Multi-Link PPPD

Owned by Nathaniel Halbrooks
Last updated: Mar 26, 2024 by Kelli Higdon
3 min read

The Linux PPP/Multi-Link PPP solution is comprised of:Multi-Link

  1. Linux PPPD daemon

    1. PPPD Release  ........................pppd-2.4.7.tgz

  2. Sangoma AFT A101/2/4/8 T1/E1 Cards

  

Wanpipe Installation

  1. Download latest STABLE wanpipe release
    -->wanpipe-7.0.20.6.tgz

  2. Untar wanpipe release
    --> tar xfz wanpipe-<ver>.tgz

  3. Install wanpipe release
    --> cd wanpipe-<ver>
    --> ./Setup install 
          Use all default options

  4. Confirm successful install
    --> wanrouter version
    --> wanrouter hwprobe

 

pppd Installation

  1. Untar pppd release into /usr/src directory
    --> tar xfz pppd-<ver>.tgz

  2. Compile PPPD
    --> make

  3. Install PPPD
    --> make install

 

Configuration

Wanpipe Setup/Configuration

Configure Sangoma Card for TTY mode

    /usr/sbin/wancfg

Select Card Type:  
    A10x, A30x or S51x           
          
Choose Protocol:
    TTY

Configure interface:
    Select TTY MINOR number
    TTY MINOR represents a TTY port.
    Options: 0,1,2 - 8  
    Default: 0

    It binds a WANPIPE device driver to the /dev/ttyWPX device, where X=(0,1,2,..).
        
For example MINOR number 0 binds a Wanpipe TTY driver to /dev/ttyWP0. Thus, when pppd daemon opens the /dev/ttyWP0 it will reach the device driver whose Minor number is 0.

Note: TTY_MINOR must differ for each Wanpipe device.

Save and Exit

 

Start wanpipe:

wanrouter start wanpipe1

Check /var/log/messages.
    You should see this event:
    ...
    w1g1: TTY Driver Init: Major 240, Minor Range 0-7
    w1g1: TTY Sync Dev Minor 0 : /dev/ttyWP0
    ...
    
    Now the driver is ready for pppd connection.

 

 

PPPD Setup 

Configure PPP Daemon options: 
    Create a text file in /etc/ppp/options
    Copy and Paste the following:

    -------CUT HERE ----------------------
    persist
    defaultroute
    asyncmap 0
    sync
    lcp-echo-interval 1
    lcp-echo-failure 5

    nobsdcomp
    nodeflate
    nopcomp
    novj
    novjccomp
    noaccomp -am

    multilink

    #On some CISCO routers we must
    #be in silent mode
    #silent

    #DEBUG Only should be commented out in production
    #nodetach
    #debug
    #kdebug 2

    -------CUT HERE ----------------------

Bind Wanpipe device to PPP Daemon
Create a text file /etc/ppp/peers/isp_wanpipeX (X=1 to 16)

 

    -------CUT HERE----------------------
    ttyWP0          #Bind to WANPIPE device wanpipe1
    sync
    multilink
    #201.1.1.1:201.1.1.2       #Enter IP Address for PPP link here

    #user bonded-isp-username

    -------CUT HERE----------------------
NOTE: The text files must be the same for all the wanpipe devices being binded. 
  

PPPD Operation

All wanpipe devices should be started before pppd is started.
   wanrouter start

Once the Wanpipe device is started, PPP connection can be established by calling the pppd call script (created by wancfg):
    pppmon isp_wanpipe1

    pppmon 

 

Operation

Start pppd for each wanpipe T1/E1 port configured

  • pppd call isp_wanpipe1

  • pppd call isp_wanpipe2

  • pppd call isp_wanpipe2

Confirm that there are no ppp errors in /var/log/messages

Confirm that ifconfig shows the ppp0 interface with correct IP address

Create your own systemd startup service to launch pppd for each peer.

 

Tests

To simulate T1 down run:

  1. wanpipemon -i w1g1 –c Txd  # Disable transmitter, causes T1 to go down

  2. wanpipemon -i w1g1 –c Ttxe  # Enable transmitter, causes T1 to come back up

  3. Using above commands you can simulate each line dropping while you are doing network test

    1. Use ping and iperf to do network load testing.

 

Debugging

  • wanpipemon utility

    • wanpipemon <enter> for help

  • T1/E1 Alarm Statistics

    • wanpipemon -i w1g1 -c Ta

 

More Info

 

Sample Cisco 1600 Setup

This example setup should be given to an ISP that doesn't
know how to setup up Mulitlink PPP on a Cisco box :)

  Scenaraio:
 Two Wanpipe adapters connected back to back to a CISCO 1600 via two
WAN T1 lines, running MULTILINK PPP, in order to bundle two T1 lines
for geater than T1 throughput.

  1. Enter the CISCO configuration mode

                Cisco>enable
                Cisco>password: <enter password>
                Cisco#

  1. Configure Global Mulitlink PPP protocol

                Cisco# config
                Cisco(config)# multilink virtual_template 1
                Cisco(config)# exit

  1. Configure Serial0 device for Multilink PPP

                Cisco# config
                Cisco(config)# interface serial0
                Cisco(config-if)# encapsulation ppp
                Cisco(config-if)# no ip address
                Cisco(config-if)# ppp multilink
                Cisco(config-if)# no shutdown
                Cisco(config-if)# exit

  1. Configure Serial1 device for Multilink PPP

                Cisco(config)# interface serial1
                Cisco(config-if)# encapsulation ppp
                Cisco(config-if)# no ip address
                Cisco(config-if)# ppp multilink
                Cisco(config-if)# no shutdown
                Cisco(config-if)# exit

  1. Configure virtual_template interface

                Cisco(config)# interface virtual_template 1
                Cisco(config-if)# encapsulation ppp
                Cisco(config-if)# ip address <local ip> <netmask>
                Cisco(config-if)# ppp multilink
                Cisco(config-if)# exit
                Cisco(config)# exit

 

Back to Back situation
----------------------
If you are setting up WANPIPE back to back Multilink
against an external router:
        Interface (onboard FT1 CSU/DSU):
                Cable: Back to Back T1 cable (Part number: 624).
        Interface (V35):
                Cable: Back to Back V34 Cable (Part number: 609)
                Clocking: Clocking must be set to INTERNAL on the
                          WANPIPE side.
        For all sangoma cables please refer to:
                http://www.sangoma.com/faqcable.htm

 

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