et lux in tenebris lucet

Once in a while I need to use point-to-point T1 links to connect two sites. Even in today’s world of broadband, a T1 still has lower latency and a higher “upload” rate than VPN over broadband accounts. Here’s how to configure two old Portmaster 3’s to connect back to back:

Side A:
set line1 t1
set line1 clock internal
set line1 encoding b8zs
set line1 framing esf
set line1 pcm u-law
save all
reboot

set W24 network hardwire
set W24 protocol ppp
set W24 rip off
set W24 address 192.168.150.1
set W24 netmask 255.255.255.252
set W24 destination 192.168.150.2 255.255.255.252
save all
reset W24

Side B:
set line1 t1
set line1 clock internal
set line1 encoding b8zs
set line1 framing esf
set line1 pcm u-law
save all
reboot

set W24 network hardwire
set W24 protocol ppp
set W24 rip off
set W24 address 192.168.150.2
set W24 netmask 255.255.255.252
set W24 destination 192.168.150.1 255.255.255.252
save all
reset W24

Clocking may need to be adjusted depending on how your telco does things on their network. Sure, you can use a Cisco, and I do, but for temporary locations I have a pair of PM3’s collecting dust in the warehouse and they’re dead cheap on eBay. You can use them to simulate a T1 in a lab, too. Or for a really, really cheap T1 CPE.