How to make WVDIAL disconnect from script..?

Forum: Networking
Topic: How to make WVDIAL disconnect from script..?
started by: icepick

Posted by icepick on Dec. 14 2008,18:02

I am using wvdial to dial up to a provider with an analog modem.. this works great.. it's all done from a script.. but whats the easiest and safest way to make the modem disconnect after an X amount of minutes? I need to prevent the line staying open by accident since I pay per minute..
Any ideas?

Posted by mikshaw on Dec. 14 2008,20:03

You can do something close with pppd (/opt/ppp/options), so it will work regardless of what method you use to dial:

Quote

idle n
Specifies that pppd should disconnect if the link is idle for n seconds. The link is idle when no data packets (i.e. IP packets) are being sent or received. Note: it is not advisable to use this option with the persist option without the demand option. If the active-filter option is given, data packets which are rejected by the specified activity filter also count as the link being idle.

Or you could make a shell script script wrapper for wvdial, which starts wvdial (backgrounded), sleeps a specified number of minutes, and then disconnects. I'm not sure if wvdial can be made to disconnect remotely, but if not you can always use "sudo poff". This would require that wvdial is not configured to automatically redial when you lose a connection.