[gentoo-user] AT&T DSL + Westell modem/router = Gentoo woes

[gentoo-user] AT&T DSL + Westell modem/router = Gentoo woes

[Grant]

I recently switched from cable to DSL on a Gentoo router and I'm
having trouble keeping a stable connection.  Periodically I need to
run '/etc/init.d/net.eth0 restart' before it will connect to the
Westell modem (which is also a router although AT&T won't admit it).
The weird thing is that rebooting the system doesn't reacquire the
connection.  I have to actually issue '/etc/init.d/net.eth0 restart'.
Does anyone know why rebooting doesn't reacquire the connection and
restarting the interface does?

- Grant

Re: [gentoo-user] AT&T DSL + Westell modem/router = Gentoo woes

[Dale]

Grant wrote:
> I recently switched from cable to DSL on a Gentoo router and I'm
> having trouble keeping a stable connection.  Periodically I need to
> run '/etc/init.d/net.eth0 restart' before it will connect to the
> Westell modem (which is also a router although AT&T won't admit it).
> The weird thing is that rebooting the system doesn't reacquire the
> connection.  I have to actually issue '/etc/init.d/net.eth0 restart'.
> Does anyone know why rebooting doesn't reacquire the connection and
> restarting the interface does?
>
> - Grant
>
>    

I have AT&T DSL as well with a Motorola modem.  It's the little silver 
thing.  I have a niece that has the one you are talking about and she 
has to reset her stuff pretty regular.  She is not computer inclined so 
she just turns everything off, waits a bit then turns everything back 
on, modem first of course.

Could it be that that modem just has some "issues" for some reason?  My 
niece runs windoze on her puters, she has two.  I wouldn't think it was 
OS since the only common thing is that modem.

Just a thought.

Dale

:-)  :-)

P. S.  Don't expect AT&T to admit anything.  They told me their DSL 
would even work with Linux at all.

Re: [gentoo-user] AT&T DSL + Westell modem/router = Gentoo woes

[David Abbott]

On Fri, 2010-04-23 at 11:54 -0700, Grant wrote:
> I recently switched from cable to DSL on a Gentoo router and I'm
> having trouble keeping a stable connection.  Periodically I need to
> run '/etc/init.d/net.eth0 restart' before it will connect to the
> Westell modem (which is also a router although AT&T won't admit it).
> The weird thing is that rebooting the system doesn't reacquire the
> connection.  I have to actually issue '/etc/init.d/net.eth0 restart'.
> Does anyone know why rebooting doesn't reacquire the connection and
> restarting the interface does?
> 
> - Grant
> 
I just use the modem to login and then enable ip  pass thru to my router
which is a linksys running DD-WRT;
http://www.dslreports.com/faq/7073

This set-up has worked well for a few years without me having to do
anything.
HTH

-- 
David Abbott <david@pythontoo.com>

Re: [gentoo-user] AT&T DSL + Westell modem/router = Gentoo woes

[Grant]

>> I recently switched from cable to DSL on a Gentoo router and I'm
>> having trouble keeping a stable connection.  Periodically I need to
>> run '/etc/init.d/net.eth0 restart' before it will connect to the
>> Westell modem (which is also a router although AT&T won't admit it).
>> The weird thing is that rebooting the system doesn't reacquire the
>> connection.  I have to actually issue '/etc/init.d/net.eth0 restart'.
>> Does anyone know why rebooting doesn't reacquire the connection and
>> restarting the interface does?
>>
>> - Grant
>>
> I just use the modem to login and then enable ip  pass thru to my router
> which is a linksys running DD-WRT;
> http://www.dslreports.com/faq/7073
>
> This set-up has worked well for a few years without me having to do
> anything.

Could I get you to tell me a couple of your settings?  You're doing
something right if you haven't had to touch your's after setting it
up.

I'm trying to figure out the right connection type (or something like
that) for which the options are something like Smart KeepAlive, Always
Reconnect, and Connect On Demand.

The other one is the IP lease timeout.  It defaults to 10 minutes and
I just set it to 99 days, but I don't want it to expire even after 99
days.  I have a static IP but I think this is the timeout between the
modem/router and the Gentoo router.

- Grant

Re: [gentoo-user] AT&T DSL + Westell modem/router = Gentoo woes

[Mick]

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On Friday 23 April 2010 21:22:53 Grant wrote:
> >> I recently switched from cable to DSL on a Gentoo router and I'm
> >> having trouble keeping a stable connection.  Periodically I need to
> >> run '/etc/init.d/net.eth0 restart' before it will connect to the
> >> Westell modem (which is also a router although AT&T won't admit it).
> >> The weird thing is that rebooting the system doesn't reacquire the
> >> connection.  I have to actually issue '/etc/init.d/net.eth0 restart'.
> >> Does anyone know why rebooting doesn't reacquire the connection and
> >> restarting the interface does?
> >>
> >> - Grant
> >
> > I just use the modem to login and then enable ip  pass thru to my router
> > which is a linksys running DD-WRT;
> > http://www.dslreports.com/faq/7073
> >
> > This set-up has worked well for a few years without me having to do
> > anything.
> 
> Could I get you to tell me a couple of your settings?  You're doing
> something right if you haven't had to touch your's after setting it
> up.
> 
> I'm trying to figure out the right connection type (or something like
> that) for which the options are something like Smart KeepAlive, Always
> Reconnect, and Connect On Demand.
> 
> The other one is the IP lease timeout.  It defaults to 10 minutes and
> I just set it to 99 days, but I don't want it to expire even after 99
> days.  I have a static IP but I think this is the timeout between the
> modem/router and the Gentoo router.

I am not familiar with the modem in question, but if you are using your own 
router the modem should be set up in fully bridged mode and the PPPoE 
authentication will be managed by your Gentoo router.

Your Gentoo router will also use dhcpcd (or similar) to obtain an IP address 
from your ISP after it authenticates on their RADIUS server.

In a nut-shell:  You want to set up your modem to not do NAT, or dhcp, or 
authentication at all, but transparently encapsulate your PPP into ATM packets 
and send them off to your local DSLAM.  All the communication with your ISP 
will be managed by the router and your router will have the static IP address 
given to you by your ISP.  The modem will only have a LAN address which you 
will need to set up manually on it, using its control panel.

PS.  I think that the modem connection type you refer to above should be Smart 
KeepAlive - although as I said I'm not familiar with the particular hardware.

HTH.
-- 
Regards,
Mick

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Re: [gentoo-user] AT&T DSL + Westell modem/router = Gentoo woes

[David Abbott]

On Fri, 2010-04-23 at 13:22 -0700, Grant wrote:
> >> I recently switched from cable to DSL on a Gentoo router and I'm
> >> having trouble keeping a stable connection.  Periodically I need to
> >> run '/etc/init.d/net.eth0 restart' before it will connect to the
> >> Westell modem (which is also a router although AT&T won't admit it).
> >> The weird thing is that rebooting the system doesn't reacquire the
> >> connection.  I have to actually issue '/etc/init.d/net.eth0 restart'.
> >> Does anyone know why rebooting doesn't reacquire the connection and
> >> restarting the interface does?
> >>
> >> - Grant
> >>
> > I just use the modem to login and then enable ip  pass thru to my router
> > which is a linksys running DD-WRT;
> > http://www.dslreports.com/faq/7073
> >
> > This set-up has worked well for a few years without me having to do
> > anything.
> 
> Could I get you to tell me a couple of your settings?  You're doing
> something right if you haven't had to touch your's after setting it
> up.
> 
> I'm trying to figure out the right connection type (or something like
> that) for which the options are something like Smart KeepAlive, Always
> Reconnect, and Connect On Demand.
I use Always On 
> 
> The other one is the IP lease timeout.  It defaults to 10 minutes and
> I just set it to 99 days, but I don't want it to expire even after 99
> days.  I have a static IP but I think this is the timeout between the
> modem/router and the Gentoo router.
I have DHCP lease time once per day
> 
> - Grant
> 


-- 
David Abbott <david@pythontoo.com>

Re: [gentoo-user] AT&T DSL + Westell modem/router = Gentoo woes

[Grant]

>> >> I recently switched from cable to DSL on a Gentoo router and I'm
>> >> having trouble keeping a stable connection.  Periodically I need to
>> >> run '/etc/init.d/net.eth0 restart' before it will connect to the
>> >> Westell modem (which is also a router although AT&T won't admit it).
>> >> The weird thing is that rebooting the system doesn't reacquire the
>> >> connection.  I have to actually issue '/etc/init.d/net.eth0 restart'.
>> >> Does anyone know why rebooting doesn't reacquire the connection and
>> >> restarting the interface does?
>> >>
>> >> - Grant
>> >
>> > I just use the modem to login and then enable ip  pass thru to my router
>> > which is a linksys running DD-WRT;
>> > http://www.dslreports.com/faq/7073
>> >
>> > This set-up has worked well for a few years without me having to do
>> > anything.
>>
>> Could I get you to tell me a couple of your settings?  You're doing
>> something right if you haven't had to touch your's after setting it
>> up.
>>
>> I'm trying to figure out the right connection type (or something like
>> that) for which the options are something like Smart KeepAlive, Always
>> Reconnect, and Connect On Demand.
>>
>> The other one is the IP lease timeout.  It defaults to 10 minutes and
>> I just set it to 99 days, but I don't want it to expire even after 99
>> days.  I have a static IP but I think this is the timeout between the
>> modem/router and the Gentoo router.
>
> I am not familiar with the modem in question, but if you are using your own
> router the modem should be set up in fully bridged mode and the PPPoE
> authentication will be managed by your Gentoo router.
>
> Your Gentoo router will also use dhcpcd (or similar) to obtain an IP address
> from your ISP after it authenticates on their RADIUS server.
>
> In a nut-shell:  You want to set up your modem to not do NAT, or dhcp, or
> authentication at all, but transparently encapsulate your PPP into ATM packets
> and send them off to your local DSLAM.  All the communication with your ISP
> will be managed by the router and your router will have the static IP address
> given to you by your ISP.  The modem will only have a LAN address which you
> will need to set up manually on it, using its control panel.
>
> PS.  I think that the modem connection type you refer to above should be Smart
> KeepAlive - although as I said I'm not familiar with the particular hardware.
>
> HTH.
> --
> Regards,
> Mick

Thanks Mick.  The Westell does have an option to take PPPoE off of the
device and I'd like to set that up soon.

- Grant

Re: [gentoo-user] AT&T DSL + Westell modem/router = Gentoo woes

[Grant]

>> >> I recently switched from cable to DSL on a Gentoo router and I'm
>> >> having trouble keeping a stable connection.  Periodically I need to
>> >> run '/etc/init.d/net.eth0 restart' before it will connect to the
>> >> Westell modem (which is also a router although AT&T won't admit it).
>> >> The weird thing is that rebooting the system doesn't reacquire the
>> >> connection.  I have to actually issue '/etc/init.d/net.eth0 restart'.
>> >> Does anyone know why rebooting doesn't reacquire the connection and
>> >> restarting the interface does?
>> >>
>> >> - Grant
>> >>
>> > I just use the modem to login and then enable ip  pass thru to my router
>> > which is a linksys running DD-WRT;
>> > http://www.dslreports.com/faq/7073
>> >
>> > This set-up has worked well for a few years without me having to do
>> > anything.
>>
>> Could I get you to tell me a couple of your settings?  You're doing
>> something right if you haven't had to touch your's after setting it
>> up.
>>
>> I'm trying to figure out the right connection type (or something like
>> that) for which the options are something like Smart KeepAlive, Always
>> Reconnect, and Connect On Demand.
> I use Always On

Are you sure that's what it's called?  I don't have that option.

>> The other one is the IP lease timeout.  It defaults to 10 minutes and
>> I just set it to 99 days, but I don't want it to expire even after 99
>> days.  I have a static IP but I think this is the timeout between the
>> modem/router and the Gentoo router.
> I have DHCP lease time once per day

And you don't have to restart your network interface once per day?  I
seem to need to restart the nic as often as that timeout setting.  Any
idea why that would happen?

- Grant

Re: [gentoo-user] AT&T DSL + Westell modem/router = Gentoo woes

[Mick]

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On Tuesday 27 April 2010 03:02:54 Grant wrote:

> > I am not familiar with the modem in question, but if you are using your
> > own router the modem should be set up in fully bridged mode and the PPPoE
> > authentication will be managed by your Gentoo router.

> Thanks Mick.  The Westell does have an option to take PPPoE off of the
> device and I'd like to set that up soon.

Right, without the PPPoE disabled the modem operates in a half-bridged mode 
(essentially it is a router running dhcp and 1:1 NAT).  I would disable NAT, 
dhcp and PPPoE on the modem so that it is in fully-bridged mode and then see 
if the problem is resolved. Your symptoms are typical of a half-bridged router 
and a dynamic IP address from the ISP.  Usually, the client on the LAN does 
not know when the ISP's WAN side IP address has changed and will not pick up 
the new address until the dhcp lease on the client has expired.  To overcome 
this botched implementation the half-bridged modem has a short lease. This 
doesn't always work, as I suspect is the case here.

HTH.
-- 
Regards,
Mick

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Re: [gentoo-user] AT&T DSL + Westell modem/router = Gentoo woes

[Grant]

>> > I am not familiar with the modem in question, but if you are using your
>> > own router the modem should be set up in fully bridged mode and the PPPoE
>> > authentication will be managed by your Gentoo router.
>
>> Thanks Mick.  The Westell does have an option to take PPPoE off of the
>> device and I'd like to set that up soon.
>
> Right, without the PPPoE disabled the modem operates in a half-bridged mode
> (essentially it is a router running dhcp and 1:1 NAT).  I would disable NAT,
> dhcp and PPPoE on the modem so that it is in fully-bridged mode and then see
> if the problem is resolved. Your symptoms are typical of a half-bridged router
> and a dynamic IP address from the ISP.  Usually, the client on the LAN does
> not know when the ISP's WAN side IP address has changed and will not pick up
> the new address until the dhcp lease on the client has expired.  To overcome
> this botched implementation the half-bridged modem has a short lease. This
> doesn't always work, as I suspect is the case here.
>
> HTH.
> --
> Regards,
> Mick

Thank you Mick, I'm going to set that up ASAP.

- Grant