Linux Amateur Radio AX.25 HOWTO
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# 14. Configuring axspawn

The axspawn program is a simple program that allows AX.25 stations who connect to be logged in to your machine. It may be invoked from the ax25d program as described above in a manner similar to the node program. To allow a user to log in to your machine you should add a line similar to the following into your `/etc/ax25/ax25d.conf` file:

    default * * * * * 1 root /usr/sbin/axspawn axspawn %u

If the line ends in the `+` character then the connecting user must hit return before they will be allowed to login. The default is to not wait. Any individual host configurations that follow this line will have the axspawn program run when they connect. When axspawn is run it first checks that the command line argument it is supplied is a legal callsign, strips the SSID, then it checks that `/etc/passwd` file to see if that user has an account configured. If there is an account, and the password is either `""` (null) or `+` then the user is logged in, if there is anything in the password field the user is prompted to enter a password. If there is not an existing account in the `/etc/passwd` file then axspawn may be configured to automatically create one.

## 14.1. Creating the `/etc/ax25/axspawn.conf` file

You can alter the behaviour of axspawn in various ways by use of the `/etc/ax25/axspawn.conf` file. This file is formatted as follows:

    # /etc/ax25/axspawn.conf
    #
    # allow automatic creation of user accounts
    create    yes
    #
    # guest user if above is 'no' or everything else fails. Disable with "no"
    guest     no
    #
    # group id or name for autoaccount
    group     ax25
    #
    # first user id to use
    first_uid 2001
    #
    # maximum user id
    max_uid   3000
    #
    # where to add the home directory for the new users
    home      /home/ax25
    #
    # user shell
    shell     /bin/bash
    #
    # bind user id to callsign for outgoing connects.
    associate yes

The eight configurable characteristics of axspawn are as follows:

#

  indicates a comment.

create

  if this field is set to `yes` then axspawn will attempt to automatically create a user account for any user who connects and does not already have an entry in the `/etc/passwd` file.

guest

  this field names the login name of the account that will be used for people who connect who do not already have accounts if create is set to `no`. This is usually `ax25` or `guest`.

group

  this field names the group name that will be used for any users who connect and do not already have an entry in the `/etc/passwd` file.

first_uid

  this is the number of the first userid that will be automatically created for new users.

max_uid

  this is the maximum number that will be used for the userid of new users.

home

  this is the home (login) directory of new users.

shell

  this is the login shell of any new users.

associate

  this flag indicates whether outgoing AX.25 connections made by this user after they login will use their own callsign, or your stations callsign.

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Configuring the node software |  | Configuring the pms