README file for FloppyFW PPPoE.bz2 package       5-13-00

This is a short note describing the operation of the
PPPoE package for FloppyFW.

Introduction:

    This PPPoE package requires the PPP package.  See a separate README 
for the PPP package.  The PPPoE package contains the following:

/bin/pppoe
/etc/ppp/adsl-start
/etc/ppp/adsl-stop
/etc/ppp/adsl-connect
/etc/ppp/pppoe.conf.orig
/licenses/pppoe

    The following files are also used, and are included in the ppp package:

/bin/pppd
/etc/ppp/ip-up         
/etc/ppp/ip-down


/bin/pppoe is the binary executable compiled from source obtained from 
     www.roaringpenguin.com.  This software is distributed under the 
     terms of the GPL.  See /licenses for details.

adsl-start brings up the connection by calling adsl-connect and using 
     the pppoe.conf file created by network.ini. (see below)

adsl-stop brings down the pppoe connection started with adsl-start.

adsl-connect actually calls pppd and pppoe to bring up and maintain the 
     connection using the pppoe.conf file created by network.ini. 
     (see below)

pppoe.conf.orig is the original pppoe.conf file from the Roaring Penguin 
     PPPoE client.  It has many useful comments in it, so it was included 
     for reference.

/licenses/pppoe states the obvious

/bin/pppd is the binary executable from the PPP.bz2 package

ip-up is used to update the display, and re-start the firewall with 
     new ip address

ip-down merely updates the display when a connection is lost

Note: ip-up and ip-down send output to /dev/tty1.  I
     normally use this console for monitoring only.  I use a different 
     console to type commands, etc.


NOTE: When using PPPoE at boot time, the file pppoe.conf is automatically 
     generated by network.ini. The files /etc/ppp/options.ppp  and 
     /etc/ppp/options.chat are included in the PPP package so that a 
     modem connection can be used manually in addition to a PPPoE or 
     static ip connection if desired.  They are assumed to be only a 
     starting point for options files.

Directions for use:

     To use PPPoE, all one needs to do (hear that before?) is edit the 
file /config on the floppy with the appropriate values.  Use the comments 
in the /config file for more info.  

1. Set OUTSIDE_IP=PPPoE

2. Set USER_IDENT=yourusernamehere

3. Set USER_PASSWORD=yourpassword

4. You can probably leave most other config options to the defaults.

5. OUTSIDE_NETMASK, OUTSIDE_BROADCAST and DEFAULT_GATEWAY are not 
   necessary if you are using PPP or PPPoE.

6. Set up your inside network ip addresses.  This is beyond the scope 
   of this README.  See other floppyfw documentation.

7. Set your 2 DNS nameservers, and your domain name. Ask your isp.

8. Answer the 3 questions or leave them alone.

9. Boot the floppy, and carefully watch for errors in the kernel 
   messages.  If things went well, you should be able to use 
   'ifconfig' and see at least 4 interfaces up, the loopback, the 
   2 eth devices, and a PPP interface.  If this is the case, try to 
   'ping' something.  The ping packets should start flowing. cntrl-c 
   to stop the pinging.

NOTES: 
1. The ip-up script runs the firewall.init script, which re-starts 
   the firewall each time a PPP or PPPoE interface comes up.  You 
   should be able to see this info on virtual console 1. This is 
   necessary with PPPoE because you cannot be sure your isp will 
   not dynamically disconnect your connection and reconnect you on 
   a different ip address.
  
2. I use consoles 2+ for typing commands, and leave console 1 showing 
   status.  As months go by, you can look at recent connection history 
   on console 1.  This is more useful for PPPoE than with PPP since it 
   is a continuous connection. (unless a failure)  My 'dynamic' ip has 
   stayed up for as long as one month (I disconnected by re-booting, 
   who knows how long it might stay up)

3. The PPPoE connection file is created by the /etc/network.init file. 
   (/network.ini on the floppy) This file can be modified by editing 
   network.ini.


PROBLEMS:
1. If things dont go as planned, start with the kernel messages.  
   (type 'dmesg | more') Make sure they dont indicate a failure of 
   NIC initialization, etc.

2. Type 'ifconfig'.  Make sure there are at least 4 interfaces up.  
   If the missing interface is eth0 or eth1, something is wrong 
   outside the scope of this README.  If the ppp0 interface is missing, 
   something went wrong with the PPPoE section of /etc/network.init.  
   Try manually starting and stopping the PPPoE connection using 
   /etc/ppp/adsl-start and /etc/ppp/adsl-stop, and watching the 
   error messages.

3. If ifconfig reports the correct interfaces, check the routing 
   table for a default route thru interface ppp0.

4. If things are failing in the connection process, I would then 
   check the username and password in the config file, and read the 
   /etc/ppp/pppoe.conf.orig.  See the man page for pppd.  See the 
   README files included in Roaring Penguin PPPoE client at 
   www.roaringpenguin.com.

HELPFUL REFERENCES:

1. Man pages for pppd.

2. Type 'pppd --help' for some info.

3. Read thoroughly the README file for pppd, available at 
   ftp://cs.anu.edu.au/pub/software/ppp/.  There is a more recent 
   version included in the file ppp-2.3.11.tar.gz at that site, 
   although extracting it is beyond the scope here. 

4. Read the document at: 
   http://axion.physics.ubc.ca/ppp-linux.html. 
   This has links to other helpful sites.

5. Subscribe to the newsgroup comp.protocols.ppp.  This has a 
   tremendous amount of info, and the gurus there are very helpful.

6. Read the pages at www.roaringpenguin.com.  The /bin/pppoe binary 
   was compiled from source obtained there, and the start and stop 
   scripts were only slightly modified from the originals.