whost 0.1.4

Cardshop Writer Host Tools

Cardshop Writer Host

Cardshop use writer hosts to download, write and ship SD-cards to recipient. A WriterHost is an always-running, always-connected computer connected to one or more USB SD-card readers.

Writer Hosts authenticate with the cardshop fetch tasks. The WriterHost operator is contacted (email) when an SD-card must be inserted, retrieved and shipped.

Requirements

• always-on-capable computer
• 500GB storage or more.
• high-speed, direct, permanent connection to internet via ethernet.
• one or more good-quality USB SD-card readers (Kingston)
• A writer account on the cardshop.
• An assigned port on the demo server (see maintenance).

Setup

1. Install Ubuntu 18.04.1 LTS server with default options (see bellow)

• log-in and elevate as root (sudo su -)
• set a password for root (passwd)
• Make sure internet is working
• download/copy your tunnel private key to /root/.ssh/tunnel (chmod 600)
• download setup script curl -L -o /tmp/whost-setup https://raw.githubusercontent.com/kiwix/cardshop/master/whost/whost-setup
• run the setup script chmod +x /tmp/whost-config && REVERSE_SSH_PORT=XXX /tmp/whost-config

Ubuntu Install

Just a regular, fresh Ubuntu-server install. Bellow are the defaults used for tests.

1. Boot off the install media & select Install Ubuntu Server at grub prompt.

• Select language (English)
• Select Keyboard layout (English (US), English (US))
• Select Install Ubuntu (not cloud instance)
• Configure the network (eth via dhcp)
• Proxy Address: none
• Mirror Address: http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu (pre-filled default)
• Use an entire Disk
• Choose disk to install to: selected disk
• Summary: confirm and continue
• Profile
• name: maint
• server name: whatever (bkored)
• username: maint
• password: maint
• Import Identity: from github > rgaudin
• Reboot now
• Remove install media then ENTER