Netbooting Mac Links from Head Page:
[NB-OS-X-]
[Problems]
[Analysis]
[Mimicry-]
[A-How-To]
[Security]

Webspace Sponsored by:

This is a form to allow you to enter in your unique network information to provide an example dhcpd.conf entry for a single Network Booting Mac.

Data conversion functions (strings to hex, decimal to hex, etc.) provided here by Andru Luvisi. HTML, integration of functions, protocol analysis, hypothisis, and presentation provided by ME.

This is very beta.It would be a good idea to stick with the defaults and only change what you need...

Description Data Example/Info/Misc.Related
Unique Identifier for this host (IE:Name in DNS) : mac-nc01 This should be a unique identifier for each network machine specified in a dhcpd.conf file.
Client HW Address: 00:00:00:00:00:00 -- 6 Hexadecimal values that identify one ethernet adapter from all others. For a MacOS 8.x Mac: Control Panel = > TCP/IP and choose get info. Locate Hardware Address with its 6 hex values.
Client IP: . . . 192.168.1.50 -- 4 decimal values range: 0-255 for each. You will need to communicate with your network administrator to get a block of addresses to serve to your net booting machines. This is a sample IP address for use with private networks. In most cases, this sample IP will not work for you.
Machine-Name(AFP): Mac NC #n such that each client has a unique number to ID it. In Mac OS X this starts with Mac NC #1 and as new clients are added, the number increases to Mac NC #2 then 3 and 4...
Username(AFP): For Mac OS X this is the same as the Machine Name and the Machine Name Directory (see below.) In Mac OS X this starts with Mac NC #1 and as new clients are added, the number increases to Mac NC #2 then 3 and 4...
Password(AFP): You can always use a bogus one now, and change it on your machine later! 8 characters in plain text form: PaSsWooD
BootROM File(TFTP): full and complete path to TFTP server's file for Mac Boot ROM.
TFTP Server IP: . . . IP Address of the TFTP server from which to get the BootROM file
Server Version:(TFTP): < --- Choose this field as TEXT if you want to type 4 ASCII values. Choose HEX if you want to enter in 4 hexadecimal values that are colon delimited. Hex example: '0:0:0:0' Text Example: '3.0' or '3.03' (Max Size 4 hex values, or 4 characters if text. (The sniffer logs show this as 4 null. Change it if you want.)
AFPIP Server IP(Boot HD Image): . . . AFP IP Server's IP address that has a Boot HD Image. In Mac OS X this server is the same for all of the rest of the AFPIP Server IP addresses.You may want to change for load balancing...
AFPIP Server IP Port This is the port number in decimal that your would have your AppleShare over IP service running on your server. The default is port 548. (Thanks to Harry Johnston for pointing out to me 2:24 was the default ASIP port number, 548d.)
AFPIP Server Volume Name(Boot HD Image): Volume name to connect to find files and dirs on AFPIP server. For example: If you shared a folder called "Share" from a Mac, it would appear as a volume to mount when you connected to that mac through the chooser with proper authentication. After "mounting" the network volume, you would be able to see all of the files and folders contained in that network volume.
AFPIP Server Directory(Boot HD Image): This is the directory that contains (among other things) the NetBoot HD.img file for Mac OS X Net Booting, or whatever you specify in the next bit of data...
AFPIP Server File(Boot HD Image): This is the exact name of the First Hard Drive image file stored on the server for booting. It is this image file that is used to start the booting for the system. With Mac OS X it is this image that is specially linked to from the ClientImages directory when a client connects for the first time.(It appears as though this file is linked in such a way in the Machine Name Dir (see below) contains only the differences from this image file so as to conserve disk space.)
AFPIP Server IP(Applications HD Image): . . . AFP IP Server's IP address that has a Boot HD Image. In Mac OS X this server is the same for all of the rest of the AFPIP Server IP addresses.You may want to change for load balancing...
AFPIP Server IP Port This is the port number in decimal that your would have your AppleShare over IP service running on your server. The default is port 548. (Thanks to Harry Johnston for pointing out to me 2:24 was the default ASIP port number, 548d.)
AFPIP Server Volume Name(Applications HD Image): Volume name to connect to find files and dirs on AFPIP server. For example: If you shared a folder called "Share" from a Mac, it would appear as a volume to mount when you connected to that mac through the chooser with proper authentication. After "mounting" the network volume, you would be able to see all of the files and folders contained in that network volume.
AFPIP Server Directory(Applications HD Image): This is the directory that contains (among other things) the Applications HD.img file for Mac OS X Net Booting, or whatever you specify in the next bit of data...
AFPIP Server File(Applications HD Image): This is the exact name of the Second Hard Drive image file stored on the server for booting. It is this image file (Applications HD.img by default) that has stored application that can be run from locked volumes by networked computers. With Mac OS X, all clients share this single Applications file. If you are creative, you can have the same Mac OS X Server server different Application images by changing this for each client, and telling them to use a different image for applications.
AFPIP Server IP(Client's own HD Image): . . . AFP IP Server's IP address that has a Boot HD Image. In Mac OS X this server is the same for all of the rest of the AFPIP Server IP addresses.You may want to change for load balancing...
AFPIP Server IP Port This is the port number in decimal that your would have your AppleShare over IP service running on your server. The default is port 548. (Thanks to Harry Johnston for pointing out to me 2:24 was the default ASIP port number, 548d.)
AFPIP Server Volume Name(Client's own HD Image): Volume name to connect to find files and dirs on AFPIP server. For example: If you shared a folder called "Share" from a Mac, it would appear as a volume to mount when you connected to that mac through the chooser with proper authentication. After "mounting" the network volume, you would be able to see all of the files and folders contained in that network volume.
AFPIP Server Directory(Client's own HD Image): This is the directory that contains (among other things) the folder for Mac OS X NetBoot Server identified in the Machine Name Directory(AFP) field, or above in the Machine-Name(AFP) field. File for Mac OS X Net Booting Server all of these are the same as is the Username field above.
Machine Name Directory(AFP): Normally, I believe that this is just taken from the Machine Name(AFP) from above since in the sniffer log this is the same as that and Username(AFP) from above.It is included here in case you desire to have all three different for some reason.
AFPIP Server File(Client's own HD Image): This is the exact name of the Third Hard Drive image file stored on the server for booting. It is this image file (NetBoot HD.img_s by default) that may be mounted over, or in exchange with the NetBoot HD.img from above. I believe this image is not a complete image, but the Mac OS X server internally keep only the modifications made as differences in this file and serves it as a complete image transparently to the client. (Just a guess.) Though the original NetBoot HD.img and Applications HD.imgfiles are stored on a locked network volume and are readable but not writable by the network mac user (User-Name(AFP)) the file NetBoot HD.img_s is owned by the user Username(AFP) and is writable by the user Username(AFP). If this is not writable by the client, i fear bad thingwould happen to the mac clients during boot, or run time.
Submit button:
Give you a dhcpd.conf entry based on the information you provide.

[Designed for use with LYNX!]

[Simple Network Analysis for Mac OS X Net Boot Server]
[Protocols:]
[--TCP/IP--]
[-DHCP/BOOTP-]
[----TFTP----]
[--AFP/FS/IP--]
[Authenticate-]
[Link-Info:]
[--Linux---]
[ DHCP v 2.0 ]
[RelatedLinks]
[Netatalk+asun]
[AppleMac-OS-X]
[Some-RFCs:]
[IP-RFC:791]
[ICMP-RFC:792]
[TCP--RFC:792]
[UDP---RFC:768]
[DHCP-Vend.Ext]
[Some-RFCs:]
[BootP-:OLD]
[BootP-N:1533]
[BootPEx:1542]
[SNTP-RFC:2030]
[ResrvdIP:1918]
Main Links From Head Page:
[NB-OS-X-]
[Problems]
[Analysis]
[Mimicry-]
[A-How-To]
[Security]
Comments and/or suggestions?: Email me at: dugan@passwall.com(Realize that I am very busy, and may not have time to respond to all E-mail messages. If you include NETBOOT MACNC (all Caps) as beginning it is more likely to get my attention... ;-)
DISCLAIMER:With the understandings for the use of a tool comes the responsibility in knowing how to use it without causing damage or harm. A tool can be used for good or evil, and you are responsible for your choice and the consequences of that choice in the use of any tool at your disposal.
I do not claim this to be free of bugs or defects, and you use this at your own risk.
I take no responsibility for any user's actions or inactions in following or not following any part or whole of any suggestions found on this page. If any user finds a loss of data, destruction of hardware, Alien Cattle mutilations, sightings of Elvis (ghost or body), loss of sanity, loss of insanity, worldly possessions, or non-worldly possessions as a result of following in part, or in whole any of the preceding or proceeding information, they assume any risks or responsibilities in whole for their decision(s). So, if you break something with one of your decisions that was in part or whole derived from information on this page, do not blame me or find me responsible or accountable for it in any way.
There should be no charge requested from me to you for this information, and so if you decide that you want any money back for deciding later that you did not really want this information after all, you will need to take that up with the person that charged you money. I will not offer you any compensation for your purchase since I was never compensated by you.`
It should be restated that *you* take all of the risks, and assume all of the responsibility for following, in part or in whole any information obtained from this document. I do not care if your dog continuously barks at you, or the sky becomes too blue, or nuclear war breaks out as a result of you following any of this information. It will all be your fault since you assume all of the risks, so neeener, neeener-neeeener. :-P
(C)1999,2000,2001,2002,2003,2004 By Michael Egan extended to all works not explicitly credited to other people within these documents. Permission to duplicate content on these pages not explicitly credited to others is granted so long as you give me credit for the work I have contributed and links are provided to refer to this original site if it is still available. I cannot extend permission to you to re-re-publish quoted words from people who have submitted solutions, posed questions or added clarification. If you wish to use their content, you should contact each person for permission to re-re-publish their included comments. (I have retained their permission, but never asked to extend it for others.)
(C)1999,2000,2001,2002,2003,2004 By respective noted authors/admins for included questions or answers. Permission to publish their comments granted to me for this website. I cannot grant permission for you to duplicate their work as I am not in control of any copyrights they may retain. (I expect, most would be fine with allowing their content to be republished, but I cannot speak for them.)
Apple Computers is a registered trademark of Apple computers.
Macintosh OS X, Macintosh OS 8, Mac OS X, Mac OS 8, Mac OS 9 All refer to Operating Systems created and controlled by Apple Computers. (No disk image files for net booting, or other proprietary programs legally controlled by Apple are available for download from this collection of pages made by me. No links are knowingly created on these pages that direct users to other pages that offer copyrighted software being distributed illegally. If you find a link on pages with this diclaimer that take you to a site that offers software that is illegally offered, feel free to let me know so that I may update my links to not include them.)
Other mentioned systems and products may be owned, patented, copyrighted, trademarked, or in some way legally controlled by their respective owners.
This information is provided with intent to inform users of protocols, procedures used in Net Booting a Macintosh Client, and solutions to the problems defined in this document.
If you have complaint about content provided, and wish to have trademark, copyright, patent, or other legal information explicitly provided here where a product you produce is listed, or have other complaints about this that may be legal, let me know before calling your lawyer: I am flexible.