[debian-users] minicom or ISP? - No urgency - answer if you have time.

Douglas A. Tutty wrote:
> On Fri, Nov 16, 2007 at 03:08:11PM -0700, Ted Hilts - Thunderbird Acct. wrote:
>
>> When dialing up my ISP in an interactive mode providing user name and
>> password I get a third prompt with the prompt message "AiiNET". So now
>> I get 3 prompts: "user name", "password", and "AiiNET" where before I
>> just got the 2 prompts "user name" and "password". The ISP would not
>> help saying that they don't support Linux. The ISP has a monopoly out
>> here is rural Alberta, Canada. Since there are some very experienced
>> people on the list maybe someone has run into this third prompt. As I
>> said, it is a relatively new prompt which does not always occur (and I
>> have a somewhat clumsy work-around). Has anyone else run into this
>> situation where the "AiiNET" prompt occurs during manual dial up? In the
>> following paragraph I provide more detail.
>>
>
> I've never seen an "AiiNET" prompt. What is the required response?
>
>
>> I use a package called "minicom" on a Linux machine running Slackware
>> which is my lan gateway machine to the Internet via dial up to my ISP. I
>> don't think "minicom" is a debian package (but it may be by some other
>> name)..
>>
>
> Minicom is a normal debian package.
>
>
>> I am gradually migrating my lan Linux machines over to Debian
>> but still have to maintain this Slackware unit until I can get a fast
>> Internet connection and the switch or router will head end everything.
>>
>
> Why? What can Slackware do that Debian can't? You don't need a fast
> internect connetion to run Debian.
>
>
>> I am not sure if the question is about minicom or about the ISP. When
>> the dial up connection is lost minicom is not evoked and so Linux
>> brings up the connection automatically.
>>
>
> I don't understand what you're saying here.
>
>
>> Initially using minicom basically sets up the dial up modem and
>> thereafter all interaction with the ISP is automatic. So when it is
>> automatic I don't really know the details of the interaction.
>>
>
> You should only need to use minicom to set up a modem once ever (unless
> you need to reprogram it again later). You should be able to set up
> pppconfig to issue whatever connection strings you need.
>
> Doug.
>
> You said: "
> I've never seen an "AiiNET" prompt. What is the required response?'
>
I wish I knew -- I tried all kinds of responses!

You also said: "You don't need a fast internet connection to run Debian"
which is true. I was only commenting that the Slackware Linux machine
won't be needed once I get a fast Internet connection. At that time
hopefully I will get a static IP address and the router or switch will
control all internet connections going into and out of the lan.

You also indicated that Minicom is a Debian package. That's nice to
know. Also, you mentioned that "You should be able to set up pppconfig
to issue whatever connection strings you need". I think pppconfig is
working okay. But probably I could pass pppconfig the string Minicom
uses to condition the dial up modem if I knew how to set it up in
pppconfig.

Finally:
> > I am not sure if the question is about minicom or about the ISP. When
> > the dial up connection is lost minicom is not evoked and so Linux
> > brings up the connection automatically.
>

I don't understand what you're saying here.

What I was trying to say is that I am not sure where the "AiiNET" prompt is coming from. Is it coming from the ISP or is it being manufactured by Minicom as some respone. I think the "AiiNET" prompt is coming from the ISP just as the "user" and "password" prompts are coming the the ISP. If that were not the case then there would have been by now many Debian Minicom users knowledgeable regarding the prompt.

Have a nice day Doug and Thanks for your input -- Ted

> >

--

On Fri, Nov 16, 2007 at 05:40:34PM -0500, Douglas A. Tutty wrote:
> On Fri, Nov 16, 2007 at 03:08:11PM -0700, Ted Hilts - Thunderbird Acct. wrote:
> > When dialing up my ISP in an interactive mode providing user name and
> > password I get a third prompt with the prompt message "AiiNET". So now
> > I get 3 prompts: "user name", "password", and "AiiNET" where before I
> > just got the 2 prompts "user name" and "password". The ISP would not
> > help saying that they don't support Linux. The ISP has a monopoly out
> > here is rural Alberta, Canada. Since there are some very experienced
> > people on the list maybe someone has run into this third prompt. As I
> > said, it is a relatively new prompt which does not always occur (and I
> > have a somewhat clumsy work-around). Has anyone else run into this
> > situation where the "AiiNET" prompt occurs during manual dial up? In the
> > following paragraph I provide more detail.
>
> I've never seen an "AiiNET" prompt. What is the required response?

It sounds like you may be seeing a PPP response and misinterpretinging
it. Does it wait for you to hit 'enter' or something, or does it just
continue without your interaction.

>
> >
> > I use a package called "minicom" on a Linux machine running Slackware
> > which is my lan gateway machine to the Internet via dial up to my ISP. I
> > don't think "minicom" is a debian package (but it may be by some other
> > name)..
>
> Minicom is a normal debian package.

If it can be done in Windows Hyperterm, minicom can do it.

>
> > I am gradually migrating my lan Linux machines over to Debian
> > but still have to maintain this Slackware unit until I can get a fast
> > Internet connection and the switch or router will head end everything.
>
> Why? What can Slackware do that Debian can't? You don't need a fast
> internect connetion to run Debian.
>
> > I am not sure if the question is about minicom or about the ISP. When
> > the dial up connection is lost minicom is not evoked and so Linux
> > brings up the connection automatically.
>
> I don't understand what you're saying here.
>
> > Initially using minicom basically sets up the dial up modem and
> > thereafter all interaction with the ISP is automatic. So when it is
> > automatic I don't really know the details of the interaction.
>
> You should only need to use minicom to set up a modem once ever (unless
> you need to reprogram it again later). You should be able to set up
> pppconfig to issue whatever connection strings you need.
>
> Doug.
>

99.99% of coputer traffic uses stanards-compliant protocols, and for
low speed analog phone communication, that would be PPP. So pon, seyon,
or wvdial should be able to handle it. These have manual and
dial-on-demand functions. So get pppconfig or wvdialconf and it should
only take a few minutes to set it up.
-K
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--

On Fri, Nov 16, 2007 at 06:14:13PM -0500, Hal Vaughan wrote:
> On Friday 16 November 2007, Ted Hilts - Thunderbird Acct. wrote:

> > ...Has anyone
> > else run into this situation where the "AiiNET" prompt occurs during
> > manual dial up? In the following paragraph I provide more detail.
>
> If that doesn't work, do you have any way of connecting with a Windows
> system and monitoring your transmission? Perhaps using something like
> Ethereal? (Does Ethereal watch dial up? Don't remember.) That might
> let you intercept what their software uses as a response.

There's a package called snooper that lets you watch and log data
running between two serial ports. You can set a debian box up
physically/electrically between a windows box and the modem (assuming
its an external modem) and log the connection.

Doug.

--

Thunderbird Acct. wrote:
> When dialing up my ISP in an interactive mode providing user name and
> password I get a third prompt with the prompt message "AiiNET".

Some ISPs respond with a username/password prompt when you use an
interactive program but expect PAP authenication when they see a PPP
connection. Run pppconfig as root, answer the questions, and then use pon
to start the connection and poff to stop it. If you want dial-on-demand go
into the "Advanced" menu in pppconfig.
--
John Hasler

--

Hal Vaughan wrote:
> On Friday 16 November 2007, Ted Hilts - Thunderbird Acct. wrote:
>
>> This question is informational and there is no urgency.
>>
>
> I'm not going to cover what has the first response has said, but I have
> a bit I can add:
>
>
>> When dialing up my ISP in an interactive mode providing user name and
>> password I get a third prompt with the prompt message "AiiNET". So
>> now I get 3 prompts: "user name", "password", and "AiiNET" where
>> before I just got the 2 prompts "user name" and "password". The ISP
>> would not help saying that they don't support Linux.
>>
>
> Do NOT EVER tell your ISP you're using Linux. Find whatever way you can
> avoid saying that. Tell them you're using an old DOS program or
> something. You could say you're using it as a requirement for your
> job. Yes, it's a lie, and I don't advocate that, but never tell any
> ISP you're using Linux. That's their immediate excuse to not help you
> and for everything to be your fault.
>
>
>
>> ...Has anyone
>> else run into this situation where the "AiiNET" prompt occurs during
>> manual dial up? In the following paragraph I provide more detail.
>>
>
> Have you tried just asking them what to type in response to this prompt?
> Don't specify an OS or anything else. Again, you're just using a DOS
> prompt.
>
> If that doesn't work, do you have any way of connecting with a Windows
> system and monitoring your transmission? Perhaps using something like
> Ethereal? (Does Ethereal watch dial up? Don't remember.) That might
> let you intercept what their software uses as a response.
>
>
>> I use a package called "minicom" on a Linux machine running Slackware
>> which is my lan gateway machine to the Internet via dial up to my
>> ISP. I don't think "minicom" is a debian package (but it may be by
>> some other name)..
>>
>
> Minicom is one of the best term programs out there. I used it a lot in
> testing and developing the software I use for the business I run. It
> is a Debian package and is a package in most distros. This is not a
> Minicom question. It's a "What response to I send to the AiiNet
> prompt?" question.
>
> Have you tried just hitting "enter" and seeing what happens? What else
> do you use for connecting? Do you use a program like KPPP without any
> problem? If so, can you monitor what goes through the device and see
> what you get?
>
> While Minicom is a great program, remember that dial up ISPs don't
> expect a text terminal. They expect a program that responds to their
> prompts, then establishes a PPP or TCP/IP connection (it's been so long
> I don't remember what they use!), so even if you respond to this
> prompt, you probably won't get anything useful to Minicom.
>
> Hal
>
>
Thanks for your respnse. You more or less agree that the AiiNET prompt
is coming from the ISP. The ISP technical support department head told
me they have never seen the prompt and have no idea at all what it could
be. In other words, they simply don't know and don't care to know and
as you said they blame Linux for the problem.

BTW: Isn't it some form of discrimination to provide ISP services and
support for Windozzzzz and Mac while turning a blind eye to Linux???
That's how my ISP behaves. I think that in Europe it is apparently law
for computer manufacturers not to favor one OS over all the others?
Also, I think in Europe it is against the law for a computer
manufacturer to pre-load only Windozzzzz. So this is very much the same
kind of problem with ISP providers -- would you agree?

Thanks also for all the advice, most of the tracking packages you
mentioned are knew to me. Mostly though, I just wanted to be sure from
where the "AiiNET" was originating.

Ted

--