Re: strange network interface problem

On Sat, May 10, 2003 at 10:05:55AM -0400, Chris BeHanna wrote:

> On Saturday 10 May 2003 02:32, Glenn Johnson wrote:
>
> > On Sat, May 10, 2003 at 01:35:29AM -0400, Barney Wolff wrote:
> >
> > > On Fri, May 09, 2003 at 10:53:15PM -0500, Glenn Johnson wrote:
> > >
> > > > This is a weird one but hopefully someone can help.  I have
> > > > two software programs that I frequently use and they each use
> > > > licensing software that depends on the Ethernet interface.
> > > > One uses FlexLM and the other a node locked scheme.  They are
> > > > both Linux programs, which may be important.  The machine in
> > > > question is a dual homed machine with one xl interface and one
> > > > fxp interface.  The xl interface is on a 192.168.1.0 network
> > > > and the fxp is on the corporate LAN.  The hostname points to
> > > > the 192.168.1.1 address.  The license keys were generated from
> > > > the MAC address of the xl interface.  This worked fine as of a
> > > > couple of days ago but because of the ffs bug I am not about to
> > > > back my sources back in time.
> > > >
> > > > After updating to a recent -CURRENT,
> > > >
> > > > FreeBSD 5.1-BETA #0: Thu May 8 12:42:08 CDT 2003
> > > > root_at_node1.cluster.srrc.usda.gov:/usr/obj/usr/src/sys/CLUSTER-FW
> > > >
> > > > the programs in question are getting the interfaces mixed
> > > > up.  For the program that uses the node locked scheme I was
> > > > able to get another license generated and so am okay for that
> > > > one.  However, the program that uses FlexLM is locked to the
> > > > 192.168.1.0 network.  The problem is the software is seeing the
> > > > dual homed machine on the wrong interface and so thinks it is
> > > > not on the network.
>
>     Is it possible that someone at corporate mucked with DNS so that
> the software that needs the license from FlexLM is resolving to the
> wrong address?

No, I maintain my own DNS for my machines.

> > > In what order does ifconfig print the interfaces?
> > > /var/run/dmesg.boot?
> >
> > xl0 is first.
> >
> > [...attempts to reorder ifconfig if listing via juggling in rc.conf
> > didn't work...]
> >
> > It does not seem like that would help as they are in the desired
> > order.  FlexLM is in fact using the correct interface for the ether
> > address but the software that needs the license from FlexLM is
> > getting the IP address from the other interface.  As I said, the
> > software license checking worked just a few days ago.  Something
> > has changed with -CURRENT, or something weird is happening with the
> > system.
>
>     Is the software that needs the license running on your box, or on
> some other box in the corporate LAN?

It is running on several boxes on the 192.168.1.0 network.  It is the
dual homed machine that is the problem because the software all of a
sudden started picking up the IP address on the secondary interface
rather than on the primary interface.

> > > If all else fails, switch the nics around in their slots.  Hard to
> > > do if either is on the motherboard, I know.
> >
> > The fxp interface is on the motherboard.
>
>     That is probably part of your answer as to why the software finds
> it first.

But it is configured second by the OS and I can not seem to stress this
enough, it was working fine just a few days ago.  The software _was_
getting the IP address of the xl interface just a few days ago.  The
only thing that changed was the update of -current.

-- 
Glenn Johnson
glennpj_at_charter.net