pppd does not persist enough, gives up after 10 attempts

[Rodolfo J. Paiz]

Hi!

Hopefully someone has a clue-by-four with which to hit me on this one. I 
have an RHL-9 box (Shrike) with all updates and ppp-2.4.1-10 installed. 
This box is properly configured to dial out to my ISP on an ISDN line 
(external modem via serial port), and works beautifully in all ways but 
one: if pppd experiences 10 hang-ups, it exits and does not restart. Here 
are the relevant files:

---------------------------------------

### /etc/ppp/peers/terra

demand
persist
ttyS1 crtscts 115200
user 'rpaiz1 at terra.com.gt'
connect '/usr/sbin/chat -v -f /etc/ppp/peers/terra-chat'

### /etc/ppp/peers/terra-chat

TIMEOUT         5
ABORT           '\nBUSY\r'
ABORT           '\nNO ANSWER\r'
ABORT           '\nRINGING\r\n\r\nRINGING\r'
''              '\rAT'
'OK-+++\C-OK'   ATH
TIMEOUT         60
OK              AT
OK              ATB40E1\&H3\&J3Q0X5
OK              ATDT4709999
CONNECT         ''

### /etc/rc.d/rc.local
#!/bin/sh
#
# This script will be executed *after* all the other init scripts.
# You can put your own initialization stuff in here if you don't
# want to do the full Sys V style init stuff.

pppd call terra
touch /var/lock/subsys/local

---------------------------------------

As you can see, both the "demand" and "persist" options have been specified 
and in fact work as advertised... up until pppd sees that 10th hangup. 
Then, it's gone.

Can anyone tell me how to instruct pppd in the fine art of redialing until 
hell freezes over? I don't want it to *ever* be off-line for more than the 
2 seconds it takes to redial. And it's disturbing to go away on business, 
then not be able to connect back to the house because pppd got bored.

Thanks in advance for any help!


-- 
Rodolfo J. Paiz
rpaiz at simpaticus.com
http://www.simpaticus.com