3. FreeBSD System Configuration

There are three basic pieces of information that must be known to the FreeBSD box before you can proceed with integrating the sample Local Area Network:

• The Host Name of the FreeBSD system; in our example it's "Curly",
• The Network configuration,
• The /etc/hosts file (which lists the names and IP addresses of the other systems in your network)

If you performed the installation of FreeBSD over a network connection some of this information may already be configured into your FreeBSD system.

Even if you believe that the FreeBSD system was properly configured when it was installed you should at least verify each of these bits of information to prevent trouble in subsequent steps.

3.1. Verifying the FreeBSD Host Name

3.1.1. Configuring the FreeBSD Host Name

3.2. Verifying the Ethernet Interface Configuration

3.2.1. Configuring your Ethernet Interface

3.3. Enabling Packet Forwarding

3.4. Creating the List of other LAN Hosts(/etc/hosts)

3.5. Testing the FreeBSD system

3.5.1. Verifying the operation of the loopback device

3.5.2. Verifying the operation of the Ethernet Device