---
name: "plog"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "ppp"
version: "2.5.2-1+1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/pon"
---

# plog(1)

starts up, shuts down or lists the log of PPP connections

Part of [pon(1)](/pon/1.md).

## NAME

pon, poff, plog - starts up, shuts down or lists the log of PPP connections

## SYNOPSIS

**pon** \[ isp-name \[ options \] \]\
 **poff** \[ -r \] \[ -d \] \[ -c \] \[ -a \] \[ -h \] \[ isp-name \]\
 **plog** \[ arguments \]

## DESCRIPTION

This manual page describes the **pon**, **plog** and **poff** scripts, which allow users to control PPP connections.

### pon

**pon**, invoked without arguments, runs the */etc/ppp/ppp\_on\_boot* file, if it exists and is executable. Otherwise, a PPP connection will be started using configuration from */etc/ppp/peers/provider*. This is the default behaviour unless an **isp-name** argument is given.

For instance, to use ISP configuration "myisp" run:

-

  pon myisp

**pon** will then use the options file */etc/ppp/peers/myisp*. You can pass additional **pppd options** after the ISP name, too. **pon** can be used to run multiple, simultaneous PPP connections.

**pon** takes the following command line options:

- **-q --quick**

  disconnect when ip-up finishes running. This function is only available to the *root* user.

### poff

**poff** closes a PPP connection. If more than one PPP connection exists, the one named in the argument to **poff** will be killed, e.g.

-

  poff myprovider2

will terminate the connection to myprovider2, and leave the PPP connections to e.g. "myprovider1" or "myprovider3" up and running.

**poff** takes the following command line options:

- **-r**

  causes the connection to be redialed after it is dropped.

- **-d**

  toggles the state of pppd's debug option.

- **-c**

  causes [**pppd**(8)](/pppd/8.md) to renegotiate compression.

- **-a**

  stops all running ppp connections. If the argument **isp-name** is given it will be ignored.

- **-h**

  displays help information.

- **-v**

  prints the version and exits.

If no argument is given, **poff** will stop or signal pppd if and only if there is exactly one running. If more than one connection is active, it will exit with an error code of 1.

### plog

**plog** shows you the last few lines of */var/log/ppp.log*. If that file doesn't exist, it shows you the last few lines of your */var/log/syslog* file, but excluding the lines not generated by pppd. This script makes use of the [**tail**(1)](/tail/1.md) command, so arguments that can be passed to [**tail**(1)](/tail/1.md) can also be passed to **plog**.

Note: the **plog** script can only be used by root or another system administrator in group "adm", due to security reasons. Also, to have all pppd-generated information in one logfile, that plog can show, you need the following line in your */etc/syslog.conf* file:

local2.\*		-/var/log/ppp.log

## FILES

- */etc/ppp/options*

  PPPd system options file.

- */etc/ppp/pap-secrets*

  System PAP passwords file.

- */etc/ppp/chap-secrets*

  System CHAP passwords file.

- */etc/ppp/peers/*

  Directory holding the peer options files. The default file is called *provider*.

- */etc/chatscripts/provider*

  The chat script invoked from the default */etc/ppp/peers/provider*.

- */var/log/ppp.log*

  The default PPP log file.

## AUTHORS

The p-commands were written by Christoph Lameter \<clameter@debian.org\>. Updated and revised by Philip Hands \<phil@hands.com\>.\
 This manual was written by Othmar Pasteka \<othmar@tron.at\>. Modified by Rob Levin \<lilo@openprojects.net\>, with some extensions taken from the old p-commands manual written by John Hasler \<jhasler@debian.org\>.

## SEE ALSO

[**pppd**(8)](/pppd/8.md), [**chat**(8)](/chat/8.md), [**tail**(1)](/tail/1.md).