Topic: Problems dialling ISP via modem

[Andy Finney]

Hi all,

I am experiencing problems trying to connect to my ISP (BT Internet in the UK). I have run the
following commands to get some more debug info: -

   /sbin/e-smith/config set DebugPPP yes
   /sbin/e-smith/signal-event console-save

I can now hear my modem dialling out and connecting to my ISP, but after about 30 seconds, it
just disconnects and I get the following error in /var/log/messages : -

   LCP: timeout sending Config-Requests

I am using e-smith 4.1.2 and a Diamond SupraExpress 56e Pro External Modem.

After looking at other posts, I have a feeling it may be something to do with the connection to
the ISP - does anybody have any experience of connecting to BT Internet, and/or any suggestions
to configuration changes which may fix my problem ????

Any help greatly appreciated... My server is very nearly working now !!!!

Here is a snippet of my /var/log/messages :-

Aug  4 23:39:22 e-smith diald[1795]: Calling site 0.0.0.0
Aug  4 23:39:23 e-smith chat[2042]: abort on (BUSY)
Aug  4 23:39:23 e-smith chat[2042]: abort on (ERROR)
Aug  4 23:39:23 e-smith chat[2042]: abort on (NO CARRIER)
Aug  4 23:39:23 e-smith chat[2042]: abort on (NO DIALTONE)
Aug  4 23:39:23 e-smith chat[2042]: abort on (Invalid Login)
Aug  4 23:39:23 e-smith chat[2042]: abort on (Login incorrect)
Aug  4 23:39:23 e-smith chat[2042]: report (CONNECT)
Aug  4 23:39:23 e-smith chat[2042]: send (ATZ^M)
Aug  4 23:39:23 e-smith chat[2042]: expect (OK)
Aug  4 23:39:42 e-smith chat[2042]: ATZ^M^M
Aug  4 23:39:42 e-smith chat[2042]: OK
Aug  4 23:39:42 e-smith chat[2042]:  -- got it
Aug  4 23:39:42 e-smith chat[2042]: send (ATL1M1^M)
Aug  4 23:39:42 e-smith chat[2042]: expect (OK)
Aug  4 23:39:42 e-smith chat[2042]: ^M
Aug  4 23:40:02 e-smith chat[2042]: ATL1M1^M^M
Aug  4 23:40:02 e-smith chat[2042]: OK
Aug  4 23:40:02 e-smith chat[2042]:  -- got it
Aug  4 23:40:02 e-smith chat[2042]: send (ATDT08089933001^M)
Aug  4 23:40:02 e-smith chat[2042]: expect (CONNECT)
Aug  4 23:40:02 e-smith chat[2042]: ^M
Aug  4 23:40:42 e-smith chat[2042]: ATDT08089933001^M
Aug  4 23:40:42 e-smith chat[2042]: CONNECT
Aug  4 23:40:42 e-smith chat[2042]:  -- got it
Aug  4 23:40:43 e-smith chat[2042]: alarm
Aug  4 23:40:43 e-smith diald[1795]: connector: chat:  Aug 04 23:40:42 CONNECT 115200
Aug  4 23:40:43 e-smith diald[1795]: Connected to site 0.0.0.0
Aug  4 23:40:43 e-smith diald[1795]: Running pppd (pid = 2045).
Aug  4 23:40:43 e-smith diald[2045]: Running pppd: /usr/sbin/pppd -defaultroute -detach modem crtscts mtu 1500 mru 1500 name (MYUSERNAME)@btinternet.com noauth noipdefault ipparam diald
Aug  4 23:40:43 e-smith pppd[2045]: pppd 2.4.0 started by root, uid 0
Aug  4 23:40:43 e-smith pppd[2045]: Using interface ppp0
Aug  4 23:40:43 e-smith pppd[2045]: Connect: ppp0 <--> /dev/ttyS0
Aug  4 23:41:13 e-smith pppd[2045]: LCP: timeout sending Config-Requests
Aug  4 23:41:13 e-smith pppd[2045]: Connection terminated.
Aug  4 23:41:13 e-smith pppd[2045]: Exit.
Aug  4 23:41:13 e-smith diald[1795]: start sl0: SIOCSIFMTU: Invalid argument
Aug  4 23:41:13 e-smith diald[1795]: stop ppp0: RTNETLINK answers: No such process
Aug  4 23:41:13 e-smith kernel: ppp: ppp0 not active
Aug  4 23:41:13 e-smith diald[1795]: stop ppp0: SIOCSIFFLAGS: No such device or address
Aug  4 23:41:14 e-smith diald[1795]: Disconnected. Call duration 31 seconds.
Aug  4 23:41:14 e-smith diald[1795]: IP transmitted 1035 bytes and received 0 bytes.
Aug  4 23:41:15 e-smith diald[1795]: Delaying 10 seconds before clear to dial.

Thanks again,  Andy.

[Adam Scott]

Looks like an error in the 'scripting' i.e. the connection is 'timing out' (being dropped) because the ISP is not getting the response it expects.
Standard trick (sorry to repeat myself all over this forum!) is to use the Minicom program and actually see the exchange of information that is taking place. You can probably figure out what BT are expecting from this.
Likely to be something wrong with authentication? Try PAP not CHAP or vice versa? Lots of good tutorials on the net doing step-by-step scripting.
I had a lot of trouble connecting to Freeserve Anytime here in the UK but figured it out by this method; also discovered they changed the access number which didn't help. If your BT connection is one of these unmetered Friaco ones do check that they haven't altered the rules of the game likewise ...

[Peter W]

Andy, it looks like you go a bit further than myself. I was testing e-smith 4.1.2 with a 14.4 internal usr modem with little success.

On my system I find that trying to connect to the internet results in a continuous stream of "Calling 0.0.0.0 ... Abort" messages so I tried the MINICOM trick.

To my suprise I found that I could establish a connection resulting in a series of /var/log/message entries not disimilar to yours. However, I found that BT dropped the line after about 25--30 seconds which is what you are experiencing. I think the LCP problem, therefore, is a symptom not the cause. It hadn't occured to me that the problem might be a CHAP/PAP problem so that is worth progressing. Thanks Adam.

Also, like you, the session terminated having sent about a 1kb without having received anything. Perhaps there is a clue there.

regards

infotek@btinternet

[Hsing-Foo]

Hi,

I got the LCP time-out with isdn.

Changed the init string to contain ' M0L0'  (no sound, no duration)

Maybe it helps.

Bye

[Dave Dumolo]

Hello Andy,

Did you ever get to the bottom of this?  I've got a similar problem. I've been using 5.1.2 connecting to Freeserve Anytime with no problems for the last 4 months. Suddenly I start having the problems you describe. More bizarrely the complete disconnection after 30 - 60 seconds happens when using an external modem. However, using a really old ISA internal K56Flex/V90 modem the connection stays up but is really slow - this message is coming over this link.  I've 'phoned BT and all they'll say is that if normal 'phone calls can be made & received then as far as they're concerned everything is all right!  I've evidence to support this as the same external modem connected to a different PC but connecting through the same ISP works OK. I've also tested the COM connections on the SME server and they check out OK. That leaves me with Freeserve having done something - but they say not. Soooooo.... we've got a setup that was working perfectly for 4 months and is now not, all of the individual components check out OK, and the service providers claim they've done nothing.  Furthermore there are no errors reported in any of the SME server logs.  Any suggestions as to how I can track down the problem?

Regards,

Dave