pppd started by wvdial does nothing

Question

I'm trying to get GPRS modem working under Linux. For some of the ISPs it worked fine, but for one of them the process stucks right after starting the pppd.

The log looks like this:

--> WvDial: Internet dialer version 1.61
--> Initializing modem.
--> Sending: AT
AT
OK
--> Sending: ATQ0 V1 E1 S0=0 &C1 &D2 +FCLASS=0
ATQ0 V1 E1 S0=0 &C1 &D2 +FCLASS=0
OK
--> Sending: AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","internet.beeline.kz"
AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","internet.beeline.kz"
OK
--> Modem initialized.
--> Sending: ATD*99***1#
--> Waiting for carrier.
ATD*99***1#
CONNECT
~[7f]}#@!}!}#} }9}"}&} }*} } }'}"}(}"}%}&[10]FG"}#}%B#}%[08][~
--> Carrier detected.  Waiting for prompt.
~[7f]}#@!}!}#} }9}"}&} }*} } }'}"}(}"}%}&[10]FG"}#}%B#}%[08][~
--> PPP negotiation detected.
--> Starting pppd at Wed Nov 19 03:05:44 2014
--> Pid of pppd: 17354

It is stuck at this point and never does anything else. Not even timing out the connection. Any ideas on how to debug this issue?

Update:

Tried adding debug to /etc/ppp/peers/wvdial, /etc/ppp/peers/wvdial-pipe; uncommenting it in /etc/ppp/options. syslog still contains only message that the connection is established but nothing else.

Also checked ifconfig, the ppp0 interface does not appear there.

Answer 1

I was not able to resolve my problem using wvdial.

However, I used pppd directly to set up the connection and it worked fine.

If anyone would need it, I'll post the brief instructions on how to do it.

First, create file /etc/ppp/peers/{peername} with the following content:

/dev/{port device}
connect '/usr/sbin/chat -v -f /etc/chatscripts/gprs -T {APN}'

defaultroute
usepeerdns
unit {ppp interface number}
persist
chap-interval 60
ipparam {peername}
user "{login}"

nopcomp
novjccomp
nobsdcomp
nodeflate
noaccomp

lcp-echo-interval 2
lcp-echo-failure 3
noipdefault

Second, add the following line to the /etc/ppp/pap-secrets and /etc/ppp/chap-secrets:

"{login}"         {peername}         "{password}"

The connection can be set up using the command "pon {peername}" and closed using the command "poff".

You need to replace {peername} with any string you want to use to identify this connection; {port device} with the device name of your serial port (ttyS0, ttyS1... for COM ports and ttyUSB0, ttyUSB1... for USB modems); {login} and {password} with the login and password used to connect to your ISP and {APN} with your ISP's APN. Also you can choose any {ppp interface number}. For example, 100 to have your ppp interface named "ppp100".

Answer 2

The connection is on (the weird characters you see are PPPD trying to negotiate). Would seem the other side is trying but something is missing on yours.

Try putting a "debug" to pppd as an option so you can see in detail what is going on. This is usually done in /etc/ppp/peers/<PEERNAME> (where <PEERNAME> in your case could be wvdial) just put a line with debug inside.