Iptstate on Knoppix 6.4.4 - not working

[vkrishn]

Hi Managed to install Iptstate in Debian-Lenny(installed), PuppyLinux(Live CD) and Debian-Squeeze(Live CD) without problem. I am unable to install/use it in Knoppix 6.4.4(Live DVD). The program starts but does not show any connection states. I installed Iptstate in running Live DVD by doing following: 1. sudo su 2. apt-get update 3. apt-get install Iptstate 4. Iptstate Regards. V.Krishn

[kl522]

Late reply. You need to load the conntrack modules prior to using iptstate.

   # modprobe nf_conntrack_ipv4
   # modprobe nf_conntrack ipv6

Bottomline there should be a /proc/net/ip_conntrack there. If not, the required kernel modules have not been loaded.

[vkrishn]

Late reply. You need to load the conntrack modules prior to using iptstate.

   # modprobe nf_conntrack_ipv4
   # modprobe nf_conntrack ipv6

Bottomline there should be a /proc/net/ip_conntrack there. If not, the required kernel modules have not been loaded.

root@Microknoppix:~# ll /proc/net/ip_conntrack 
-r--r----- 1 root root 0 Jul  4 05:05 /proc/net/ip_conntrack

Though this method works in Squeeze(Live CD) but I am still not able to make it work in Knoppix-6.4.4(DVD).

[kl522]

root@Microknoppix:~# ll /proc/net/ip_conntrack 
-r--r----- 1 root root 0 Jul  4 05:05 /proc/net/ip_conntrack

Though this method works in Squeeze(Live CD) but I am still not able to make it work in Knoppix-6.4.4(DVD).

There are two possibilities. Either there is something wrong with the version of iptstate loaded, or still there is some other kernel modules not loaded ( load all the netlink and conntrack modules!) . As I don't exactly use Knoppix-6.4.4 and my kernel is custom compiled, I can't have first hand experience on knoppix 6.4.4.

[kl522]

I can't have first hand experience on knoppix 6.4.4....

I tried it on knoppix 6.4.4 in a virtual machine and found this problem is a lot more interesting than I originally thought. Yes, basically I can confirm that I could repeat the same problem. More specifically, when I do a 'cat /proc/net/ip_conntrack' this is what I get :-

     # cat /proc/net/ip_conntrack
cat /proc/net/ip_conntrack: no more space on device

A check on similar error message on the net revealed this post :-

https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?pid=890384

Basically it says kernel 2.6.37 is broken in nf_conntrack. I don't know whether to believe it or not, it is a very serious claim, or perhaps it is fixed in the subversion 2.6.37.X, but if this is true, it renders Knoppix 6.4.4 hopeless for any serious networking/iptables/conntrack applications.

[vkrishn]

Basically it says kernel 2.6.37 is broken in nf_conntrack. I don't know whether to believe it or not, it is a very serious claim, or perhaps it is fixed in the subversion 2.6.37.X, but if this is true, it renders Knoppix 6.4.4 hopeless for any serious networking/iptables/conntrack applications.

Well I am able to get realtime event log by doing:

 root@Microknoppix:~# conntrack -E

Not sure, maybe iptstate is incompatible with knoppix 6.4.4.
Would try to run on older knoppix version.

[kl522]

There is indeed a kernel bug for 2.6.37. Read this kernel bug report :-

https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=28862

I read in some other posts that kernel version 2.6.37.5 has got this fixed - vaguely - as I am not dwelling into the details.

Recompiling the kernel is not everybody's cup of tea. Either use a lower kernel version or a newer one. Perhaps consider using Knoppix 6.4.3 or Knoppix 6.5 if you could find it.

Cheers.

[vkrishn]

Hope 6.5 gets out for downloading sooner.
By the way does 6.5 have a newer kernel or new apps addition and app updates only?

[Werner P. Schulz]

... it seems Knoppix 6.5.1 will have 2.6.39.2

[kl522]

Hope 6.5 gets out for downloading sooner.

It won't happen because 6.5 is packaged with some Linux magazine. But if you look hard enough you might find someone putting it on p2p download.

By the way does 6.5 have a newer kernel or new apps addition and app updates only?

I have never tried it but my guess, it is probably using kernel 2.6.38. Eventually one should know how to compile the his own kernel, then one is not held at the mercy of a particular bug of a kernel version. Recently Klaus K released some debian packages to allow one to (slightly more easily) compile kernel 2.6.39 for Knoppix.