[pptp-server] RedHat 7.1 Kernel 2.4.2

[benjamin-smith at utulsa.edu]

Wellll,

After two weekends pulling my hair out, I have a *stock* RedHat 7.1 
kernel compiled with pptp modules.  I haven't even begun to think about what to 
do next, but "insmod ppp_mppe" works like a charm.  It seems that everyone else 
just downloaded the tarballs and went at it that way; but I'm stubborn, so I 
think I'll try to get this to work.  (maybe everyone else got to where I've 
gotten, and ran into some real trouble, I hope not!)  

I applied the same 2.4 patch from "ftp://ftp.binarix.com/pub/ppp-mppe/" , but 
instead of following the (lengthy) instructions at 
"http://home.swbell.net/berzerke/2.4_Kernel_PPTPD-HOWTO.txt", I just started 
with a stock (NOT SMP) RedHat configuration (most everything selected, with lots 
of modules, found under "/usr/src/linux-2.4/configs") and turned off "Set 
Version Information on all Module Symbols" under "Modules" during kernel config. 
 Before I disabled this, I was getting all sorts of errors when "make modules" 
got to the drivers/net directory (even on an unpatched version, strange!)

I tried SMP one time, because I thought(?) RedHat 7 required this, but the 
kernel froze on boot;  I can't say if that was the problem, because I changed a 
few things after that.  Others have reported that SMP doesn't work, though, so 
who knows.

I'll post later if I finally get everything working and if anyone seems 
interested.  I know that a lot of people hate RedHat, but it's great for a 
newbie like me.  (linuxconf's random errors gradually forced me to edit config 
files by hand!)  I would like to see a pre-patched RPM of PoPToP and a 
relatively easy to implement HOWTO so that others don't have to go through this 
kind of crap just to get Micro$oft's lame encryption working.  I'm sure there is 
some sort of bullshit legal reason for that not being possible, though (is 
encryption still illegal, or is it an RSA patent or something, I thought that 
expired?)

-Ben Smith
benjamin-smith at utulsa.edu