Hi all:

I've finally managed to get the Asus EEE PC's Xandros OS to work on the wsunexus (old) wireless network using the pptp vpn. Here's how:

First, set up a wireless connection for wsunexus wireless network (just connecting to the network and getting a 172.16.x.x IP -- you will NOT be able to browse the web at this point). This can be done by going to the network manager, click Create, click on Local Area Network - Wireless, click next until you see "Network Name (SSID):". In this field, type "wsunexus" (without the quotes). Click next until you're prompted for a name for the wireless network. I'd name it "wsunexus wireless", but you're free to name it what you want -- just remember what you called it. Click next and then finished.

Next, click on "create" in the network manager again. This time, select "Virtual Private Network -- PPTP VPN" and click next. Select "use a specific network connection" then select "wsunexus wireless" or whatever you called it above and click next. Select "Enter IP address" and enter "172.16.7.254" and click next. Click next through the wins server. At the username/password screen, enter your WSU NetID username and password. I recommend checking "remember password" as well. Click next, name it something useful (like "wsunexus VPN") then click finish.

That will get you most of the way there, but it still won't work due to the nonstandard configuration of the wsu vpn server. We now need to mess with some scripting. Open a terminal (ctrl-alt-t). cd to /net/ppp/ip-up.d or /etc/ppp/ip-up.d and edit a new file "90-wsunexus": sudo nano 90-wsunexus

You want this file to contain this:

#! /bin/bash

# provided by pppd: string to identify connection aka ipparam option
CONNECTION=$6
if [ "${CONNECTION}" = "" ]; then CONNECTION=${PPP_IPPARAM}; fi

# provided by pppd: interface name
TUNNEL=$1
if [ "${TUNNEL}" = "" ]; then TUNNEL=${PPP_IFACE}; fi

if [ "${CONNECTION}" = "vpn1" ]; then
    # Remember the IP address for the DHCP supplied gateway.
    DHCP_GATEWAY=$(ip -o route list | grep -m 1 default | cut -f 3 -d' ' )
    # Replace the default route with the PPP gateway.
    route del default
    route add default dev $IFNAME

    # Ensure routing to the endpoint continues over the original link.
    route del -host $IPREMOTE dev $IFNAME
    route add -net 172.16.0.0/16 gw $DHCP_GATEWAY

    # Really, really ugly hack to work around Xandros evilness somewhere..
    ####### PLEASE READ THE NOTES #######
    (sleep 10; route del default dev ath0) &
    (sleep 10; route del default dev eth1) &

fi

Save file and quit. Make it executable: sudo chmod a+x 90-wsunexus

In theory, this should now work. A couple notes: This assumes you only have a single vpn connection, or at least that it was the first one created. If not, you will need to identify what vpn you created and edit the line that contains "vpn1" with the vpn you created. This is probably the largest-numbered "vpnx" in /etc/ppp/peers.

Second, there are two sleep lines at the bottom. the first one assumes the WSU Wireless (PEAP) mod has been performed and you're running on the newer madwifi drivers; the second assumes a more generic, standard driver. I have not tested this. You should only need one. run "ifconfig" and look at the results and leave the one you have an entry for.

Now, to activate this wireless network, open the network manager, click on the "wsunexus vpn" (or whatever you called it -- the VPN connection, not the wireless one) and click Connection -> connect. Give it 30sec to a minute, and you should be online.

If you have any difficulties, feel free to contact me. I can usually be found in EME206, or any of the LUG guys know how to find me.

--Jim