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PPPoE Primer

Introduction

With simple TCP/IP based networks there are two common ways to quickly establish a network connection.

• Providing a DHCP server for the devices connecting to the network. Your phone and laptop connecting to the LTE router at home is a classic example.
• Providing a PPPoE server for devices connecting to the network. If you are a client of a WISP, the Customer premises equipment (CPE) at your home / office will most likely be a PPPoE client in order to provide connectivity to the WIPS's network.
• If you are not working for a WISP or ISP the exposure to PPPoE might be limited and this page will serve as a background primer.

Why use PPPoE

• PPPoE comes in handy when you want to manage access to a network.
• The most basic PPPoE servers require a username and password combination before establishing a connection from the client.
• The client is thus configured with a username and password in order to identify itself to the PPPoE server.
• More advanced PPPoE servers include support for RADIUS which feature a central user store and options like bandwidth limiting or data usage quotas and usage tracking.
• This all makes PPPoE a favorite method used by ISPs and WISPs to manage client connections.
• The other alternative option to PPPoE is to use a Captive Portal on the break-out point of a network with a DHCP server in order to manage network access, bandwidth and usage quotas.
• Compare this now with the home network of a LTE router. If someone connects to it (making use of DHCP) there is not really a way for you to prevent them from establishing a connection or limiting their bandwidth.