UPDATE: A new client for linux (4.8.02.0030) is out. You no longer need the patch for 2.6.24+ kernel (vpnclient-linux-2.6.24-final.diff). However a patch for 64 bit systems is still required and the CFLAGS variable in Makefile must be changed to EXTRA_CFLAGS.
I assume that you have the latest version 4.8.01.0640 and the required packages for compiling.
If you install the original Cisco VPN client on Hardy you will receive the following error:
make -C /lib/modules/2.6.24-16-generic/build SUBDIRS=/home/lamnk/src/vpn/vpnclient modules
make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.24-16-generic’
scripts/Makefile.build:46: *** CFLAGS was changed in “/home/lamnk/src/vpn/vpnclient/Makefile”. Fix it to use EXTRA_CFLAGS. Stop.
make[1]: *** [_module_/home/lamnk/src/vpn/vpnclient] Error 2
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.24-16-generic’
make: *** [default] Error 2
As those lines point out, you need to edit the Makefile file in the vpnclient folder and change CFLAGS to EXTRA_CFLAGS: Change the following line in Makefile
CFLAGS += -mcmodel=kernel -mno-red-zone
to
EXTRA_CFLAGS += -mcmodel=kernel -mno-red-zone
then apply the 2 patches for kernel 2.6.24 and for 64 bit:
vpnclient_folder$ wget lamnk.com/vpnclient-linux-2.6.24-final.diff
vpnclient_folder$ wget lamnk.com/cisco_skbuff_offset.patch
vpnclient_folder$ patch < ./vpnclient-linux-2.6.24-final.diff
vpnclient_folder$ patch < ./cisco_skbuff_offset.patch
vpnclient_folder$ ./vpn_install
If your system is 32 bit then you only need to patch the vpnclient-linux-2.6.24-final.diff file.
The patch for 64 bit system is from Stephen Frost and the patch for kernel 2.6.24 is from Alexander Griesser. Seriously Cisco should pay those guys some money … If these patches help you then please consider donate them.
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Posted 17 May 2008
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Domain § VPN
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Tagged: 64bit, linux, ubuntu, VPN
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A recent attemp of Ebay to improve their system (i only know for Ebay Germany, but those policies would be applied worldwide IMO ):
- Items ranking in search result will depend on your feedback and shipping cost rating, who has better feedback will have better item ranking: Kudos to Ebay for this. I personally hate the people who charge 8€ for an item costs 10€. When I sell something I set my shipping cost 1€ over the price logistic companies charge me only to cover the package and handling cost.
- Seller who has negative feedback will be considered to restrict selling activities. This is absolutely a grayzone, as bogus buyers can threaten sellers with negative feedback or fun bidders can use this to revenge against sellers.
- Who want to be a “standard” seller is now forced to use paypal ! And the paypal fee applies ! WTF ! I see paypal is a convenient way to pay but the transaction fee really scare me off: 30 cent + 2.95% ( paypal ) + 8% ( ebay ) item value !!! The sum can be as high as 15% for small value items !
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Posted 29 April 2008
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Computer
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I just spent 3 hours just to look at this error of wordpress, trying to figure out why the hell wordpress can’t connect to mysql. Because i created the mysql user myself, there is definitely no reason i entered the wrong password. And the mysqld daemon did run fine as i could create user and databases from the command line.
Then i went to a conclusion that Wordpress may hate my box for some reason. Yes it’s a stupid idea but you never know … So i get another blogging script that i tempted to try for a long time: Chyrp. Chyrp is designed to be lightweight, the author states he aims to make as least mysql queries as possible. And it saved my day when the installation script throwed out a error that it cannot connect to the mysql.sock at /tmp .
From there it’s easy. Once you have the clue you can find the solution: a hardlink from /tmp to /var/lib/mysql/mysql.sock and bam! Wordpress fully loaded …
Really, i am starting to believe that Wordpress is going to be a “Windows” for blogging. Starting as an ubiquitous platform: everybody uses it and there is even a big ecosystem around. Then it grows so big that its core becomes a mess. Let see who will overcome Wordpress and be “Linux” on blogging software.
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Posted 28 April 2008
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Computer
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Tagged: database, mysql, wordpress
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In order to compile PHP successfully on 64 bit you need to use the option
--with-libdir=lib64
otherwise you will stay forever with the error
checking for MySQL support... yes
checking for specified location of the MySQL UNIX socket... no
checking for MySQL UNIX socket location... no
checking for mysql_close in -lmysqlclient... no
checking for mysql_error in -lmysqlclient... no
configure: error: mysql configure failed. Please check config.log for more information.
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Posted 03 April 2008
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Computer
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Tagged: 64-bit, mysql, php
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On some systems there is this problem with Cisco VPN service: cvpnd.exe must be excuted before you run the ipsecdialer.exe ( the GUI for the client ). But even if you start the service per hand in service.msc, it got killed in a few seconds after thus you can not run the client.
To work around this problem: Uninstall Cisco VPN in Windows Control Panel, then go to regedit and remove all the entries have Cisco term in them. Be careful, back up the registry with built-in export function of regedit first and do not delete somethings like “Franscisco”, ok ? Some entries can not be deleted, it’s normal, just F3 until you reach the end of the registry.
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Posted 19 March 2008
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VPN
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Tagged: cisco, VPN
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UPDATE: A new client for linux (4.8.02.0030) is out. You no longer need the patch for 2.6.24+ kernel on 32 bit systems. However a patch for 64 bit systems is still required. Please click on the link right below to see the howto for 64bit.
UPDATE: 64 bit systems are a bit more complicated, please see how to install Cisco VPN on Hardy Heron 8.04 64 bit
UPDATE: with 2.6.25 kernel this patch is still required (luckily)
OK it’s not breaking news anymore, but in case you confront these errrors:
make -C /lib/modules/2.6.24-ARCH/build SUBDIRS=/usr/src/vpnclient modules
make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-2.6.24-ARCH’
CC [M] /usr/src/vpnclient/linuxcniapi.o
In file included from /usr/src/vpnclient/Cniapi.h:15,
from /usr/src/vpnclient/linuxcniapi.c:31:
/usr/src/vpnclient/GenDefs.h:113: error: conflicting types for ‘uintptr_t’
include/linux/types.h:40: error: previous declaration of ‘uintptr_t’ was here
make[2]: *** [/usr/src/vpnclient/linuxcniapi.o] Error 1
make[1]: *** [_module_/usr/src/vpnclient] Error 2
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-2.6.24-ARCH’
make: *** [default] Error 2
Then you probably need a patch:
cd /path/to/the/vpnclient/folder
wget http://projects.tuxx-home.at/ciscovpn/patches/vpnclient-linux-2.6.24-final.diff
patch < ./vpnclient-linux-2.6.24-final.diff
This is due to a change in 2.6.4 kernel that the “init_net” symbol is now again exported using EXPORT_SYMBOL() instead of EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL()
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Posted 08 March 2008
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VPN
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Tagged: 2.6.24, cisco, kernel, linux, VPN
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I was playing around with Arch linux recently. It’s a minimalistic distro which lets you configure your system the way you want. Advatanges are booting time ( man it’s fast ), rolling release system so it doesn’t require you to install new release every 6 months like other distros, good package management tool alongside with the ports-like ABS to build things from source. Disadavantges are the time consuming configuration and you really need some linux knowledge, otherwise you will go back to Ubuntu someday :p
Back on topic, i rarely have any trouble compiling vpnc before, but this time it’s quite strange:
gcc -O3 -g -W -Wall -Wmissing-declarations -Wwrite-strings -DVERSION=\”0.5.1\” -c -o sysdep.o sysdep.c
In file included from config.h:27,
from sysdep.h:31,
from sysdep.c:71:
vpnc-debug.h:1: error: expected ‘=’, ‘,’, ‘;’, ‘asm’ or ‘__attribute__’ before ‘:’ token
vpnc-debug.h:16: warning: ’struct debug_strings’ declared inside parameter list
vpnc-debug.h:16: warning: its scope is only this definition or declaration, which is probably not what you want
vpnc-debug.h:18: error: array type has incomplete element type
vpnc-debug.h:19: error: array type has incomplete element type
….
vpnc-debug.h:20: error: array type has incomplete element type
Turn out that you just need to define the locale with “sudo locale-gen” after editing the /etc/locale ( the location may differ with other distros )
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Posted 08 March 2008
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VPN
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Tagged: compile, linux, vpnc
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The VPN connection on Vista drops after every 5-10 minutes idle times ( means no surfing or other net related activities ). Why ? Fuck me if i know. It doesn’t matter over wireless or LAN, wired connection breaks all the time too.
And the employees in uni are reporting disconnecting problem on XP with their home DSL … How could i fix it, given that i’ve never ever used a dsl line before ? Otherwise reproducing disconnecting problems is very time consuming and boring.
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Posted 27 February 2008
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VPN
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This is not mine. One day I stumpled upon Prof. Mankiw’s blog. He composed some very good writing guidelines for economic reports ( it should be applied for general writing as well ):
- Stay focused. Remember the take-away points you want the reader to remember. If some material is irrelevant to these points, it should probably be cut.
- Keep sentences short. Short words are better than long words. Monosyllabic words are best.
- The passive voice is avoided by good writers.
- Positive statements are more persuasive than normative statements.
- Use adverbs sparingly.
- Avoid jargon. Any word you don’t read regularly in a newspaper is suspect.
- Never make up your own acronyms.
- Avoid unnecessary words. For instance, in most cases, change
o “in order to” to “to”
o “whether or not” to “whether”
o “is equal to” to “equals”
- Avoid “of course, “clearly,” and “obviously.” Clearly, if something is obvious, that fact will, of course, be obvious to the reader.
- The word “very” is very often very unnecessary.
- Keep your writing self-contained. Frequent references to other works, or to things that have come before or will come later, can be distracting.
- Put details and digressions in footnotes. Then delete the footnotes.
- To mere mortals, a graphic metaphor, a compelling anecdote, or a striking fact is worth a thousand articles in Econometrica.
- Keep your writing personal. Remind readers how economics affects their lives.
- Remember two basic rules of economic usage:
o “Long run” (without a hyphen) is a noun. “Long-run” (with a hyphen) is an adjective. Same with “short(-)run.”
o “Saving” (without a terminal s) is a flow. “Savings” (with a terminal s) is a stock.
- Buy a copy of Strunk and White’s Elements of Style. Also, William Zinsser’s On Writing Well. Read them—again and again and again.
- Keep it simple. Think of your reader as being your college roommate who majored in English literature. Assume he has never taken an economics course, or if he did, he used the wrong textbook.
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Posted 23 February 2008
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Shine on you crazy diamond
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Tagged: writing
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I did a terrible mistake two days ago when tried to compile and install the glibc library. Of course the process failed and left me out of the cold without any option to restore back to previous state. Every commands in ssh except “cd” throwed back at me this:
relocation error: /lib/tls/libc.so.6: symbol _dl_out_of_memory, version GLIBC_PRIVATE not defined in file ld-linux.so.2 with link time reference
If I were on a dedicated server, there would be an option to reformat the disk, reinstall the os then restore the backed up databases & files (thank god i did do back up, not often but enough to save my ass some times). But that solution would take at least a day to complete: 12 hours for the support to reformat & reinstall OS plus the time you need to download the off-site backup and restoring them. And the latter is definitely not a pleasand experience.
So the fact that i’m on a VPS did save me this time: after a few click on the VPS control panel and a cup of coffe everything went back to normal. Not the state right before the glibc corrupt but 5 days before ( i should do backup more frequently ).
One of other strong points of a VPS is the scalability. No, i’m not talking about the scalability that Amazon AWS offers, it’s on a complete different level. I’m talking about the scale of the gap between a shared hosting environment and a dedicated hosting environment. The server can gradually grow with your site, although not instantly, and you can move your server image around if you want.
So what’s the point ? The point is: virtualization & cloud computing have unquestionably very bright future !
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Posted 19 February 2008
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Computer
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Tagged: virtualization, vps
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