Multipoint Dial-in Server

A multipoint link is one of two types of configurations that you can use for a dial-in server functioning as the network endpoint that remote machines can access. In this configuration scheme, the dial-in server connects to multiple remote hosts over the same multipoint link. The remote hosts always connect to the dial-in server over a point-to-point link, as explained in "Remote Computer-to-Network Configuration".

Use this configuration when you want to define a separate network of remote hosts and their dial-in server.

• Network interface - The multipoint link uses the ipdn virtual network interface. You must specify this interface in the configuration file for the dial-in server.

• Addressing method - The configuration file must include the host names or IP addresses of the machines that communicate over the link. Refer to "Determining IP Addressing for Your PPP Link" for complete details. You must create a separate network for the machines on the multipoint link. See "Assigning a Network Number to the PPP Link" for more information.

• Name service - Although NIS and NIS+ are not recommended for remote hosts, the dial-in server in a remote host-to-network configuration can be a NIS client on the physical network to which it is connected. If NIS is on the server's physical network, make sure that the NIS maps are updated with the host names and IP addresses of the remote hosts. You can use DNS on the dial-in server and its remote hosts. For more information regarding DNS and name services in general, refer to Solaris Naming Administration Guide. If you use local files for name service, PPP uses the /etc/inet/hosts file on the dial-in server for address resolution.

• Dial-in and dial-out support - The multipoint dial-in server functions as a network router between its PPP virtual network and the physical network to which it is connected. It dials out to its remote hosts whenever it receives IP traffic from the physical network destined for its PPP network. Therefore, you must configure the multipoint dial-in server for both dial-in and dial-out support, and update its UUCP and /etc/passwd files.

• Routing requirements - The ipdn interface does not support RIP; you do not need to disable it.