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Newsgroups: comp.os.386bsd.questions Path: sserve!newshost.anu.edu.au!harbinger.cc.monash.edu.au!msuinfo!agate!library.ucla.edu!csulb.edu!nic-nac.CSU.net!usc!cs.utexas.edu!convex!seas.smu.edu!rwsys!hammy!gordon From: gordon@sneaky.lonestar.org (Gordon Burditt) Subject: Re: PPP References: <30n5qj$3s1@portal.gmu.edu> <michaelv.774892571@ponderous.cc.iastate.edu> Organization: /usr/lib/news/organi[sz]ation Date: Thu, 4 Aug 1994 18:31:45 GMT Message-ID: <Cu0wsy.ExG@sneaky.lonestar.org> Lines: 51 Is there a way to get fully automatic PPP? I may be asking for the moon here, but I'd like to be able to set up PPP so that the connection is established and disconnected as needed. - Routing is set up when the system is booted without necessarily needing to set the link up at this point. Daemons get started as needed. - The PPP connection is established when needed for useful traffic by dialing an internet services provider and logging in. Provision is made to try alternate numbers. - The PPP connection is disconnected after a user-configurable period of time (e.g. a few minutes) with no useful traffic. - Traffic can be classified by user configuration into three types, "useful", which calls for establishing or keeping established a PPP link, "non-useful", which is allowed when the link is up already but is not cause for establishing the link and gets dropped if the link is down, and "forbidden", which is not allowed on the PPP link at all. - Examples of "non-useful" traffic include broadcast messages, NTP, rwho, and other stuff I haven't thought of that would generate periodic traffic and keep the link up all the time without accomplishing much. - Examples of "useful" traffic include SMTP, ftp, NNTP, nameserver queries, telnet, and most other services. - Examples of "forbidden" traffic would mostly depend on the security environment, and might include incoming telnet, incoming ftp, etc. - It should be possible to disconnect the link while keeping logical connections alive. For example, I nfs-mount a server's file system read-only, copy a few files to a local disk, start compiling them (which no longer requires the remote file system), the link times out and disconnects. An hour later I discover I forgot a few files, start copying them and the link comes up again (no remount required). I ftp to another site and start a big transfer, then go to lunch. The link drops when the transfer is done, but leaves the ftp session up. (Yes, I know hogging ftp sessions is anti-social if done for a long time.) - When the link isn't being used for PPP, it can be used for outgoing UUCP or tip, incoming UUCP, or incoming PPP from the service provider if the provider is willing to do that. If the link's not available when needed, the packets get dropped and whatever sent them times out eventually. How much of a pipe dream is this? Is establishing a ftp session going to be possible if the first packet sent through (bringing the link up) takes a minute to transmit? Are TCP "keepalives" going to keep the link up all the time anyway? In what areas does the existing PPP implementation (pick your favorite platform: FreeBSD, NetBSD, Linux) fall short of what I want, and is it possible (with lots of work, probably) to add it? Gordon L. Burditt sneaky.lonestar.org!gordon