Configuring PPP on Debian GNU/Linux is straightforward once you have
all the information you’ll need. Debian makes things even easier
with its simple configuration tools.
Before you start, be sure you have all the information provided by
your ISP. This might include:
◼ Username or login
◼ Password
◼ Your static IP (Internet Protocol) address, if any (these look
like 209.81.8.242). This information isn’t needed for most ISPs.
◼ Bitmask (this will look something like 255.255.255.248). This
information isn’t needed for most ISPs.
◼ The IP addresses of your ISP’s name servers (or DNS).
◼ Any special login procedure required by the ISP.
Next, you’ll want to investigate your hardware setup: whether your
modem works with GNU/Linux and which serial port it’s connected to.
A simple rule determines whether your modem will work. If it’s a
“winmodem” or “host-based modem,” it won’t work. These modems are
cheap because they have very little functionality, and they require
the computer to make up for their shortcomings. Unfortunately, this
means they are complex to program, and manufacturers generally do
not make the specifications available for developers.
If you have a modem with its own on-board circuitry or an external
modem, you should have no trouble at all.
On GNU/Linux systems, the serial ports are referred to as
/dev/ttyS0,
/dev/ttyS1, and so on. Your modem is almost certainly connected to
/either
port 0 or port 1, equivalent to COM1: and COM2: under Windows. If
you don’t know which your modem is connected to, run the program
wvdialconf to try to detect it (see below); otherwise, just try both
and see which works.
If you want to talk to your modem or dial your ISP without using
PPP, you can use the minicom program. You may need to install the
minicom package to make the program available.