CrunchBang Linux

lkraemer

Member

Registered: 2009-05-31

Posts: 23

HOWTO: wvdial must use root permission - Fix for versions > 8.04LTS

Here is a step by step of what I did to get wvdial (Dialup)
working without using sudo wvdial in CrunchBang 9.04.1
(Ubuntu 9.04)

1. Use Synaptic to install wvdial
2. Connect the Modem to a Serial Port or a
   USB to Serial Converter - Model SBT-USC1M
   Newegg Item#:N82E16812156008 = $10.99
   and power it up.
3. Open a terminal window:

sudo wvdialconf /etc/wvdial.conf

   This will locate your modem and
   setup the file /etc/wvdial.conf
   Edit this file as required to add
   your specific login information
   where the # are located

[Dialer Defaults]
Auto DNS = yes
Init1 = ATZ
Init2 = ATQ0 V1 E1 S0=0 &C1 &D2 +FCLASS=0
Modem Type = Analog Modem
Baud = 115200
New PPPD = yes
# Modem = /dev/ttyUSB0
ISDN = 0
# Phone = 3319005
# Password = PASSWORD
# Username = LOGIN@copper.net

4. In a Terminal do:

sudo adduser USERNAME dip
sudo adduser USERNAME dialout

where USERNAME is userloginname.
Both have to be there for wvdial and pppd to work.

Verify that USERNAME is dip & dialout

sudo nano /etc/group

5. In a Terminal do:

cd /
cd /usr/sbin
ls -alt pppd
sudo chmod o+x pppd
ls -alt pppd
sudo chmod g+s pppd
ls -alt pppd

   Permissions should be -rwsr-sr-x for pppd

6. In a Terminal do:

cd /etc
cd ppp
sudo pppconfig

   Add your information from the menu
   items by answering the questions
   Save the file
7. In a Terminal do:

wvdial

   CNTL C will terminate the session. You MUST
   leave the Terminal window open during the
   entire session, using CNTL C to Terminate
   the connection.  Once wvdial is working you
   can set up Gnome-PPP.

Misc Notes follow:
I didn't have to do this on 8.04, but CrunchBang 9.04.1
does not work right. Here is some bug info from searching
the bug reports.

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions … ed-178149/

This site explains some of the problem. I checked
my /usr/sbin/pppd permissions. I added my username
to the end of dip:30: dip:30:crunchbang in
/etc/groups

Then I changed pppd to this (/usr/sbin):
-rwsr-sr-x and now I can dial out without using sudo.

Another site with good info:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Dialu … etUpDialer

$ sudo adduser USERNAME dip
$ sudo adduser USERNAME dialout
where USERNAME is username.
Both have to be there for wvdial and pppd to work.

http://bugs.lauchpad.net
254119 & 289239
"wvdial must use root permission"

lkraemer

Last edited by lkraemer (2009-06-21 20:15:31)