Introduction

Configuring network connectivity—whether on a remote network connection or with systems on a local area network (LAN)—is one of the daily responsibilities of a network administrator. Configuring network connectivity encompasses many different skills, including working with protocols, system hardware, and a variety of network services.

All the major client operating systems, including Linux, Macintosh, and Windows, handle the configuration of network connectivity very differently. Those who are proficient in establishing network connectivity from a Windows platform, for instance, are in for a surprise if they try to do the same from a Linux command line. Although the means to configure connectivity information might be different from one platform to another, the information required is often the same. This means that although the configuration of Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) client connectivity in Linux is done with a text file and Windows might use a graphical interface dialog box, the information that must be provided is much the same in each instance.

This chapter focuses on the network settings required for network connectivity across all platforms. It starts with a look at the protocols and procedures required to configure remote network connectivity.