PPP(oe) WAN connection not established when using Wireless-Only hotspot

[Graham Beneke]

Murray Long wrote:
> I've run into a problem when using PPP (or PPPoe ) internet connection, 
> with the wireless only hotspot option. On startup, the router gets into 
> an endless cycle or connecting and reconnecting.
> 
> Here's why it happens:
> The "/etc/init.d/S90chillli start" script is run to start coova-chilli
> the wireless_split function then restarts all network interfaces which 
> starts the ppp dialup
> Coova-chilli is then started but fails to initialize because it can't 
> determine the ip address of the radius server (because the ppp is slow 
> and the connection is not yet established)
> 5 seconds later (still not enough time for ppp to establish a 
> connection) "S90chilli checkrunning" is called which detects chilli is 
> not running and restarts the whole process.

I have been experiencing problems with run away bandwidth usage on a 
provider you probably know (iBurst). I have not yet traced the exact 
source of the problem but it would seem to be some sort of nasty loop 
that Coova gets into trying to validate its servers that result in 
extremely high bandwidth usage and an AP that becomes non-functional 
until it has been rebooted.

It probably stems from the same aggressive validation that seems to fail 
on sub-standard broadband connections.

-- 
Graham Beneke
Apolix Internet Services
E-Mail/MSN/Jabber: graham at apolix.co.za   Skype: grbeneke
VoIP: 087-750-5696                       Cell: 082-432-1873
http://www.apolix.co.za/