Subtitle: How to install Avahi

Version and revision: V1.4 / R 0.2.

For Nethserver 6.6 and above.

Accessible to: Novice / Beginner

Date of presentation: Released on 2015-09-20

Description: The Avahi mDNS/DNS-SD daemon implements Apple's Zeroconf architecture (also known as “Rendezvous” or “Bonjour”). The daemon registers local IP addresses and static services using mDNS/DNS-SD and provides two IPC APIs for local programs to make use of the mDNS record cache the avahi-daemon maintains. First there is the so called “simple protocol” which is used exclusively by avahi-dnsconfd (a daemon which configures unicast DNS servers using server info published via mDNS) and nss-mdns (a libc NSS plugin, providing name resolution via mDNS). Finally there is the D-Bus interface which provides a rich object oriented interface to D-Bus enabled applications.

First method:

In the Nethserver repositories, strangely, the avahi package is available in the webgui only installing CUPS!?! So I went to the CLI way, connecting in ssh on the Nethserver and made:

#yum install avahi

After installation, we must edit avahi-daemon.conf

#vi /etc/avahi/avahi-daemon.conf

[server]
host-name=microserver               # the server name
domain-name=xxxxxx-online.lan  # the domain name for Zeroconf       
browse-domains=local                 # to restrict to the local search
use-ipv4=yes                                # to enable ipv4 only
use-ipv6=no
allow-interfaces=eth1, eth2          # to listen to the two green subnet
deny-interfaces=eth0                    # to disable listen on the RED

[wide-area]
enable-wide-area=yes

[publish]
disable-publishing=no
disable-user-service-publishing=no
add-service-cookie=no
publish-addresses=yes
publish-hinfo=yes
publish-workstation=yes
publish-domain=yes
publish-dns-servers=192.168.1.70, 192.168.2.70  # the 2 DNS servers on each green subnet
publish-resolv-conf-dns-servers=yes

Let enable and start the service

# chkconfig avahi-daemon on
# service avahi-daemon start

Only after this configuration, the Airport utility was able to detect the Time Capsule on the network, and the Time Machine backup was possible.

Second method:

Connecting in ssh on the Nethserver and make:

#yum install nethserver-avahi

It will install avahi and configure the daemon on Nethserver to listen all the LANs except the Red one.