Becoming Root
Changing system settings, such as the modem or network configurations, generally requires root access. Root is the term used for the all-powerful Linux superuser. (For more information on Linux users and privileges, see Chapter 12.)
If you are not logged on as root, you can log off and log back on as root. Or, you can su—change your effective user identity—to root.
To su to root:
1. | Open a terminal window, either by clicking the terminal icon on the Gnome panel or by choosing Gnome Terminal from the Gnome Utilities menu (Figure 4.1). |
2. | Click in the Terminal window, so that it has the focus of keyboard entries. |
3. | With the terminal window open, type su root at the prompt. |
4. | Enter the root password at the prompt. You'll see at the next prompt that you are effectively logged on as root (Figure 4.1). |
Tip
It's better practice to log on with your own identity and su to root, rather than logging on as root, even if you are the only user of your Linux machine. (For instructions on creating your own identity as part of your initial installation, see Chapter 1.) The main reason for getting in the habit of logging on with your identity and using su to change to root access, if necessary, is to save you from yourself—you are less likely to inadvertently make changes to the system that you will regret later. In addition, this approach is preferable for security reasons, particularly if you are logging on remotely.
Figure 4.1. Use a terminal window to su to root, giving yourself the privileges of a system administrator.
Figure 4.2. The Genome control panel allows you to configure most system settings.
Figure 4.3. The System Configurator applet allows you to edit most settings, but it is more complicated to use than individual applets.
