CHAP secret

The System Log of my adsl modem/router contains the lines below every time
the modem tries to establish a PPP connection to BT - the IPS is BT
Broadband (wires only):

Can't open chap secret file /etc/ppp/chap-secrets: No such file or directory
No CHAP secret found for authenticating us to ERX11.Kingston3

The modem then goes on to establish a working PPP connection.
So what is the significance/meaning of the log entry?

TIA
Chris

"Chris Watts" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:436f4623$0$82641$(E-Mail Removed)...
> The System Log of my adsl modem/router contains the lines below every time
> the modem tries to establish a PPP connection to BT - the IPS is BT
> Broadband (wires only):
>
> Can't open chap secret file /etc/ppp/chap-secrets: No such file or
directory
> No CHAP secret found for authenticating us to ERX11.Kingston3
>
> The modem then goes on to establish a working PPP connection.
> So what is the significance/meaning of the log entry?

CHAP is a protocol to let the 2 devices on a "call" (it was originally for
data on a dialup link) authenticate - i.e. verify each other to be OK to
exchange data. ADSL broadband uses the same suite of PPP protocols.

each end keeps a "secret" and uses a hash to work out if the other end has
the same secret without the actual secrets being sent on the wire.

CHAP can work in various ways where some of the secrets are not used or set
to null, or they can accept anything from the other end - sounds like that
is what is happening in this case.

After all your ISP set your line up, so unless they got that wrong there
shouldnt be any one elses equipment on the end of it?
>
> TIA
> Chris
--
Regards

(E-Mail Removed) - replace xyz with ntl

Chris Watts <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> The System Log of my adsl modem/router contains the lines below every time
> the modem tries to establish a PPP connection to BT - the IPS is BT
> Broadband (wires only):
>
> Can't open chap secret file /etc/ppp/chap-secrets: No such file or directory
> No CHAP secret found for authenticating us to ERX11.Kingston3
>
> The modem then goes on to establish a working PPP connection.
> So what is the significance/meaning of the log entry?

The significance is that the ADSL modem is probably using an out of
the box linux (or possibly another unix) as its core software.

PPP is a generic solution for sending an internet connection across a
point-point link.
The pppd program is very complex, with lots of options - and will as
a default look in that file for a password to use.
Doesn't mean anything - the lack of a password in that file may delay
the line coming up - but only for 1/20th of a second or so.

Thanks Stephen & Ian for your helpful explanations.

Chris