Hi,

when I use netcfg to setup a laplink connection for device
plip1
the file "/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-plip1"
is generated with two bugs:
1) `DEVICE=plip1' line missing.
2) `NETWORK=' line is empty, unless the user presses enter
in the
   NETMASK field. This entry should always be generated
(many people just klick on DONE after setting netmask).

Example, netcfg generated the following ifcfg-plip1 file for
me:

BOOTPROTO=none
USERCTL=yes
ONBOOT=no
NETWORK=
NETMASK=255.255.255.0
REMIP=128.163.161.100
IPADDR=128.163.161.166

When the plip1 interface is than started, I get many script
errors.
After I changed the file manually to

DEVICE=plip1
BOOTPROTO=none
USERCTL=yes
ONBOOT=no
NETWORK=128.163.161.0
NETMASK=255.255.255.0
REMIP=128.163.161.100
IPADDR=128.163.161.166

... the connection script works. BTW, Linuxconf seems to
have similar problems.

I append my simple `laplink' script which you may
distribute.
It allows to quickly manage direct serial and parallel
connections.

Cheers,
Peter.

-----------------------------------------/sbin/laplink:
#!/bin/sh
# Copyright GPL, P. Englmaier <ppe_at_pa.uky.edu>, 1998

PATH=/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/local/sbin:/sbin:/usr/sbin

host=`hostname`
SPEED=spd_normal
while : ; do
  if [ $# = 0 ]; then
    cat - <<EOF
Laplink - connect to a remote computer using a serial null
modem
          or parallel laplink cable.

Start a serial port connection with
   laplink [-no] [-hi] [-vhi] <port> <remote>

    -no      for normal speed (38400 baud) (default)
    -hi      for high speed (57600 baud)
    -vhi     for very high speed (115000 baud)
    <port>   serial device port; can be: ttyS0 ttyS1 ttyS2
ttyS3
    <remote> remote ip or name (should be defined in
/etc/hosts)

Start a parallel port ppp connection
    laplink  <device> <remote>

    <device> parallel device; can be: plip0, plip1, plip2.
These
             correspond to parallel ports lp0, lp1, lp2.
    <remote> remote ip or name (should be defined in
/etc/hosts)

Stop a running connection
    laplink stop <port>
or
    laplink stop <device>
EOF
  exit 0
  fi

  case $1 in
    -no*)
	SPEED=spd_normal
	shift ;;
    -hi*)
	SPEED=spd_hi
	shift ;;
    -vhi*)
       	SPEED=spd_vhi
	shift ;;
    ttyS*)
	setserial /dev/$1 $SPEED
	pppd /dev/$1 38400 nocrtscts defaultroute $host:$2 local
persist passive     &
	break;
	;;
    plip[0-9])
	ifconfig $1 $host pointopoint $2
	route add $2 $1
	break;
	;;
    stop)
	case $2 in
	plip[0-9])
	   ifconfig $2 down
	   exit 0;
	   ;;
	ttyS*)
	   line=`ps ax | grep 'pp[p]d /dev/'$2`
	   if [ "$line" = "" ]; then
	     echo laplink: stop: Cannot find pppd process for $2
	     exit 1
	   else
	     kill -9 `echo $line |awk '{print $1}'`
	     exit 0
	   fi
	   ;;
	*)
	   echo "laplink: bad port or device name">&2
	   exit 1
	   ;;
	esac
	exit 0
	;;
    *)
	echo "laplink: bad parameter(s). Run $0 without arguments
for help." >&2
	exit 1
	;;
    esac

done

exit 0