• Setting up the modem
• Configure dialup
  • The configuration tool will ask you for the phone number and dns numbers of your ISP as well as the location of your modem. It will ask for your username and password for dialup. It will put this information into a few various files.
  • pap-secrets (probably in /etc/ppp/) - your username and password will go here. This file will be readable only by root in order to keep your password secret.
  • /etc/resolv.conf - the dns numbers will go here
  • The phone number, modem location and username will go in files in /etc/ppp. One of the files is options There will be others depending on what you are using.
    man <dialup-program> should tell you more on what files are involved.
  • Tools for dialup include:
    • Scripts like ppp-go and pon
    • Wvdial
    • GUI programs like kppp
  • Configuration tools you might have: kppp, pppconfig, pppsetup, wvdialconfig
  • pppd - Point to Point Protocol daemon - should be running only as root. Your dialup program may be set up so that when you dial, a dialog comes up asking for your root password. If this is not the case, you will need to run your script as root in a separate console terminal or xterm. Do not start X up as root and do your surfing and email in it. Just start an xterm and do /sbin/su followed by your root password and run the script in the xterm. It's a good idea to use the complete path for su just in case someone has dropped a phony one in your user bin directory. This is a trick that can be used to get the root password.

How to hook up PPP in Linux W.G. Unruh

Linux PPP HowTo

WvDial Configuration

Connecting with Kppp

Quick Review & Introduction to Gnome-PPP - Gnome-ppp is a front-end for WvDial

pppconfig for Debian - commands pon and poff

pppsetup for Slackware - commands ppp-go and ppp-off

When you are online you may be exposed to those who would want to break into your computer for their own purposes. Be sure you check out how to secure your computer. A good place for a new user to begin is “Securing a New Linux Installation.” The link for this can be found in the links section of this site on the Security page.