LEOGATE.KF9UG.AMPR.ORG
JNOS CONFIGURATION FILES

OVERVIEW

JNOS uses various configuration files to control how it will operate and what options are enabled and configured. In addition to the JNOS configuration files, Linux configuration files are adjusted to control how JNOS is started and restarted in the event the JNOS process terminates. The actual configuration files in use @ FWARig are listed at the bottom of this page.


STARTING JNOS

/etc/inittab

The '/etc/inittab' Linux script is read by the Linux 'initd' process when a Linux system is first started. The 'initd' process starts the various system programs depending upon the state of the Unix system. A feature of the 'initd' program is that it will restart a program if it terminates. I chose this program to start JNOS by including a line that executes the 'startnos' script when the 'initd' program determines that JNOS is not running.

/jnos/startnos

The 'startnos' script is located in the '/jnos' directory. This script has been written so it will check to see if the JNOS program is already running and if it is then it will terminate it. Then it removes all JNOS lock files in the 'spool/mail' and 'spool/mqueue' directories if any exist from a previously running JNOS process. Failure to remove these files would result in some mail areas being reported as BUSY and SMTP queued messages from not being sent. Then it will change the current directory to the '/jnos' directory where I have chosen to store the JNOS program and it's associated data and configuration files. It then sets up environment variables, waits 15 seconds, then calls starts JNOS.

/jnos/autoexec.nos

This file configures the entire JNOS software and starts the various system services. I have moved some of the host specific configuration lines to the 'hostname.nos' file to make it easier for me to clone new systems from my existing system. This script calls the '/jnos/encap.txt' file which sets up the encapsulated routes to other AMPRnet Gateways. Then near the end of this script I call the 'pollbbs', 'kiss', & 'clean' scripts in the future using the "AT" command. Descriptions of these scripts are given below.

/jnos/hostname.nos

This file is one I devised to move host specific information out of the 'autoexec.nos' file so I could easily determine what JNOS commands only need to be modified between different systems I run. The host specific information contained in this file are: hostname, ip address, AX.25 callsign, AX.25 BBS callsign, AX.25 tty callsign, & AX.25 beacon text. You would not need to move these items from the 'autoexec.nos' file to this one if you did not wish to do so. (Actually there are other host specific parameters I should have moved here too if I was to move them all here.)

/jnos/encap.txt

The 'encap.txt' file is a protected file that contains the routing information to all AMPRnet gateways around the world. It is protected by limiting who can have access to the routing information contained in the file. The routing information is sensitive because it could allow a non-amateur radio operator to work their way around the protection schemes implemented by ALL AMPRnet Gateway sysops and thus gain access to RF ports around the world.

This file may be omitted if you do not plan on running your system as an Internet Gateway. If you do plan on running your system as an Internet Gateway, you should go to The Gateways Home Page and read all the information there and sign up as an AMPRnet gateway. Once you have done that, you'll be given permission to download the latest 'encap.txt' file from ftp.fuller.net.


CONNECTING TO THE INTERNET

You can connect to the Internet via a dialup modem or by locating your gateway on a LAN of an ISP or other party willing to give you access to the Internet. LEOGATE does not need to connect via dialup because it is directly connected to the Internet via Rexnet's LAN.

FWARig's Current ISP Arrangement

I have an agreement with my ISP for one static IP address: bbs.fwarig.org.


SUPPORTING PACKET RADIO MESSAGES AND INTERNET EMAIL

I offer a dual service BBS where the system can handle both packet radio messages and Internet email messages. Messages both of a personal nature as well as bulletins are taken care of. I routinely collect bulletins from other BBS sysops and direct them to a number of different categories. These files define what is considered a packet message verses an Internet message, what mail areas are defined, how to maintain the saved messages, as well as how to forward the packet radio messages to other BBS sysops.

/jnos/spool/areas

All the public mail areas are defined in this file, one on each line. Only the first word on each line is the actual mail area name. The rest of the information on each line is a description of each mail area.

/jnos/spool/rewrite

A complex set of instructions that instruct JNOS what to do with each message received by the system or sent by a user. This file is responsible for determining if a message is an Internet email message or a packet radio message and handling it appropriately. It is also used to reject messages to specific addresses that either I don't support locally or would not rather not have on my system.

/jnos/spool/expire.dat

A list of mail areas that should have messages removed that are older than the number of days listed in this file. Keeps the system from consuming all the hard disk space available.

/jnos/spool/forward.bbs

Each entry in this file is divided by a line containing only hyphens "-". Each entry contains the commands necessary to connect to another BBS in order to forward messages from here to that BBS. Each entry contains what mail areas are to be forwarded as well as when forwarding should occur to that BBS. The last entry in this file writes received bulletins to a file for other BBS sysops to FTP from the bbs.fwarig.org server.

/jnos/zipem

This script file is called once a day from the Unix 'crond' program to zip the latest download file, created by 'forward.bbs', and archive a couple of older versions of this file.

/jnos/pollbbs

Some of my forwarding partners require that I poll their system to force them to send me bulletins. All such forwarding partners are listed in this file and this file is executed periodically via the JNOS "AT" command.


RUNNING THE BUILT IN WWW SERVER

I have elected not to run the HTTP JNOS server in my version of JNOS because it is not as efficient as the Apache software package I am already running on bbs.fwarig.org.


KEEPING THE SYSTEM RUNNING SMOOTH

I have supplied my system with a couple of scripts that run periodically to clean up various data files and to make sure my TNCs stay in kiss mode.

/jnos/cleanup

This script schedules itself to run again tomorrow at the same time, expires all BIDs in the '/jnos/spool/history' file, and forces JNOS to reindex all mail areas.

/jnos/kiss

This script sends appropriate commands to a TNC I use that tends to drop out of KISS mode on its own. It runs periodically every three hours to force the TNC back into KISS mode in case it has dropped out to standard AX.25 mode. (MFJ-1270C)


LEOGATE's ACTUAL CONFIGURATION FILES

The configuration files below are in use on the leogate.kf9ug.ampr.org system and reflect a typical Linux system that supports a direct connection to the Internet via a LAN connection as well as forwarding to other BBS's over the RF ports and the Internet. Some of the files have been edited to leave out sensitive personal information like logins, passwords, etc.

Unix /etc/inittab 9/18/98
File run by Unix on reboot that calls startnos

JNOS startup batch file: startnos 9/18/98
Called by /etc/inittab

autoexec.nos file 2/24/99
Called when system starts JNOS

hostname.nos file 9/18/98
Called by autoexec.nos to setup host specific information

onexit.nos file 9/18/98
Called when JNOS exits gracefully

cleanup file 9/18/98
Called as a command that is executed periodically via the "at" command as defined in the "autoexec.nos" file.

kiss file 9/18/98
Called as a command that is executed periodically via the "at" command as defined in the "autoexec.nos" file.

pollbbs file 9/18/98
Called as a command that is executed periodically via the "at" command as defined in the "autoexec.nos" file.

spool/areas file 2/24/99
Defines what public mail areas are available.

spool/expire.dat file 2/24/99
Defines when old messages should be purged from the mail areas.

spool/forward.bbs file 2/24/99
Defines what BBS's to forward messages as well as when and what mail areas to forward.

spool/holdlist file 2/24/99
Causes JNOS to hold all messages in the mail areas defined in this file for sysop review before releasing them.

spool/rewrite file 2/24/99
Defines complex addressing rules that tell JNOS what to do with incoming mail messages.

spool/translat file 2/24/99
Defines addressing rules that tell JNOS when to rewrite the FROM: address on received messages.

zipem file 9/18/98
PKZIPs forwarding files for others to download from the kf9ug.centralnet.net FTP site.


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accessed since September 18, 1998

Last updated May 23, 2000