Subject: pppd startup from non-root account?
To: None <port-mac68k@netbsd.org>
From: Tom Jernigan <jernigantc@ornl.gov>
List: port-mac68k
Date: 12/13/2001 10:05:11
I have pppd working from root to connect my IIci (vanilla NetBSD 
1.5.2) to my isp via a supra v90 modem. However, when I try to start 
it from a user account with the call: pppd call nethere (this is the 
same call I use from root)
I get the message:
Can't open options file /etc/ppp/peers/nethere

I've set up pppd following the chapter 9.2 of the netbsd guide by 
Federico Lupi. The protections are:
drwx------ root wheel /etc/ppp
drwx------ root wheel /etc/ppp/peers
-rw-rw-r-- root wheel /etc/ppp/peers/nethere

The man page for pppd says (in it's usual obscure way) that a 
non-privileged user running a setuid-root pppd can used the call 
option to run pppd.
I'm not sure what a setuid-root pppd means, but here's the protection:
-r-sr-xr-x root wheel /usr/sbin/pppd

Is a normal user supposed to be able to run pppd to connect? If so, 
what am I doing in wrong?
Thanks, Tom
-- 
Tom Jernigan,  jernigantc@ornl.gov
presently at General Atomics in San Diego, Bldg 13/551
Phone (858) 455-4122, FAX (858)455-4515