Dialup configuration
Dialup configuration
pppconfig
This program is always present on a Debian or Ubuntu box as part of the default install.
Advantages
- reliable
- easy to configure for someone familiar with command line
- can be used by normal user
Disadvantages
- requires root to create new connection and to debug
- not obvious to someone used to a gui interface
Configuration
- open a terminal, become root, type pppconfig
- Use the defaults for most things
- The modem may be autodetected if it is a ISA modem but if it is not, or the modem is a PCI modem, manually enter /dev/modem
Use
- to start a connection, type "pon" (if you created a connection with a name other than "provider", you must use "pon <name>")
- to close a connection, type "poff"
- to debug (as root) type "plog". this shows the tail of the ppp log.
- to tell if you are connected type "netstat -nr" and look for the ppp0 interface.
kppp
Part of the KDE desktop system, kppp is present on all freekboxen 2 and 3.
Advantages
- Graphical windows-like
- Easy to configure, defaults mostly good
- Easy to get ATI command responses
Disadvantages
- Very flaky, fails to work at reasonable speed on good modems
- buggy
- Often need to edit pap-secrets anyway
gnome-ppp
This program is present on all newer freekbox 3 machines and the store Ubuntu boxen. On the freekboxen it can be found in the KDE Internet menu. On the Ubuntu boxes, when present, it is a red telephone icon on the panel at the top of the screen.
Advantages
- Graphical interface
- Easy to configure, defaults mostly good
- Excellent logging, easy to tell when and how failure happens
- Auto detection of many kinds of modems, including PCI modems on ttyS14 (if MAKEDEV has been run) and linmodems (if the appopriate package has been run)
Disadvantages
- no ATI query
Configuration
Generally the only thing needed is to put in your username, password and the phone number (make sure you check the "Remember password" box). You may need to detect the modem. To do this, click the setup button and click the "Detect" button on the page that comes up. It should find the modem and put it in the Device window. If it does not find a modem, there is a basic hardware or hardware configuration issue.
See also
- http://www.virtual-cafe.com/modeminit.html for handy modem initialization strings
- modem configuration for the hardware end of things
Problems
password problems
With some ISP's using the default configurations of kppp and gnome-ppp does not work. In those cases, you can generally get the account going by editing the pap-secrets file.
You need to open a terminal and su to root. Then type the following line:
nano /etc/ppp/pap-secrets
Add your username and password on the last line of the file in the following format:
username * password
The "*" is necessary.
Save by typing ctrl+o, then enter, then exit with ctrl+x.