ISDN Dial-up

Summary:

• ISDN Terminal Adapters (TA)
• Supported cards
• ISDN Basic Setup
• Testing The Connection

In most cases, the ML installer will recognize your ISDN card correctly, and you'll be able to set up your connection with a snap. If not, here are the gory details ;-).

This article describes a setup for syncPPP, which is used by most providers today. asyncPPP is set up just like any other PPP dial-up, the only difference being the device file: it's not /dev/ttyS{x} but /dev/ttyI{x}.

ISDN Terminal Adapters (TA)

These are handled exactly like modems. Please refer to the Dial-up Networking (PPP) pages.

section index

Supported cards

You will find a list of supported cards in the isdn4linux FAQ, Section 5.1 in '/usr/share/doc/isdn4k-utils-{version}/'. If you are considering buying a new card, read Section 5.10 as well. An online version of this FAQ is available on the ISDN4Linux website, there is also a German version.

section index

ISDN Basic Setup

You will need the isdn4k-utils-{version}.rpm, which provides the basic infrastructure (device files, binaries) and the isdn4net-{version}.rpm, which provides the configuration scripts and some documentation. Most probably they are already installed.

You have to edit five files:

• '/etc/isdn/profile/link/myisp', your dial-up profile
• '/etc/isdn/profile/card/mycard', your hardware profile
• '/etc/ppp/pap-secrets' or '/etc/ppp/chap-secrets', your password file
• '/etc/resolv.conf', the DNS data file
• '/etc/rc.d/rc.local', your start-up batch file

'/etc/isdn/profile/link/myisp'

To make things easier, I will only mention values you have to change.

• I4L_USERNAME="{enter your dial-up account name}"

• I4L_SYSNAME="{just delete the word 'linuxisp'}"

• I4L_LOCALMSN="{the number from which you are calling}"

• I4L_REMOTE_OUT="{the number of your provider}"

• I4L_DIALMODE="{change to 'auto' if you want to use dial-on-demand}"

'/etc/isdn/profile/card/mycard'

This is a little bit more difficult ;-). I will only mention values you have to worry about.

I4L_ID="Teles1"

This value is arbitrary. Leave it or change it to something you like.

I4L_DEBUG=4

Set this number higher for more verbose error messages. For the time being it will do.

# kernel module to use (teles, hisax, icn, pcbit)<br> I4L_MODULE="hisax"

Different cards require different modules. To find out which module you need, go to '/usr/src/linux/Documentation/isdn', if the kernel-sources.rpm is installed, or to '/usr/share/doc/kernel-doc-{version}/' (if kernel-doc is installed). If you have none of these directories, install the kernel-doc.rpm from your Mandrake CD.
Being in the isdn directory, use

grep

grep Fritz1.1  *<br> README.~HiSax: 26 AVM A1 PCMCIA (Fritz1.1 ) irq, io (set with card manager)<br> README.~HiSax: 27 AVM ~PnP (Fritz1.1 ~PnP) irq, io (from isapnp setup)<br> README.~HiSax: 27 AVM PCI (Fritz1.1 PCI) no parameter<br> README.~HiSax: 26 AVM A1 PCMCIA (Fritz1.1 ) pa=irq, pb=io (set with card manager)<br> README.~HiSax: 27 AVM ~PnP (Fritz1.1 ~PnP) ONLY WORKS AS A MODULE 1.1 <br> README.~HiSax: 27 AVM PCI (Fritz1.1 PCI) no parameter<br>

So the name of the module for this card is 'hisax'.

I4L_TYPE=3

Set this number according to the type of your card listed on the bottom of the file.

I4L_IRQ="10"<br> I4L_MEMBASE="0"<br> I4L_PORT="0xd80"<br>

Now comes the fun part :-). Check the list at the bottom of the file, it will tell you how many parameters you have to specify. If your ISDN card is a PCI card, you don't have to worry about settings at all, just erase the preset values:

I4L_IRQ=""<br> I4L_MEMBASE=""<br> I4L_PORT=""<br>

and you'll be fine.

If you're using a 'Plug-and-Play' ISA card, run the 'Hardware Configuration' tool from '~DrakConf'. If your card shows up, open the file '/etc/isapnp.conf' and take the values of your card from there.
If this doesn't work or if your card is not 'Plug-and-Play', you have to find out about these values on your own.

• Have a look at the appropriate README file in the 'isdn' directory. It lists defaults values for the most popular non-PCI cards.
• Read the documentation that comes with the card.
• Visit the tech support section of the manufacturer's website.
• If you are dual-booting with MS-Windows, get the values from its 'Hardware Manager' ('System').
• If your card has come with a driver disk, read the '.inf' file.
• Search Google for Usenet messages about your card.

modprobe

modprobe {modulename} io={value} irq={value} mem={value} type={value (see above)} protocol={value} id={value}

If you don't get any complaints from

modprobe

/etc/ppp/pap-secrets or /etc/ppp/chap-secrets

Enter your account name and the password your provider has given you. If you don't know, whether your provider uses CHAP or PAP for authentication, enter these values in both files:

~# Secrets for authentication using PAP ~# client server secret IP addresses {account name} * {password}

If either of these values contains spaces or unusual characters (like @ or ~#), enclose it in quotes.

/etc/resolv.conf

Enter the name of your provider and the addresses of his DNS servers here. If you don't have these addresses, kindly ask him to provide these, you need them:

search localdomain <––- leave this entry alone domain {name of your provider, e.g. provider.com} nameserver 212.122.128.10 <––- example nameserver 212.122.129.10 <––- values

If you make a mistake here, you won't be able to go anywhere on the 'Net.

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Testing The Connection

Yep, we're already there :-). As root, (re)start isdn4linux with:

service isdn4linux restart

Bring up the new interface with

ifup ippp0

Now dial1.1

isdnctrl dial ippp0

Open a browser and browse away ;-).

Hang up with

isdnctrl hangup ippp0

ifup ippp0

section index

Next Item: More ISDN configuration and resources

Related Resources:

isdn4linux FAQ
READMEs in kernel doc /isdn
Sample files in /usr/share/doc/isdn4net-{...}
isdn4linux website

man ipppd

Revision / Modified: July 21, 2000
Author: Tom Berger

Legal: This page is covered by the GNU Free Documentation License. Standard disclaimers of warranty apply. Copyright LSTB and Mandrakesoft.