5. Testing the connection

You should have finished configuring your ppp dial-up connection. You should be logged in as an ordinary user, and your modem should be connected and switched on.

5.1. starting a ppp connection

5.1.1. Running pon

If you have configured the ISP's name as "provider", enter "pon". If you have used a different ISP name, enter "pon ISPname". (See "man pon" for details.)

debian:/home/chris# pon   enter

If your modem has led indicators, the "On" or "Connection" led should light. You should also hear the characteristic sound of the modem dialing and speaking to the host.

If nothing happens, skip to the next section - "Don't panic".

When all activity has ceased, close the connection by entering poff". If you specified an ISP name, enter "poff ISPname". (See "man poff" for details.)

debian:/home/chris# poff   enter

5.1.2. Don't panic!

If nothing happens after a few seconds, check the following:

  • the modem is connected to the serial port

  • the modem is connected to the telephone socket

  • the modem is switched on - if you have indicator leds, the "Power" led is lit.

If the modem still will not dial out, you may have a problem with access permissions. Logout, login again as root and run pon again. (If you are working from a terminal window in X, you must exit to the command line first by choosing Logout... from the X menu.)

Logout...
Confirm Logout
Logout will close all active applications.
Procede?
OK

debian:/home/chris# logout
Login: root   enter
Password: ******   enter
debian:~# pon enter

If this works, then for some reason the ordinary user has not been given permission to dial out. You should check that the ordinary user is a member of group "dip". Use a text editor to look at the file /etc/group. If you use emacs, the command is "emacs /etc/group"

debian:~# emacs /etc/group   enter

Look for a line beginning with "dip" and containing the ordinary user's name.

dip:x:30:chris

The second field is connected with an encrypted group password. I don't know much about this, but, if you don't mind the ordinary user having dial-up access without a password, just remove this field. (See "man group" for details.)

dip::30:chris

Save the changed file and exit emacs.

F10 f s
F10 f e

Now log out and log in as the ordinary user and try again.

5.2. Testing a browser

You should be logged in as an ordinary user, and X should be running.

Open a browser, eg Mozilla. Open a terminal window (eg xterm) and open a ppp connection by entering pon.

debian:/home/chris# pon   enter

Try connecting to a URL. There are several links on the Mozilla default page including "www.google.com/linux". When you are satisfied that everything is OK, disconnect by entering poff in the terminal window

debian:/home/chris# poff   enter