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TurnKey Linux Configuration Console

TurnKey GNU/Linux Configuration Console

.. contents::

Overview

The objective of the Configuration Console (AKA confconsole) is to provide the user with basic network configuration information and the ability to perform basic tasks, so as not to force the user to the command line.

It is licensed under GPLv3. We aim to keep this documentation up to date, but the Confconsole documentation source should always be up to date.

Main screen and basic functionality

The main screen of Confconsole provides the following information:

  • The currently bound IP address
  • The listening services the user may connect to over the network

.. image:: ./docs/images/00_confconsole_core_main.png

Configuration Console will be invoked automatically on firstboot, but without the "Advanced Menu" available. By default it will also auto launch (with "Advanced Menu") on first login. Unless you enable auto-start, it will need to be manually invoked for subsequent use.

Manually invoke the Configuration Console (confconsole) like this:

.. code-block:: bash

confconsole

Advanced

Additional Confconsole functionality is provided by way of a "Plugin_" system. To navigate to the plugins, please enter the "Advanced" menu. Note that only the default plugins are noted here. Some TurnKey GNU/Linux appliances may have additional (or modified) plugins.

The advanced menu:

.. image:: ./docs/images/01_confconsole_core_advanced.png

The Advanced menu provides the below functionality in all appliances (some items have additional docs available via clickable headings).

  • Networking_:

    • Setting a static IP address
    • Requesting DHCP
  • Let's Encrypt_:

    • Enable/disable auto SSL cert update
    • Get SSL certificate from Let's Encrypt
  • Mail relaying_:

    • configure and enable remote SMTP email relay
  • Proxy settings_:

    • configure apt proxy
  • Region config_:

    • Keyboard layout
    • Locales and language
    • Tzdata (timezone)
  • System settings_:

    • confconsole autostart config
    • install security updates
    • update hostname
  • Install the system to the hard disk (only available when running live)

  • Reboot the appliance

  • Shut down the appliance

  • Quit (return to commandline)

Installation

Confconsole is installed by default in all TurnKey Linux Appliances_ so no installation should be required for TurnKey users.

Confconsole should be compatible with vanilla Debian (and likely recent vanilla Ubuntu too). It does have some specific TurnKey dependencies, but most dependencies come direct from Debian.

Upgrade Confconsole

Confconsole is installed by default in TurnKey Linux Appliances_. However, to ensure that you are running the latest version, you can upgrade via apt:

.. code-block:: bash

apt-get update
apt-get install confconsole

If you have problems or questions, please post on our support forums_ (requires free website user account).

Plugins

The plugins system allows support for additional functionality via simply dropping a(n appropriately coded) python3 plugin file within the Confconsole file hierarchy. We aim to include more new functionality via this in coming releases.

Developers may be interested in reading further about the Plugin_ system.

.. _GPLv3: https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.txt .. _Confconsole documentation source: https://github.com/turnkeylinux/confconsole/blob/master/docs/Readme.rst .. _Plugin: ./docs/Plugins.rst .. _Networking: ./docs/Networking.rst .. _Let's Encrypt: ./docs/Lets_encrypt.rst .. _Mail relaying: ./docs/Mail_relay.rst .. _Proxy settings: ./docs/Proxy_settings.rst .. _Region config: ./docs/Region_config.rst .. _System settings: ./docs/System_settings.rst .. _TurnKey Linux Appliances: https://www.turnkeylinux.org/all .. _support forums: https://www.turnkeylinux.org/forum/support