Non-Linux-aware ISP: please spoon feed
I am trying to set up my Linux box to connect to my Waitrose ISP
account. I am using this one rather than my ukonline one because
ukonline requires my box to fetch DNS addresses every time it logs on,
whereas Waitrose has static ones - keep it simple.
I have run pppconfig and entered all the details it asks for, no
problem. I have followed the instructions in
/usr/doc/HOWTO/ISP-Hookup-HOWTO.2.html to the letter, and set up the
various files in /etc as that document describes. I get stuck at
setting up /etc/ppp/chatscripts. The HOWTO has for this file:
<snip>
>CONNECT ""
>TIMEOUT 5
>"name:" ppp
>
>The last line specifies that one is expecting a prompt that ends with
>name:, and that the response should be ppp when it arrives.
>Other systems may have other login procedures.
I thought "may != will" so tried it verbatim, just to see what would
happen. It dials up, negotiates the communication speed, apparently
fails to log on, and hangs up after a few seconds - not entirely to my
surprise.
So I asked support@waitrose.com for the necessary details, and got the
wonderfully helpful response "we don't support Linux, please ask
again, we can tell you if you tell us what you've put in already"...
huh? I had already given them the above example from the HOWTO and
said that's what I want...
I also lack the details by which the server may authenticate itself.
/etc/ppp/options warns me not to disable this (though I have at the
moment).
I fear that these slightly surreal conversations will result every
time I try to ask this ISP a question.
Please could someone suggest exactly the right questions to ask the
ISP, so I don't have to keep ding-donging emails back and forth,
rebooting from Linux to Windoze all the time cos the Linux box isn't
on line yet?
Better yet, is there any online fill-in-the-boxes document that I can
send them and say "please fill in this form"?
A copy of the conversation so far is appended.
Thanks,
Pigeon
=====================================================
>>----- Original Message -----
>>From: "Pigeon" <jah.pigeon@ukonline.co.uk>
>>To: <support@waitrose.com>
>>Sent: Monday, November 25, 2002 5:31 PM
>>Subject: Linux setup for waitrose account
>>
>>
>>> Hi,
>>>
>>> I am trying to set up my Linux system to access my waitrose account
>>> pigeon@waitrose.com. I read in the Linux documentation that I should
>>> configure /etc/ppp/chatscript according to this example:
>>> >
>>> >TIMEOUT 5
>>> >"" ATZ
>>> >OK ATDT12345678
>>> >ABORT "NO CARRIER"
>>> >ABORT BUSY
>>> >ABORT "NO DIALTONE"
>>> >ABORT WAITING
>>> >TIMEOUT 45
>>> >CONNECT ""
>>> >TIMEOUT 5
>>> >"name:" ppp
>>> >
>>> >The last line specifies that one is expecting a prompt that ends with
>>> >name:, and that the response should be ppp when it arrives.
>>> >Other systems may have other login procedures.
>>> >
>>>
>>> Please could you let me know what the prompt and expected response for
>>> my account are, and any other connection details of a similar nature.
>>> As you can see from the above, setting up Linux for internet access
>>> requires lots of nitty gritty details to be entered by hand. I have no
>>> objection to doing this, as long as I know what they are.
>>>
>>> Many thanks
>>>
>>> Pigeon
>>
>On Mon, 25 Nov 2002 19:44:24 -0000, "Technical Support" <support@waitrose.com> wrote:
>
>>Dear Sir,
>>
>>Thank you for your email.
>>
>>We do not provide support for Linux but can confirm any settings that you
>>may require to enter. Can you please inform us of all the details (in
>>regards to Waitrose) that you have used for configuration purposes.
>>
>>regards,
>>
>>nick
>>--------------------------------------------
>>Waitrose Technical Support
>>support@waitrose.com
>>Tel: 0800 376 7060
>>--------------------------------------------
>Hi,
>
>The details specific to Waitrose are:
>
>Username: pigeon@waitrose.com
>Password: [the real password]
>Dialup number: 08450796899
>Primary DNS server: 192.126.82.5
>Secondary DNS server: 192.126.86.9
>
>and the chatscript example given, with phone number modified accordingly
>and the last line (login prompt/response) currently unconfigured because
>I don't know the settings for Waitrose.
>
>I also need to know the means by which the server can authenticate
>itself. I am required to enter a password into a file on my system
>for this purpose.
>
>Thanks,
>
>Pigeon
>
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