Hello guys,

I have such a problem:

I want to dial from my Linux-Mandrake box out to a Windows 98 SE Dial-Up Server (don't ask me why i use it, i just have to!). So to make it simple - on my (client) side is Linux Mandrake 8.2 with a KDE 2.2.2, running kppp (pppd), trying to connect to the Windows 98 SE Dial-Up server on the other (server) side of the line (line is POTS). I am using a common 56k PCI hardware modem.
The problem is, that Windows 98SE Dial-Up server requires _blank_ username and a password (password is not blank in this case), and it requires CHAP authentication. So I set up my kppp connection to use CHAP authentication, but when I enter blank username and a valid password and i try to connect, kppp fails (before dialing out) with a message "CHAP requires you to provide valid username and a password" - so it doesn't accept a blank username ! If I just enter e.g. a space in a username field, kppp dials out, connects to Windows 98SE Dial-Up server and then fails - log follows:

---paste begin---
Feb 15 00:15:12 localhost pppd[2404]: pppd 2.4.1 started by socrates, uid 501
Feb 15 00:15:12 localhost pppd[2404]: using channel 2
Feb 15 00:15:12 localhost pppd[2404]: Using interface ppp0
Feb 15 00:15:12 localhost pppd[2404]: Connect: ppp0 <--> /dev/tts/3
Feb 15 00:15:12 localhost pppd[2404]: sent [LCP ConfReq id=0x1 <asyncmap 0x0> <magic 0xcfd21dd> <pcomp> <accomp>]
Feb 15 00:15:12 localhost pppd[2404]: rcvd [LCP ConfReq id=0x1 <asyncmap 0xa0000> <auth chap m$oft> <magic 0x33f750b> <pcomp> <accomp> <mrru 1500> <endpoint [local:10.28.92.cc.0b.75.3f.03.90.15.a4.cc.22.17.00.00]>]
Feb 15 00:15:12 localhost pppd[2404]: sent [LCP ConfRej id=0x1 <mrru 1500>]
Feb 15 00:15:12 localhost pppd[2404]: rcvd [LCP ConfAck id=0x1 <asyncmap 0x0> <magic 0xcfd21dd> <pcomp> <accomp>]
Feb 15 00:15:12 localhost pppd[2404]: rcvd [LCP ConfReq id=0x2 <asyncmap 0xa0000> <auth chap m$oft> <magic 0x33f750b> <pcomp> <accomp> <endpoint [local:10.28.92.cc.0b.75.3f.03.90.15.a4.cc.22.17.00.00]>]
Feb 15 00:15:12 localhost pppd[2404]: sent [LCP ConfAck id=0x2 <asyncmap 0xa0000> <auth chap m$oft> <magic 0x33f750b> <pcomp> <accomp> <endpoint [local:10.28.92.cc.0b.75.3f.03.90.15.a4.cc.22.17.00.00]>]
Feb 15 00:15:13 localhost pppd[2404]: rcvd [CHAP Challenge id=0x1 <d1d0459a0ecab3fb>, name = ""]
Feb 15 00:15:13 localhost pppd[2404]: sent [CHAP Response id=0x1 <0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000003edccb8ed5ef3e60760fc6f1b9bf2bdeb000d7d0d052b23301> , name = " "]
Feb 15 00:15:13 localhost pppd[2404]: rcvd [CHAP Failure id=0x1 "E=691 R=1 C=72A31FEC4291547D"]
Feb 15 00:15:13 localhost pppd[2404]: Remote message: E=691 R=1 C=72A31FEC4291547D
Feb 15 00:15:13 localhost pppd[2404]: sent [LCP TermReq id=0x2 "Failed to authenticate ourselves to peer"]
Feb 15 00:15:13 localhost pppd[2404]: rcvd [LCP TermAck id=0x2]
Feb 15 00:15:13 localhost pppd[2404]: Connection terminated.
Feb 15 00:15:13 localhost pppd[2404]: Exit.
---paste end---

So, my question is - how to force kppp (or better said, pppd) to accept blank username for CHAP authentication ?

Thanks to everybody in advance !
s.