make dnsmasq work with NM for Mesh as a portal

[dgilmore]

NetworkManager pulls in dhcpd for XO as a mesh portal, which is currently turned off.

For update.2 we would like to turn it on and use dnsmasq which is much lighter.

We need to get it configured and setup right to work.

[bemasc]

In 802.11s, there are mesh nodes, mesh portals (MPP), and also mesh access points (MAP). A mesh access point is the inverse of a mesh portal. It provides non-mesh wireless devices (like normal laptops) with an access point into the mesh, and potentially an internet connection, if the mesh also has a mesh portal.

Mesh access points could be useful. Once mesh portals are working, we should see how much more work they would require.

[carrano]

Replying to bemasc:

In 802.11s, there are mesh nodes, mesh portals (MPP), and also mesh access points (MAP). A mesh access point is the inverse of a mesh portal. It provides non-mesh wireless devices (like normal laptops) with an access point into the mesh, and potentially an internet connection, if the mesh also has a mesh portal. Mesh access points could be useful. Once mesh portals are working, we should see how much more work they would require.

I believe MAPs would need RA-OLSR (or similar) and a whole bunch of new frame formats to be implemented.

Anyway, I am not sure this feature belongs to this ticket...

[carrano]

Mbletsas asked me to test dnsmasq in an MPP.

And it works fine.

Memory fingerprint is only 2MB, against 12MB of ISC DHCPd.

I am adapting mpp.py to work with dnsmasq. Will post it here soon.

[mbletsas]

MPP script that uses dnsmasq instead of ISC dhcpd

[carrano]

The script attached can be invoked directly:

sudo python mpp.py msh0 meshready eth0

or 'meshdown' to stop the MPP.

Note: It will output an error message for the module ip_conntrack (exactly like the dhcpd version did). But it works fine.

[carrano]

For the script to work as a NM dispatcher it should be renamed mpp.py, put in /etc/NetworkManager/dispatcher.d and made it executable.

To test it, you can put "xo-mpp" in the /etc/NetworkManager/mesh-start to get the XOs a chance to find the MPP. But if you have no networks.cfg and there is no school server around it will also work.

[mbletsas]

Please replace /etc/NetworkManager/dispatcher.d/mpp-DISABLED.py with the script attached in this ticket for 8.2.1

[mstone]

Michailis -- per the criteria for approval for release, could you please supply appropriate testcases and changelog entries for this change? Thanks very much!

[carrano]

replace mpp-dnsmasq.py with this one (have no permissions to overwrite)

[cjb]

mpp.py lives in the root of the NetworkManager src rpm, so this change involves updating that file and rebuilding, and then modifying pilgrim to mark the script executable rather than disabling it.

Ed/Kim, can someone confirm that this (moving MPP from off by default to on by default) is an accepted ECO for 8.2.1, and that it's okay to include it without a test plan having been provided?

[mbletsas]

Replying to cjb:

mpp.py lives in the root of the NetworkManager src rpm, so this change involves updating that file and rebuilding, and then modifying pilgrim to mark the script executable rather than disabling it. Ed/Kim, can someone confirm that this (moving MPP from off by default to on by default) is an accepted ECO for 8.2.1, and that it's okay to include it without a test plan having been provided?

As far as I am concerned, the script can be remain disabled. It just needs to be updated so that it can be enabled! So no pilgrim modifications required, just put the correct version of the script in the build!

If it takes us that long to do something that simple, we should all pack and go home now!!!!!!

[cjb]

Oh! Okay, I misunderstood and thought we were turning it on.

Just an NM update, then, no testing required.

[cjb]

I've built this in OLPC-3 now. For whoever turns the crank on the build, please make sure to get:

* Wed Dec 10 2008 Chris Ball <cjb@laptop.org> - 1:0.6.5-0.12.svn3248
- OLPC #6028: update to mpp.py from Ricardo Carrano.

It's my first time rebuilding NetworkManager, so punt this ticket back to me for a sanity-check once it's in a build. Thanks!

[cscott]

cjb: please add this to yr public_rpms/staging. If this work needs to be forward-ported to 9.1, you should also include appropriate RPMs in public_rpms/joyride.

[cjb]

Scott -- it's tagged in olpc3. I thought that would be enough to have pilgrim grab it for the next olpc3-based build automatically?

[cjb]

Okay, done.

[cscott]

In staging-5, please test.

[mstone]

I have confirmed that the mpp-DISABLED.py in staging-7 matches the "mpp-dnsmasq2.py" provided by Ricardo (plus the "sys.exit(0)" inserted by pilgrim).

[dsd]

We aren't supporting/shipping MPP any more.