This guide is for setting up an ADSL Internet connection using an ethernet PPPoE modem under Ubuntu 6.06 LTS (Dapper Drake) but newer versions of Ubuntu will be similar.

Although it may be very common to use a router to connect to the Internet, often it is needed to directly connect to an ADSL (frequently referred to as 'DSL') modem using PPPoE.

Of course, you will need to have subscribed to an Internet Service Provider (ISP), and that your Internet connection be installed and functional. A „DSL“ light on your modem usually shows that the line is synchronized.

You will need your username and password provided by your ISP for your DSL account . You must also have an Ethernet card connected to your PPPoE modem with the correct type of cable.

To set up the modem, we will use a terminal. To open a terminal, use the menu bar : Applications > Accessories > Terminal.

You need the PPPoE package to be installed in order for the following command to work. This package is installed by default, but can be missing if the configuration has been changed. If the following command does not work, you will need to install this package (see the PPPoE package installation section).

In the terminal type:

sudo pppoeconf

A text-based menu program will guide you through the next steps, which are:

1. Confirm that your Ethernet card is detected.
2. Enter your username(provided by your ISP).
3. Enter your password(provided by your ISP).
4. If you already have a PPPoE Connection configured, you will be asked if it may be modified.
5. Popular options: you are asked if you want the 'noauth' and 'defaultroute' options and to remove 'nodetach' - choose „Yes“.
6. Use peer DNS - choose „Yes“.
7. Limited MSS problem - choose „Yes“.
8. When you are asked if you want to connect at start up, you will probably want to say yes.
9. Finally you are asked if you want to establish the connection immediately.

Once you have finished these steps, your connection should be working.

To start your ADSL connection on demand, in a terminal type:

pon dsl-provider

To stop your ADSL connection, in a terminal type:

poff dsl-provider

If your connection does not seem to work, try turning your previously configured ADSL connection on manually (see previous section). To see log, in terminal type:

plog

To check if the PPPoE package is installed, in a terminal type:

dpkg -s pppoeconf

If it is installed you should see the output on the package where two lines show this:

Package: pppoeconf
Status: install ok installed

If the package is not installed, insert your Ubuntu CD and in a terminal type:

sudo apt-get install pppoeconf

If the package cannot be found, you may have to add your Ubuntu CD to the list of software repositories. To add your CD, make sure it is inserted in your CD drive and in a terminal type:

sudo apt-cdrom add

If all else fails, you can download the pppoeconf package from http://packages.ubuntu.com/. Of course you will need a working Internet connection, and then to transfer the package via a CDR or USB stick for example. Double click on the package in GNOME to install it.

If you find that you have to run pppoeconf each time you boot, you can try two things:

• Edit /etc/network/interfaces as described here, so that that 'pppoe maintained' lines are before 'auto dsl-provider':

# added by pppoeconf
auto eth0
iface eth0 inet manual
pre-up /sbin/ifconfig eth0 up # line maintained by pppoeconf

auto dsl-provider
iface dsl-provider inet ppp
provider dsl-provider

• Failing that, edit /etc/rc.local, and before the last line („exit 0“), add:

ip link set eth0 up
pon dsl-provider

If you are having problems with your connection, you may find valuable information in the system message logs. You may acces system logs either in a terminal, or with a graphical interface.

• To use the grapical log viewer, in the menu bar, go to : System > Administration > System Log. You will find the system messages in /var/log/messages.

• To use the terminal, type:

sudo dmesg