:: Re: [DNG] connecting to a chromeboo…
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Author: Rod Rodolico
Date:  
To: dng
Subject: Re: [DNG] connecting to a chromebook (OT??)
Ok, on my chromebook, under the Linux subsystem, I have a mac of
00:16:3e:xx:xx:xx:xx
Which is the signature for a XenSource virtual MAC address. See
https://maclookup.app/search/result?mac=00%3A16%3A3e or
https://dnschecker.org/mac-lookup.php?query=00-16-3e

This indicates to me that this is a virtual, which I verified by
apt -y install virt-what

virt-what

Which returned that it was running either lxc or kvm. I'm betting kvm.

In this case, the virtual (the Linux subsystem) will be running under
something like libvirt, with the network in bridge mode, and the Linux
subsystem getting an IP from the DHCP server on that machine. So, your
mac and IP will not be visible to the outside. (I do a lot of
virtualization, BTW). Think of your Chromebook as a baby router.

Your router can only set the IP on the chromebook, not the Linux
subsystem. If you open the browser to chrome://system, and go down to
ifconfig, then expand that, you'll see something like arc_ns0, arc_ns1,
etc... Those will all be in the range that ChromeOS is using for your
Linux subsystem. On my machine, arcbr0 is the actual bridge. Then, you
keep going down and, on my system, I find wlan0, which is the NIC for
the actual Chromebook.

On 1/26/22 4:48 PM, o1bigtenor via Dng wrote:
> On Wed, Jan 26, 2022 at 1:04 PM Rod Rodolico via Dng <dng@???> wrote:
>>
>> FYI, I'm doing the same thing. I have spent some time setting up a
>> Chromebook "securely" (in theory), though mainly to access a Linux
>> Terminal Server over a VPN.
>>
>> First, are you using the built in Linux subsystem? When I bring up the
>> ChromeOS terminal (ctrl-alt-T, not the linux subsystem), the crosh
>> prompt does not have the ip or the ifconfig commands. However, when I
>> look at my network connection (via the GUI), I'm seeing an IP in my
>> network range.
>
> I have used the 'dev' mode and set up debian in it.
> Not used to pure command line (long ago Mac background spoiled me for
> that) so I'm trying to install a dual boot system. One issue is that the
> screen keyboard doesn't (on a Lenovo 10e (IIRC) chromebook anyway)
> have control and alt keys so that means there are some things that are
> too 'kinky' to do.
>>
>> I went ahead and installed the Linux subsystem again (I'm spending a lot
>> of time playing on it) and my IP for that is 10.115.92.205/28, so it
>> looks like the Linux subsystem is using using some kind of virtual IP,
>> similar to what virtlib does by default.
>>
> Well - - - the MAC address the machine gives is different than that at
> the router and the ip address at the router keeps changing - - argh!


Ok, on my chromebook, under the Linux subsystem, I have a mac of
00:16:3e:xx:xx:xx:xx
Which is the signature for a XenSource virtual MAC address. See
https://maclookup.app/search/result?mac=00%3A16%3A3e or
https://dnschecker.org/mac-lookup.php?query=00-16-3e

This indicates to me that this is a virtual, which I verified by
apt -y install virt-what

virt-what

Which returned that it was running either lxc or kvm. I'm betting kvm.

In this case, the virtual (the Linux subsystem) will be running under
something like libvirt, with the network in bridge mode, and the Linux
subsystem getting an IP from the DHCP server on that machine. So, your
mac and IP will not be visible to the outside. (I do a lot of
virtualization, BTW). Think of your Chromebook as a baby router.

Your router can only set the IP on the chromebook, not the Linux
subsystem. If you open the browser to chrome://system, and go down to
ifconfig, then expand that, you'll see something like arc_ns0, arc_ns1,
etc... Those will all be in the range that ChromeOS is using for your
Linux subsystem. On my machine, arcbr0 is the actual bridge. Then, you
keep going down and, on my system, I find wlan0, which is the NIC for
the actual Chromebook.

> I would like to use this thing for reading pdfs away from my desk but
> I'm not sure how to get things onto it. The expectation is that I'm going
> to use ms googly's drive or dropbox - - - no cottin pickin way!!!!!! to
> both. I use scp on my network but that means I need to know the ip
> address and be able to ssh into or out of it - - - I can't.
> The ssh port (#22 IIRC) is blocked - - - how's that for stupid. Likely
> everything is blocked but ms googly's stuff - - - that's the idea behind
> android anyway AFAIK - - - I'm not impressed. Although - - - if I really
> don't like this thing I think my wife might like it but then I wanted a tablet
> she's already got one (LOL)!


I use the Nextcloud app to connect to my nextcloud instance. Works
pretty well.

1. However, I did install Ghost Commander, which is a Commander type app
that will do an SFTP connection. I used that to copy some files locally.

2. Additionally, if you open the ChromeOS File Manager, open the three
dots in the upper right, then go to Services, you'll see the ability to
make a connection to an SMB File Share, if that is an option.

3. Or, do what I finally broke down and did. I picked up a 256G Cruzer
Fit USB drive (small form factor), plugged it into my computer, copied
all my e-books, music and several movies, then plugged it into my
Chromebook.

BTW, I'm not sure Ghost Commander is available in the standard Google
Play Store. I get a lot of stuff from F-Droid (https://f-droid.org/).
Used it a lot on my Android devices, but was a total PITA for ChromeOS.
Let me know if you want the instructions.

I don't know how many other people would be interested in this, so if
you want, we can take the discussion off list. Or, if anyone in the list
wants to have the blow by blow, let us know and we'll keep it in the list.

Rod

>
> Thanks for the tips!!
>
> Regards
> _______________________________________________
> Dng mailing list
> Dng@???
> https://mailinglists.dyne.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/dng
>


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Rod Rodolico
Daily Data, Inc.
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