Internet access : connecting to broadbans using log-in and password ??

[Preston Hagar]

On Tue, Aug 25, 2009 at 11:04 AM, Vincent
Trouilliez<vincent.trouilliez at modulonet.fr> wrote:
> I do remember when I had a modem without router, that I used the
> "pppoeconfig" utility" to give the authentication utility, then this
> utility offered to start up the connection automatically at start up. Is
> there something similar for modern modems which hav ea fancy router in
> them ?
>
> Regards,
>
>
> --
> Vince
>

In my experience, most DSL modems (like yours) now store the username
and password in the modem itself, so that the use doesn't have to deal
with authentication.  Some, however, don't and require the OS to
authenticate the connection via pppoe before it will let you on the
Internet.  Generally this is an ISP setting.

I see two possible solutions (things aren't entirely clear from your
description).  If the entire pppoe authentication (including entering
the username and password) is web-based, try connecting using Firefox
or even Firefox on an Ubuntu Live CD from your father's house and see
if it works.  If it does, then there should be no real problem.  You
father should be able to keep connecting as he always has, just using
Firefox instead of IE.

If the username and password aren't entered each time using the
web-based interface and he instead has a "connect to Internet" type
icon on his desktop that he has to click, then this functionality can
likely be replicated using pppoeconfig.  His is a (somewhat older)
guide:

https://help.ubuntu.com/7.04/internet/C/connect-to-internet.html#modems-adsl-pppoe

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ADSLPPPoE

pppoeconfig is usually installed by default and you could probably
even again try it from a live cd before you install just to test it
out.

With all that said, you might see if you can find a setting in his DSL
modem's web-based interface that will store the username and password
for you so that it is a non-issue.  Another option might be to
consider either asking the ISP for a new modem, or purchasing a new
one of your own that will store the username and password (assuming
that the ISP will allow it and it will work with their connection).

Overall, I guess my main advice would be to just put in a live CD,
first try to just get on the Internet with Firefox.  If that doesn't
work, try using pppoeconfig on the live cd (if it is there, I haven't
used it in years) and trying that.  It should answer your questions
pretty quickly.

Preston