pppoe-setup

pppoe-setup

pppoe-setup is an interactive shell script designed to simplify the configuration of a PPPoE (Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet) Internet connection on a Linux system. It forms a key part of the rp-pppoe client software suite, guiding the user through a series of prompts to gather essential connection details.

Users are asked for parameters such as the Ethernet interface connected to the DSL/cable modem (e.g., eth0), their PPPoE username and password, whether to use on-demand dialing, idle timeout settings, and primary/secondary DNS server addresses. It also offers options for firewall configuration, including NAT/masquerading and incoming firewall rules. Crucially, pppoe-setup prompts if the connection should be initiated automatically at boot time.

Upon successful completion, the script generates or updates configuration files, typically /etc/ppp/pppoe.conf, which are then utilized by companion commands like pppoe-start and pppoe-stop. This interactive approach significantly streamlines the initial setup, removing the need for manual editing of complex configuration files.

Running pppoe-setup requires root privileges. It modifies critical system network configuration files, such as /etc/ppp/pppoe.conf and potentially system-specific network scripts or boot-time initialization files. This utility is specifically designed for the rp-pppoe client and might not be compatible with other PPPoE implementations. Due to its interactive nature, it is generally not suitable for automated scripting or headless environments. It primarily focuses on setting up a single PPPoE connection.

After execution, pppoe-setup creates or modifies /etc/ppp/pppoe.conf. This file centralizes key PPPoE parameters including the Ethernet interface (ETH), username (USER), demand dialing (DEMAND), idle timeout (IDLETIMEOUT), DNS server addresses (DNS1, DNS2), and firewall settings (FIREWALL). On distributions like RHEL/CentOS that use sysconfig, it might also generate /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-ppp0. Furthermore, it can configure system services or add entries to /etc/rc.d/rc.local to enable automatic connection at boot.

Once pppoe-setup completes, the newly configured PPPoE connection can be controlled using several companion commands:
pppoe-start: To manually start the connection.
pppoe-stop: To stop an active connection.
pppoe-status: To check the current connection status.

pppoe-setup is an integral component of the rp-pppoe (Roaring Penguin PPPoE) client package, which has served as a robust and widely-used solution for PPPoE connectivity on Linux systems for many years, particularly for DSL users. The command was developed with the primary goal of simplifying the initial configuration process, making PPPoE setup accessible even to users unfamiliar with manual system file editing. Its interactive, question-and-answer driven interface has remained a core feature, emphasizing user-friendliness throughout its development and usage history.

pppoe-start(8), pppoe-stop(8), pppoe-status(8), pppoe-connect(8), pppd(8), ifconfig(8), ip(8)