# PPP question for you modem users out there

## ColdPack

Hey,

I am successfully running Gentoo 1.2 and I'm really enjoying it immensely.

But the problem I'm having is this.

I used pppconfig to setup my  connection.  I can use "pon" and "poff" to get on and off the net... but only as root.  A regular user cannot do this.  My regular user is currently in the dialout group but that changes nothing.  I added myself to the tty group to make sure I have permission to access the tty port my modem is on.  Nothing.  I also gave my user permission to read the config files and such... What I get now is a brief communication with the modem but no dialing out.  The lights on the modem flicker briefly then go out again.  Where am I going wrong?  I would like to be able to use "pon" and "poff" as a user since I rarely log in as root and don't want to have to be root to simply connect to my ISP.

Any ideas?

One other thing... when trying to use wvdial, I do connect... it dials, communicates, etc... then hangs without resolving with my ISP.  I'm connected but I can't ping, can't surf... nothing.  Where does wvdial look for things like DNS entries (I have them in /etc/resolv.conf but that doesn't change anything).  I've also tried using yawmppp but nowhere can I specify the DNS addresses so I get the same problem... It dials out, "connects" but then sits there idle waiting for something... I just don't know.

In the end, kppp works just as it should.  My regular user can connect without issue.  But I'd rather not have to use kppp when not in kde... I like the simpler interfaces of yamppp / wmppp / wvdial, etc.  Oh, and good ol' "pon" and "poff".

Thanks in advance folks.  I would really like a few answers/ideas.

ColdPack

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## klieber

moving to networking forum.

--kurt

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## thinker5555

When I used to use Debian, I loved

having "pon" and "poff" at my disposal.

How did you get them onto Gentoo?

I tried installing the pppconfig

package, but I still don't have "pon"

or "poff" on the system.  I'd be more

than happy to piddle around with them

and help you figure out your problem

of your regular users not being able

to dial out.  (I used to have this

working perfectly on Debian, and I

think I still have it sitting around

on one of my hard drives  :Smile:  )

Thanks,

Jeremy

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## LibraMark

Hi,

Did you set up a default network route when installing gentoo?  If so, kppp may be removing this and thus enabling communication through your isp.

For other ppp connection programs, you may want to try to remove it manually first:  route del default

Let me know if it helps...

Ownership problems can be tough as to keep your computer safe a lot of program ownerships are pretty tight.  Try reading ppp-how-to...

Mark.

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## neon_old

thinker, look in /usr/portage/net-dialup/ppp/files

if you installed pppconfig pon and poff are there

i've resolved copying them in /usr/sbin

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## [UK]Superdude

Heres the way I fixed the problem with pon, poff, im not sure its the best way  of doing things  but it worked for me  :Very Happy: 

pon resides in /usr/portage/net-dialup/ppp/files and rather than copying the file to /bin (or wherever) i linked them so if in the even of an upgrade of the ppp packages they would be pointing to the updated version as oppose to a copy of an older one. 

Add the user to the dialout group using usermod, then 'chown dialout.root' the providor file pppconfig makes for a connection (in /etc/ppp/peers/). This should allow any user in the dialout group to use that script and dial the modem.

hope this fixed your problem.

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## pilla

I'm having some problems with ppp, because when it closes a connection, it overwrites /etc/resolv.conf with wrong attributes (only root can read it). Next time I try to connect, I cannot set it with the DNS server addresses and thus it does not find hosts by name. I' m looking for the script which changes the attributes (ovewritting /etc/resolv.conf when the connection is closed), so I can fix this access problem.

 *LibraMark wrote:*   

> Hi,
> 
> Did you set up a default network route when installing gentoo?  If so, kppp may be removing this and thus enabling communication through your isp.
> 
> For other ppp connection programs, you may want to try to remove it manually first:  route del default
> ...

 

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## carmiac

 *Bloody Bastard wrote:*   

> I'm having some problems with ppp, because when it closes a connection, it overwrites /etc/resolv.conf with wrong attributes (only root can read it). Next time I try to connect, I cannot set it with the DNS server addresses and thus it does not find hosts by name. I' m looking for the script which changes the attributes (ovewritting /etc/resolv.conf when the connection is closed), so I can fix this access problem.
> 
> 

 

Bump, Im having the same problem.  Is there a fix?

Thanks!

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## pilla

The problem is that the default gateway is already set to the eth0 and pppd cannot change it (it complains about not having the secret or something like that). The sollution I am using is just to shutdown eth0 when I am dialing-up, but of course there must be a better way of doing it

 *carmiac wrote:*   

>  *Bloody Bastard wrote:*   I'm having some problems with ppp, because when it closes a connection, it overwrites /etc/resolv.conf with wrong attributes (only root can read it). Next time I try to connect, I cannot set it with the DNS server addresses and thus it does not find hosts by name. I' m looking for the script which changes the attributes (ovewritting /etc/resolv.conf when the connection is closed), so I can fix this access problem.
> 
>  
> 
> Bump, Im having the same problem.  Is there a fix?
> ...

 

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## carmiac

 *Bloody Bastard wrote:*   

> The problem is that the default gateway is already set to the eth0 and pppd cannot change it (it complains about not having the secret or something like that). The sollution I am using is just to shutdown eth0 when I am dialing-up, but of course there must be a better way of doing it
> 
> 

 

That makes sense, except that I have already turned eth0 off, in fact I have removed it from all run levels.

Any other ideas?

Thanks!

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## timbo

I had no end of problems getting my dial out connection to work, I ended up adding myself to a few groups (at work now will check when I get home) and changine the permission on a file or two...  After that all was well for ages.

I now connect through an old 486 running fressco over a small network at home.  Works better for me, no pon/poff or wvdial or ltmodem to deal with...

Regards

Tim

 :Cool: 

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## pilla

Maybe the wheel group. 

 *timbo wrote:*   

> I had no end of problems getting my dial out connection to work, I ended up adding myself to a few groups (at work now will check when I get home) and changine the permission on a file or two...  After that all was well for ages.
> 
> I now connect through an old 486 running fressco over a small network at home.  Works better for me, no pon/poff or wvdial or ltmodem to deal with...
> 
> Regards
> ...

 

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