piotrjwegrzyn / ug3si

Ultimate GNS3 server installer for Linux host machines

ug3si

Ultimate GNS3 server installer for Linux host machines (Ubuntu/Mint, Fedora and Arch/Manjaro).

Installation is based on QEMU-KVM virtualization and libvirt virtual network.

KVM is required to complete an installation.

All scripts are 'self-descriptive' so you can easily check and modify to run for your purpose.

Files

• install.sh – main script, defines runtime path and bridge interface name
• uninstall.sh $gns3path $gns3bridge – uninstall script; gets runtime path and bridge name
• toolssetup.sh – tools and programs installer
• networksetup.sh $gns3bridge – libvirt configuration script; gets bridge interface name
• gns3bridge.xml – virtual network bridge interface name (also name of bridge configuration file) for libvirt
• filessetup.sh $gns3path $gns3bridge – files setup (configures runtime location); gets runtime path and bridge interface name
• runtime.sh $gns3path $gns3bridge – runtime script; gets runtime path and bridge interface name
• wiresharkinstaller.sh – Wireshark installer (manual run)

Installation

IMPORTANT! – before installation you should adjust server capabilities (RAM, RAM+swap and CPU cores). To do that modify gns3mem, gns3maxmem and gns3cores values at beginning of runtime.sh

To install GNS3 server just run install.sh in terminal – script will automatically download required files from GNS3 repository, install and create menu shortcut.

In case you are asked if non-super users should be able to do something always choose "Yes".

Defaults and modifications

• Location: ~/.gns3runtime/ folder
• IP address: 10.10.10.10
• SSH username/password: gns3/gns3

To change default location edit file install.sh (it is defined at the beginning).

To modify IP address (what is not recommended) you have to modify gns3bridge.xml file (more about libvirt configuration files), determine which IP will be leased to GNS3 server and put it to runtime.sh (it is defined at the beginning).

Usage

To start GNS3 server open menu and find GNS3 Server shortcut. While starting it will configure virtual network environment and login via ssh to it (which is not necessary to cooperate with server). In case you have lost server window you can just relogin by SSH:

ssh [email protected]

After startup you can open GNS3 app and connect to "remote server" (Host: 10.10.10.10, Port: 80 TCP, Authentication: disabled).

Also, you can open browser and just type 10.10.10.10.

IMPORTANT! – server will work in a background until you shutdown it manually from server menu or reboot your host system.

Uninstall script

To remove server files and menu shortcut run:

uninstall.sh <RUNTIME_PATH>

Packages such as gns3-gui, bride-utils and others will not be uninstalled. You can find packages' names in toolssetup.sh if you want to uninstall them manually.

Additionals

To extend GNS3 functionalities you can install Wireshark (i.e. by using wiresharkinstaller.sh).

Moreover, to fasten login to server you can generate ssh-keys and paste it to ~/.ssh/authorized_keys on GNS3 server (by Shell in a server menu).