NIST

How to install the NIST Net emulation package, version 2.0.5

Note: These install instructions are for version 2.0.5. If you choose instead the 1.3bis version, follow the (very slighly different) instructions included with it.

  1. Prerequisites: NIST Net version 2.0.5 requires a Linux 2.0.xx (2.0.27 - 2.0.38) or 2.2.xx (2.2.5 - 2.2.17) level kernel. It should compile with either "linux" libc headers or "glibc" libc headers, with the proviso that of course kernel files can't be compiled with glibc headers.
    (Note: it does not install as is on the new 2.4 prelease kernel. This will be addressed in an upcoming release. It may or may not install on 2.1.xx and 2.3.xx kernels; you're on your own if you want to try that.)
  2. Click here to get the NIST Net source package, version 2.0.5. (The binary version won't be available until the "modularized" 2.0.6 version comes out.) The source comes in a gzipped tar file, nistnet.tar.gz.
  3. tar -xvzf nistnet.tar.gz - produces a directory nistnet and a bunch of files in it. That is the directory referred to as nistnet below.
  4. Before you try to install NIST Net, first make sure you can build and install usable kernels:
    cd /usr/src/linux
    make config (or menuconfig/xconfig)
    - answer questions appropriately*
    make
    - check for errors (complain to your Linux guru if there are any!)
    make modules
    make install
    make modules_install
    reboot
    - make sure new kernel boots properly
    * "Appropriately" includes in particular checking "yes" to "Enable loadable module support." (This is almost certainly already checked "yes" by default.)
  5. Install the fast timer kernel patches:
    If you have installed previous versions of NIST Net, run
    ./Update.Kernel
    - to update timer patches to get the current versions
    If you haven't installed it before, run:
    ./Patch.Kernel
    - to install all the kernel patches
    (Make sure the patches install correctly! Messages like "offset 2 lines" or "with fuzz 2" are ok; but things like "Hunk 1 FAILED" or "misordered hunks" are not. If some of the patches fail, your kernel is pretty much guaranteed not to work. Before you worry too much, the patches shouldn't fail, unless you've made other kernel modifications which somehow confused things. If you've managed to do that, you ought to be able to figure out how to fix things too....)
  6. Now, configure and build the patched kernel:
    cd /usr/src/linux
    make config (or menuconfig/xconfig)
    - say "y" to CONFIG_FAST_TIMER (at end, under "kernel hacks")*
    make dep
    make install
    - You may want to save a previous kernel version for failsafe; then reboot and make sure things work.
    * Note: CONFIG_REPACK has been eliminated, for those of you who have installed NIST Net before.
  7. Check the configuration and create the appropriate Makefile:
    cd nistnet
    edit Imakefile
    - Decide whether or not you want support for explicit congestion notification processing. If not, remove the -DCONFIG_ECN from the Makefile. If you do want it, you need do nothing. Also, decide whether you want COS (class of service) selection support. If so, uncomment -DCONFIG_COS.
    cd nistnet/monitor
    edit Imakefile
    - may want to use an alternative to the Xaw3d widget set.
    - Tested with Athena Xaw, Xaw3d, and neXtaw
    xmkmf -a
    - creates customized Makefiles.
    (Note: you *must* run xmkmf, even if you don't change the Imakefile! That's because I'm using XFree86 4.0.1, and you almost certainly are not. So you'll have to regenerate the Makefiles.)
  8. Build and install the nistnet module, API library, and user interface
    cd nistnet
    make
    make install
  9. Try things out:
    insmod nistnet
    - loads "nistnet" emulator module into kernel
    xnistnet
    - runs (X-based) user interface
    cnistnet -h
    - usage info for command-line interface
    insmod mungemod
    - loads "mungebox," a sample emulator add-on
    mungebox -u -a src dest -S
    - view traffic between src and dest
    insmod nistspy
    - loads "nistspy" sample add-on (note: only one add-on can be installed at a time)
    nistspy -u -a src port dest port newdest newport
    - duplicate traffic to newdest/port
  10. To turn off:
    cnistnet -d or "off" button in xnistnet
    - turns off emulator
    nistspy -d
    - turn off duplicator
    (mungebox shuts itself off automatically)
    rmmod mungemod (or nistspy)
    - removes add-on module (must be done before removing nistnet)
    rmmod nistnet
    - removes module from kernel
  11. If you want to try congestion notification, ping.tar has source for a modified version of ping which allows setting and checking the ECN bits. To build it, you need a copy of netkit-base-0.10, available from SunSite (www.sunsite.unc.edu) Walnut Creek (www.cdrom.com) and many other fine sites. Get it and configure it, then overlay the ping code in it with the source here.
    This level of testing just shows the bits being set, of course. Things are more interesting if you have an implementation of TCP with ECN to test with. (This is available in the latest versions of Linux, for example.)
  12. For more usage information, check the README.WhatsNew file found in the top-level nistnet directory.

Comments? Questions? Let us know at nistnet-dev@antd.nist.gov.
[ NIST Net Home Page] [Installing NISTNet] [Using NISTNet] [NISTNet FAQ]