pppoe-status

pppoe-status

The `pppoe-status` command is a utility included in the `rp-pppoe` (Roaring Penguin PPPOe) client package, commonly used on Linux systems to establish and manage PPPoE (Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet) connections. Its primary function is to query and display the current status of an active PPPoE internet connection.

When executed, it attempts to determine if a PPPoE session, typically initiated by `pppoe-start` or `pppoe-connect`, is currently established. If a connection is active, `pppoe-status` provides valuable details such as the assigned public IP address, the default gateway, DNS server addresses configured through the connection, and the session's uptime. It's an essential tool for troubleshooting network connectivity issues related to PPPoE, allowing users or administrators to quickly ascertain if the PPPoE link itself is up and running, and to verify the network parameters received from the ISP. It usually doesn't take any arguments or options, simply reporting on the default or primary connection.

Requires a PPPoE connection to be initiated (e.g., by `pppoe-start`) to report status.
May require root privileges or be run via `sudo` to access certain connection details or configuration files, especially if the connection was established by root.
Relies on the `rp-pppoe` package and its daemon (`pppoe`) being installed and running.
Its output format can vary slightly between different `rp-pppoe` versions or Linux distributions.

The command's output usually provides a clear indication of whether the PPPoE connection is active or not. When connected, it typically lists details such as:

Status: Connected
Local IP: 192.168.1.100 (example)
Remote IP: 203.0.113.5 (example)
Primary DNS: 8.8.8.8 (example)
Secondary DNS: 8.8.4.4 (example)
Session Time: 0 days, 12 hours, 34 minutes, 56 seconds
Connected since: Mon Jan 1 12:00:00 2024

If the connection is down, it might simply report "Status: Disconnected" or an error message indicating that no `pppoe` process is running.

This command is frequently used for:
- Quickly checking if the internet connection through PPPoE is active.
- Verifying the IP address assigned by the ISP.
- Confirming the DNS servers being used by the connection.
- Troubleshooting network connectivity issues by isolating problems to the PPPoE layer.

The `pppoe-status` command is an integral part of the `rp-pppoe` client suite, developed by Roaring Penguin Software. This suite emerged in the early 2000s as a robust and widely adopted open-source solution for PPPoE connectivity on Linux, at a time when DSL internet connections requiring PPPoE authentication became prevalent. `pppoe-status` was included as a simple, quick way for users to verify the operational state of their PPPoE link, complementing the `pppoe-start` and `pppoe-stop` scripts. Its design emphasizes simplicity and directness, reflecting its utility as a diagnostic tool rather than a configuration utility.

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