pppd doesn't reset idle-counter when there's traffic

Hi,

What could be the reason for pppd to *not* reset the idle counter even
though there's traffic?
This is on RH9 with Portslave_2002.10.21 and Equinox modem-pool.
If you look at the output of 'w' below, one user has idle-time of 32
mins, but a tcpdump reveals plenty of traffic on the ppp interface for
this user.
I have also included /etc/ppp/options and the ppp options from the
portslave config file below.
Thanks
Tobias Skytte


Extract of output from 'w'
**************************

08:23:47 up 5 days, 21:14, 6 users, load average: 0.07, 0.07, 0.04
USER TTY FROM LOGIN@ IDLE JCPU PCPU WHAT
******** ttyQ1a1 000:P.10.80 7:51am 32:24 0.00s 0.00s pppd
lock crtsc
******** ttyQ1a2 001:P.10.81 8:15am 8:06 0.00s 0.00s pppd
lock crtsc

Note: I have replaced usernames with *******


/etc/ppp/options
****************
lock
modem
crtscts
proxyarp
asyncmap 0
defaultroute
ms-dns 192.168.10.1
ms-dns 195.140.251.194
login
debug 5
multilink
idle 3600


extract of pslave.conf showing ppp options for modem#12 (they are the
same for all modems)
************************************************** *****

s12.pppopt lock crtscts defaultroute multilink noproxyarp %d
asyncmap 0 \
%i:%j \
noipx login auth \
require-pap refuse-chap \
defaultroute\
multilink\
mtu %t mru %t \
ms-dns 192.168.10.1 \
ms-dns 195.140.251.194 \
unit 13 \
plugin /usr/local/lib/libpsr.so

(E-Mail Removed) writes:

>Hi,

>What could be the reason for pppd to *not* reset the idle counter even
>though there's traffic?

w has absolutely nothing to do with pppd. w is an operating system command,
which cares not at all and knows nothing about how the connection is made.

>This is on RH9 with Portslave_2002.10.21 and Equinox modem-pool.
>If you look at the output of 'w' below, one user has idle-time of 32
>mins, but a tcpdump reveals plenty of traffic on the ppp interface for
>this user.

w looks at when that user last typed something into that terminal. Not with
any traffic along pppd.

>I have also included /etc/ppp/options and the ppp options from the
>portslave config file below.
>Thanks
>Tobias Skytte


>Extract of output from 'w'
>**************************

>08:23:47 up 5 days, 21:14, 6 users, load average: 0.07, 0.07, 0.04
>USER TTY FROM LOGIN@ IDLE JCPU PCPU WHAT
>******** ttyQ1a1 000:P.10.80 7:51am 32:24 0.00s 0.00s pppd
>lock crtsc
>******** ttyQ1a2 001:P.10.81 8:15am 8:06 0.00s 0.00s pppd
>lock crtsc

>Note: I have replaced usernames with *******


>/etc/ppp/options
>****************
>lock
>modem
>crtscts
>proxyarp
>asyncmap 0
>defaultroute
>ms-dns 192.168.10.1
>ms-dns 195.140.251.194
>login
>debug 5
>multilink
>idle 3600


>extract of pslave.conf showing ppp options for modem#12 (they are the
>same for all modems)
>************************************************* ******

>s12.pppopt lock crtscts defaultroute multilink noproxyarp %d
>asyncmap 0 \
> %i:%j \
> noipx login auth \
> require-pap refuse-chap \
> defaultroute\
> multilink\
> mtu %t mru %t \
> ms-dns 192.168.10.1 \
> ms-dns 195.140.251.194 \
> unit 13 \
> plugin /usr/local/lib/libpsr.so

ok, well that explains it then :-)
thanks

(E-Mail Removed) wrote:
> Hi,

> What could be the reason for pppd to *not* reset the idle counter even
> though there's traffic?

Setting the pppd active-filter option to ignore certain traffic when
measuring elapsed idle time would do it.

> This is on RH9 with Portslave_2002.10.21 and Equinox modem-pool.
> If you look at the output of 'w' below, one user has idle-time of 32
> mins, but a tcpdump reveals plenty of traffic on the ppp interface for
> this user.
> I have also included /etc/ppp/options and the ppp options from the
> portslave config file below.
> Thanks
> Tobias Skytte

> Extract of output from 'w'
> **************************

> 08:23:47 up 5 days, 21:14, 6 users, load average: 0.07, 0.07, 0.04
> USER TTY FROM LOGIN@ IDLE JCPU PCPU WHAT
> ******** ttyQ1a1 000:P.10.80 7:51am 32:24 0.00s 0.00s pppd
> lock crtsc
> ******** ttyQ1a2 001:P.10.81 8:15am 8:06 0.00s 0.00s pppd
> lock crtsc

It appears the IDLE time shown here is the cumulative idle time for
the program WHAT associated with user USER and terminal TTY since
USER started (or restarted after using another program) using WHAT.

What's the problem (no pun intended)? The pppd idle time you specified
was 3600 seconds, or 60 minutes. So pppd will exit when 60 minutes
have elapsed without *any* traffic through the PPP link, and not before
(in the absence of the active-filter option or external intervention).
You said there was "plenty of traffic" so the (cumulative) IDLE time
above could be well above 60 minutes and pppd would still be running.

--
Clifford Kite Email: "echo xvgr_yvahk-(E-Mail Removed)|rot13"
/* Speak softly and carry a sucker rod (See man syslogd, footnote to
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