The ISDN/ASYNC Customer Dial-in Lab

Testing ISDN or Switch-56 Connections with Loop

The Customer Dial-in Lab allows users to dial (919) 472-0919 to a test area and test dial-up to a "known good" loop. If a user is having problems on a given connection but has no problems when calling the lab test router, this means that the problem must be on the router that was called initially. If the user calls the test router and still has the original problem, the problem must be on the router/TA that is doing the calling.

There is a Switch-56 dial up connection in the Customer Dial-In Lab that can be used to run a quick loopback test from either ISDN or Switch-56 connections.

Sample Router Configuration

Use the following configuration to test an ISDN connection through the Customer Dial-in Lab:

   isdn switch-type <your switch type here> 
   !
   interface BRI0 
         ip address 10.10.200.2 255.255.255.0 
         encapsulation hdlc
         !  hdlc must be used for loopback test    
         dialer map ip 10.10.200.2 speed 56 19194720919  
         dialer-group 1 
         isdn spid1 <your spid here> 
         isdn spid2 <your spid here> 
   ! 
   dialer-list 1 protocol ip permit

Ping 10.20.200.2 to bring up the connection. The interface will be line up/protocol up (looped) and you should be able to sucessfully ping the BRI interface. This will also work with Switch-56 connections.

Testing ISDN Connections

The Customer Dial-in Lab also allows users to dial (919) 472-0990 to a test area and test dial-up to a "known good" ISDN router. If a user is having problems on a given connection but has no problems when calling the lab test router, this means that the problem must be on the router that was called initially. If the user calls the test router and still has the original problem, the problem must be on the router/TA that is doing the calling.

The ISDN Router in the Customer Dial-in Lab has one BRI line and supports IP over PPP with CHAP. Users can test the following applications on the lab router:

Telnet
FTP
Ping

The following configuration must be used in order to test the ISDN connection with the Customer Dial-in Lab:

 
   hostname guest 
   ! 
   username cdl-isdn-rtp password guest   
   isdn switch-type <your switch type here> 
   !
   interface BRI0 
         ip address 10.10.11.2 255.255.255.0 
         encapsulation ppp 
         dialer map ip 10.10.11.1 name cdl-isdn-rtp 19194720990 
         dialer-group 1 
         isdn spid1 <your spid here> 
         isdn spid2 <your spid here> 
         no fair-queue 
         ppp authentication chap 
   ! 
   dialer-list 1 protocol ip permit

Testing Async Connections

The Customer Dial-in Lab also allows users to dial-in to a test area with a "known good" Access Server. The modems can be reached by calling (919) 472-3100, which is a telco rotary containing all four modems. If a user is having problems on a given connection but has no problems when calling the lab test router, this means that the problem must be on the modem that was called initially. If the user calls the test router and still has the original problem, the problem must be on the modem that is doing the calling.

The Access Server in the test lab has four 28.8k V.32bis lines. It supports the following protocols:

IP over PPP
CHAP authentication
PAP authentication

Users can test the following applications with the lab Access Server:

Telnet
FTP
Ping

The lines are configured to Autoselect PPP, which lets users begin speaking PPP right away. The username to login to the box is "guest"; the password is also "guest". The lines are set for ppp authentication chap pap, which means you can use:

Autoselect+CHAP
Autoselect+PAP
Manual login (using the Username/Password prompts) and the ppp default command to start PPP.

In other words, if your PPP client supports CHAP or PAP, simply log in as "guest" in the dialog box (such as in Windows 95 or MacPPP). If not, go through the "Username:" and "Password:" prompts (as "guest"), then issue the ppp default command at the command prompt (>). You can also program a script to do this for you.

If you are running IP, you should be able to Telnet, FTP, and ping 10.10.10.1.

If you cannot do any of the above, see the sections below:

The Asynchronous Configuration on the Cisco Dial-in Router

   hostname guest
   !
   username cdl-2511-rtp password guest  
   chat-script dial "" AT OK "\patdt\T" TIMEOUT 60 CONNECT ""
   !
   interface Async1
         ip address 10.10.10.21 255.255.255.0
         encapsulation ppp
         async mode dedicated
         peer default ip address 10.10.11.2
         dialer in-band
         dialer wait-for-carrier-time 60
         dialer map ip 10.10.10.2 name cdl-2511-rtp system-script dial 19194723100
         dialer-group 1
         ppp authentication chap
   !
   dialer-list 1 protocol ip permit
   !
   line 1
   modem InOut
   transport input all
   stopbits 1
   rxspeed 115200
   txspeed 115200
   flowcontrol hardware
   !

Configuring PPP and Windows 95 for the Dial-in Lab

This steps below explain how to configure Windows 95 for basic TCP/IP connectivity to Cisco's four test lines. References to Windows 95 icons or menu items are printed in bold.

Open the Dial-up networking window (which is usually accessed from the Start--> Programs --> Accessories menus).
Go into Make New Connection and fill in the data for your modem and Cisco's phone number, (919) 472-3100.
After you've created the new connection, click the right mouse button on the new icon you've created, and go to the Properties section.
From the General menu, verify the Cisco telephone number.
Configure the modem: Go to the Configure section and set the "General Port" to the correct (highest) speed of your modem. Don't check the box below this.
Go to Connection and set the "Data Bits" to "8", the "Parity" to "N", and the "Stopbits" to "1".
Check "Wait" and "Cancel" if not connected (set this to 200 seconds). Do not check the third box.
Go to the Advanced section and select "Hardware Flow Control" and "Standard Modulation Type." Leave everything else unselected.
Go to Options. Under "Status Control," check "Display Modem Status." Make sure that nothing else is selected.
Go to Server Type. Choose "PPP:Windows 95." Don't select any advanced options.
Check only "TCP/IP" under "Allowed Network Protocols."
The "TCP/IP Settings" are listed below:
- Server Assigned IP Address
- Server Assigned Name Server
- Check "Use Default Gateway on Remote Network"

Configuring the UNIX pppd for the Dial-In Lab

Use the exec below to configure the UNIX pppd (PPP daemon) for the Dial-In Lab. Change the paths for your pppd and chat in the exec. (If you need more information on pppd and chat, read the man pages because implementations vary.)

   exec /usr/sbin/pppd connect '/usr/sbin/chat -v ""    \
        ATDT19194723100 CONNECT"" ' /dev/cua0 38400  \
        debug crtscts modem defaultroute

You also need a chap-secrets file. This is usually located at /etc/ppp/chap-secrets. The file needs to contain the line:

 
   guest  cdl-2511-rtp guest

To avoid changing the hostname of your workstation, add the following line to /etc/ppp/options:

 
   name guest

Read the man pages on pppd because implementations vary.

Posted: Mon Jan 27 05:41:03 PST 1997