@@ -4,27 +4,64 @@ configurable RADIUS server that is available under the terms of the GNU GPLv2. Using RADIUS allows authentication and authorization for a network to be centralized, and minimizes the number of changes that -have to be done when adding ordeleting new users. +have to be done when adding or deleting new users to a network. FreeRADIUS can authenticate users on systems such as 802.1x (WiFi), dialup, PPPoE, VPN's, VoIP, and many others. It supports back-end -databases such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, Microsoft Active Directory, -OpenLDAP, and many more. It is used daily to authenticate the -Internet access for hundreds of millions of people, in sites ranging -from 10 users, to 10 million and more users. - - Version 2.0 of the server is similar in many respects to previous -versions. It also contains many new features, such as "virtual -server" support (raddb/sites-available/README), and a simple policy -language ("man unlang"). Administrators upgrading from a previous -version should install this version in a different location from their -existing systems. They should then migrate their current -configuration to the new server, being careful to take advantage of -the new features which can greatly simply the servers configuration. - - Please see the web page http://www.freeradius.org for more -information. The wiki (http://wiki.freeradius.org) also contains a -large amount of documentation that addresses common scenarios. +databases such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, Microsoft Active +Directory, OpenLDAP, and many more. It is used daily to authenticate +the Internet access for hundreds of millions of people, in sites +ranging from 10 users, to 10 million and more users. + + Version 2.0 of the server is intended to be backwards compatible +with previous versions, but also to have many new features, such as: + + * simple policy language (see "man unlang") + * virtual servers (raddb/sites-available/README) + * IPv6 support + * better proxy support (raddb/proxy.conf) + * More EAP types + * Debugging output should be MUCH easier to understand + * VMPS support + * More modules are marked "stable" (python, etc.) + * SQL configuration has been cleaned up (see raddb/sql/*) + * limited support for HUP + * check configuration and exit (radiusd -C) + * Server core is now event based (simpler, more powerful) + + Administrators upgrading from a previous version should install this +version in a different location from their existing systems. Any +existing configuration should be carefully migrated to the new +version, in order to take advantage of the new features which can +greatly simply configuration. + + While every attempt has been made to ensure that this version is +backwards compatible with previous versions, there may be cases where +it is not backwards compatible. In most cases, incompatibilities are +a side-effect of fixing bugs, or of adding new features. Some +configuration differences are noted below: + + * The recommended format for clients has changed. See "clients.conf". + The old format should still work, but should be changed to use the + new format. + + * The recommended formant for realms has changed. See "proxy.conf" + The old format should still work, but should be changed to use the + new format. In addition, the new format has much more flexibility. + + * Any configuration using TTLS or PEAP should be updated to use + virtual servers. See "virtual_server" in "eap.conf", and + "raddb/sites-available/inner-tunnel". In most cases, using an + "inner-tunnel" virtual server will make the configuration MUCH + simpler. + + * A number of deprecated command-line options have been removed. + (-y -z -A -l -g) See "man radiusd". These configurations can be + controlled in "radiusd.conf", so it is not necessary to have them + as command-line options. + + Please see http://freeradius.org and http://wiki.freeradius.org for +more information. 2. INSTALLATION @@ -61,19 +98,19 @@ discussions about common problems and solution. See 'doc/README' for more information about FreeRADIUS. - There is an O'Reilly book available, which we recommend for people -new to RADIUS. It is almost 5 years old, however, and is not much -more than a basic introduction to the subject. + There is an O'Reilly book available. It serves as a good +introduction for anyone new to RADIUS. However, it is almost 5 years +old, and is not much more than a basic introduction to the subject. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0596003226/freeradiusorg-20/ For other RADIUS information, the Livington internet site had a lot -of information on radius online. Unfortunately Livingston, and the +of information about radius online. Unfortunately Livingston, and the site, don't exist anymore but there is a copy of the site still at: http://portmasters.com/www.livingston.com/ - Especially worth a read is the "RADIUS for Unix administrators guide" + Especially worth reading is the "RADIUS for Unix administrators guide" HTML: http://portmasters.com/tech/docs/radius/1185title.html PDF: http://portmasters.com/tech/docs/pdf/radius.pdf @@ -91,7 +128,7 @@ testing their changes. The preferred method of operation is the following: 1) Start off with the default configuration files. - 2) Save a copy of the default configuration: It WORKS everywhere. + 2) Save a copy of the default configuration: It WORKS. Don't change it! 3) Verify that the server starts. (You ARE using debugging mode, right?) 4) Send it test packets using "radclient", or a NAS or AP. 5) Verify that the server does what you expect. @@ -105,8 +142,9 @@ following: This method will ensure that you have a working configuration that is customized to your site as quickly as possible. While it may seem -frustrating to proceed via a series of small steps, the alternative is -worse. +frustrating to proceed via a series of small steps, the alternative +will always take more time. The "fast and loose" way will be MORE +frustrating than quickly making forward progress! 6. FEEDBACK @@ -116,25 +154,29 @@ send them to the 'freeradius-users' list (see the URL above). We will do our best to answer your questions, to fix the problems, and to generally improve the server in any way we can. - What you should NOT do is complain that the developers aren't -answering your questions quickly enough, or fixing the problems -quickly enough, or that they're being mean for telling you to do some -work yourself. FreeRADIUS is the cumulative effort of many years of -work by many people, and you've gotten it for free. No one gets paid -to work on FreeRADIUS, and no one is getting paid to answer your -questions. This is free software, and the only way it gets better is -if you contribute work back to the project. - - We will note that the people who complain the loudest about the -developers being mean usually can't program, can't write -documentation, won't pay others to do that work, demand that their -every desire be satisifed immediately by the developers for free, and -worst of all, don't understand why their attitude is unproductive. -They seem to believe that because they've received something (the -server) for free, that they have every right to demand more free -support and development from the list. That's simply not true. - - So please submit bug reports, suggestions, or patches. That -feedback gives the developers a guide as to where they should focus -their work. If you like the server, feel free to mail the list and -say so. + Please do NOT complain that the developers aren't answering your +questions quickly enough, or aren't fixing the problems quickly +enough. Please do NOT complain if you're told to go read +documentation. We recognize that the documentation isn't perfect, but +it *does* exist, and reading it can solve most common questions. + + FreeRADIUS is the cumulative effort of many years of work by many +people, and you've gotten it for free. No one gets paid to work on +FreeRADIUS, and no one is getting paid to answer your questions. This +is free software, and the only way it gets better is if you make a +contribution back to the project ($$, code, or documentation). + + We will note that the people who get most upset about any answers to +their questions usually do not have any intention of contributing to +the project. We will repeat the comments above: no one is getting +paid to answer your questions or to fix your bugs. If you don't like +the responses you are getting, then fix the bug yourself, or pay +someone to address your concerns. Either way, make sure that any fix +is contributed back to the project so that no one else runs into the +same issue. + + Support IS available: http://freeradius.org/business + + Please submit bug reports, suggestions, or patches. That feedback +gives the developers a guide as to where they should focus their work. +If you like the server, feel free to mail the list and say so. README 351d3ebb4a6cbfe143ad6c373eee1112f3e36f64 aland aland http://github.com/Antti/freeradius-server/commit/46ee7e518c265e895bd427a95f0d6f0116cd124e 46ee7e518c265e895bd427a95f0d6f0116cd124e 2007-12-30T20:10:04-08:00 2007-12-30T20:10:04-08:00 Cleaned up text, and added notes on 2.0 8085c8fa4998cb5ed8be92cbb2d705c065a879e5 aland aland