Candela Technologies

http://www.candelatech.com
sales@candelatech.com
+1 360 380 1618 [PST, GMT -8]

LANforge-GUI Installation

Overview

  1. Choosing a Machine
  2. Download LANforge Software
  3. Selecting a Language: Internationalization
  4. Installing LANforge-GUI on Linux
  5. Installing LANforge-GUI on Microsoft Windows
  6. Installing on Other Java-Enabled Platforms
  7. Installing on Non-Java Platforms
  8. Upgrading LANforge-GUI on Linux
  9. Upgrading LANforge-GUI on Microsoft Windows
  10. Trouble-Shooting Guide
Overview

The LANforge-GUI is the graphical interface to the LANforge server. The GUI is written in Java and should work on any platform that supports it, including Windows 95 and higher, Linux, and Solaris. We have specific instructions and support for Windows and Linux only. A general section at the end of this document will describe installations on other platforms.


  1. Choosing a Machine

    The suggested minimum client platform specification is:

    • Pentium 300 Mhz
    • 128 MB RAM
    • 80MB Free Disk Space
    • Monitor/Video Card capable of 1024 x 960 resolution or higher.

    For optimal performance, we recommend:

    • Pentium 600+ Mhz
    • 256 MB RAM
    • 80MB Free Disk Space
    • Monitor/Video Card capable of 1200 x 1064 resolution or higher.

  2. Download LANforge Software

    Navigate your web browser to the Candela Technologies Downloads page. You will need a Candela Technologies user account to access the downloads page. If you do not have one, you can create one on the Accounts page.

    Select the LANforge product you wish to install and save it to your /home/lanforge directory (Linux) or desktop (Windows). You may need to edit your web browser preferences to save downloads to this location.


  3. Selecting a Language: Internationalization

    The LANforge-GUI has not been fully internationalized yet. If your preferred language is not English, you may edit the start script for your platform and pass in the command line arguments to choose the correct Properties file.

    • For instance, if you want the GUI to be useful to German speakers, use the command line arguments as lanforge:
      $ lfclient.bash -lang DE -country de
    • To see a full list of options, run the GUI with the --help argument:
      $ lfclient.bash --help

  4. Installing LANforge-GUI on Linux

    The LANforge-GUI has been extensively tested on RedHat and Fedora Core Linux. However, it should work on any version of Linux that supports a recent Java Runtime Environment (JRE).

    • Choose a user to own the LANforge-GUI. Any non-root user should work, but for this document it is assumed that your user is called 'lanforge.' If you need to create a new user (on RedHat, for example) you can use these commands (as root):
      # adduser lanforge
      # passwd lanforge
      (Choose a password for the lanforge user)
    • Log in as user lanforge:
      # su - lanforge
    • Choose a directory in which to install the LANforge-GUI. We suggest $HOME/lanforge. If this directory does not yet exist, you can add it with this command (as user lanforge):
      $ mkdir $HOME/lanforge
    • Download the LANforge-GUI distribution to the newly created $HOME/lanforge directory. See Download LANforge Software above.
      NOTE: For CD installation, use this procedure as root:
      # mount /mnt/cdrom (This step may not be necessary)
      # cp /mnt/cdrom/LANforgeGUI_*_Linux.tar.bz2 $HOME/lanforge
    • Extract the LANforge-GUI distribution as lanforge. For example:
      $ cd $HOME/lanforge
      $ tar -xvjf LANforgeGUI_*_Linux.tar.bz2
      (Uncompresses the distribution)
    • Install the LANforge-GUI Desktop icons as root (release 5.0.9 and later). For example:
      # cd $HOME/lanforge/LANforgeGUI_X.X.X (Where X.X.X is the release number of the GUI)
      # ./lfgui_install.bash
    • Start the LANforge-GUI as lanforge with the commands:
      $ cd $HOME/lanforge/LANforgeGUI_X.X.X
      $ ./lfclient.bash
      (Starts the GUI)
    • Click through End User License Agreements for LANforge-Server and LANforge-GUI by clicking 'OK'.
    • Optional configurations
      The LANforge-GUI supports several command-line options that will help you customise its look-and-feel to your particular needs. These options can be added to the lfclient.bash script, or passed to the lfclient.bash script when invoking it (Ex: ./lfclient.bash -simpleice). The options are:

      -nofire
      Hides Traffic Generation (FIRE) related screens. This option is good for LANforge-ICE (only) installations.

      -noice
      Hides WanLink (ICE) related screens. This is good for LANforge-FIRE (only) installations.

      -nocd
      Hides WanLink (ICE) Collision-Domains.

      -simpleice
      Displays only WanLink (ICE) related screens (similar to -nofire)

      -nofe
      Hides File Traffic Generation (FIRE) related screens.

      -novlc
      Hides streaming media related screens.

      -nol4
      Hides Layer-4 (FTP, HTTP, VoIP) Traffic Generation (FIRE) related screens.

      -nogen
      Hides Generic Traffic Generation (FIRE) related screens.

      -noarm
      Hides Armageddon related screens.

      -nospans
      Hides T1 Serial Spans (FIRE) related screens.

      -noppp
      Hides PPP-Links (FIRE) related screens.

      -nocli
      Hides the Messages tab.

      -notm
      Hides the Test Manager tab.

      -nocomma
      Commas in groups of displayed numbers will not be displayed.

    The LANforge-GUI should pop up shortly after this if everything worked correctly!


  5. Installing LANforge-GUI on Microsoft Windows

    The LANforge-GUI has been tested on Windows 2000, XP, and Vista. It should should also work on any version of Windows that supports Sun's JRE version 1.5, including Windows 95/98 and Windows NT.

    • Download the LANforge-GUI installer to your desktop. See Download LANforge Software above.
    • Execute the LANforge-GUI installer
      This will create desktop and run-menu short-cuts and provide the ability to configure the features displayed by the GUI.
    • Start the LANforge-GUI by double-clicking the LANforge-GUI (anvil) desktop icon.
      NOTE: Windows Vista users must run the LANforge-GUI as administrator to function properly. The shortcut properties should be modified to run as administrator: right-click on the shortcut icon, select Properties and click the Advanced button. Select 'Run as administrator' then click OK on both the Advanced Properties and LANforge-GUI Properties windows. After double-clicking the LANforge-GUI (anvil) desktop icon, click 'Continue' in the User Account Control popup.
    • Click through End User License Agreements for LANforge-Server and LANforge-GUI by clicking 'OK'.
    • Optional Package: cygwin X-windows
      If you are managing Linux data generators with a Windows GUI, you must have an X-windows server installed on your system in order for the 'Sniff Packets' option on the Port Mgr tab to work. Cygwin X-windows is a free implementation that has been tested with LANforge and Wireshark.

      The install instructions for cygwin are here: http://x.cygwin.com/docs/ug/cygwin-x-ug.html. When configuring which packages to install, choose the xorg-x11-base package (at a minimum).

      When done installing, double-click the Cygwin icon that was created on your desktop. In the console that pops up, type:
      $ startx

      Then type:
      $ xhost +

      NOTE: That allows any system to connect to yours with the X-windows protocol. You could also type: xhost [ip-addr-of-mgt-dev-of-lanforge-box(es)]

      Then click the 'Sniff Packets' button on the Port Mgr tab of the LANforge-GUI. The DISPLAY variable should be IP-of-GUI-machine:0.0 (It should default to the right value in most cases.) If all is working, the Wireshark packet sniffer should pop up within a few seconds.


  6. Installing on Other Java-Enabled Platforms

    Generally, you will need to obtain a Java run-time environment (JRE), version 1.5.1 or greater (Older versions might work but are not officially supported.)

    • Set (or unset) your CLASSPATH, etc., as per the JRE installation instructions, and add all of the *.jar files from the LANforgeGUI directory to your CLASSPATH.

      For example:
      # export CLASSPATH=./bsh-2.0b4.jar:./itext-2.0.2.jar:./jcommon-1.0.10.jar:
      # ./jcommon-xml-1.0.8.jar:./jfreechart-1.0.6.jar:./lfclient.jar:
      # ./libfonts-0.2.6.jar:./libloader-0.3.4.jar:./poi-3.0.1-FINAL-20070705.jar:./

    • Start the LANforge-GUI with a command similar to:
      $ java -cp $CLASSPATH candela.lanforge.lfclient

  7. Installing on Non-Java Platforms

    Although the LANforge-GUI is written in java, it can be run on a non-JRE Linux platform. A separate GUI distribution has been created for this purpose.

    • Download the 'NO JRE' LANforge-GUI distribution to the $HOME/lanforge directory. See Download LANforge Software above.
      NOTE: For CD installation, use this procedure as root:
      # mount /mnt/cdrom (This step may not be necessary)
      # cp /mnt/cdrom/LANforgeGUI_*_NO_JRE.zip $HOME/lanforge

    • Unzip the LANforge-GUI as user lanforge:
      $ cd $HOME/lanforge
      $ unzip LANforgeGUI_*_NO_JRE.zip

    • Start the LANforge-GUI with the following commands:
      $ cd $HOME/lanforge/LANforgeGUI_* (Go to the new directory)
      $ ./lfclient.bash (Starts the GUI)

  8. Upgrading LANforge-GUI on Linux

    To upgrade your LANforge-GUI from an existing Linux installation, follow these instructions:

    • Download the new LANforge-GUI distribution to the $HOME/lanforge directory. See Download LANforge Software above.
      NOTE: For CD installation, use this procedure as root:
      # mount /mnt/cdrom (This step may not be necessary)
      # cp /mnt/cdrom/LANforgeGUI_*_Linux.tar.bz2 $HOME/lanforge
    • Remove the previous installation as user lanforge:
      $ cd $HOME/lanforge
      $ rm -rf LANforgeGUI_X.X.X
      (Where X.X.X is the release number of the version you are removing)
    • Remove the symbolic link: (if upgrading from a release prior to 5.0.9)
      $ rm -rf LANforgeGUI
    • Remove Desktop Icons: (if upgrading from a release prior to 5.0.9)
      $ rm -rf Desktop/LANforge*.desktop
    • Extract the LANforge-GUI distribution as lanforge. For example:
      $ cd $HOME/lanforge
      $ tar -xvjf LANforgeGUI_X.X.X_Linux.tar.bz2
      (Uncompresses the distribution)
    • Install the LANforge-GUI Desktop icons as root (release 5.0.9 and later). For example:
      # cd $HOME/lanforge/LANforgeGUI_X.X.X (Where X.X.X is the release number of the GUI)
      # ./lfgui_install.bash
    • Start the new LANforge-GUI:
      $ cd $HOME/lanforge/LANforgeGUI_X.X.X
      $ ./lfclient.bash
      (Starts the GUI)
    • Click through End User License Agreements for LANforge-Server and LANforge-GUI by clicking 'OK'.

  9. Upgrading LANforge-GUI on Microsoft Windows

    To upgrade your LANforge-GUI from an existing Windows installation, follow these instructions:

    • Download the new LANforge-GUI installer to your desktop. See Download LANforge Software above.
    • Uninstall the previous LANforge-GUI:

      • From the Start Menu, select Control Panel and 'Add or Remove Programs' (Vista: click the 'Uninstall a program' link).
      • Select the current version of the LANforge-GUI then click the 'Remove' button (Vista: click the 'Uninstall/Change' button on the top panel then click 'Continue' in the pop-up window).
    • Install the new LANforge-GUI:

      • Double-click the LANforge-GUI-X.X.X-Installer shortcut on your desktop (where X.X.X is the release number of the version you are installing). NOTE: Windows Vista users must select 'Allow' in the User Account Control popup.
      • Click 'I Agree' to the GNU General Public License, click through the setup options, and click 'Install.'
      • Select your desired configuration: LANforge-FIRE, LANforge-ICE, or Both, then click through to 'OK.'
    • Start the LANforge-GUI by double-clicking the LANforge-GUI (anvil) desktop icon.
      NOTE: Windows Vista users must run the LANforge-GUI as administrator to function properly. The shortcut properties should be modified to run as administrator: right-click on the shortcut icon, select Properties and click the Advanced button. Select 'Run as administrator' then click OK on both the Advanced Properties and LANforge-GUI Properties windows. After double-clicking the LANforge-GUI (anvil) desktop icon, click 'Continue' in the User Account Control popup.
    • Click through End User License Agreements for LANforge-Server and LANforge-GUI by clicking 'OK'.

  10. Trouble-shooting Guide

    Q. When I run lfclient.bash, I get a large amount of errors printed to the console!
    A. Some of the newer JRE's from Sun and IBM seem to throw lots of (mostly?) harmless exceptions. If the LANforge-GUI continues to work OK, you probably have nothing to worry about. Either way, you can send the output to support@candelatech.com and we will diagnose the errors for you.

    Q. I'm using Windows Vista and LANforge-GUI won't launch from the desktop icon.
    A. Windows Vista users must run the LANforge-GUI as administrator to function properly. The shortcut properties should be modified to run as administrator: right-click on the shortcut icon, select Properties and click the Advanced button. Select 'Run as administrator' then click OK on both the Advanced Properties and LANforge-GUI Properties windows.

Email Candela Technologies at: support@candelatech.com if you have any questions.


 


Candela Technologies, Inc., 2026 Main Street, Suite A, P.O. Box 3285, Ferndale, WA 98248, USA
www.candelatech.com | sales@candelatech.com | +1 360 380 1618

Candela Technologies, 2026 Main Street, Suite A, P.O. Box 3285, Ferndale, WA 98248, USA
www.candelatech.com | sales@candelatech.com | +1 360 380 1618
Last modified: Mon Mar 2 11:00:00 PST 2009