PPP Dial on Demand

[mvvilleza]

Hi all,

I can't get dial on demand to work. Already added demand on the options file. Even added entries on the /etc/resolv.conf file. But my modem does not dial, can someone give a hint? Dialling out is already working and i can successfully connect, i also included persist option and this works. I don't know wht's wrong with demand option.

Help anyone pls?

 

[thedaver]

Does your default routing and forwarding look correct? If there's no traffic headed out the correct interface, you won't have much joy.

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[xmb]

Btw, how is dial on demand accomplished on linux? besides i havent done any PPP stuff, for the first time i read about dial on demand on linux.

Could anyone point me right or something?

. Mac for productivity
.. Linux for developement
... Windows for solitaire

 

[thedaver]

http://www.freenix.fr/unix/linux/HOWTO/mini/Dial-On-Demand.html

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=linux+dial+on+demand

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[mvvilleza]

thedaver,

Thanks for the info, the problem was there's no default route defined. That's why it doesn't dial automatically. Thanx.

 

[mvvilleza]

Hey thedaver,

Seems that the persist option is not working after the demand option works? Is this because you don't need the persist option anymore because you already have autodial?

 

[thedaver]

Persist isn't logical with dial on demand. DoD says to bring up a connection when the local network requires traffic across that interface to go "out". The persist option says to keep the circuit up with great persistence.

IMHO they don't go together and probably shouldn't work together if the software was properly architected.

Agree?

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[mvvilleza]

Amen to that man, i was thinking abt that. Why need persistence if you have demand? So there's no place for persist to exist if it will dial once you need the link.

Thanks again bro.

 

[chipperMDW]

Some people, perhaps laptop users who reboot often, might like to be able to dial on demand the first time they need to access the netowrk after booting, but then stay connected persistently after that. Maybe because they have a pattern of use similar to: "If I boot up, it might just be for a second, so no need to dial up. If I'm booted long enough to need the network, though, chances are I'm staying connected for a while." So I don't think the two options should necessarily be mutually exclusive.

Such cases are probably rare, though. Oh, well.

 

[thedaver]

Chippermdw, the beauty of open source software is that you can rewrite the software yourself if you don't like how it runs now....

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[chipperMDW]

Right you are. Go GNU.

 

[mvvilleza]

Hey thedaver,

Noticed sumthing in Linux PPPD. It's case sensitive even on username!!! Is there a workaround on this?

 

[thedaver]

Sorry, could you state that in the form of a question?
Seriously, not sure I understand the problem....

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[mvvilleza]

I know that Linux is case sensitive, but i did not know that even usernames not entered in the correct case as defined in the password database, you won't be able to successfully connect to PPP.

 

[mvvilleza]

Let me re-phrase my last question, i was connecting via dialup from a Windows client to Linux PPP. I noticed that if i entered the username in a different case as defined in the Linux password database i was unable to connect. For example, if in Linux it's myusername; if i entered MYUSERNAME in Windows dialup i cannot establish a connection unless i entered myusername in Windows dialup.

 

[thedaver]

Well, yes, that's almost always true.
As a rule, you should expect the every authentication scheme worth it's salt in linux/unix will be case sensitive for passwords and usernames. Of note is that some li/unix will handle the "backspace" character differently in passwords. Some accept it to edit the entry, others use it as part of the password string as a high ascii value.

Hopefully you're all squared up now?

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[mvvilleza]

Well yeah, but since you've been answering my questions from the start. Maybe i can abuse you more, i have another question.

How can i capture ppp logins in a txt file where it reports unsuccessful logins, login time logout time? The connection logs are captured in /var/log/messages, while login time is available w/ the who command. What i want is to have a logfile capturing all the said activities.

 

[thedaver]

Hrm, good question. First thought was to look at pppd docs, which don't reveal much about user-related logging of detail. My thought there was to perl parse the "lastlog" command output for some of the detail.

But, to be perfectly honest, what I came around to thinking is that you're really needing to setup RADIUS and PORTSLAVE to run this modem(s) in a proper ISP mode of thinking. RADIUS authentication, RADIUS logging, and PORTSLAVE to provide the services are going to be more instrinsicly adept at providing the kind of auditing detail you are implying. They are, however, more complex to implement.

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[mvvilleza]

Yeah you're right bout that, i've been reading the radius manual b4 resulting to native pppd. Seems Linux radius is hard to implement, that's why i'm thinking of having Microsoft's IAS since i plan to have VPN also for other remote offices.

 

[thedaver]

I beg to differ, I've run my own RADIUS and it's not hard. You should check into FreeRADIUS, wonderful product. I've not had experience with Portslave, but that's just another modem server so it shouldn't be tough. Don't go to Windows if you can help it....

You can also use OpenVPN for a VPN service - again free and cross-platform!

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