# Linux NIS server

## bart

All the machines in my network are now running Gentoo Linux. I turned the last one (the server, formaly running linux from scratch) last weekend to Gentoo. Everything is running fine, except the ypserver. Allways when I'm installing an ypserver I'm struggling a long time before it's working. After some hours freaking it is working normaly, but it is very poor documented in general. But on Gentoo I can't get it working.

The lasted version of ypserv is 2.3 (according to freshmeat update), but Gentoo is still working with the old version 1.3.12. Is there any reason for that? And why is yp-tools up-to-date than (version 2.6)?

Is there anybody out there who got Linux NIS working? I need it only for users/groups/passwds. All the other NIS posabilities are not interesting for me. Why is the NIS setup so hard?

An other question: Do I need NIS? Isn't there an other solution? The only thing I want is:

create some users on only ONE machine in the network, and letting that users login on all machines in the network. Is there anyting to do with LDAP? In theory I now something about LDAP, but I've no idea of using it in practice.

Oh, btw: before turning the server to Gentoo, NIS worked fine. So I'm sure the problem is the server, not the clients.

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## Nitro

 *bart wrote:*   

> An other question: Do I need NIS? Isn't there an other solution? The only thing I want is:
> 
> create some users on only ONE machine in the network, and letting that users login on all machines in the network. Is there anyting to do with LDAP? In theory I now something about LDAP, but I've no idea of using it in practice.

 

I have my computer acting as an LDAP server for a few computers.  All authentication is done remotely and works pretty good.

Check out:

http://www.padl.com/OSS/nss_ldap.html

http://www.padl.com/OSS/pam_ldap.html

Both are also included in portage.  :Smile: 

You will also need the MigrationTools to initally fill up your LDAP directory, get those here: http://www.padl.com/OSS/MigrationTools.html

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