Ubuntu external modem setup

[Alf-Ivar Holm]

"Richards, Mark (HWC)" <MarkR at tsogosun.com> writes:

> Can anybody help me with the following:
>
> I have done a apt-get dist-upgrade. (Gnome 2.10) The only issue i have is I
> am currently unable to connect to the net with an external modem. 

Did it work before the dist-upgrade?

> I have tried using pppconfig setting up the ppp user etc, but I
> cannot connect with pon, wvdial,kppp, gnome-ppp (or anything
> actually) I am currently directing my connection through an ipcop
> machine however I want to connect from the local machine using a
> standard (Duxbury) 56k external modem.
>
> I connect, it authenticates and then the modem drops.( It also requires a
> remote IP address and does not receive one, pppd starts and falls over)  
>
> I have googled and tried the Ubuntu setups (using pppconfig) etc, but no
> luck so far. (I am obviously missing something)    

I've had similar problems: I tried a lot with one ISP but failed at
the authentication part with:

    accept-local ipcp-accept-remote user alfh
    Serial connection established.
    using channel 12
    Using interface ppp0
    Connect: ppp0 <--> /dev/ttyS0
    sent [LCP ConfReq id=0x1 <asyncmap 0x0> <auth pap> <magic 0x2b970d8> <pcomp> <accomp>]
    rcvd [LCP ConfReq id=0x23 <asyncmap 0xa0000> <auth pap> <magic 0xa5531501> <pcomp> <accomp>]
    sent [LCP ConfAck id=0x23 <asyncmap 0xa0000> <auth pap> <magic 0xa5531501> <pcomp> <accomp>]
    rcvd [LCP ConfAck id=0x1 <asyncmap 0x0> <auth pap> <magic 0x2b970d8> <pcomp> <accomp>]
    sent [LCP EchoReq id=0x0 magic=0x2b970d8]
    sent [PAP AuthReq id=0x1 user="alfh" password=<hidden>]
    rcvd [LCP EchoRep id=0x0 magic=0xa5531501]
    rcvd [PAP AuthAck id=0x1 ""]
    PAP authentication succeeded
    sent [LCP EchoReq id=0x1 magic=0x2b970d8]
    sent [LCP TermReq id=0x2 "Authentication failed"]
    rcvd [LCP EchoRep id=0x1 magic=0xa5531501]
    rcvd [LCP TermAck id=0x2]
    Connection terminated.

... where the other end seems to be happy with the authentication, but
my box says: «Nah, don't think so.», ie. the "Authentication failed"
message is sent from my box!?

When I changed to another ISP, and followed the description in the
http://www.ubuntulinux.org/wiki/DialupModemHowto everything was fine
(for a while - see below).  Note: I didn't use pppconfig for the first
ISP, and haven't got around to test that, but I will hopefully be able
to soon.

> To cut a long story short, has anybody attached with a 56k modem, is
> there a doc available for setup...(even a hint will do..)

Well, yes, I managed with a month old Hoary (now) and a Jensen "56K
Internet Modem" (Conexant inside) with a simple pppconfig and pon
(using DialupModemHowto).  Being so happy about it I made an update
with synaptic overnight (14 hours) and everything seemed ok, also
after a logout and login, BUT after a reboot I didn't manage to get in
touch with the modem at all, ie. the Hoary box didn't even manage to
detect the modem.  This update was done March 18th.  I only had a few
minutes before I had to go and haven't had the time to debug or try
again.  Will hopefully get a chance this weekend or the next.

BTW, your modem obviously "attach", but it is the ppp authentication
that fails.  I think _you_ know that, but just for the clarity of the
discussion.  After reboot my box definitely did not "attach". :-(

> Mar 29 20:14:19 localhost pppd[7448]: sent [LCP ConfReq id=0x1 <asyncmap 0x0> <auth eap> <magic 0x3fdca54> <pcomp> <accomp>]
> Mar 29 20:14:19 localhost pppd[7448]: rcvd [LCP ConfReq id=0x4e <asyncmap 0xa0000> <auth pap> <magic 0xb102e654> <pcomp> <accomp> <mrru 1524> <endpoint [local:69.73.64.6e.78.32]>]
> Mar 29 20:14:19 localhost pppd[7448]: sent [LCP ConfRej id=0x4e <mrru 1524>]
> Mar 29 20:14:19 localhost pppd[7448]: rcvd [LCP ConfAck id=0x1 <asyncmap 0x0> <auth eap> <magic 0x3fdca54> <pcomp> <accomp>]
> Mar 29 20:14:20 localhost pppd[7448]: rcvd [LCP ConfReq id=0x4f <asyncmap 0xa0000> <auth pap> <magic 0xb102e654> <pcomp> <accomp> <endpoint [local:69.73.64.6e.78.32]>]
> Mar 29 20:14:20 localhost pppd[7448]: sent [LCP ConfNak id=0x4f <auth eap>]
> [...] 
> Mar 29 20:14:20 localhost pppd[7448]: rcvd [LCP ConfReq id=0x54 <asyncmap 0xa0000> <auth pap> <magic 0xb102e654> <pcomp> <accomp> <endpoint [local:69.73.64.6e.78.32]>]
> Mar 29 20:14:20 localhost pppd[7448]: sent [LCP ConfRej id=0x54 <auth pap>]

What kind of authentication do you use, in the log several different
methods seems to be tried, and to me it looks like your host and the
ISP host never agrees on a authentication method, ie. all messages are
of the "LCP" type, and in my failed attempt above there are two "PAP"
messages sent.  My interpretation of
(http://pptpclient.sourceforge.net/howto-diagnosis.phtml#confreqacknakrej)
is that your end doesn't grok "auth pap" (it is always rejected) and
"auth eap" is ok, but it would like to use something else!?  In the
above document there's a link to RFC1661 too, if you'd like to read
further.

If I get the modem up and running again I can dump a successful log to
see where it starts to differ, or dump the syslog from the previous
successful attempt.

Afraid I couldn't help too much, but I did (once) managed to use a 56K
modem, which is what you asked for.

	Affi