PLIP Install HOWTO: Install the plip interface permanently

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## 19. Install the plip interface permanently

## 19.1 On the source side

I use an old Linux RedHat 4.1 distribution. The location of the files can be different on other GNU/Linux distributions but the philosophy is the same (The Unix System V convention).

Create the file `/etc/rc.d/init.d/plip` with this content:

    #!/bin/sh

    ##############################
    # file /etc/rc.d/init.d/plip #
    ##############################

    # See how we were called.
    case "$1" in
      start)
            # Start daemons.
            /bin/echo "Starting plip interface: "
            /bin/echo "Doing /sbin/ifconfig plip0 source pointopoint target netmask 255.255.255.255 up"
            /sbin/ifconfig plip0 source pointopoint target netmask 255.255.255.255 up
            /bin/echo  "Doing /bin/ping -q -c 4 target"
            /bin/ping -q -c 4 target
            /bin/echo "Starting plip interface: done"
            ;;
      stop)
            # Stop daemons.
            /bin/echo  "Shutting down plip interface:"
            /bin/echo  "Doing /sbin/ifconfig plip0 source pointopoint target netmask 255.255.255.255 down"
            /sbin/ifconfig plip0 source pointopoint target netmask 255.255.255.255 down
            /bin/echo  "Doing /sbin/modprobe  -r plip "
            /sbin/modprobe  -r plip
            /bin/echo "Shutting down plip interface: done"
            ;;
      *)
            echo "Usage: $0 {start|stop}"
            exit 1
    esac

    exit 0

    # === End of File ===

Only the ifconfig lines are strictly necessary. Perhaps you will need to add some `modprobe` commands if you don't use `kerneld` or the `kmod` feature of new kernels 2.2.x

Create the symbolic links in the `rc*.d` directories:

          $ cd /etc/rc.d/rc0.d/
          $ ln -s ../init.d/plip K97plip

          $ cd /etc/rc.d/rc1.d/
          $ ln -s ../init.d/plip K92plip

          $ cd /etc/rc.d/rc3.d/
          $ ln -s ../init.d/plip S11plip

          $ cd /etc/rc.d/rc5.d/
          $ ln -s ../init.d/plip S11plip

You can choose other numbers. Make sure that the two-digit number after 'K' is greater than the number of every other file that stops a service depending on plip.

Make sure that the two-digit number after 'S' is less than the number of every other file that start a service depending on plip: nfs, nis, ftp, http etc.

Update the `/etc/conf.modules` file, choosing the correct IRQ number (7 is mine, yours may be different):

    # /etc/conf.modules
    ...
    alias parport_lowlevel parport_pc
    post-install parport_pc echo 7 >  /proc/parport/0/irq
    ...

Test the plip shell:

          $ /etc/rc.d/init.d/plip
          Usage: /etc/rc.d/init.d/plip {start|stop}

          $ /etc/rc.d/init.d/plip stop
          Shutting down plip interface:
          Doing /sbin/ifconfig plip0 source pointopoint target netmask 255.255.255.255 down
          Doing /sbin/modprobe  -r plip
          Shutting down plip interface: done

          $ /etc/rc.d/init.d/plip start
          Starting plip interface:
          Doing /sbin/ifconfig plip0 source pointopoint target netmask 255.255.255.255 up
          Doing /bin/ping -q -c 4 target
          PING target (192.168.0.1): 56 data bytes

          --- target ping statistics ---
          4 packets transmitted, 4 packets received, 0% packet loss
          round-trip min/avg/max = 4.4/8.3/14.0 ms
          Starting plip interface: done

Updating the start scripts is a good occasion to reboot a Unix system, to check the modifications. Do it:

          $ init 6 # or "shutdown -r now" or "reboot"

## 19.2 On the target side

Update the file `/etc/init.d/network`:

          #! /bin/sh
          #######################
          # /etc/init.d/network #
          #######################

          ifconfig lo 127.0.0.1
          route add -net 127.0.0.0

          ifconfig plip1 192.168.0.1 pointopoint 192.168.0.2 netmask 255.255.255.255 up
          route add -host 192.168.0.2 dev plip1

That's all because the parport features are directly in the kernel.

Updating the start scripts is a good occasion to reboot a Unix system, to check the modifications. Do it:

          $ init 6

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