Re: [9fans] A short PPPOE configuration guide

[Russ Cox <rsc@swtch.com>]

> I want to show an example to those that are having problems
> configuring PPPOE immediately after installing Plan 9. 

I fear this is a bit more complicated than I had intended.

> 1.  Disable permissions checking:

Put yourself in group sys instead.  
This "invent root by another name" meme has lasted long enough.

> 2.  Edit the plan9.ini file.

>   Add an ether=type=xxx entry to ensure the NIC is recognized. 

There's no need to do this unless the NIC isn't
recognized.  ls '#l' (that's an ell after the sharp)
and if you see a directory named ether0 you're
already all set.  Alternately grep ether /dev/kmesg.
In particular, an i82557 should always be recognized.
Only old ISA cards need these lines anymore.

> 3.  Edit /lib/ndb/local with acme (or ed).
> 
>    Add an ipnet entry. My example is as follows:
> 
> ipnet=asahi-net.or.jp ip=219.121.16.20 ipmask=255.255.255.255
>        dns=202.224.32.1
>        dns=202.224.23.1
> 
>    Add an ip entry. My example is as follows:
> 
> ip=219.121.16.20 sys=ns dom=asahi-net.or.jp
>        proto=tcp

These entries are only necessary if you don't like the DNS 
servers that the remote PPP server is suggesting or if you
have other things on the network besides the PPP modem
(unlikely).  In the common case, you just run ip/pppoe -P
and that sets up /net/ndb with the info from the remote
PPP server.

> 3.   After saving the file, reboot by running 'fshalt' and turning off
> the computer.

You only need to reboot if you edited plan9.ini
because the kernel didn't recognize your ethernet
card (see above).

> 5.   In the first window, run the following:
> 
>         bind -b '#l0' /net
>         bind -a '#l0' /net

You only need one of these lines.  It doesn't matter which one.
And you can write '#l' for '#l0' if you're so inclined.

>         ip/pppoe -d ether0
>         (enter the ISP provided username and password)

Saying ether0 isn't necessary -- that's the default.
Saying -d isn't necessary either, but it does print potentially
useful debugging info.  In most cases you want the -P flag (see above).
So "ip/pppoe -dP".

>      In the second window, run the following:
> 
>         ndb/cs

Cs is already running (started in termrc/cpurc) and need not be run again.

>         ndb/dns -r

DNS is also already running and should not need to be run again.
(I say should not because in times long past it was sometimes necessary.)
You should be able to just

    echo refresh >/net/cs
    echo refresh >/net/dns

and be all set.  I just changed ppp (invoked by pppoe) to do this
for you, so if you pull binaries tomorrow, these shouldn't be necessary
either.  Writing to /net/cs is just a custom anyway -- nothing cs cares
about (the list of available protocols inside /net) has changed.

So the simpler version of how to run pppoe, similar to the one in
http://lists.cse.psu.edu/archives/9fans/2001-October/013562.html,
is to run

    ip/pppoe -dP
    echo refresh >/net/cs
    echo refresh >/net/dns

and the last two commands should go away soon enough.

Russ