FYI - Linux Router Project - "mystery packets"

[Joel Schneider <jts@tc.umn.edu>]

After booting an LRP box based on the 2.9.4 idiot image, it was emitting packets
through the eth0 ethernet interface every two seconds.  This a known issue, with
a number of references in the LRP mailing list.  Apparently, it happens because
bridging is compiled into the LRP kernel.

To stop the transmission of these unwanted packets:

1.  Obtain a copy of the brcfg program and copy it onto the LRP disk.
The brcfg program is provided by debian package bridge_0.1-6.deb, available from
http://www.debian.org/distrib/packages.  To update the root.lrp package, mcopy
root.lrp from the diskette, untar root.lrp into an empty directory, add
usr/sbin/brcfg, re-tar root.lrp, and mcopy the new root.lrp onto the diskette

2.  Execute "brcfg -enable; brcfg -disable" during the network startup sequence,
after the network interfaces have been configured.  Example:
    ...
    ifconfig lo 127.0.0.1
    ifconfig eth0 10.0.0.254
    ifconfig eth1 10.0.1.254
    brcfg -enable
    brcfg -disable
    route add -net 127.0.0.0
    ...

Reference: 
http://www.linuxrouter.org/pipermail/linux-router/1999-01-01/msg00465.html

It seemed appropriate to follow up on this since I previously posted some LRP
info...

Joel