Netbook Linux Distro Choice

[dimz]

I am rather new to this whole game. I really have only played around with open suse and ubuntu. Point at hand, I recently grabbed myself a netbook and was curious as to what would be a better choice of install - Ubuntu or Backtrack 4 -. I am interested in getting into security pen. I don't know that much as it stands and have gone onto a few different forums and browsed google for some answers on this question. I would really like to use backtrack but from what people are saying that the os has alot of tools that a newbie would not use and or no what to do with and that it is a bit more klunky as a main os as in hardware compatibility. So should I just go with Ubuntu? Or have a been mislead. I can always just do ubuntu and use backtrack on live. Idk, like I said I am still a beginner so if I have to do some serious tweaking to get hardware to be compatible under backtrack than it might not be my best choice right now. The netbook is just a basic Asus Eee.

Sorry if this seems like a small and unworthy question. :o

[digip]

For security, BackTrack, hands down. Enough tools to get started, and most likely compatibility will be fine. uBuntu is fine as an OS, but do you want to have to track down all the needed tools, dependencies, compile and install those not in a normal apt-get repository, etc, etc.

Any questions about compatibility, check out their site: http://www.backtrack-linux.org/

Most issues you will see are wireless related, but often everything else will work fine. Also a lot of it is human error or inexperience, so if you don't already play with linux, BackTrack is as good as any place to learn it, and if you do, then you should be right at home.

Edited July 27, 2010 by digip

[dimz]

Thanks alot of the quick response. I will for sure be going with backtrack. I have only played around somewhat so in the near future if setting up my wifi proves to be to great of a issue to tackle on my own and with the help of a little google / backtrack site searching then you might here from me again. Thanks once more :P.

[dimz]

Okay so I did run into what seems to be a odd problem that I cannot find any info online for.

I am installing from a pendrive on a ausus eee. Everything is fine except for after I get to the partition option. I choose use the whole drive option and that works no problem. The problem is that it just goes straight to installation after. The os installs fine but never gives me the option to make a username/pass??? I noticed on the videos for installing backtrack 4 on a netbook that the screen for this option will be the Who are you screen that pops up right after partitioning, well, no such luck for me. Any help would be welcomed.

I am installing from pendrive, and using startx command to bring up the gui and then opening the install.sh file to install.

Edited July 27, 2010 by dimz

[dimz]

Nevermind. Default Root / Toor. Answered my own question.

[Charles]

BT4 should run fine on an eeePC. I've run it on my eeePC 1005HA without any problems (outside of the screen being so damn tiny)

[digip]

After you install and logon, type passwd from the terminal/cli, and set a new password. Don't just stick with root/toor, or you could find your box compromised if you leave any services open, such as ssh.

[dimz]

Thanks, I will Do that. By chance would anyone know why I can see wirless networks but not connect to any? When I click to connect is just hangs up at "Obtaining Ip" then cancels itself. I am Using Wicd to see the wireless networks. If I should start a new thread for this just let me know.

[cabster21]

You mean you just want to scan for them? Plenty of choice, kismet, airodump... Sorry for the crappy answer, but is that what you mean? If you're running BT4. You can do airodump --help, you can scan all or specific channel et cerera

[dimz]

Not quite what I was asking, thanks though :P.

I will be a bit clearer. I can connect to the internet via ethernet cord no problem. So the internet is working.

The problem is that when I open Wicd network manager to scan for wireless netowork it pulls up all of the wireless networks (Including my own from my router) but I can't connect to any. It just says obtaining Ip when I try to connect and that is it and it hangs up. No matter what network, secure or unsecure, I can not connect.

[cabster21]

Ah, so your wireless won't connect.

I've never had this problem, usually you would select the WAP and then eneter the passcode. If no one answers soon I would check your chipset, and see if anyone is having problems with them. Obviosuly I don't know what you're using...

[dimz]

atheros ar9285 wireless network adapter

Wouldn't It be working fine though if it is able to at the very least grab the wireless networks in range?

[cabster21]

It could have issues.

But I'm assume you're using the ath9k driver? In which case I don't know what it going on, it's probably an easy fix, I have used that driver with ease. modprobe maybe?

[barry99705]

Also a lot of it is human error or inexperience, so if you don't already play with linux, BackTrack is as good as any place to learn it, and if you do, then you should be right at home.

Heh, this is exactly why we tell people not to use BackTrack as their first linux. It's not as user friendly as say Ubuntu, or even Gentoo.

I'd actually say start with stock Ubuntu, if you're missing an application then build it from source, that's how you learn.

Not quite what I was asking, thanks though :P.

I will be a bit clearer. I can connect to the internet via ethernet cord no problem. So the internet is working.

The problem is that when I open Wicd network manager to scan for wireless netowork it pulls up all of the wireless networks (Including my own from my router) but I can't connect to any. It just says obtaining Ip when I try to connect and that is it and it hangs up. No matter what network, secure or unsecure, I can not connect.

There's the problem right there. Wicd is a pos. You'll have better luck connecting from the command line.

Edited August 2, 2010 by barry99705

[digip]

You will want to manually connect the wifi with the terminal. Enter something like:

ifconfig ath0 up

iwconfig ath0 mode Managed

iwconfig ath0 essid YourRoutersId

where ath0 is your wireless adapters ID and YourRoutersId is something you set or default like Linksys, etc.

Then just do dhclient3 ath0 and it should probe the router for an address from DHCP. Alternatively you can manually set an IP address, but you need to know the subnet and an available address on the network and the correct mask. This isn't a big deal when its your network, you should know these things, but if you are at say a cafe with wifi, they might have a custom subnet and mask, so you will need to find this out ahead of time, or just try DHCP.

If you need to connect using WEP or WPA, then that will be a bit more involved, but not any harder

http://www.linuxhomenetworking.com/wiki/in...s_Access_Points

http://www.linuxhomenetworking.com/wiki/in...n_Configuration

http://www.linuxhomenetworking.com/wiki/in...#WPA_Encryption