path Section of the asppp.cf File

The path section of the configuration file tells the link manager the name of the remote endpoint and the name of the interface linking the endpoint machines. At a minimum the path section should contain the following lines:

path
   interface interface-number
   peer_system_name endpoint-name

interface Keyword

This keyword defines the PPP interface (either ipdptpn or ipdn). In Example 9-1, the following information appears in the path section:

interface ipdptp0	  
peer_system_name nubian-ppp

The interface keyword identifies ipdptp0 as the point-to-point interface that local endpoint nomada uses to communicate with the remote endpoint in the manner described in this path section. It associates the peer_system_name with the interface.

peer_system_name Keyword

On a dial-out machine such as a remote host, the peer_system_name keyword takes the host name of the remote endpoint as its argument. This is the name of the remote endpoint given in /etc/uucp/Systems. The name need not be the same as the host name on the corresponding ifconfig line.

The argument to the peer_system_name keyword for a dial-in server has a different value. See "Configuration File for Multipoint Dial-in Server" for details.

In Example 9-1, peer_system_name identifies dial-in server nubian-ppp as the remote endpoint at the other end of this link. When the link manager reads the asppp.cf file, it then looks for the entry for nubian-ppp in the /etc/uucp/Systems file. (Recall that the Systems file contains information about how to set up communications with the remote endpoint, including that machine's telephone number. Refer to "Updating /etc/uucp/Systems for PPP".)

inactivity_timeout Keyword

The inactivity_timeout keyword is optional. It tells the link manager that the link can remain inactive for the interval designated. When that interval is passed, the link manager knows to automatically disconnect the link. The default interval is two minutes; you do not have to use inactivity_timeout unless you require a different inactivity interval.

Additional Keywords

You can supply other keywords in the asppp.cf file to define how endpoint machines should communicate. Chapter 11, Tailoring Your PPP Link, has complete information about these keywords.