Subject: null-modem PPP connect howto?
To: None <port-mac68k@netbsd.org>
From: Erik Stokhof <Erik.Stokhof@cwi.nl>
List: port-mac68k
Date: 05/10/2001 17:11:08
Hi all,
The somewhat cryptic subject hides a (I hope) relatively simple problem: I 
have an old LCIII running NetBSD, and a newer StarMax running MacOS. I have 
a printer cable running between the two, and I want to connect them using PPP.
This actually works. However, I have only one keyboard, and I would like 
the PPP connection to come up at will on request from the StarMax, whenever 
I tell Remote Only to connect.
This actually works. Provided I already have a pppd process running.
Now the problem: pppd times out, and I cannot reinitiate a connection remotely.
Then I fount something in gettytab: the pp option, which is supposed to 
listen to the line, and call pppd as soon as it detects (what? DTR? 
traffic? I have no idea, and the man pages don't say). I have no way of 
checking what happens on the line.
Q1: is this supposed to work or must I restart pppd periodically using cron?
Q2: are there any tools to find out what exactly happens on the line?

Any help appreciated.

-Erik