Kirk McElhearn wrote:
>
> 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.
Please keep in mind that "simplest to get running" really only applies
when comparing between Linux distributions. Truthfully, I'm not even
sure that's true anymore. Red Hat and SuSE have done some amazing work
in the last couple versions.
> <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.
Despite the pretty pictures, this is still the same Unix your father
used. The GUI is only a thin cover over the CLI in Unix. And, as
you've discovered, a pretty poor cover at that!
> 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?
Because it's more secure to authenticate the remote system. You want to
ensure that you're really talking to the machine you think you're
talking to.
You have a couple options to fix the problem, both of which have been
previously mentioned on the list:
* Add the '*' to the /etc/ppp/[chap|pap]secrets files.
* Add the noauth line to kppp
> 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.
Question: once the connection is up, try this:
ping www.yahoo.com
ping 216.32.74.51
Do both of them give results? If the top one fails while the second one
works, you've got DNS troubles. In that case, check /etc/resolv.conf to
ensure that you've got the correct IP numbers entered.
If both of them fail, you've got routing problems. Check 'route -n' and
report the results.
> 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?
Actually, I don't think I've ever used the default 'auth'
configuration.
> 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>
One last thing to keep in mind while being frustrated with Linux. You
are no longer an end user. You are an administrator. It's a whole
'nother mindset.
--
Steve Philp, MCSE/MCP+I
Network Administrator
Advance Packaging Corporation
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
