🚀 go-pugleaf

Thus spake John Loop
>Beating James to an answer seems to be quite a feat in here...
>(comp.protocols.ppp)

I think I've beaten him once or twice before.  But then again, I've
beaten him and then have him correct me, so I don't know how important
being quick is.  :)

>Ah yes, DHCP relay, now I remember, should have remembered that.  And
>you have helped clarify quite a few things...

Glad to help.  :)

>But why are all the providers (almost all) implementing this stuff?  I
>don't get it.  Can you splain this?

Uhm...'cause they're dumb?  No...about the only benefit that I can think
of for PPPoE that isn't available via the DHCP stuff in the RedBack is
to do any sort of multiplex'ing, or any sort of dynamic service
selection.  Now, I'll say these are dubious wins for PPPoE, and based on
the number of providers that I've seen actually *using* these
capabilities (lemme count....uhm...none, though I suspect there are a
few out there), I'm not sure they justify the cruftyness that is PPPoE.
Particularly, when, at least in theory, though maybe not yet in
implementation, much of the same could be done with some other,
standards track, and better thought out, tunneling protocol (L2TP, PPTP,
and IPSec all could be used to provide similar types of functionality,
and all three...well...at least two...are better thought out and more
robust in design, I'm not saying they're great, but they're better)

>Quick, before James gets back..

*looks over shoulder*  I think I made it.  :)
-- 
Jeff McAdams                            Email: jeffm@iglou.com
Head Network Administrator              Voice: (502) 966-3848
IgLou Internet Services                        (800) 436-4456