pppd-logger

The pppd-logger project is a simple C program that is designed to run every time there is a connection up or down. If the keep-alive setting is enabled, and the connection goes down, scripts in ip-up.d and ip-down.d are called, even if the daemon is the same. The working schema is straightforward, and the code is concise. However, a GUI is needed to create and view reports.

Compared to MS Windows, coding a dialer that records and manages updates in a database (or file) is too invasive in Linux. The process that creates a new network interface has to be run as a superuser or with suid, and it also needs to set up everything else, like the firewall and others. Fortunately, Linux has pppd, a daemon that installs the network interface, runs a chatscript for AT commands, and does everything that is necessary to establish a connection. It also provides the opportunity to do other tasks at the start and end times.

Typically, you can insert a script in the /etc/ppp/ip-up.d/ directory, and pppd will call it every time a network interface is up. The same goes for the /etc/ppp/ip-down.d/ directory, which pppd calls upon network down. The pppd-logger project is a useful and non-invasive solution, especially for those who want to use Linux for their networking needs.