How to Use PPPoE in Windows XP

1. How do I use PPPoE in Windows XP.

PPPoE is now native in Windows XP. This is what you need to do:

1) Go to "Start" -> "Control Panel"
2) Click on "Network & Internet Connections"
3) Click on "Network Connections"
4) Click on "Create a new Connection"
5) Click "Next"
6) Check off "Connect to the Internet" -> Click "Next"
7) Check off "Set up my connection manually" -> Click "Next"
8) Check off "Connect using a broadband connection that requires a user name and password" -> Click Next
9) Type in your ISP's name -> Click "Next"
10) Enter your userid as provided by your ISP.

Note: you may need to include your ISP's domain as part of your userid. Example: For Verizon customers it would be userid@verizon.net.

11) Enter your password as provided by your ISP, enter it a second time to confirm -> Check off "Use this account name" -> Check off "Make this the default Internet connection" -> Click "Next"
12) Check off "Add a shortcut to this connection to your desktop" -: Click "Next"
13) Click "Connect"
14) Surf away!


Note: There have been many cases where Step 9 does not work for people. The Username and Password option is grayed out. At Step 8 click on the Dial-up option and fill that out then start over.

You can create a PPPoE connection with out using the wizard -> Go to Show all
connections -> Click on "Create new connection"

2. How do I get PPPoE in Windows XP to log in automatically on boot?

Note: Remember PPPoE is now native to Windows XP.

1) In Control Panel open "Network Connections"
2) Right click on your broadband connection icon and select "Properties"
3) Uncheck "Prompt for name and password..."
4) Click "OK"
5) Open your "C:/Documents and settings" folder
6) Open the "All Users" folder
7) Open the "Start Menu" folder
8) Open the "Programs" folder
9) Go to your Programs Folder -> Startup
9) Copy a short-cut of your Broadband Connection, from the Network Connections folder in to the "Startup" folder

3. How do I try to trouble shoot PPPoE in Windows XP?

You can get the PPP logging by running 'netsh ras set tracing * enable' at the command line. The files themselves will be in the %windir%\tracing directory.

4. How do I edit the PPPoE MTU size in Windows XP?

Note: We are getting mixed reports that this even works. We are also in regular contact with the engineers at Microsoft who say you can not edit the MTU value of the native PPPoE client in Windows XP. See question 11 for more detailed info.

Always back up your registry before making changes such as this.

1) Download this file
2) Right click the file and choose "Merge"
3) Click "Yes"
4) Go to "Start" -> Click on "Run" -> Type in "Regedt32.exe" -> Click "OK"
5) Go to this Reg Key "[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\NdisWan\Parameters\Protocols\0]"
6) Double click on "Protocol MTU"
7) Click on "Decimal" -> Enter your desired value (I.E.: 1492 or 1454)
8) Click "OK"
9) Done!

5. How do I adjust the MTU value in RASPPPoE for Windows XP?

1) Right click "My Network Places" -> Select "Properties"
2) In the "Network Connections" Window -> Right click "Local Area Connection" -> select "Properties"
3) Click on "PPP over Ethernet Protocol" -> "Properties"
4) Check off "Override Maximum Transfer Unit" and set the value as you need.

6. When setting up XP the username and password is grayed out.

There have been many cases where Step 4 does not work for people. The Username and Password option is grayed out. At Step 3 XP presented a dialog box that asks for dial-up information, put anything in for a value in dial-up. Such as your Area code, then proceed and you should be fine.

7. I notice a slower boot time, or delays / Blackouts or Time-outs while waiting for webpages to load.

1) Go to "Start" -> "Control Panel"
2) Click on "Network & Internet Connections"
3) Click on "Network Connections"
4) Right click on the icon for your Ethernet card connected to your DSL modem _> Choose "Properties"
5) Click on "Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) -> Click "Properties"
6) In the "General" tab check off "Use the following IP address"
7) Enter an internal IP address 192.168.xxx.xxx (replace the x's with a number of your choice)
8) Enter a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0
9) Click "OK"
10) Click "OK"

8. Why native PPPoE in Windows XP?

With native PPPoE in XP you can do what ever you can with dial-up easily.

Enable Internet Connection Sharing to share the PPPoE connection with other computers on your home network.
Enable Internet Connection Firewall to protect the computer with the PPPoE connection from Internet attacks.
Use the PPPoE connection as part of a double–dial virtual private network (VPN) connection. In a double–dial VPN connection, one connection is used to connect to the Internet and another connection is used to create a VPN connection to an organization intranet (such as your employer's network).
Configure the PPPoE connection for Internet use within Internet Explorer and other Windows applications.

9. Does my ISP support XP?

The PPPoE client in Windows XP is based on the industry standard described in IETF RFC 2516 and should work with any ISP access hardware operating as a PPPoE server that is based on the industry standard described in IETF RFC 2516.

10. My ISP has multiple service names and I'm having trouble with the native PPPoE in XP.

Windows XP attempts to connect using the blank service name. If there are no access devices using a blank service name, then Windows XP will try the connection again using the first service name from the first access device that responded to the first connection attempt. Thus, Windows XP discovers the service name during the connection attempt. This provides the simplest configuration and works for most users. If a specific service name is required, a service name can be configured on the General tab from the properties of the PPPoE connection.

11. I use the native PPPoE in Windows XP and need to adjust my MTU level.

There is no ability to configure the maximum transmission unit (MTU) of the PPPoE connection from the properties of the connection. By default, a Windows XP PPPoE connection supports an IP MTU of 1480 bytes. The 20 bytes of overhead consist of the PPPoE header (6 bytes), the largest possible outer PPP header (4 bytes), the largest possible Multilink PPP header (4 bytes), the largest possible PPP header for compression and encryption (4 bytes), and the PPP header that identifies the actual packet being sent (2 bytes).

13. How do I get the native PPPoE in Windows XP to reconnect if the connection is dropped?

1) Go to "Start" -> "Control Panel"
2) Click on "Network & Internet Connections"
3) Click on "Network Connections"
4) Right click the icon for the connection you want to share -> Choose "Properties"
5) Click the "options" tab
6) Check off "Redial if line is dropped"
7) Change "Time between Redial attempts" to "5 seconds"
8) Change "Idle time before hanging up" to "Never"
9) Done!

14. How do I get the native PPPoE in Windows XP to Auto-Connect?

1) Go to Start Menu -> "Control Panel"
2) Click on "Network and Internet Connections" ->
3) Click on "Network Connections"
4) Right click the icon for your PPPoE connection -> Choose "Properties"
5) "Options" tab, uncheck "Prompt for name and password, certificate etc"
6) Done, you now will not be asked to click connect!

15. How do you install EnterNet in Windows XP?

Note: V1.5c works in XP. PPPoE is also native in XP so you don't need any 3rd party software. See question 1 on this page.
1) Double click the Setup.exe file
2) Choose "Quick Install" -> Click "Next"

Note: This option allows you to bypass the "Welcome", "Software License", and "Choose Destination" screens

3) Click "OK" - "Information" screen
4) Click "Continue Anyway" - "Hardware installation" window
5) Click "Finish" - "Setup Complete" screen
6) Double click the "EnterNet" icon now on your desktop
7) Double click "Create new Profile"
8) Type in a connection name of your choice (IE: DSL)
9) Enter your userid as provided by your ISP.

Note: you may need to include your ISP's domain as part of your userid. Example: For Verizon customers it would be userid@verizon.net.

10) Enter your password as provided by your ISP, enter it a second time to confirm - Click "Next"
11) Click "Next" - "Servers" window
12) Click "Finish"
13) Double click on newly created icon in the EnterNet folder
14) Click "Connect"
15) Surf Away!

16. How do I change the MTU of EnterNet in Windows XP?

1) Go to "Start" menu -> Click "Run" -> Type "Regedt32.exe" -> Click "OK"
2) Go to this Registry Key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Class\{4D36E972-E325-11CE-08002bE10318}\0010\Ndi\params\MaxFra
Note: The 0010 may be different for you depending on how many pieces of hardware you have installed, but it will be one of those 00 numbers
3) Double click on "max" and change the value from 1454 to 1492.
4) Close RegEdit
5) Go to "Start" -> "Control Panel"
6) Click on "Network & Internet Connections"
7) Click on "Network Connections"
8) Right click on the "Local Area Connection" icon for your EnterNet listed as "Efficient Network Enternet" -> Choose "Properties"
9) In "General" tab click "Configure"
10) Click "Advanced" tab
11) Click "Max Frame Size" -> Change to MTU you desire
12) Click "LCPMRU" -> Change to match the MTU you changed in step 11
13) Click "OK"
14) Done!

17. How do I install WinPoet in Windows XP?

Note: V4.0 and above are compatible and actually uses Windows XP's native PPPoE. So you can use this or just use the native PPPoE in Windows.

1) Double click the Setup.exe file
2) Click "Next"
3) Click "Yes" - "License" window
4) Click "Next" - "Information" window
5) Click "Next" - Choose Destination" window
6) Click "Finish" to restart
7) Double click the newly created WinPoet icon on your desktop
8) Enter your userid as provided by your ISP.
Note: you may need to include your ISP's domain as part of your userid. Example: For Verizon customers it would be userid@verizon.net.
9) Enter your password as provided by your ISP
10) Click "Save Password"
11) Click "Connect"
12) Surf away!

18. How do I get Winpoet to Auto-Connect in Windows XP?

1) Double click the WinPoet icon on your desktop
2) Click "Options"
3) Click "Use WinPoet V4.00 Broadband built-in Auto-connect"
4) Click "OK"

19. How do I get WinPoet to launch at Windows Startup in Windows XP?

1) Double click the WinPoet icon on your desktop
2) Click "Options"
3) Click "Settings"
4) Click "Launch WinPoet V4.00 Broadband dialer at Windows Startup"
5) Click "OK"

20. How do I launch my browser on connect with WinPoet in Windows XP?

1) Double click the WinPoet icon on your desktop
2) Click "Options"
3) Click "Settings"
4) Click "Launch default browser after connection launched"
5) Enter the URL of the website you want it to launch
6) Click "OK"

21. How do I install RASPPPoE in Windows XP?

1) Uninstall any flavors of PPPoE (any other PPPoE software programs) installed on your system. Only after downloading the RASPPPoE program

Note: You must also uninstall RASPPPoE if you have a previous version installed.

Get it here: RASPPPoE program

2) Unzip the zipped RASPPPoE folder to a temp directory of your choice
3) Go to "Start" -> "Control Panel"
4) Click on "Network & Internet Connections"
5) Click on "Network Connections"
6) Right click on the "Local Area Connection" icon for your Ethernet card (Or internal DSL Modem, or USB Modem) -> Choose "Properties"
7) In the "General" tab click "Install"
8) Click "Protocol" -> Click "Add"
9) Click "Have Disk" -> Click "Browse" Then find the folder you unpacked the RASPPPoE programs to. Then select any one of the INF files, it does not matter which one
10) Click "Open"
11) Then "OK" - "Install from disk" window
12) Highlight "PPP over Ethernet Protocol" -> Click "OK" - "Select Network Protocol" window
13) Click "Continue Anyway" - "Hardware installation" window
14) Click "Close" - "Local Area Connection Properties" window
15) Delete the temp folder you unpacked RASPPPoE in to at the start
16) Reboot
17) Go to your "Start" menu -> choose "Run" -> Type in RASPPPOE -> click "OK"

Note: If you get an error message then follow the Windows prompts

18) "RASPPPoE" window opens, if you have more then one Ethernet card make sure the card connected to your modem (or your Internal modem or USB Modem) is selected Screen shot
19) Choose "Create a Dial-Up Connection for the selected Adapter" Screen shot
20) Click Exit
21) Double click the Dial-Up short cut on your desk top.
22) Enter your userid as provided by your ISP

Note: you may need to include your ISP's domain as part of your userid. Ex. For Verizon customers it would be userid@verizon.net

23) Enter your password as provided by your ISP
24) Click "Save Password"
25) Click "Dial"
26) Check off "Anyone who uses this computer"
27) Surf away!

22. How do I uninstall RASPPPoE in Windows XP?

1) Go to "Start" -> "Control Panel"
2) Click on "Network & Internet Connections"
3) Click on "Network Connections"
4) Right click on the "Local Area Connection" icon for your Ethernet card (Or internal DSL Modem, or USB Modem) -> Choose "Properties"
5) In the "General" tab uncheck "PPP over Ethernet Protocol"
6) Click "OK"
7) Done!

XP Support- 01/01/2005 12:42 AM - Home Page WinXP
© Copyright Kelly Theriot MS-MVP(DTS) 2005. All rights reserved.