Async mode on router.

[johnleeee]

Hi all,

could you explain me what is difference between

command async mode dedicated/interactive.

I know that when dedicated is used -user mode prompt is accesible for user-BUT why its important?

And with interactive command once a connection is made, the dialup user can access EXEC prompt.?

But I have no experience with this so pls could someone give me deeper view on this problem.

rg

jl

[Richard Burts]

Async mode specification is used in the context of Dial Access. If you configure the async lines used for Dial Access as async mode dedicated then when someone dials in and authenticates a PPP session is automatically initiated. The user who dialed in does not get a router prompt and does not have any opportunity to enter router commands.

If you configure the async lines used for Dial Access as async mode interactive then when someone dials in and authenticates they get a router EXEC session in user mode. They are able to enter router commands. If they enter the ppp command then a ppp session is initiated for them.

The async mode interactive is appropriate if users configure their dialup profile on their PC to use the post terminal window. In this case they will see the user mode prompt and be able to interact with the router.

One way to think about the implications of these options is to think about whether you would ordinarily want to give user mode privileges on routers to people who are not in the network department (for example to people in the accounting department). While I believe most organizations would say no we do not want people outside of the networking department to have access to our routers, that is essentially what async mode interactive does.

HTH

Rick

[dbellazetin]

John,

Here is the difference.

dedicated = packet mode (user connects and PPP is started)

interactive = character mode (user connects, the authentication window shows up and the user enters in his information)

Why you would use one or the other depends on the Dial Access scenario.

Most of the time its just remote access for employee's who require network connectivity so you just throw on dedicated.

If you require administrative access then you would use interactive so you could login and access the device's prompt.

Depending on the device being used you can set up your Access Server to throw connections to a certain number (IS department admin number) to a certain set of modems and then a regular company wide network dialup number to another set of modems. By doing this you get the administrative mode to who ever needs it and network connectivity to every one else.

But if you are very secure site that uses things like Secure ID where passwords are constantly changing you would use async mode interactive on the async interface and put autocommand ppp on the modem lines. This way users dial in and enter in there username and password (usually refered to as a token in Secure ID) and once the server authenticates them then the connection automatically starts PPP and the user can either be authenticated again at the LCP level during PPP or it can be skipped (more common to skip) depending on the configuration.

Daniel