# nsh
## network shell
---
Author and Founder of the project: Chris Cappuccio <chris@nmedia.net>
NSH is a CLI intended for OpenBSD-based network appliances. It replaces
ifconfig, sysctl and route with its own simple command language, and
encapsulates configuration for other daemons into one place, effectively
replacing /etc/netstart and parts of /etc/rc for appliance-style usage.
## Daemons and services encapsulated by nsh:
bgpd, dhcpd, dhcpleased, dhcrelay, dvmrpd, eigrpd, ftp-proxy, ifstated, inetd,
iked, ipsecctl, ldapd, ldpd, npppd, ntpd, ospfd, ospf6d, pf, rad, relayd,
resolvd, ripd, sasyncd, slaacd, smtpd, snmpd, sshd, tftpd, tftp-proxy.
---
## License
NSH is freely licensed, in the BSD style.
In conjunction with the OpenBSD kernel and the daemons you wish to control,
you have a fully functioning network appliance type of system.
---
## NSH Manual
See [https://github.com/yellowman/nsh/wiki/NSH-Manual-page](https://github.com/yellowman/nsh/wiki/NSH-1.2.x-Manual-Page)
or nsh.8 manual for detailed installation instructions and command set.
nsh manual is available on your system by simply typing the command:
```shell
ksh# man nsh
```
---
## Manual pages from within NSH
For your convenience we have included handy manual page search for commonly
used network functionality.
this feature is available in nsh by simply typing the command:
```shell
nsh(p)/ manual [searchterm]
```
E.g. searching vlan functionality
```shell
nsh(p)/ manual vlan
```
The system also gives a list of searchable terms through double tab completion.
---
## Other Relevant NSH Documentation
See the to-do list on https://github.com/users/yellowman/projects/1 for
details on implementation status and future ideas.
See http://github.com/yellowman/nsh/ for current source code repository.
See http://www.nmedia.net/nsh/ for example configurations and mailing
list.
See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9T9-v5NLjXk for a BSDCAN 2024
Presentation on Supporting Business IT and network needs with OpenBSD and NSH By: Tom Smyth
See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMKxIHaWaG0 for an EurobsdCon 2022
Presentation on NSH for network administrators By: Tom Smyth
---
## Quickstart Guide for installing and building **nsh** on an OpenBSD system
1. Install OpenBSD on your system
2. Install the OpenBSD port of nsh on your system -(this will install the latest nsh release version)
```shell
ksh# pkg_add nsh
```
3. Install git on your system to allow fetching more recent versions of nsh from github
```shell
ksh# pkg_add git
```
4. to download the latest development of nsh use git to download the latest nsh repository
```shell
ksh# git clone https://github.com/yellowman/nsh
```
5. change directory to the downloaded nsh directory
```shell
ksh# cd nsh
```
6. use make to build / compile the sources
```shell
ksh# make
```
7. Install the compiled nsh binaries and supporting files (you will need root privileges to do this).
```shell
ksh# make install
```
8. To have nsh take over the configuration of a system a number of steps that need to be carried out such as
9. Backup configuration of system, daemons and network in /etc
10. Copy the configuration files to /var/run/example-configfilename.0 (the .0 file extension) implies running in the default rdomain / rtable (rdomain 0)
11. save the running config to /etc/nshrc
12. secure the /etc/nshrc file so that world cannot read, write or execute it .
13. configure the system to run nsh -i /etc/nshrc either adding a line to /etc/rc.local or using an rccctl script for nsh.
For the users convenience, the above steps (9-13) can be largely automated by running the **rc.local-nsh-openbsd-integrate.sh** script and following on screen instructions.
- If you have downloaded nsh via git you can run the integration script as follows
```shell
ksh# cd nsh
ksh# cd scripts
ksh# cd shell
ksh# chmod 700 rc.local-nsh-openbsd-integrate.sh
ksh# ./rc.local-nsh-openbsd-integrate.sh
```
- If you have installed nsh via the OpenBSD ports package you can run the integration script as follows
```shell
ksh# cd /usr/local/share/exampes/nsh
ksh# cd scripts
ksh# cd shell
ksh# chmod 700 rc.local-nsh-openbsd-integrate.sh
ksh# ./rc.local-nsh-openbsd-integrate.sh
```
14. once configuration has been imported, restart the system and verify nsh config is running as expected.
15. Setting NSH as the default shell for a user
- Login as the user
- locate nsh binary, it is usually in /usr/local/bin/nsh
- at the command prompt run chsh -s command to set the shell to path to the nsh binary
```shell
ksh# chsh -s /usr/local/bin/nsh
```
16. please provide feedback , bug repots and suggestions to the developers on our mailing list <nsh@lists.deschutesdigital.com> .
