The kppp Handbook: Setting up kppp
Description: KPPP Internet Dialer
Keywords: KPPP Dialer Internet PPP IP PAP CHAP

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### 3. Setting up kppp

In order to set up kppp, start kppp and push the `Setup` button on kppp's main window. A new tab dialog will appear.

### 3.1 Accounts

This dialog will display the accounts you have created. You must create at least one account. The ``Reset Button'' will reset the accumulated cost for the selected account to zero. Typically you want to press this button once a month after having consolidated your telephone costs.

### 3.2 Device

Modem Device

  Select the device appropriate for your hardware. Here are some examples:

  - /dev/ttyS0 - DOS or Windows users will know this as COM1, COM2 is /dev/ttyS1 and so on. These devices are mostly used on Linux systems.
  - /dev/cua0 - the first serial line (COM1). COM2 would be /dev/cua1 and so on. These devices are mostly used on BSD systems, namely FreeBSD, NetBSD and OpenBSD.
  - /dev/ttyI0 - under Linux, these belong to internal ISDN cards. These devices emulate a common Hayes compatible modem. /dev/ttyI0 is for the first, /dev/ttyI1 for the second ISDN card and so on. These devices are only available in the Linux version
  - /dev/modem - many Linux distributions make a symbolic link from the real modem device to /dev/modem. You should avoid using this one. Use /dev/ttySx (x is a digit) instead.

  If you can't get your modem to work at all you should verify that you don't have one of those so called WinModems. Some manufacturers leave out some essential hardware capabilities and let the CPU do the work. At the time of writing there are no Linux drivers to support these (mostly internal PCI) modems since their Windows counterparts are closed-source and the technical specifications are not freely available. The following webpage provides additional information and has a Linux compatibility database: http://www.o2.net/~gromitkc/winmodem.html

Flow Control

  Select from Hardware (CRTSCTS), Software (XON/XOFF) and no flow control. The recommended setting is Hardware flow control.

Line Termination

  Choose the correct ``Enter'' character sequence for your modem. Most modems will use ``CR/LF''. However some modems need a different setting. If you experience trouble while running a script: Play with this parameter.

Connection Speed

  Choose from the list of connections speeds supported by your serial port.

Use Lock File

  Activate this option if you want kppp to create a lockfile. Under Linux the directory for such a file will be `/var/lock`. Programs such as mgetty depend on the existence of such lock files and kppp will not work with mgetty if the lock file is not set.

Modem Timeout

  This is the time in seconds that kppp waits for the ``CONNECT'' response from your modem after dialing into another modem (typically a modem of your IPS's modem pool). I recommend a setting of about 30 seconds.

### 3.3 Modem

Modem Commands

  This will bring up a dialog which you will need to fill with modem commands appropriate for you particular modem. If you own a Hayes compatible modem you most likely won't need to change any of the defaults. I encourage you however to read about the Hayes command in the Appendix of this documentation. The information supplied there should also be of help in case you experience trouble setting up a stable connection with your ISP's modems. The two settings "Pre-Init Delay" and "Post-Init Delay" might be of special interest to if you experience any modem lock-ups. These will make kppp pause a bit before and after sending the initialization string. The "Pre-Init Delay" will be accompanied by sending a CR unless given a delay interval of 0.

  If you intend to use the ISDN pseudo devices (/dev/ttyIx) you should remove the volume commands, choose ATD as dial string and specify your local phone number with AT&Ex (see "man ttyI" for further details).

Query Modem

  Pushing the Query Modem Button will induce kppp to ask your modem to identify itself. On success your modems response will be displayed in a dialog. This may or may not prove to be informative depending on your modem.

Terminal

  Pushing the `Terminal` button will bring up a mini terminal. You can use the mini terminal to test your modem and experiment with the negotiation protocol for initiating a ppp connection with you ISP. You no longer need a terminal program such as minicom or seyon.

### 3.4 PPP

pppd Timeout

  kppp will wait this amount of time after running the script and starting pppd for pppd to establish a valid ppp link before giving up and killing pppd.

Automatic Redial on Disconnect

  Selecting this will have kppp try to reconnect in case you inadvertently got disconnected while online.

Show Clock on Caption

  This will have kppp display the time connected on the caption of the kppp window displayed while being online.

Disconnect on X-server shutdown

  Checking this option will cause kppp to terminate the ppp link, disconnect the modem and terminate accounting in an orderly fashion when the X-server shuts down. This is useful if you are prone to forget to shut down kppp on X-server exit or simply don't want to have to worry about disconnecting your connection. If you don't want kppp to hang up the modem on X-server exit, you should leave this checkbox unchecked. Be aware however, that if you have accounting enabled, and you don't want kppp to hang up on X-server exit, you will have a nonterminated accounting entry in you accounting logs, when the X-server exits and kppp terminates.

Minimize Window on Connect

  kppp's window will be minimized after a connection has been established. The elapsed connection time will be shown in the taskbar.

Dock into Panel on Connect

  If this option is chosen kppp will dock into the panel where it will be symbolized by a small animated icon. Use the left mouse button on this icon to restore kppp's window. The right mouse button will open up a popup-menu that offers to restore the window, show further transfer statistics or close the connection. This option overrides Minimise Window on Connect.

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