Re: Linux dialup to Netscape.net?

From: Moe Trin (ibuprofin_at_painkiller.example.tld)
Date: 08/23/05 

Date: Mon, 22 Aug 2005 20:38:36 -0500

In the Usenet newsgroup comp.os.linux.networking, in article
<A9aOe.23457$Hx4.3178@twister.nyroc.rr.com>, Charles Tryon wrote:
>
>Moe Trin wrote:

>>> Level 3 Comm nas10.roc1 UQKT2
>>> Username:/login:/Login:

>> OK, level3.com - is that Rochester? I don't recognize the terminal server,
>> but it's the standard problem. Something you did triggered the text mode
>> on the server

>I believe that's trying to dial into the Netscape service.

OK - level3.com is a major provider of connectivity. If this is "netscape.com"
for you, netscape has contracted with level3 to provide a point of presence
in the Buffalo area. With very few exceptions, all of the point of presence
setups I've seen are set for a standard PAP or CHAP authenticated connection,
and do not do text logins, or non-ppp type service. That's the good news.

>The examples further down were dialing in to Rochester Roadrunner, which
>was working fine when I used "eznet", but not "wudial". I have not yet
>had time to try "stupid mode" on wudial yet.

"Stupid Mode" should be the default for all of these ppp helper programs,
thanks to microsoft forcing it upon the ISPs of the world. Few bother to
configure otherwise, because windoze expects stupid mode, and the average
windoze user wouldn't be able to configure for any other mode.

>> Can you use an editing tool? The scripts I supplied should work with
>> suitable changes (phone number, username, etc.).
>
> Yes, I'm old enough I remember how to use vi. ;-)

Luckily, Bill Joy did not GPL vi, and we are stuck with the more user
friendly things like 'celvis', 'elvis', 'nvi', 'stevie', 'vile', 'vim',
'viper', or 'xvi'. People who complain about 'vi' don't realize how
lucky they are - they _could_ be stuck with 'ed' :wq!

>The scripts, as you wrote them (substituting in obvious things like
>user/pwd) have not worked yet, but I'm still fiddling.

The logs hold the keys.

>(Funny thing -- I've been doing networking for years, but haven't had to
>fuss with dialups or ppp in such a long time, all the tools have changed,
>and I have forgotten how to do things. Last tool I used was "cu" with a
>2400 baud modem. Not much of that experience transfers over. :-/)

Hey, don't knock 2400 baud modems - I still have one as the third backup
in the file server. As for 'cu', you are thinking about uu, as in
uucp, and yes that protocol is really hard to find anymore. Rather than
dialing in to run as an extension of a terminal, we're using ppp to
actually get an IP connection over the phone.

[existing default route to eth0]

> Interesting point. Yes, I am trying to test the ppp route. I
>thought I had brought down the eth0 connection, but I might have
>forgotten when I did that test. I was more concerned in establishing
>the interface (ppp0) than in worrying about how to actually get the
>packets routed to it after it was up.

Having the default causes ppp to want the other end of the telephone
connection to authenticate to you (no ISP will do that), but you can
get around this (as you may well have) by including the 'noauth' option
to pppd. The other problem is that pppd won't replace this route, and
you need to do some fancy footwork to make things work (routing set
in the ip-up/down scripts). The preference is to disable the existing
default in the first place.

>> I thought the reason netscape.net used a proprietary program was so
>> they could steal bandwidth and bombard the user with advertisements
>> while on line.
>
> Ugh. I don't think so, but I wouldn't be surprised if they were
>sneaking that in. That might be how they charge lower prices.
>"Enhanced User Experience." Yea, THAT'S the ticket!

Ya know, we shoot marketeers around here ;-) If netscape.net does
use an ordinary setup, the logs will show it, and we should be able
to connect with ease. If they have something proprietary, we may be
in deep weeds.

I have a niece who was using netscape.net, and something like half her
browser space was pop-up ads. She has since gone upscale, and is now
using aol.com.

        Old guy

Relevant Pages
Loading