pppoe-connect

pppoe-connect [ ethernet_interface ]

ethernet_interface
    The name of the Ethernet interface (e.g., `eth0`, `enp0s3`) connected to the PPPoE modem. If not provided, it's typically read from configuration.

USER
    The PPPoE username required for authentication with the service provider. Often set in `/etc/ppp/pppoe.conf`.

PASSWORD
    The PPPoE password for authentication. Also typically defined in `/etc/ppp/pppoe.conf`.

AC_NAME
    (Optional) Specifies the desired PPPoE Access Concentrator name. If omitted, the first discovered AC is used.

SERVICE_NAME
    (Optional) Specifies the desired PPPoE Service-Name. If omitted, any service is accepted.

DEMAND
    (Optional) If set to `yes`, the connection is established only when network traffic is detected, otherwise it remains active.

DNS[1,2]
    (Optional) Specifies static DNS server IP addresses to be used instead of those provided by the ISP.

The pppoe-connect command is a crucial shell script, typically part of the `rp-pppoe` (Roaring Penguin PPPoE) client suite, designed to establish and manage a Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet (PPPoE) broadband internet connection. It is commonly used for DSL and some fiber-optic internet services that require PPPoE encapsulation.

Unlike a standalone executable, pppoe-connect acts as a wrapper script that orchestrates the connection process. It reads essential configuration parameters, such as the Ethernet interface, username, and password, primarily from the `/etc/ppp/pppoe.conf` file. Once configured, it initiates the PPPoE discovery phase to locate the Access Concentrator and then invokes the underlying pppd (PPP Daemon) to negotiate the PPP session, handle authentication (e.g., PAP or CHAP), obtain an IP address, and set up routing.

Users typically do not interact with pppoe-connect directly for initial setup, instead using higher-level configuration utilities like pppoeconf (Debian/Ubuntu) or adsl-setup (Red Hat/CentOS) which create the necessary configuration files. However, pppoe-connect is the script that ultimately performs the connection when activated by commands like pppoe-start or a system's network management service. It's vital for maintaining persistent PPPoE links on Linux systems.

• Requires `root` privileges to establish and manage network interfaces.
• Heavily relies on external configuration files, primarily `/etc/ppp/pppoe.conf`, for its operational parameters.
• It is a shell script wrapper for pppd, not a standalone binary that directly implements PPPoE.
• Does not provide interactive configuration; dedicated utilities like pppoeconf or adsl-setup are used for that purpose.

The primary configuration for pppoe-connect resides in `/etc/ppp/pppoe.conf`. This file defines crucial variables like the `ETH` (Ethernet interface), `USER` (username), and `PASSWORD`. Additionally, pppoe-connect often utilizes or creates files in `/etc/ppp/peers/` (e.g., `/etc/ppp/peers/pppoe`) which contain pppd-specific options for the PPPoE connection.

When executed, pppoe-connect typically performs the following sequence: it sources configuration, ensures the specified Ethernet interface is up, initiates PPPoE discovery to find an Access Concentrator, negotiates a PPPoE session, and then hands over control to the pppd daemon. pppd then handles the detailed PPP session management, including authentication (PAP, CHAP), IP address negotiation (via IPCP), and setting up routes and DNS information, ensuring the broadband connection is fully established.

The pppoe-connect script is a core component of the `rp-pppoe` (Roaring Penguin PPPoE Client) suite, which was developed in the early 2000s to provide robust PPPoE support for Linux systems. At the time, DSL internet was becoming widespread, and rp-pppoe, including pppoe-connect, was crucial for enabling Linux users to access these services. While modern network managers often abstract away the direct use of these scripts, pppoe-connect remains a fundamental tool for manual PPPoE configurations and in environments where graphical interfaces are not used.

pppd(8), pppoe(8), pppoe-start(8), pppoe-stop(8), pppoe-status(8), pppoeconf(8), adsl-setup(8)