Hi,
I chose the dial up configuration in DrakX as I plan to run a plain old
kppp dial up connection for the short term interim. While later, I intend
to switch this set up over to a lan connection. I also did my initial
configurations using kppp, so I am still somewhat in shock, disbelief, and
dismay that I am not yet ON-LINE with a Mandrake install of Linux.
Yes the desktop is pretty, yes it feels stable and runs GREAT, yes it is
intuitive, and has an open design, everything is right at your finger tips,
but what good is all this great design, if I am not able to do basic things
like connect to my domains, via browser, telnet, ftp, etc? I can do all of
these with ease with MS, click, click, click. :) Now I am not looking for
click, click, click, but I am looking for a FUNCTIONING connection to the
internet.
I am looking for a way to leave the MS Windows Monopoly Environment, hence
my delving into Linux, and also I have been working in a Unix Environment
for the past three years, it only seems natural and sensible to me that I
would migrate to Linux.
I purchased Linux Mandrake and now Debian as well, and I am purchasing
other distros too. My reason for purchasing my Linux software is to support
the Linux community with my software $$$DOLLARS$$$ instead of having even
one more cent of my money going to MS. Yes I wanted the books, yes Debian
gave me a great bumper sticker (wow) that I proudly put on my vehicle and
now drive around Seattle with. :)
I have been wanting to write an article on purchasing and installing Linux.
I am the owner of a 'consumer advocacy' web site and I want to build a site
regarding the major companies that sell versions and support to new Linux
users. My own story of how these OS's install, function, and hopefully
dispell certain myths about installing and configuring Linux or for non
developers and administrators, installing and connecting to the internet
with Linux and report this to consumers.
As I have intonated before, I would love to see a version of Linux that was
totally geared to the old fashioned windows desktop environment users
(basically the entire country here in the US). A version that would install
as easy as DrakX does but would also connect users to the internet and the
ability to browse the web and get to their emails at the VERY, VERY LEAST,
and do this with
all of the ease that DrakX currently has built into it during the
installation of the OS, only it is lacking the connection aspects from what
I can tell from my own experience thus far, and what I have read here from
many other new Linux converts
I am a Linux newbie, but I am not what you would call totally unfamiliar
with configuring all sorts of programs and web servers already. :)
I am happy to say that Linux Mandrake is in fact, and without a doubt, the
best OS I have ever seen in my life. Although support for connection to the
internet seems to be the area that is lacking somewhat at this time. I have
Linux Mandrake, but I still am stuck living in a MS windows world. :)
Thanks,
b/web
Wade
At 05:00 PM 5/4/00 -0700, you wrote:
>I don't think I really qualify as a Linux geek yet either... but here's my
>best shot.
>As far as your connection with kppp, it really shouldn't be that difficult.
>One thing I've noticed (and written to this list and the expert list about,
>nobody seemed to want to answer), is that you can either have a lan
>connection, or you can have an internet connection, but not both. I've been
>trying off and on for several months to figure out how to use NFS and such,
>but everytime I get to the point where I can ping another computer from the
>main on my own little network, then I lose the ability to connect to the
>web. Once I remove the network settings from my computer, I'm able to
>connect to the web again. Maybe that would be something you can try. Go
>into linuxconf and remove your other settings (eth0 or whatever) and then go
>back to kppp and run through the setup there. I've bookmarked a page from
>my isp that shows how to get kppp up and running, here it is:
>http://help.jps.net/unsupported/mandrake/
>
>If you have any luck getting both your internet AND your lan connection
>working at the same time, let me know! I'd love to be able to share files
>without having to boot into Windows!
>
>Mike
>
>
>> 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
>> Translations - French to English, English to French | Technical Writing
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>> Kirk McElhearn | Chemin de la Lauze | 05600 Guillestre | France
>>
>
>
>
