manreg imgfetch init_32.xz boot || goto MENU :fog.reg kernel bzImage32 loglevel=4 initrd=init_32.xz root=/dev/ram0 rw ramdisk_size=127000 keymap= web=172.18.164.6/fog/ consoleblank=0 rootfstype=ext4 loglevel=4 mode=autoreg imgfetch init_32.xz boot || goto MENU :fog.quickimage login params param mac0 ${net0/mac} param arch ${arch} param username ${username} param password ${password} param qihost 1 isset ${net1/mac} && param mac1 ${net1/mac} || goto bootme isset ${net2/mac} && param mac2 ${net2/mac} || goto bootme :fog.multijoin login params param mac0 ${net0/mac} param arch ${arch} param username ${username} param password ${password} param sessionJoin 1 isset ${net1/mac} && param mac1 ${net1/mac} || goto bootme isset ${net2/mac} && param mac2 ${net2/mac} || goto bootme :fog.sysinfo kernel bzImage32 loglevel=4 initrd=init_32.xz root=/dev/ram0 rw ramdisk_size=127000 keymap= web=172.18.164.6/fog/ consoleblank=0 rootfstype=ext4 loglevel=4 mode=sysinfo imgfetch init_32.xz boot || goto MENU :bootme chain -ar http://172.18.164.6/fog/service/ipxe/boot.php##params || goto MENU autoboot -
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I took a packet capture from the time the client booted to a minute or so after it asked for me to put in the tftp IP. The mac address for the client is
78:45:c4:0e:5d:a3 and fog server is 172.18.164.6 it that will help to filter. If more info would help interpret the cap let me know.https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxsOsMJZGNhYWklZNldIUWpCcU0/view?usp=sharing
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Also as a test I set up a new router and move the fog and client to it on a dumb switch and everything seems to be working. I was a able to get to the fog boot screen so its must be something with network I just don’t know enough to figure it out. I am going to see if I can get STP disabled on the network to see if that does the trick.
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@jcook Your FOG server (172.18.164.6) and the client (172.18.165.245) are on two different subnets (netmask being 255.255.255.0). This does not have to be an issue but I am wondering if you are aware of the fact that client and FOG server need use a gateway to talk to each other.
What kind of DHCP server do you use? I see option 66 and 67 (seem fine) but the DHCP server does not set those options in the DHCP header (next-server and filename). Not sure if this is causing the “Please enter tftp server” message because iPXE does not find option 66 in the DHCP answers - kind of strange… not sure about that.
Let me guess - you captured the packets from a different host in your network. This is why we see the DHCP conversation but no TFTP packets! Can you please do it again but capture the packets on the FOG server. Either use wireshark if you have GUI installed. Or install tcpdump and run it like this
tcpdump -w /tmp/bootup.pcap port 67 or port 68 or port 69 or port 80(just leave the command, boot your client till you get the error/hang and then stop tcpdump with ctrl+c and upload the file /tmp/bootup.pcap to the forum) -
Our DHCP is handled by a Adtran Netvanta 3140. I think at first the clients on the 165 subnet were trying to use 172.18.165.1 as the tftp server so a rule is in place to forward it to fog (172.18.164.6). Clients could get to the fog boot screen after those changes on old fog server running 0.32 so i thought we were all good.
You were correct about the previous cap, I’m a networking novice. Here is the capture file
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@jcook That’s funny. This time I only see the TFTP but no DHCP traffic…
TFTP traffic looks ok but the HTTP request for boot.php is being terminated (reset flag) by the client just a few micro seconds before the HTTP server would send it’s answer?!? Maybe that caused by some kind of HTTP filter on the gateway?
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@Sebastian-Roth I’ve only loosely been following this (sorry spring fever today), but remember the tcpdump program will only see dhcp traffic if its in the same broadcast domain (subnet) as the client computer. Once dhcp hits the router and dhcp-helper service it goes unicast.
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It is something to do with a content filter we have. Its blocking the http traffic to the fog server and i will fix that. I still had to put in the tftp server IP. The router has a place to give the a tftp IP and setup option 66. I will try a few different ways and let you know. I feel dumb for totally forgetting about the content filter >_< doh!
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@jcook Maybe you can post a screenshot of the DHCP configuration site so we might be able to help with that as well.
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The first image is my current config with both options passed. I have also put the fog IP in the “TFTP Server” of the second image. Either way it still asks for the tftp server IP, and once input it now boots to fog.
Here is where a new problems occurs. The fog boot options are only there for a second and I would like to make it just a few seconds longer, but I can load “Fog Configuration” in the web UI. I get a 404 error with the following text
“Not Found
The requested URL /static/index.html was not found on this server.” -
Just an update, I am able to upload and deploy images (once chose the right options for the image lol).
Really the only things that I need to fix now seem to be the TFTP server needing to be input during the boot. I was able to find out the settings that are needed for my Adtran router and switches to TFTP correctly. On the router I had to enable BPDU filter in the Spanning Tree options, then enable edge port mode on the switch ports that have clients. Also make sure your content filter isn’t blocking the Fog server (facepalm). Maybe this can help any one with a similar set up to ours.
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@jcook If you are being questioned about the fog server IP during booting then your dhcp server is not sending out dhcp option 66 {next-server}. On the image you posted, I see a spot for tftp server (which is blank in the picture), did you enter the IP address of the fog server there?
Thinking a bit longer, if you are being prompted for the up address of the FOG server, then the ipxe kernel is making it to the target computer. Can you confirm that you have RSTP or port-fast enabled on the network port that is connected to the target computer? The network port will wink as it transitions between the PXE ROM, and the iPXE kernel. If the port isn’t forwarding (because its still in spanning tree learn mode) the iPXE kernel may not hear the next server reply.
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@george1421 The switches and routers are showing they are in RSTP as far as I can tell. I was reading up on “edge-port mode” for this equipment and it said that “will transition directly in to the forwarding state.” I haven’t put the unmanaged switch between the client and the manage switch again but will see if that helps. I will also add fog to the TFTP field and see if it helps (i think I have before but doesn’t hurt).
I will probably also reach out to my switching support and see if they can help me with option 66 if adding it to the TFTP field doesn’t help.
EDIT: Adding the Fog ip the empty TFTP field didn’t help, also the unmanaged switch between client and core has the same result, still asking for TFTP ip. Is there a way to hard code this somewhere is Fog?
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@jcook said
EDIT: Adding the Fog ip the empty TFTP field didn’t help, also the unmanaged switch between client and core has the same result, still asking for TFTP ip. Is there a way to hard code this somewhere is Fog?
See that information is suppose to come from the second dhcp request from the iPXE kernel. To answer your question, yes you can hard code it in, but you will need to build your own ipxe kernel (not hard at https://rom-o-matic.eu/)
This might get you started https://forums.fogproject.org/topic/6347/usb-boot-bios-client-into-fog-menu
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@george1421 Thanks for the info. I will probably give that a try later, and see how it goes.
I have the option to make the DHCP options be given in either ASCII or as an IP address or hex for that matter. Does is make a difference what I choose?