Subject: Re: VERY OFF TOPIC, but hoping someone has experience
To: G. Evans <gevans@televar.com>
From: Mark Andres <mark@giganet.net>
List: port-mac68k
Date: 04/30/1997 10:23:23
Hi,

Since no one has answered so far, I will take a crack at this one.  The 
Slowaris boxes (2.4/2.5) that I used in my previous job did not have pppd
built in.  So if you wanted ppp, you had to get iij-ppp or some similar
package.  I "downgraded" my SPARC from Solaris to SunOS 4.1.4. IMHO,
Slowaris is fine if you only want to use the software that they provide,
and/or you have a lot of money to spend.

If getting ppp working is very important to your friend, I would
*seriously* recommend this.  (My background: several years working for an
Internet provider.  Experience with NetBSD, BSDI, SunOS, and Solaris.)

1) Get rid of Slowaris.  Solaris/SunOS may be produced/sold by Sun, but
IMHO they are not well supported.  Check out any CERT alert and see what
Sun's position is (We are invesitgating the matter and will have a patch
out some time before the end of the century).

2) Install NetBSD.  If your friend insists on buying commerical UN*X,
purchase/install BSDI (www.bsdi.com).  BSDI is (again IMHO) the best
supported flavor of UN*X I have seen.

3) Follow the instructions given on the list and elsewhere for getting ppp
with pap working.  Instructions for NetBSD should pretty much work for
BSDI.

This is probably not what your friend wants to hear.  Unfortunately, 
AFAIK, the usual way to deal with Slowaris problems like this is to hire a
consultant.

Mark

On Tue, 29 Apr 1997, G. Evans wrote:

> Just wondering if anyone has any experience with Solaris 2.5.1 for x86.  I
> have a friend who refuses to use NetBSD because "It is not supported by a
> *real* company" and insists on using this.  He is thus far (so far it has
> been over a month) been unable to establish a PAP PPP connection to the
> service provider that we both work for.
> 
> What I am hoping is that *maybe* someone has access to or experience with
> a Solaris box (as I do not) and could either give me some detailed
> instructions on setting this up, or give me the configuration files
> neccesarry to get this accomplished.
> 
> Any help would be greatly appreciated, but since this is SO off topic,
> only respond if you feel like helping me prove to my friend how GREAT the
> people on this list are.

Mark Andres             E-mail: mark@giganet.net
    Running NetBSD and 100% Microsoft Free!
URL: http://www2.giganet.net/private/users/mark/