# ADSL is suppose to be a protocol the computer's not aware of

## dE_logics

The ADSL technology should be limited to the 'special' modem which accepts data from the RJ11 jacks, after which the modem should behave like an average ppp or PPPoE modem. But in Gentoo we specify config_ethn=("adsl"), why?

Also I want to know about the mechanism of various distributions when connecting to the internet through ADSL. Do all of them use net-dialup/rp-pppoe like Gentoo (it is mandatory for Gentoo right?)?

The package net-dialup/ppp provides the ppp protocol so where does net-dialup/rp-pppoe fit in?

What does pon and poff suppose to do?

What's net-dialup/pppconfig? and how does it differ from pppoe-setup which's provided by net-dialup/rp-pppoe?

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## gerard27

I have ADSL internet.

At least that's what my provider calls it.

In /etc/conf.d/net I have:

```

config_eth0=( "dhcp" )
```

No ppp etc. installed.

I am not sure if this is what you mean though.

See Section D Gentoo Network Configuration of the Handbook.

Gerard.

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## dE_logics

No, for adsl to work, you need net-dialup/rp-pppoe and it has a hard dependency on net-dialup/ppp.

net-dialup/ppp provides the standard protocol used by ADSL for authentication.

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## elko

gerard82 probably has adsl modem/ethernet switch. PCs and other network devices are connected to the ADSL box through ethernet network and everything you need on a gentoo system is woking networking. The modem is responsible to create and keep ADSL connection. It is usually configurable using html interface or telnet.

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## mv

As elko has written, you must distinguish whether you have a (wlan) modem or a router with a modem built in. If you have a router, you need not care about adsl and just connect to the router which does all the rest. However, if you have a modem, the computer must establish the connection. The latter is typically done by net-dialup/ppp via the rp-pppoe plugin. This plugin is part of net-dialup/ppp and is a more recent version than the project net-dialup/rp-pppoe from which it originally developed; usually you do not need the latter (AFAIK there are is only some exotic hardware which is not supported by net-dialup/ppp which is the reason why net-dialup/rp-pppoe [which otherwise is obsolete] is still part of gentoo).

With config_eth0=( "dhcp" ), gentoo will wait for a router to give the data while with config_eth0=( "adsl" ), gentoo will start pppd (from net-dialup/ppp) with corresponding options.

Unfortunately, support for the latter was dropped in openrc without any replacement. To my knowledge nobody has written (and released) a script to support adsl with openrc (which is one of the major reasons why baselayout-2 is not yet stable - and in fact, IMHO this is a serious obstacle since many users need adsl).

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## dE_logics

I have a modem.

So, in this case, my lap has to establish a connection to the ADSL network...the modem has to recive this 'special' information from the box so as to connect to the internet.

 *Quote:*   

> usually you do not need the latter (AFAIK there are is only some exotic hardware which is not supported by net-dialup/ppp which is the reason why net-dialup/rp-pppoe [which otherwise is obsolete] is still part of gentoo). 

 

Ok, so mine is one of those exotic hardware I guess. Anyway, I'll play around after removing the package, But the configure was done by net-dialup/rp-pppoe, is there any such configuration in net-dialup/ppp?

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## dE_logics

No, my modem requires net-dialup/rp-pppoe. So how did I tell my Gentoo box that my hardware requires net-dialup/rp-pppoe?...by installing it?

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## dE_logics

No one knows?

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## John R. Graham

Well, I'd start withThe rp-pppoe documentation, and

Your ISP's documentation.Where does that lead you?  What step are you having trouble with?

Note that I have ADSL as well and I do not use PPPoE.  The vast majority of "modems" these days are simple routers and do not require PPPoE on the computer.  My advice is, if you are unlucky enough to have a true non-router modem, then go get a router off of eBay.  A LinkSys BEFSR41 would work very well for you.

- John

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## dE_logics

Thanks for the advice...got that.

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