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Bug 36081 - Unable to use pppd in a "standard" way. Trouble in conjunction with ppp-config (dns not resolved)
Summary: Unable to use pppd in a "standard" way. Trouble in conjunction with ppp-confi...
Status: RESOLVED LATER
Alias: None
Product: Gentoo Linux
Classification: Unclassified
Component: [OLD] Core system (show other bugs)
Hardware: All All
: Normal minor (vote)
Assignee: Gentoo Dialup Developers
URL:
Whiteboard:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2003-12-18 13:22 UTC by Francesco Pretto
Modified: 2003-12-24 17:33 UTC (History)
0 users

See Also:
Package list:
Runtime testing required: ---


Attachments
Missing files from ppp and pppconfig packages (debian ones) (etc.tar,40.00 KB, application/octet-stream)
2003-12-23 15:32 UTC, Francesco Pretto
Details

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Description Francesco Pretto 2003-12-18 13:22:36 UTC
1. Preamble: i was wondering why i can't use pppd in a standard way.....Why i should put an init script to generate configuration files every boot (net.ppp0)? This is a non-sense: when the config files are ready, they shoud not be touched again...Besides, only few ppp user need to connect at boot, so i think that should be advised to use pppd in conjunction with other configuration tools for ppp, such pppconfig (which is the more standard way), as i learned from debian...

2. The bug: using a connection created with pppconfig, or edited manually, result in the impossibility of resolve the dns from any application.
REPRODUCIBLE: Always

Version of the software: 2.4.1-any

Step to reproduce:
1. Install ppp and pppconfig
2. DON'T put net.pp0 in autostart
3. Create a connection with ppp-config (static or dynamic dns, it's the same)
4. pppd call myisp
4. ping gentoo.org
   unable to reach host...

The reason: simply the file /etc/resolv.conf is not update with the dns found in the /etc/ppp/resolv/myisp (if you select static dns), or the ones found in /etc/ppp/resolv.conf (if you used dynamic dns). This is NOT a problem with the 'usepeerdns' option for pppd (used for dynamic dns) as i found told in conf.d/net.pp0 configuration files used in the init script. 'usepeerdns' works fine and it detect the dns correctly in the /etc/ppp/resolv.conf file. When a connection is estabilished, /etc/ppp/ip-up script SHOULD update /etc/resolv.conf, but the script is empty (yes, probably they is generated at boot with net.ppp0, but i never tryed, i don't like this method). ip-down is also empty.

Possible resolution: redo the scripts ip-up and ip-down, so they can update /etc/resolv.conf during connection and disconnection and is possible to use pppd without running net.ppp0 (this can be an useful option, but it shouldn't be an obbliagtion). Possible ispiration: debian packages. I have never had problem with their ip-up and ip-down script.

Thanks
Comment 1 Heinrich Wendel (RETIRED) gentoo-dev 2003-12-22 07:04:24 UTC
fixed in 2.4.2_beta3-r1
Comment 2 Francesco Pretto 2003-12-23 15:29:46 UTC
Hi, please forgive me if i reopen this bug, but as it is now, pppd support for gentoo is broken (tryed to run net.pp0, some syntax error with pppd... NOT the matter of this bug report anyway). I'll provide you as much information as possible to restore the functionality of pppd (in the next attachment), hope it can be useful also for newer developments (2.4.2b3...)!
Comment 3 Francesco Pretto 2003-12-23 15:32:34 UTC
Created attachment 22598 [details]
Missing files from ppp and pppconfig packages (debian ones)

Firts: pppd and pppconfig in gentoo DON'T came with all the needed files, or
edited files like ip-up/down scripts that prevent a correct use:

ppp:	- gentoo ppp packages come with empty ip-up/down files, when the
default is at least to run scripts in ip-up.d/ and ip-down.d/ dirs
	- lack of the ip-up.d/ ip-down.d/ dirs (used by pppconfig)
	- lack of the options.ttyXX file, option file for specific peeer
	- uncomplete/misfunctional option file (there's something missing in
the gentoo one that prevent to connect)

pppconfig:    - lack of the files ip-up.d/0dns-up and ip-up.d/0dns-down, needed
for setting the correct dns servers during connection and remove them at
hang-up
	      - lack of the /etc/init.d/dns-clean, this is very important!!!
This clean/etc/rescolv.conf in case of crash or powerdown

These files are needed to permit a sane use of pppd in conjunction with
pppconfig: i'm using the ones that comes with debian and they are simply
perfect! I have attached them in this msg (etc.tar): they comes with copyright
attribute, and the license (mix GPL/bsd/pd) permits the reuse. You can find
them in originals debian packages: http://packages.qa.debian.org/ppp.html and
http://packages.qa.debian.org/p/pppconfig.html.

TO DO (to fix):
- Restore the above files (5 min)
- 2 possibility:

      1) redo the net.ppp0 scripts: autogeneration of config files is evil...a
startup script SHOULD be used only to start the service, not to configure
it...But i have some suggestions (from God..); implement this scheme:

	    if don't exist /etc/ppp/peers/anyisp do "autoconfigurescript" // 
based on /etc/conf.d/net.ppp0, nomore AUTOCFGFILES varivable
	    if CONNECTATBOOT=yes do "pppd call DEFAULTPEER" // variables to be
set on /etc/conf.d/netp.ppp0)
	    do "cleandnsscript" // clean resolv.conf using the values in
/etc/ppp/resolv.conf, for dynamic dns, /etc/ppp/resolv/DEFAULTPEER, for static
dns

      Time for this: 20 minutes? Could be consired for 2.4.2b3 .I'll do them
myself, but it's 2 week i use linux.....i don't know bash scripting (for the
moment...)

      2) At least for ppp 2.4.1, set AUTOCFGFILES=no for default, and make .bak
of modified files in /etc/ppp/ (time = 10 mins)

Tnx

P.S.: Yes, my english is evil too...
Comment 4 Heinrich Wendel (RETIRED) gentoo-dev 2003-12-24 03:53:11 UTC
Sorry, i don't really see the point of this post:

- ip-up and ip-down scripts are provided by ppp to solve the dns issues, so we don't need ip-up.d and ip-down.d

- dns-clean maybe a nice addition i'll look at it later.

- What's the point of you two solutions, solutions to what?

- what syntax errors?
Comment 5 Francesco Pretto 2003-12-24 17:33:31 UTC
-ip-up.d and ip-down.d are good cause it's a simple an clean way to add specialized script (fetch mail and other)
-yes, a dns-clean script it's a good idea
-i'll work in this 2-3 days to learn bash-scripting, so i'll can show you how i would modify the scripts. So, don't take care about this for now. Anyway, my intent is only to permit the use of pppd in conjunction with pppconfig and in general the simultaneous use of any pppd frontend with your startup-script. 
-i'm sorry, it was a my mistake...maybe a wrong edited net.ppp0 .

Merry Xmas