10/2/95

Making a ppp (Point to Point Protocol) connection

(tailored to Macintosh computers, at Texas A&M)

Introduction
A ppp connection is a way to send tcpip packets over a phone line. Having this capability allows a person with a modem to run applications (such as telnet, web browsers, ftp, mail clients, gopher, etc.) on a modem-using computer that otherwise require a computer with a direct ethernet connection. "Before ppp" all you could do was terminal emulation that allowed your personal computer to connect to a larger computer as if it were an attached terminal.

What you need:

Hardware
Modem (preferably fast, e.g. 14400 or better) and appropriate cable for it (depends on max speed of modem), Mac personal computer, telephone line

Software
"System software":
MacTCP (control panel), config ppp (control panel), ppp (extension)

Applications:
NCSA telnet (includes ftp), fetch, tn3270 telnet, netscape or mosaic, eudora or popmail, gopher, archie, ph, newswatcher

Setup:

A.
Put the "system software" in the above indicated folders in the system folder (or in the system folder for system 6).

B.
Configure MacTCP

open MacTCP control panel, choose PPP icon on first panel

click "more" button to open next panel

1. Obtain address: click Server button

Note: For A&M, the following are correct; if you use another PPP provider, the values will be different, and your provider will have to tell you what to use.

2. IP address: class B, netmask 255.255.255.0 (by moving slider)

3.    Nameservers:  domain     ip address    default
                   tamu.edu  128.194.178.1      X
                   tamu.edu  128.194.198.5
                   tamu.edu  165.91.32.63
Put them in the above order and click the default button next to the first one.
For PPP you do not need to fill in any other information in MacTCP.
Restart your computer for the settings to take effect. If you change them, restart again.

C.
Configure Config PPP

Open Config-PPP control panel.

Critical points are in bold.

1. Port name: Modem or Printer, wherever you connected your modem.

2. Idle time out: 10 min., this gives you a warning, it doesn't close your connection.

3. Echo interval: ? 6 sec., don't know what this is for

4. Terminal window: Check this only to be able to give modem commands from the keyboard. Hint: Start by typing ATE1<cr>; this will echo the rest of what you type. Otherwise, you may not see what you type.

You do not need this checked if you have a script.

5. Hangup on close: Check this.

6. Quiet mode: Leave unchecked.

7. PPP server: Initially blank. Click New... to begin. You fill in a name of your choice that will be the name for a set of options; you can have several different names that identify different option sets - for different phone numbers, for example.

8. Config...: Click to fill in the values for the PPP server that shows in the PPP server box.

Filling in the dialog you get after clicking Config... button:

8a. PPP server name: Can change this name here if you want.

8b. Port speed: If your modem does compression, set this to the highest value or 4 times your modem speed, whichever is less. If your modem doesn't do compression, set this to the modem speed you will use.

8c. Flow control: Set to CTS and RTS (DTR). This means hardware handshaking, and is the feature that causes you to have to use a different modem cable for high speed modems than for low speed modems.

8d. Tone or Pulse Dial: Depends on your phone line. If you have a touch tone phone (makes different pitches of sound when you dial), use tone; if you have a pulse phone (makes low-pitched clicks, the same number of clicks as the digit value for each number you dial), use pulse.

8e. Phone number: Whatever you need to dial to reach your provider, if you dialed manually -- e.g., if you need 9 to get an outside line, include that; if you're on campus and dialling into campus modems, enter only 5 digits, etc. You may also be able to prefix the phone number with codes to turn off call-waiting, if you have call-waiting.

It's best to turn off call-waiting, if present, in some way before you try to make your modem connection.

8f. Modem initialization string: AT&F1 as a first and best try.

(AT&F1 sets to factory defaults on newer modems.) The initialization string could be different. The modem initialization is the most likely source of trouble, but if you've gotten your modem to work with other applications, you're presumably OK with the init string you use there.

8g. Modem connect time out: try 40-90 seconds

8h. Connect script...: For A&M modems (different for other providers)

8h1. Wait time out 40 sec 

8h2.  Out(put) Wait(for)   Text                      <CR>
                 X         username>
         X                 your_modems_user_name      X
                 X         password
         X                 your_modems_password       X
                 X         local%
         X                 ppp                        X
      (leave remaining 2 lines blank)
8h3. Click DONE button

8i. LCP Options button: (Take the defaults- click default button- in particular for A&M you do not want Authentication (PAP)).

8j. Authentication button: (Leave entries blank)

8k. ICPC Options button: (Take the defaults - click default button)

8l. Click DONE button.

9. Click OPEN button to have your modem dial and make the connection. This takes awhile -- a few minutes. Be patient.

10. Soft Close button: this shuts down your connection, and your modem has to dial again, but (I think) if you simply click on an internet app, the modem will dial again automatically.

11. Hard Close button: this shuts down your connection and to open it again you have to use the open button in this ConfigPPP control panel.

12. Stats: Tells you about number of packets, etc. sent.

Other

Most people won't need to worry about these, but check these if you have problems.

A&M telephone numbers:

Some commercial providers:

To hang up: ATH0 or +++