this document.
- ++++ SOME NOTES ON THE TFTP SERVER ++++
+ ++++ SETTING UP THE TFTP SERVER ++++
PXELINUX currently requires that the boot server has a TFTP server
which supports the "tsize" TFTP option (RFC 1784/RFC 2349). The
++++ SETTING UP THE DHCP SERVER ++++
The PXE protocol uses a very complex set of extensions to DHCP or
-BOOTP. The best is probably to set up a "PXE boot server" on port
-4011 of your TFTP server; a free PXE boot server is available at:
+BOOTP. However, most PXE implementations -- this includes all Intel
+ones version 0.99n and later -- seem to be able to boot in a
+"conventional" DHCP/TFTP configuration. Assuming you don't have to
+support any very old or otherwise severely broken clients, this is
+probably the best configuration unless you already have a PXE boot
+server on your network.
- http://www.kano.org.uk/projects/pxe/
-
-With such a boot server defined, you should be able to use the
-following DHCP set up, using ISC dhcp 2.0 dhcpd.conf syntax:
+A sample DHCP setup, using the "conventional TFTP" configuration,
+would look something like the following, using ISC dhcp 2.0 dhcpd.conf
+syntax:
allow booting;
allow bootp;
- # PXE-specific configuration directives...
-
- option dhcp-class-identifier "PXEClient";
- next-server <pxe-boot-server>;
-
# Standard configuration directives...
option domain-name "<domain name>";
option domain-name-servers <dns servers>;
option routers <default router>;
- # Skip everything below if you want to use dynamic IP
- # address assignment
- host <hostname> {
- hardware ethernet <ethernet address>;
- fixed-address <hostname>;
- }
+ # Group the PXE bootable hosts together
+ group {
+ # PXE-specific configuration directives...
+ next-server <TFTP server address>;
+ # You need an entry like this for every host
+ # unless you're using dynamic addresses
+ host <hostname> {
+ hardware ethernet <ethernet address>;
+ fixed-address <hostname>;
+ }
+ }
-Some PXE implementations can be coaxed to operate with a normal DHCP
-server; unfortunately so far no "magic bullet" which works with all
-PXE implementations work.
+If this does not work for your configuration, you probably should set
+up a "PXE boot server" on port 4011 of your TFTP server; a free PXE
+boot server is available at:
-The best one currently known, using ISC dhcp 2.0 dhcpd.conf syntax:
+ http://www.kano.org.uk/projects/pxe/
+
+With such a boot server defined, your DHCP configuration should look
+the same except for an "option dhcp-class-identifier":
allow booting;
allow bootp;
- # PXE-specific configuration directives...
+ # Standard configuration directives...
+
+ option domain-name "<domain name>";
+ option subnet-mask <subnet mask>;
+ option broadcast-address <broadcast address>;
+ option domain-name-servers <dns servers>;
+ option routers <default router>;
+
+ # Group the PXE bootable hosts together
+ group {
+ # PXE-specific configuration directives...
+ option dhcp-class-identifier "PXEClient";
+ next-server <pxe boot server address>;
+
+ # You need an entry like this for every host
+ # unless you're using dynamic addresses
+ host <hostname> {
+ hardware ethernet <ethernet address>;
+ fixed-address <hostname>;
+ }
+ }
+
+If the "conventional TFTP" configuration doesn't work on your clients,
+and setting up a PXE boot server is not an option, you can attempt the
+following configuration. It has been known to boot some
+configurations correctly; however, there are no guarantees:
- filename "/tftpboot/pxelinux.0" ;
- option dhcp-class-identifier "PXEClient";
- option vendor-encapsulated-options 09:0f:80:00:0c:4e:65:74:77:6f:72:6b:20:62:6f:6f:74:0a:07:00:50:72:6f:6d:70:74:06:01:02:08:03:80:00:00:47:04:80:00:00:00:ff;
- next-server <TFTP-server>;
- # server-identifier <TFTP-server>; # Illegal! See below
+ allow booting;
+ allow bootp;
# Standard configuration directives...
- # Same as above
-However, some PXE implementations will only work this way if the
-"dhcp-class-identifier" and "vendor-encapsulated-options" are *not*
-present. Intel Boot Client 3.0 and later are known to fall into this
-category. Arguably, that would have been the right thing from the
-beginning.
+ option domain-name "<domain name>";
+ option subnet-mask <subnet mask>;
+ option broadcast-address <broadcast address>;
+ option domain-name-servers <dns servers>;
+ option routers <default router>;
+
+ # Group the PXE bootable hosts together
+ group {
+ # PXE-specific configuration directives...
+ option dhcp-class-identifier "PXEClient";
+ option vendor-encapsulated-options 09:0f:80:00:0c:4e:65:74:77:6f:72:6b:20:62:6f:6f:74:0a:07:00:50:72:6f:6d:70:74:06:01:02:08:03:80:00:00:47:04:80:00:00:00:ff;
+ next-server <TFTP server>;
+
+ # You need an entry like this for every host
+ # unless you're using dynamic addresses
+ host <hostname> {
+ hardware ethernet <ethernet address>;
+ fixed-address <hostname>;
+ }
+ }
+
+Note that this *will not* boot some clients that *will* boot with the
+"conventional TFTP" configuration; Intel Boot Client 3.0 and later are
+known to fall into this category.
Note that if your particular TFTP daemon runs under chroot (tftp-hpa
will do this if you specify the -s (secure) option; this is
recommended), you most likely should not include the /tftpboot prefix.
-If the DHCP and TFTP servers are not on the same machine, you are
-supposed to set up a PXE boot server (see above) on port 4011 on the
-TFTP server; the "PXE boot server" is basically a modified DHCP server
-on a nonstandard port. If this is not possible, you can try adding
-the directive "server-identifier <TFTP-server>;" Unfortunately this is
-a violation of DHCP protocol, but some PXE implementations do not
-accept the next-server directive without it or the "boot server".
-
-I have successfully booted an Intel N440BX ("Nightshade") motherboard
-with onboard Ethernet and "Intel LANDesk(R) Service Agent II version
-0.99c" (derived from the Intel PXE PDK V2.0) and the Intel PRO/100+
-Management Adapter "Boot agent 2.6 (build 071)" (derived from the
-Intel PXE PDK V3.0 bld 071) using the configuration above and ISC
-dhcpd 2.0.
-
++++ SOME NOTES ++++
luck of trying to boot at the same time the TFTP server goes down.
- ++++ PXELINUX IS STILL BETA ++++
-
-PXELINUX is still very much beta; however, I'd be interested in
-hearing about any experiences you might have with it, good or bad. If
-you have any comments, please use the SYSLINUX mailing list mentioned
-at the end of syslinux.doc. Thanks!
+ ++++ CURRENTLY KNOWN PROBLEMS ++++
-Currently known problems:
+The following problems are known with PXELINUX, so far:
+ Requires a TFTP server which supports the "tsize" option.
+ The error recovery routine doesn't work quite right. For right now,
entry loop, so that we answer ARP requests.
+ Boot sectors don't work yet... they probably need auxilliary information
(such as device) to work at all.
-* No way to chain-load onto a hard disk.
+
+If you have additional problems, please contact the SYSLINUX mailing
+list (see syslinux.doc for the address.)
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