rcp to localhost

[matt_43]

Hi

I am really new to linux so this may be a dumb question. Well I am testing some perl scripts and all I want to do is rcp to myself (localhost). But I keep getting connection refused.

I am running redhat 7.2 and logged on as root. I did a workstation installation. Oh I also read the rcp top read solution but it didn't help.

Is there a flag somewhere I have to turn to activate rcp?

[Eric Ladner]

Check your /etc/xinetd.d directory and see if a file named exec or rexec exists in it.

If not, you probably have to download rsh-server-.i386.rpm and install it.

It doesn't get installed by default for most configs.

[matt_43]

Ya I have got that directory. I did install the rsh-server but I still got the connection refused.

[Stuart Browne · Accepted solution]

Thigns to check:

/root/.rhosts:
This file says what machines can access your machine without prompting for a password. In this scenario, it should contain 'localhost'. If that doesn't work, you'll need to check /var/log/messages to see where the system thinks the connection is being initiated from.

/etc/pam.d/rsh:
This file will say whether the 'root' user can 'rsh' and do such commands from pseudo tty's. Comment out the line "/lib/security/pam_securetty.so". WARNING: This does open your machine up somewhat. If you can avoid doing 'r' commands as 'root', I would.

"chkconfig --list rsh"
This command should return 'rsh on'. If not, then 'rsh' commands won't work. If you need to change it, these two commands must be executed:

chkconfig rsh on
/etc/rc.d/init.d/xinetd restart

This will enable 'rsh', and restart the 'xinetd' process (which is what actually answers the connection request).

Hope this gives you some help on where to head.

[Mark Fenton]

Matt,

Also check /etc/xinetd.d/rsh

by default, even if installed, the service is disabled. Enable by replacing
" disable = yes"
with
" disable = no"
and then restart xinetd.

Or better yet, get openssh and install it. Remote shell access that's secure. What a concept.

hth
Mark

[Stuart Browne]

Umm, Mark, those checks on 'xinet.d/' are already covered. That's what 'chkconfig --list rsh' is for. It will state whether it's enabled or disabled.

[Eric Ladner]

Also check /etc/hosts.allow and /etc/hosts.deny.

You will probably want to add this:

ALL: localhost
ALL: 127.0.0.1

to your /etc/hosts.allow file. By default, most stuff is denied, I believe.

[matt_43]

You guys rock! That did it. Thanks to everyone for the help.

Its hard to find good help online. Thanks again.

Matt

[Ron Kinner]

Matt,

You need to give the people who helped you some points. Especially if you ever need help again. We can look at your name and see if you give points or not and a lot of people who might know the answer will just skip on to the next post rather than waste time replying. It may seem silly but the recognition you get from earning points really motivates you to provide the correct answer.

Ron

[matt_43]

Points I didn't know anything about that. Consider it done.