my distaste for readers.conf grows

Paul Theodoropoulos paul at atgi.net
Mon Nov 15 19:33:38 UTC 1999


I'm finding the readers.conf structure and syntax to be a pain in the arse.

We have numerous IP blocks, and numerous domains that are connecting. I'm 
finding it cumbersome (and confusing) to try to set up the auth and access 
stuff for each possible connecting 'realm'. I've no need for any fancy 
authentication - I'd really like a nice terse config file like the old 
nnrp.access...

Is there any way to mimic that old nnrp.access behaviour? Something that 
simply grants read/post access to any host in the range 206.58.248/21 and 
216.174.200/19?

I've tried the following, which does not appear to work:

auth "atg-users" {
         hosts: "206.58.248-255.*,216.174.200-223.*,204.247.175.*"
         default: "<atg-users>"
}
access "atg-users" {
         newsgroups: "*"
         users: "<atg-users>"
         access: "Read Post"
}

I've also tried various permutations of the hosts declaration, to wit:

"206.58.248-255.,216.174.200-223." and
"206.58.248-255,216.174.200-223" and even listing each class C separately -

"206.58.248.,206.58.249.,[etc]

but none of it works. the only thing that comes close is to either list a 
host's IP address explicitly, or list the domain name. The problem with 
using domain names is that we expect to be hosting thousands of customers 
many/most of whom will be using their own domain names - and I'd rather not 
have to list an auth/access pair for each and every domain - nor do i 
really want to wind up with one multiple entry auth/access pair with 
domains listed for screen after screen.

Is there any middle ground? nnrp.access was beautiful in it's terseness...


help? pointers to help?

thanks.

----------------------------------------------------------------
Paul Theodoropoulos                   Advanced TelCom Group Inc.
Senior Unix Systems Administrator     Internet Services Division
paul at atgi.net                         Santa Rosa, California, US
Work: http://www.atgi.net        Play: http://www.anastrophe.com



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