🚀 go-pugleaf

[I first posted about this in demon.service; sorry. I should have 
cross-posted here too.]

In article <akqk3cFgeinU1@mid.individual.net>
           nomail@damen.co.ku "Clive May" writes:

> On 16 December 2012,it became impossible to connect to Demon with KA9Q using
> the various telephone numbers as listed below.  The attempted log in to 
> Anchor 24 DU hangs on the PPP input.  Eventually, the error "remoteauthenticationserver
> timeout" is returned.

Yup.  I first noticed it on 17th December and reported it then. I 
maybe have different logging settings in my DIALER

  wait 15000 "otocol:"
  send "PPP\r"
  logcwait 15000 "HELLO"

and the session times out after 15 secs after failing to see the 
"HELLO" response.

> The connection came back on 21 December(of its own accord), failed on 23
> December and has been down ever since.  Ever so many calls have been made 
> to Demon with only limited success.

Same noticed here; this problem (lack of routing after connection) has 
happened before and was eventually fixed (2 weeks?) and the same 
responses from the Demon Helldesk were trotted out then as now.

> Throughout the down-time, Windows XP was able to connect using tel no: 0845
> 212 5033.  It would often take more than one attempt to connect.  When the 
> attempt failed, the verbal message "this call is not compatible with this 
> service" would be generated.  KA9Q would also establish a connection on
> this number but would only result in a screen of gibberish.

This is the Black ROMP and doesn't do scripted logins as do all the 
other numbers; it requires a PAP login, which entails putting some 
extra ppp entries in autoexec.net.  Things like

ppp sl0 lcp local authenticate pap
ppp sl0 lcp remote authenticate pap
ppp sl0 pap user {mydomain} {mypassword}

though I haven't yet worked out what else is needed.  In fact I 
believe that there is a bug in the ka9q/gremnos code for PAP login and 
haven't tracked down that either :-(  The last time this happened I 
think I managed to collect successfully using PAP just once in I don't 
know how many attempts...  Feel free to try the above and report back. 
In your DIALER file, just comment out everything after the "dial" 
line.  There's some info in the DISVIEW package but it's rather 
sketchy.

> After a long session on the phone to the Helpdesk yesterday, connection is
> now possible for XP on two numbers 0845 212 0666 and 0845 212 5033.  Both
> numbers are picked up by Anchor House or WAR randomly.  When the attempt
> goes through to WAR, a connection is established but
> when the attempt goes through to Anchor House, the connection fails.

I've worked out that it depends on time of day and weekday/weekend 
where you get routed to (see below).

> Using KA9Q, when the call is picked up by Anchor House, the attempt hangs on
> the PPP input as before.  When the call is picked up by WAR, the error
> "login incorrect" is generated, a login prompt appears.  The line drops
> quickly if no action is taken. Input only delays the drop-out.

As above the 5033 number expects a PAP login.

> Is this a Demon issue or is the problem specific to KA9Q? If so, can
> anything be done to make KA9Q log in successfully on the two numbers which
> still work?

This is definitely a problem at Demon (for what it's worth, the latest 
ticket number I received was 00450191, that from a few days ago).

> List of numbers:
> 
> 0844 041 6662 - Anchor House

G5 surftime number, my normal weekday, offpeak number.

> 0844 099 6662 - Anchor House

G4 surftime number, my normal peaktime/weekday number; generally works 
when the G5 number fails and goes to Warrington.

> 0845 212 1666 - Anchor House (this was my regular number)

Purple ROMP; can't remember when I last used it.

> 0845212 1667 - Anchor House
> 0845 212 1662 - Anchor House

No idea about these numbers.

> 0845 212 0666 (goes through to Anchor House and WAR randomly - NU until
> recently)

Green ROMP; can't remember when I last used it.

> 0845 212 5033 (connects randomly to Anchor House and WAR)

Black ROMP; needs a PAP login as noted above.

> 0845 212 0667 (this number has just been tried using XP and it connected
> successfully through WAR.  KA9Q fails as above)

ISTR there was something different with the numbers ending in '7' but 
can't remember what that difference is...

I'm sure that Demon will get around to rebooting whatever needs 
rebooting sometime -- and until they do, we're all somewhat stuffed.  
I reckon there's nothing wrong with your setup, so if you do decide to 
experiment with PAP logins I'd suggest saving copies of your present 
autoexec.net and dialer that you can revert to!  I have several sets 
of autoexec/dialer pairs here that get used at different times, so 
know how easy it is to mess up a working setup :-(

In a nutshell, calls that terminate at anchor-du-24 will fail.

Good luck,
Pete
-- 
Believe those who are seeking the truth.
Doubt those who find it.  -  Andr� Gide