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

[Mick]

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