PPP and associated files

My two PPP systems

I have two systems that I need to have PPP work with. I will never use both at the same time but I figured I might as well get both figured out so I could write this page and so I didn't have to do it when school begins this fall. Right now I am on co-op in Texas and so I found an internet provider so I could keep in touch with friends at school via e-mail.

This is a table of the information that I needed to know to set up the files on my system for PPP. Some of this info is for IP related things and some is for the chat script.

Phone Number	877-3605	Phone Number	1-314-341-6322
First Prompt	ogin:	First Prompt	name:
Answered	mark	Answered	mark@umr.edu
Second Prompt	word:	Second Prompt	word:
Answered	my_password	Answered	my_password
Third Prompt	n/a	Third Prompt
Answered	n/a	Answered	ppp /compress
My IP	dynamic	My IP	dynamic
Domain	globallink.net	Domain	umr.edu
Nameserver 1	206.104.244.2	Nameserver 1	131.151.254.243
Nameserver 2	204.117.214.10	Nameserver 2	131.151.1.7

/etc/resolv.conf

This file tells you linux system the domain it is in, and the nameservers to use. If you add the search line, it works like this:

Say you use a lot of systems that have their_own_name.and_the_same.ending. So you would like to be able to just type 'telnet their_own_name' and have it know to do a DNS lookup with 'and_the_same.ending' appended to it automatically. Well that is what the search line does. You could alternatively put each system in /etc/hosts.

Well going from the information I had (listed in the table above) and knowing which systems I need to use I came up with these two resolv.conf files.

Globallink

domain globallink.net
search globallink.net cc.umr.edu
nameserver 206.104.244.2
nameserver 204.117.214.10

UMR

domain umr.edu
search cc.umr.edu
nameserver 131.151.254.243
nameserver 131.151.1.7
nameserver 131.151.9.2

/etc/rc.d/rc.inet1

This file should be almost completely commented out except when you have an ethernet connection. The only three lines not commented out in mine are:

rc.inet1

/etc/rc.d/rc.inet2

This file starts a lot of different networking programs but the part that I think should be worried about at all is where it starts the INET SuperServer. After it is started your system allows incoming ftp and telnet. This may not be a wise thing to let happen. It allows people the chance to try and break into your system. Probably not a major thing to worry about as far as the likelyhood of it happening. But it really isn't worth risking. You might as well comment out the lines below.

rc.inet2

/etc/ppp/options

This file is looked at by pppd everytime pppd starts. You can read more about it in the pppd man page. One thing I will point out is that you should set it to 57600 instead of 38400. I have no clue why so many people set their modems to 38400 bps. If it begins the data compression, any modem with v.42bis and MNP 5 is capable of on a text file, then it will not be free to go from the modem to the computer at 4 times 14.4kbps. If you are using a 28.8 then set it to 115200.

If you are having problems getting chat to work right for you then you can take out the line for that. Then start 'minicom' and dial up to your provider. Login and start the PPP connection. Then exit with "ctrl-a q". This will exit minicom without hanging up. Then start pppd.

connect 'chat -v -f ~/dial'
/dev/modem
57600
defaultroute
noipdefault
debug
crtscts
lock
modem

~root/dial

This file is my dialing script for chat. This is a modified version of the one Todd Fries sent me. It is somewhat self explanatory. If you have questions just browse the chat man page. It should be pretty clear after that. "at&FM0" is the modem initialization string for my modem. It resets it and turns off the speaker. Globallink

TIMEOUT 3
ABORT '\nBUSY\r'
ABORT '\nNO ANSWER\r'
ABORT '\nRINGING\r\n\r\nRINGING\r'
ABORT '\nNO CARRIER\r'
ABORT '\nNO DIALTONE\r'
ABORT '\n%Access denied\r'
'' AT
'OK-+++\c-OK' at&FM0
OK atdt8773605
TIMEOUT 50
ogin: mark
TIMEOUT 2
word: "\qmy_password"

UMR

TIMEOUT 3
ABORT '\nBUSY\r'
ABORT '\nNO ANSWER\r'
ABORT '\nRINGING\r\n\r\nRINGING\r'
ABORT '\nNO CARRIER\r'
ABORT '\nNO DIALTONE\r'
ABORT '\n%Access denied\r'
'' AT
'OK-+++\c-OK' at&FM0
OK atdt13143416322
TIMEOUT 50
name: mark@umr.edu
TIMEOUT 2
word: "\qmy_password"
pkr- "ppp /compress"

The full version of this how to document is below:
PPP FAQ.