pppoeconf does not prompt for access concentrator name

[Osric Xavier Fernandes]

Binary package hint: pppoeconf

There are multiple access concentrators located on my LAN. When I try to setup a connection using "pppoeconf", it scans for access concentrators, but doesn't give me an option to select the right one. As a result, when I try to connect, it attempts to connect to some wrong access concentrator and I end up with CHAP authentication errors.

System and Package version: Ubuntu 8.04.1 with pppoeconf 1.17ubuntu1.

Steps to reproduce:
1. Running "pppoe-discovery" gives a list of 4-5 access concentrators. I have an account with one of them (assume "abc").
2. Running "pppoeconf" sets up a pppoe connection.
3. Running "pon dsl-provider" shows the following messages in syslog:
Plugin rp-pppoe.so loaded.
pppd 2.4.4 started by root, uid 0
PPP session is 177
Using interface ppp0
Connect: ppp0 <--> eth0
CHAP authentication failed: I don't like you. Go 'way.
CHAP authentication failed
Connection terminated.

As a workaround, I have downloaded and installed the package "pppoe" from the Universe repository. I created a configuration file "/etc/ppp/pppoe.conf" and added the lines "SERVICENAME=abc" and "ACNAME=abc". I am able to connect with "pppoe-start". I get the following messages in syslog:
pppd 2.4.4 started by root, uid 0
Using interface ppp0
Connect: ppp0 <--> /dev/pts/0
PADS: Service-Name: 'abc'
PPP session is 688 (0x2b0)
CHAP authentication succeeded: Welcome to abc.
CHAP authentication succeeded

Although this workaround works well, the problem is that the Ubuntu CD only includes the "pppoeconf" package and does not include the "pppoe" package. So obtaining it (without a net connection available in Ubuntu), installing it, writing a configuration file and setting the connection to start at boot are quite complicated tasks.

[Gregory Colpart (reg-gcolpart)]

You can use "pppoeconf <ifname>" (see manpage).

[Osric Xavier Fernandes (osric)]

"pppoeconf <ifname>" lets me select the network interface, but not the Access Concentrator.
I only have 1 NIC on my system (identified as eth0), but there are multiple Access Concentrators located on the network (I can see the list by typing "pppoe-discovery eth0").

[Dmitriy Balakin (0x0000.ru)]

My ISP requires that the field 'servicename' was filled. Without it ISP does not send a response to the PADI packet.

[Osric Xavier Fernandes (osric)]

I finally found the location to set these options. You need to go to the /etc/ppp/peers/dsl-provider configuration file. There is a line:
plugin rp-pppoe.so ethX

This is where you can specify multiple options such as:
plugin rp-pppoe.so rp_pppoe_service SERVICE_NAME rp_pppoe_ac ACCESS_CONCENTRATOR ethX

The problem is that these options are not documented properly. I found them by going through these bug reports:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/rp-pppoe/+bug/46260
http://us.generation-nt.com/bug-251918-rp-pppoe-so-doesnt-have-man-page-help-165255201.html

[Thomas Hotz (thotz-deactivatedaccount)]

Yes I can confirm pppoe is not installed by default. I mark this bug as confirmed because multiple users are affected. Thank you for reporting bugs to Ubuntu.