Stofa Linux Internet Connector   FAQ
=====================================================

Q: How do I compile and install the program on a 
   Power PC?

A: In the file "Makefile", change the line saying
   CFLAGS = -O3 -m486 -Wall
   to 
   CFLAGS = -O1 -Wall
   and continue compile the program as described
   in the standard installation procedure.


Q: When put in auto-mode stofa keeps connecting and
   disconnecting even when I'm not using the
   internet

A: Stofa connects whenever there is outgoing traffic
   sent through the gateway device. This means that 
   whenever some program tries to contact a server a
   connection is immediately established.
   If stofa keeps connecting and disconnecting
   it means that a program on your linux box is trying 
   to connect to a server. It's then your job to find 
   this program and shut it down or reconfigure it.
   Sometimes it also helps just rebooting the system to 
   kill any pending IP packets.

   To see if there is outgoing traffic run
   /sbin/ifconfig a few times and check the value of
   "TX packets" for your gateway device. 


Q: When doing 'make install' I get an error-message
   saying 'stofa: command not found'.

A: /usr/local/bin is not set in your system path. Edit
   the file /etc/profile and add the directory to the
   path. Run 'source /etc/profile' afterwards to
   activate the changes. Run 'make install' and the
   program will install.


Q: Something is wrong with the status information displayed
   by 'stofa cost'! When I issue the command (at June the 1st) 
   it looks something like this:

   Since Tue May  2 22:34:03 2000
   Total time connected: 15:42:56 
   Average time connected per day: 0:00:37 
   Total cost (kr. 0.18 per. minute): kr. 169.73
   Average cost per day: kr. 0.11
   Total number of connects: 1759
   Average number of connects per day: 1

   This can not be true! A total of 1759 connects does not give
   an average of one connect per day in 30 days!

A: The statistics depends on the system time. Check that
   the system time is set correctly by running the command 'date'.
   If it's not correct you can set the system time by executing the
   following (as root): 'rdate -s micro.cs.auc.dk'. This will set
   your system time according to the time on the server micro.cs.auc.dk
   which is pretty precise.

   A note should be made, though. When signing on, setting the system time
   and signing off again, your costfile is most likely to become incorrect.
   An example: Your clock is 2 hours slow, and right now it shows 14:00.
   You connect, set the clock and disconnect again. Now, because your
   clock was 2 hours slow, the time is 16:00. Since the stofa connector 
   looks at the time when updating the costfile, it gets fooled to believe
   you've been online for 2 hours! (the difference between 14:00 and 16:00).
   What you should do is to make a backup of the cost.bin file, set the
   clock and then afterwards restore the backup of the costfile. Then
   everything should be fine! 


Q: When I run 'stofa auto' twice at the same time the programs keep
   'playing ping-pong' - connecting and disconnecting indefinitely.  

A: Don't run two 'stofa auto's at the same time. If you do, the above
   will probably happen. There's nothing wrong with running 'stofa auto'
   and, occasionally, to explicitly connect or disconnect, do a 'stofa on'
   or 'stofa off' though. If you use stofa auto and you want to disconnect
   just run 'stofa off'.

  

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