Linux From Scratch - Version 7.3-rc1

Chapter 6. Installing Basic System Software

6.36. Inetutils-1.9.1

The Inetutils package contains programs for basic networking.

Approximate build time: 0.4 SBU
Required disk space: 27 MB

6.36.1. Installation of Inetutils

Fix an incompatibility between this package and Glibc-2.17 

sed -i -e '/gets is a/d' lib/stdio.in.h

Prepare Inetutils for compilation: 

./configure --prefix=/usr  \
    --libexecdir=/usr/sbin \
    --localstatedir=/var   \
    --disable-ifconfig     \
    --disable-logger       \
    --disable-syslogd      \
    --disable-whois        \
    --disable-servers

The meaning of the configure options:

--disable-ifconfig

This option prevents Inetutils from installing the ifconfig program, which can be used to configure network interfaces. LFS uses ip from IPRoute2 to perform this task.

--disable-logger

This option prevents Inetutils from installing the logger program, which is used by scripts to pass messages to the System Log Daemon. Do not install it because Util-linux installed a version earlier.

--disable-syslogd

This option prevents Inetutils from installing the System Log Daemon, which is installed with the Sysklogd package.

--disable-whois

This option disables the building of the Inetutils whois client, which is out of date. Instructions for a better whois client are in the BLFS book.

--disable-servers

This disables the installation of the various network servers included as part of the Inetutils package. These servers are deemed not appropriate in a basic LFS system. Some are insecure by nature and are only considered safe on trusted networks. More information can be found at http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/blfs/view/svn/basicnet/inetutils.html. Note that better replacements are available for many of these servers.

Compile the package: 

make

To test the results, issue: 

make check

Install the package: 

make install

Move some programs so they are available if /usr is not accessable: 

mv -v /usr/bin/{hostname,ping,ping6,traceroute} /bin

6.36.2. Contents of Inetutils

Installed programs: ftp, hostname, ping, ping6, rcp, rexec, rlogin, rsh, talk, telnet, tftp, and traceroute

Short Descriptions

ftp

Is the file transfer protocol program

hostname

Reports or sets the name of the host

ping

Sends echo-request packets and reports how long the replies take

ping6

A version of ping for IPv6 networks

rcp

Performs remote file copy

rexec

executes commands on a remote host

rlogin

Performs remote login

rsh

Runs a remote shell

talk

Is used to chat with another user

telnet

An interface to the TELNET protocol

tftp

A trivial file transfer program

traceroute

Traces the route your packets take from the host you are working on to another host on a network, showing all the intermediate hops (gateways) along the way