OK, I'm not a real Linux geek... yet. I am a Mac user, and have been
successfully using Macs for more than ten years, without any major
problems. But for professional reasons, I wanted to get into Linux, and
chose Mandrake because it was supposed to be the simplest to get running.
<rant>
I see no need to have to edit files with cryptic commands when there are
GUI interfaces that do the same thing. So, to connect my computer to the
Internet, I tried to use Kppp. I am amazed that it does not work, and
that the only way to get it to work seems to be to read a ton of Linux
books and docs.
So, here's what happened. First, following the instructions given in
some bacis Linux books, and the Mandrake doc (as well as doc on web
sites), I entered the necessary info in Kppp - account info, such as
phone number, user name, password, etc. I tried to connect. Zip.
Computer tells me
>May 3 14:22:52 localhost pppd[917]: The remote system is required to
>authenticate itself but I couldn't find any secret (password) which would
>let it use an IP address.
OK, this is wonderful. All the doc says it is so easy... Some kind
souls tell me that I need to add the "noauth" argument. OK, why do I
need to do this? I mean, why does it default to auth?
But when I try to do this, Computer tells me that I can only do it as
root. Now, all the docs and books say, don't use root unless you really
need to. But if I can't connect to the Internet as a normal user, I need
to be root. So I log in as root, and "noauth" and get the connection up.
The connection, and nothing more.
In spite of the fact that I have my ISPs DNS numbers correctly entered,
nothing happens. Computer is searching in the ether and cannot find any
nameservers. I try, on the advice of a kind soul on this list, to
uncomment the lines in the resolv.conf file, to no avail.
So, still no connection.
What gives? If everyone else can get a connection up, is there something
wrong with my installation or my computer? If the books and docs show it
is so easy, why I am having so many problems? And this noauth thing -
why do I have to add it, when, apparently, no one should need auth except
in special cases?
I'm a bit taken aback by some of the stuff I need to do to get this up
and running. Especially because I have been hired to write tutorials
about Mandrake for a web site, and need to explain to others how to do
these things. Sure, most things work out ok, but when I see just how
complicated it is to get a simple ppp connection, I am really shocked.
(BTW, it was actually much easier to get my Linux box networked with my
Mac over AppleTalk; definately a power user thing, while a ppp connection
is really a basic).
</rant>
So, can anyone help?
Kirk
vice versa
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Kirk McElhearn | Chemin de la Lauze | 05600 Guillestre | France
