PPPoE (PPP over Ethernet)

CEENET #8 8.2002

Types of Point to Point Protocols

SLIP over async
Very simple IP only Unreliable - no checksum

HDLC over sync

various proprietary versions frames have checksum

PPP PPPoE
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PPP
SLIP done right Used for synchronous and asynchronous transmission Extended negotiation mechanism Multiple protocol support

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PPP

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PPP and OSI model

IPCP PPP

IPXCP

others

Network Layer Data Link Layer

Network Control Protocol

LCP - Link Control Protocol
Synchronous or Asynchronous Physical Media

Physical Layer

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LCP Configuration Options

Feature Authentication Compression Protocol PAP, CHAP Stacker, ..

Error Detection Quality Multili nk MPPP

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PAP/CHAP
PAP
Password required Unencrypted password sent via the link Allows storage of encrypted passwords

CHAP
Challenge handshake No passwords sent via the link Need for storing unencrypted secrets
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Multilink PPP
Combining physical links into one logical bundle Result: higher speed and lower latency MPPP / Bonding
MPPP assembles/disassembles frames on the Data Link Layer MPPP used for synchronous and asynchronous physical links Bonding assembles/disassembles on the bit level
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PPPoE

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PPPoE
PPP designed for serial communications
Now adapted to Ethernet called PPP over Ethernet (PPPoE) Since PPP was designed to do things that were either impossible or unnecessary with Ethernet, users are often confused as to why one would want to use PPP over Ethernet at all
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PPPoE
Compare TCP/IP traffic to vehicle traffic
Basic TCP/IP protocol would be comparable to a network of city streets

Streets can serve many access points

It is easy to get on to and off of the street Additional access points can be added with little disruption It is hard to tell how many cars are actually using each street

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PPPoE
PPP, on the other hand, would be comparable to a railway
Travel is generally between two well defined points You can't get on and off anywhere It is relatively easy to count and monitor passengers You need a ticket to board.
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PPPoE
If this is true, then isn't PPPoE like running railway tracks down main street? In fact, yes, it is.
That is what tramways do Without disturbing main street traffic, they bring the advantages of railways They offer speedy access between two well defined points and allow you to count passengers And you need a ticket to board.
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PPPoE
PPP over Ethernet brings this sort of functionality to ISPs that do not use serial links to connect their users Serial ISPs already use PPP over modem communications

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PPPoE
DSL providers on the other hand use Ethernet, not serial communications
Because of this, many require the added functionality of PPP over Ethernet, which allows them to secure communications through the use of user logins and have the ability to measure the volume of traffic each user generates.

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PPPoE
At this time the only users of PPPoE seem to be DSL Internet Access Providers
Mostly Telcos and CLECS

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PPPoE
DSL providers that require the use of PPPoE generally supply software to their subscribers
This is fine if you are connecting a single computer to the Internet via DSL

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PPPoE
For users that connect an entire LAN to the Internet via DSL, the software supplied by the DSL provider may be insufficient
There may be compatibility problems with the router or Internet sharing software in use between the LAN and the DSL connection You will need to consult your DSL provider

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PPPoE
The PPoE standard requires that an additional header be added to the beginning of each TCP/IP packet This may cause the packet to become larger than the maximum allowable size
Some software solutions handle this transparently, but some require you to modify the TCP/IP settings on all of the client computers on the LAN

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PPPoE

PPPoE over a LAN

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