Anna Lawless wrote:
Having finally got what I thought was a working box, I can't dial out. Whichever method I use, I either can't connect to my ISP or the connection is refused by my box. I type 'pon', having set up ppp in the normal Debian way. Nothing happens. I'll go back into it to try to find the log message. I can dial out with kppp, but as soon as I'm connected pppd dies, with the message 'cannot obtain a password for this IP address'. Obviously I can't get a password from my ISP and I've searched everywhere to try to find out which file it's in.
The main problem here is that the "auth" config command is somewhere in your pppd configuration files. See "man pppd" for more info. In the default Debian install there will be a "auth" command in /etc/ppp/options, which is OK. This is there so your box can act as a "dial-in" ppp server. If you used the "pppconfig" program to configure your dial-out, then another config file is created that will overide this command. It is usually located in the /etc/ppp/peers/provider file (IF you used the default "provider" name for it when running pppconfig).
I would recommend you NOT change anything in the /etc/ppp/options file, but instead look for an "auth" command in /etc/ppp/peers/provider and change it to "noauth". Alternatively, you can re-run the "pppconfig" command and it will create the proper file for you. I haven't had any problems here using it this way. YMMV....
> -SNIP- <
Finally, I have Woody with the vanilla kernel. I installed from DVD, seemed easier than seven cds. But when I try to add packages using dselect it exits with a 'unknown fs type' error. IsO is supported, I can read from the drive. Would the compact kernel provide better support for a cd-writer and a dvd drive? The DVD was recognised and added to fstab automatically, although I did have to specify it was on /dev/hdd first, but the cd-rw drive I had to manually enter in fstab. As cd-writers use scsi emulation, could I have problems there.
Generally speaking, and IMHO, any of the install "flavors" such as the "compact" kernel "flavor" are somewhat crippled. This is done to allow the kernel to fit on a boot-floppy for the boot-floppy install, and many of the modules have been left out to save space on the disk. These kernel "flavors" are tailored for specific install situations. You have two options in this case...compile your own kernel, or get one of the precompiled kernel-images as soon as practical. The pre-compiled kernel-images tend to be a LOT more "generic". IF you get your PPP link working, then it is probably easier and faster to just obtain a pre-compiled kernel-image from one of the Debian sites.
It is hard to determine from your info exactly what the problem is with your DVD drive. Can you "mount" the DVD drive and browse through the file system there. If so, then dselect "should" be able to see it. You will probably have to manually mount the DVD drive before using dselect. If this still doesn't work, I don't have a clue....
You are correct about needing the scsi "drivers" for your CD-writer. This is an entire subject in itself, and I would recommend you concentrate on getting your PPP link up first and address this later, as you indicated... Some more info on your hardware setup would be quite helpful.
Cheers & Good Luck! -Don Spoon-