This is the README file for ppp-2.2, a package which implements the Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) to provide Internet connections over serial lines. Introduction. ************* The Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) provides a standard way to transmit datagrams over a serial link, as well as a standard way for the machines at either end of the link (the `peers') to negotiate various optional characteristics of the link. Using PPP, a serial link can be used to transmit Internet Protocol (IP) datagrams, allowing TCP/IP connections between the peers. PPP is defined in several RFC (Request For Comments) documents, in particular RFCs 1661, 1662, 1332 and 1334. Other RFCs describe standard ways to transmit datagrams from other network protocols (e.g., DECnet, OSI, Appletalk), but this package only supports IP. This software consists of two parts: - Kernel code, which establishes a network interface and passes packets between the serial port, the kernel networking code and the PPP daemon (pppd). This code is implemented using STREAMS modules on SunOS 4.x, System V Release 4, AIX 4.1, and OSF/1, Solaris 2, and as a line discipline under Ultrix, NextStep, NetBSD, FreeBSD, and Linux. - The PPP daemon (pppd), which negotiates with the peer to establish the link and sets up the ppp network interface. Pppd includes support for authentication, so you can control which other systems may make a PPP connection and what IP addresses they may use. Installation. ************* The file SETUP contains general information about setting up your system for using PPP. There is also a README file for each supported system, which contains more specific details for installing PPP on that system. The supported systems, and the corresponding README files, are: SunOS 4.x README.sunos4 NetBSD, FreeBSD README.bsd Ultrix 4.x README.ultrix Linux README.linux OSF/1 README.osf AIX 4.x README.aix4 NeXTStep README.next Solaris 2 README.sol2 System V Release 4 README.svr4 In each case you start by running the ./configure script. This works out which operating system you are using and creates symbolic links to the appropriate makefiles. You then run `make' to compile the user-level code, and (as root) `make install' to install the user-level programs pppd, chat and pppstats. The procedures for installing the kernel code vary from system to system. On some systems, the kernel code can be loaded into a running kernel using a `modload' facility. On others, the kernel image has to be recompiled and the system rebooted. See the README.* files for details. What is new in ppp-2.2. *********************** * More systems are now supported: AIX 4, thanks to Charlie Wick, OSF/1 on DEC Alpha, thanks to Steve Tate (srt@zaphod.csci.unt.edu), NextStep 3.2 and 3.3, thanks to Philip-Andrew Prindeville (philipp@res.enst.fr) and Steve Perkins (perkins@cps.msu.edu), Solaris 2, System V Release 4, thanks to Joe Kelsey (joe@zircon.seattle.wa.us) in addition to NetBSD 1.0, SunOS 4.x, Ultrix 4.x, FreeBSD 2.0, and Linux. * Packet compression has been implemented. This version implements CCP (Compression Control Protocol) and the BSD-Compress compression scheme according to the current draft RFCs. This means that incoming and outgoing packets can be compressed with the LZW scheme (same as the `compress' command) using a code size of up to 15 bits. * Some bug fixes to the LCP protocol code. In particular, pppd now correctly replies with a Configure-NAK (instead of a Configure-Reject) if the peer asks for CHAP and pppd is willing to do PAP but not CHAP. * The ip-up and ip-down scripts are now run with the real user ID set to root, and with an empty environment. Clearing the environment fixes a security hole. * The kernel code on NetBSD, FreeBSD, NextStep and Ultrix has been restructured to make it easier to implement PPP over devices other than asynchronous tty ports (for example, synchronous serial ports). * pppd now looks at the list of interfaces in the system to determine what the netmask should be. In most cases, this should eliminate the need to use the `netmask' option. * There is a new `papcrypt' option to pppd, which specifies that secrets in /etc/ppp/pap-secrets used for authenticating the peer are encrypted, so pppd always encrypts the peer's password before comparing it with the secret from /etc/ppp/pap-secrets. This gives better security. Patents. ******** The BSD-Compress algorithm used for packet compression is the same as that used in the Unix "compress" command. It is apparently covered by U.S. patents 4,814,746 (owned by IBM) and 4,558,302 (owned by Unisys), and corresponding patents in various other countries (but not Australia). If this is of concern, you can build the package without including BSD-Compress. To do this, edit net/ppp-comp.h to change the definition of DO_BSD_COMPRESS to 0. The bsd-comp.c files are then no longer needed, so the references to bsd-comp.o may optionally be removed from the Makefiles. Contacts. ********* Bugs in the the SunOS, NetBSD and Ultrix ports and bugs in pppd, chat or pppstats should be reported to: paulus@cs.anu.edu.au Paul Mackerras Dept. of Computer Science Australian National University Canberra ACT 0200 AUSTRALIA Bugs in other ports should be reported to the maintainer for that port (see the appropriate README.* file) or to the above. Unfortunately, Charlie Wick is not in a position to provide support for the AIX 4 port, so if you find bugs in it, send them to me. Thanks to: Brad Parker (brad@fcr.com) Greg Christy (gmc@quotron.com) Drew D. Perkins (ddp@andrew.cmu.edu) Rick Adams (rick@seismo.ARPA) Chris Torek (chris@mimsy.umd.edu, umcp-cs!chris). Copyrights: Most of the code can be freely used and redistributed. The STREAMS code for SunOS 4.x, OSF/1 and AIX 4 is under a more restrictive copyright: This code is Copyright (C) 1989, 1990 By Brad K. Clements, All Rights Reserved. You may use this code for your personal use, to provide a non-profit service to others, or to use as a test platform for a commercial implementation. You may NOT use this code in a commercial product, nor to provide a commercial service, nor may you sell this code without express written permission of the author. Otherwise, Enjoy! This copyright applies to (parts of) the following files: sunos/ppp_async.c sunos/ppp_if.c aix4/ppp_async.c aix4/ppp_if.c net/ppp_str.h pppd/sys-str.c pppd/sys-osf.c pppd/sys-aix4.c