Hi everyone. So I've installed Kali linux. I'm in the UK and for some reason none of my devices allow me to browse to kali.org unless I come off my wifi. so in the web browser i get 'The connection has timed out' message
and in terminal when trying to install ufw again it times out. does anyone know how to get around this. I suspect its something to do with my ISP which is SKY and i have a sky hub.


Any help much appreaciated

Ok. You need to wipe the HD and put on a different distro instead. Kali is a specialist distro for people already very familiar with not just GNU/Linux but also a large set of advanced networking tools. It's not a starter distro.

Please read about Kali and then pick a different distro to start with. I would highly recommend starting with Linux Mint if you are looking for a desktop or Devuan for servers. With either you can add the pieces you want, including any of the tools provided by Kali.

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So, the main question still stands why can't i navigate to the kali pages. The reason i chose kali is because i want to learn ethical hacking. Do you still think i should start off with a light distro first ?

Yes - Kali is not a learning tool. You can learn all the tools in Kali using Mint, or others distros, which are designed to be installed. (Experienced users don't install Kali, they run it Live or in a VM.)

In addition, please review this for any future questions you have: https://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/faq.php?faq=welcome

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Excellent, just one final question for the experts please. I'm trying to work my way into the Infosec arena and build security engineering expertise. So if i start on Linux mint on one partition would it be good to have a server distro as well. Both of course to learn and practice on.

There is VERY little difference between Mint and a 'server distro'. Again, ANY version of Linux can run all the same services and software as pretty much any other. The only differences are in where some config files are kept, directories, etc.

From a security standpoint, ANY system (Windows, Mac, Linux, whatever), looks identical...you either have open ports/vulnerabilities, or you don't.

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Only one system is needed in the beginning, unless you'd like the option to very frequently wipe everything and start over. Even then, learning to backup your data, including configurations, and then restore those data and configurations on a fresh installation is like gaining a super power.

As for server versus desktop, or even desktop versus desktop, the main difference would be which packages are installed by default. The desktop-oriented distros have, of course, a graphical desktop environment along with several commonly expected desktop applications like a productivity suite and a web browser. The server-oriented distros start with the least possible amount of pre-installed packages and in some cases you even have to go out of your way install even OpenSSH. So in short you can make one into the other by adding, removing, and reconfiguring packages, it's all a matter of defaults.

If you start with a desktop distro like Linux Mint, you can have a useful desktop from the start and then add the tools found in Kali one at a time as you learn and master them. Same for various server services.

As for the services normally found on a server (web, filesharing, printsharing, databases, telephony, etc), those can be added too but it would be best practice to learn to work with them through the shell so that you will be just as comfortable working with them across the ocean as across the desk. The shell is actually a highly refined UI which has been honed for many decades. It is both a powerful interface for interactive sessions and at the same time an equally powerful scripting language for automation. There are good reasons M$ has feared it for years and spend Very Large Sums of money to disparage it online, it is another area they haven't been able to seriously compete in. Anyway, when learning the interactive shell, I therefore recommend approaching it as a scripting language with a just-in-time model of learnng the functions (aka programs or utilities) instead of trying to "learn all the commands". That also helps with automation and gets the computer out of the way so you can focus on using it for whichever tasks it can amplify.

(Edit: The previous link is an early unpolished version. Here's a more suited up version of the same speech about amplification of abilities. I'd add that if the computer is no saving you effort, you are doing it wrong.)

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I beg to differ. Most GUI distros have functionality built in that is detrimental to server use. Like going to sleep after some time of "inactivity".
Yes, but not all of them together on one install.

@schzro: just start with a simple mainstream Linux distro, get the ropes, play with some virtual machines etc. whatever you like. Learn.
Kali really isn't the best starting point - as you already noticed. I don't think your ISP is responsible because we constantly get help requests about Kali not being able to connect to the internet. It's not a conspiracy.

For the purposes of what this user is wanting, any standard distro will work. They want to learn Linux...yes, there can be a sleep after inactivity, but that can also be easily turned off. And I'm not aware of a limitation on installing services on any distro...as far as I know, you can take a standard Mint installation, and shovel on DNS, DHCP, email, web, and numerous other services all at once.

Will it work QUICKLY? Probably not, but the OP is looking to learn, and that meets the goal. They aren't looking for a 'server' in this case, but a learning platform. Configuring those services is the need, not long-term use. They need to get it working and figure out how to troubleshoot things, etc. And when they do move to a server type distro, they'll have a basis to know what needs to happen to migrate those services.

I totally agree with you that a server-distro isn't like a 'consumer' distro, but for the OP in this case, they'd be better off starting easy, rather than potentially fighting wifi/bluetooth issues with a server-distro, just to start to learn, whereas Mint will probably 'just work' after a basic install.
100% agree.