This section describes how to set up the plip interface in
the source server.  If you run into trouble, I suggest that
you read the 
PLIP     MINI-HOWTO.
Check that your lp device is not set. You should
not have this entry:
     $ cat /proc/devices 
     Character devices:
     ...
     6 lp
     ...
    
If you do have it, kill the lpd daemon and remove the
lp module:
     $ /etc/rc.d/init.d/lpd.init stop
     Shutting down lpd: lpd
     $ rmmod lp
    
If you can't remove the lp module then you have to
recompile the kernel with lp service as a module.
Now, the "6 lp" line has disappeared from the
/proc/devices file, which is a reflection of the kernel
capabilities.
You are not obliged to eliminate the lp device : the scheme may work with lp. Without guarantee (it works for me). Check it yourself.
Check that your parallel port is handled:
     $ ls /proc/parport/
     0/
     
     $ cat /proc/parport/0/hardware 
     base:   0x378
     irq:    7
     dma:    none
     modes:  SPP,ECP,ECPEPP,ECPPS2
    
If you don't have any directory under /proc/parport/ then
you have to load the parport and parport_pc
modules:
     $ insmod parport
     $ insmod parport_pc
    
You should see this new entry in
/var/log/messages:
     Oct  9 20:50:47 louloutte kernel:
     parport0: PC-style at 0x378 [SPP,ECP,ECPEPP,ECPPS2]
     Oct  9 20:50:47 louloutte kernel: 
     parport0: detected irq 7; 
     use procfs to enable interrupt-driven operation.
    
I repeat the message "detected irq 7, use procfs to enable
interrupt-driven operation", so:
     $ echo 7 >  /proc/parport/0/irq
    
Using a kernel 2.4 the last command is no longer available. Use instead:
        $ insmod parport
        $ insmod parport_pc io=0x378 irq=7
Check that plip module is loaded:
     $ lsmod |grep plip
    
If plip module is not loaded, then load it:
     $ insmod plip
    
You should see something like this in
/var/log/messages
     ==> /var/log/messages <==
     Oct  8 16:34:12 louloutte kernel:
     NET3 PLIP version 2.3-parport [email protected]
    
     Oct  8 16:34:12 louloutte kernel: 
     plip0: Parallel port at 0x378, using IRQ 7
     
If you can't load the plip module then you have to
recompile the kernel with plip service as a
module.
The syslog message says the module is loaded on the plip0
interface. Configure the plip0 interface:
     $ ifconfig plip0 source pointopoint target netmask 255.255.255.255 up
    
Check that everything is okay.
     $ ifconfig plip0
     plip0     Link encap:10Mbps Ethernet  HWaddr FC:FC:C0:A8:00:02
          inet addr:192.168.0.2  P-t-P:192.168.0.1  Mask:255.255.255.255
          UP POINTOPOINT RUNNING NOARP  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0
          TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0
          Interrupt:7 Base address:0x378 
    
Now you can ping locally the source server:
     $ ping source
     PING source (192.168.0.2): 56 data bytes
     64 bytes from 192.168.0.2: icmp_seq=0 ttl=255 time=0.3 ms
     64 bytes from 192.168.0.2: icmp_seq=1 ttl=255 time=0.2 ms
     
     --- source ping statistics ---
     2 packets transmitted, 2 packets received, 0% packet loss
     round-trip min/avg/max = 0.2/0.2/0.3 ms
    
Verify that the route to target exists:
     $ route
     Kernel IP routing table
     Destination     Gateway         Genmask         Flags Metric Ref    Use Iface
     target          *               255.255.255.255 UH    0      0        0 plip0
    
If the route doesn't exist, add it:
     $ route add -host  192.168.0.1  dev plip0
    
When the target is configured you will be able to do a ping test:
     $ ping target
     PING 192.168.0.1 (192.168.0.1): 56 data bytes
     64 bytes from 192.168.0.1: icmp_seq=0 ttl=64 time=4.5 ms
     64 bytes from 192.168.0.1: icmp_seq=1 ttl=64 time=4.3 ms
     
     --- 192.168.0.1 ping statistics ---
     2 packets transmitted, 2 packets received, 0% packet loss
     round-trip min/avg/max = 4.3/4.4/4.5 ms
    
But if you try it now you should have:
     $ ping target
     PING target (192.168.0.1): 56 data bytes
     
     --- target ping statistics ---
     5 packets transmitted, 0 packets received, 100% packet loss
    
Now, the server network is ready to work. Congratulations.