Linux PPP HOWTO

Corwin Light-Williams

Joshua Drake

v4.0, 8 July 2000

This is a LinuxPorts.Com Document for the Linux Documentation Project.


Table of Contents
About This Document
1. How can I help?
2. Introduction
2.1. Clients and Servers
2.2. Differences between Linux distributions
2.3. PPP configuration tools
3. IP Numbers
4. Aims of this Document
4.1. Setting up a PPP Client
4.2. Linking two LANs or a LAN to the Internet using PPP
4.3. Using intuitive configuration tools to set up PPP
4.4. Setting up a PPP server
4.5. Using PPP over a direct null modem connection
4.6. This document at present does NOT cover...
5. Software versions covered
6. Other Useful/Important Documents
6.1. Useful Linux Mailing Lists
7. Easy Configuration Utilities for PPP
7.1. KPPP - The KDE PPP Dialer
7.2. WvDial - A command-line pppd driver
7.3. rp3 - RedHat PPP dialer
7.4. Linuxconf - Universal (almost) Linux PPP dialer
8. Debugging
8.1. I have compiled PPP support into the kernel, but...
8.2. My modem connects but ppp never starts up
8.3. The syslog says "serial line is not 8 bit clean"
8.4. Default route not set
8.5. Other Problems
9. Overview of what has to be done to get PPP working as a client
9.1. Obtaining/Installing the software
9.2. Compiling PPP support into the kernel
9.3. Obtaining information from your ISP
9.4. Configuring your modem and serial port
9.5. Setting up Name to Address Resolution (DNS)
9.6. PPP and root Privileges
9.7. Checking your distribution PPP Files and setting up the PPP Options
9.8. If your PPP server uses PAP (Password Authentication Protocol)
9.9. Connecting to the PPP server by hand
9.10. Automating your PPP Connection
9.11. Shutting down the link
9.12. If you have problems
9.13. After the link comes up
9.14. Problems with standard IP services on a Dynamic IP number PPP link
9.15. Maintaining a permanent connection to the net with pppd.
10. Configuring your Linux Kernel
10.1. Installing the Linux Kernel source
10.2. Knowing your hardware
10.3. Kernel compilation - the Linux 1.2.13 kernel
10.4. Kernel compilation - the Linux 1.3.x, 2.0.x, and 2.2.x kernels
10.5. Note on PPP-2.x and /proc/net/dev
10.6. General kernel config considerations for PPP
11. Getting the Information you need about the PPP server
12. Configuring your modem and serial port
12.1. A note about serial ports and speed capabilities
12.2. Serial Port Names
12.3. Configuring your modem
12.4. Note on Serial Flow Control
12.5. Testing your modem for dial out
13. Setting up Name to Address Resolution (DNS)
13.1. The /etc/resolv.conf file
13.2. The /etc/host.conf file
14. Using PPP and root privileges
15. Setting up the PPP connection files
15.1. The supplied options.tpl file
15.2. What options should I use? (No PAP/CHAP)
15.3. Other options to consider adding
16. If your PPP server uses PAP (Password Authentication Protocol)
16.1. Using MSCHAP
16.2. The PAP/CHAP secrets file
16.3. The PAP secrets file
16.4. The CHAP secrets file
16.5. Handling multiple PAP-authenticated connections
17. Setting up the PPP connection manually
18. Automating your connections - Creating the connection scripts
18.1. Connection scripts for User name/Password Authentication
18.2. The ppp-on script
18.3. Editing the supplied PPP startup scripts
18.4. What a Chat script means...
18.5. A chat script for PAP/CHAP authenticated connections
18.6. The pppd debug and file option_file options
19. Testing your connection script
20. Shutting down the PPP link
21. Getting Help when totally stuck
22. Common Problems once the link is working
22.1. I can't see beyond the PPP server I connect to
22.2. I can send email, but not receive it
22.3. Why can't people finger, WWW, gopher, talk, etc. to my machine?
23. Using Internet services with Dynamic IP numbers
23.1. Setting up email
23.2. Setting Up a local Name server
24. Linking two networks using PPP
24.1. Setting up the IP numbers
24.2. Setting up the routing
24.3. Network security
25. After the link comes up - the /etc/ppp/ip-up script
25.1. Special routing
25.2. Handling email queues
25.3. A sample /etc/ppp/ip-up script
25.4. Handling email
26. Using /etc/ppp/ip-down
27. Routing issues on a LAN
27.1. Note on Security
28. Setting up a PPP server
28.1. Kernel compilation
28.2. Overview of the server system
28.3. Getting the software together
28.4. Setting up standard (shell access) dialup.
28.5. Setting up the PPP options files
28.6. Setting pppd up to allow users to (successfully) run it
28.7. Setting up the global alias for pppd
29. Using PPP across a null modem (direct serial) connection
30. PPPoE or PPP over Ethernet