HOWTO: Install and configure pdnsd on OpenWrt

Introduction

OpenWrt is described as a Linux distribution for embedded devices.
Instead of trying to create a single, static firmware, OpenWrt provides a fully writable filesystem with package management. This frees you from the application selection and configuration provided by the vendor and allows you to customize the device through the use of packages to suit any application. For developer, OpenWrt is the framework to build an application without having to build a complete firmware around it; for users this means the ability for full customization, to use the device in ways never envisioned.

The latest stable release is AttitudeAdjustment 12.09.

Installation

To install pdnsd, run command:

# opkg update
# opkg install pdnsd

Configuration

Edit configuration file /etc/pdnsd.conf.

The global section specifies parameters that affect the overall behaviour of the server. If you specify multiple global sections, the settings of those later in the file will overwrite the earlier given values.

The detailed description of the options can be found here.

Here is my global section

global {
        perm_cache=2048;
        cache_dir="/var/pdnsd";
#       pid_file = /var/run/pdnsd.pid;
#       run_as="nobody";
        server_port = 5353;
        server_ip = any; 
        status_ctl = on;
#       paranoid=on; 
        query_method=tcp_udp;
        min_ttl=15m; # Retain cached entries at least 15 minutes.
        max_ttl=1w; # One week.
        timeout=10; # Global timeout option (10 seconds).
        neg_domain_pol=on;
        udpbufsize=1024; # Upper limit on the size of UDP messages.
}

Each server section specifies a set of name servers that pdnsd should try to get resource records or authoritative name server information from. The servers are queried in the order of their appearance (or parallel to a limited extend). If one fails, the next one is taken and so on.
You probably want to specify the dns server in your LAN, the caching dns servers of your internet provider or even a list of root servers in one or more server sections.

The detailed description of the options can be found here.

I added opendns server in my configuration file

server {
        label= "opendns";
        ip = 208.67.222.222;
        port = 5353;
        root_server = on;
        uptest = none;
}

You can also add Google Public DNS. More DNS can be found here.

Usage

Enable and start pdnsd:

# /etc/init.d/pdnsd enable
# /etc/init.d/pdnsd start

Test with:

# dig @127.0.0.1 -p 5353 youtube.com
; <<>> DiG 9.9.1-P3 <<>> @127.0.0.1 -p 5353 youtube.com
; (1 server found)
;; global options: +cmd
;; Got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 49334
;; flags: qr rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 11, AUTHORITY: 0, ADDITIONAL: 1

;; OPT PSEUDOSECTION:
; EDNS: version: 0, flags:; udp: 4096
;; QUESTION SECTION:
;youtube.com. IN A

;; ANSWER SECTION:
youtube.com. 300 IN A 173.194.127.135
youtube.com. 300 IN A 173.194.127.137
youtube.com. 300 IN A 173.194.127.142
youtube.com. 300 IN A 173.194.127.136
youtube.com. 300 IN A 173.194.127.133
youtube.com. 300 IN A 173.194.127.132
youtube.com. 300 IN A 173.194.127.128
youtube.com. 300 IN A 173.194.127.131
youtube.com. 300 IN A 173.194.127.130
youtube.com. 300 IN A 173.194.127.129
youtube.com. 300 IN A 173.194.127.134

;; Query time: 311 msec
;; SERVER: 127.0.0.1#5353(127.0.0.1)
;; WHEN: Fri Sep 5 20:58:07 2014
;; MSG SIZE rcvd: 216

 

HOWTO: Change time zone from terminal on ubuntu

To change time zone from terminal, run the command:

$ sudo dpkg-reconfigure tzdata

Follow the directions in the terminal.

HOWTO: Install FlexGet on ubuntu

Introduction

FlexGet is a multipurpose automation tool for content like torrents, nzbs, podcasts, comics, series, movies, etc. It can use different kinds of sources like RSS-feeds, html pages, csv files, search engines and there are even plugins for sites that do not provide any kind of useful feeds.
There are numerous plugins that allow utilizing FlexGet in interesting ways and more are being added continuously.
FlexGet is extremely useful in conjunction with applications which have watch directory support or provide interface for external utilities like FlexGet.

Installation

Make sure you have Python 2.6.x – 2.7.x available. Try running commands:

$ python -V

If you don’t have required version already available, install it from your distribution package manager:

$ sudo apt-get install python2.7
$ sudo apt-get install python-dev

If you do not have pip already available, you need to install it:

$ sudo apt-get install python-pip

Download latest LibYAML yaml-0.1.6.tar.gz.

Compile and install it:

$ ./configure
$ make
$ sudo make install

Install transmissionrpc

$ sudo pip install transmissionrpc

Install FlexGet:

$ sudo pip install flexget

Verify installation:

$ flexget -V

Detailed configuration tutorial can be found here.

Usage

FlexGet is meant to be executed from users own crontab, not from /etc/crontab (root).

To edit user crontab execute command:

$ crontab -e

Enter one new line on crontab:

*/30 * * * * /usr/local/bin/flexget execute --cron

This will run FlexGet every thirty minutes.