What is PPPOE? What is the role of PPPOE?

Most ISPs (Internet Service Providers) from around the world provide broadband internet registration services. Some vendors do that through a technology called PPPoE (Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet).

However, even if you have followed the necessary steps to configure PPPoE connection at home, it is still possible that you do not know what PPPoE means or its mission. If you want to understand what PPPoE is, then you should read this article.

What is PPPoE?

PPPoE stands for Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet. PPPoE is a network protocol derived from an older protocol, called PPP or Point-to-Point Protocol.

PPPoE is designed to manage how data is transmitted over Ethernet (cable networks) and allows connecting a single server to be shared among multiple clients, using Ethernet. As a result, multiple customers can connect to the same server from their service provider and access the Internet at the same time.

PPPoE is also capable of providing necessary network features, such as authentication, encryption, and data compression.

Who invented PPPoE?

According to Wikipedia, PPPoE was developed by UUNET, Redback Networks (now Ericsson) and RouterWare (now Wind River Systems) in the 2000s and became popular a few years later.

PPP protocol was popular before the 2000s. However, the Internet and technology gradually developed exponentially. Today, connecting to the Internet at 28 or 56 kbit / sec is unacceptable. It is worth mentioning that the old PPP protocol can only connect a personal computer to an ISP server.

Because companies and households both want to connect multiple computers to the Internet simultaneously, as well as the rapid growth of the Internet and the need for higher network speeds, a new network protocol must be developed. And PPPoE was born.

What is PPPoE used for?

PPPoE is mainly used by Internet service providers to provide connectivity for subscribers. To help you understand how they use PPPoE, here is a surreal example of how it works:

Imagine old dial-up connections like a telephone conversation between you and your boss. Only two people can join the conversation. However, what if the boss wants to talk to all the teams?

If your conversation is a dial-up connection, all team members will have to focus around the same phone headset. It will make a conversation funny and ineffective. That's the old PPP network protocol.

PPPoE has changed that and allows more clients to use the same network to connect to the server. It's like the boss can talk to all of your team, but through a speaker so people don't have to surround a small headset anymore.

In addition, PPPoE is a network protocol that provides necessary network features, such as authentication, encryption, and data compression. Therefore, PPPoE is one of the most preferred means to provide Internet access. Why is that?

Because PPPoE provides authentication and encryption, it means that Internet service providers can set up and then sell different Internet access subscription packages. Moreover, all they have to do to impose bandwidth limits or filter network traffic is to provide you with a unique ID and password, which can identify, measure and even filter traffic. your internet traffic.

What do you need to establish a PPPoE Internet connection?

If your Internet service provider uses PPPoE, then you need at least two things from the ISP:

1. Assign you a unique ID (username) and password.
2. A modem-router connects you to the Internet service provider's network.

If your ISP doesn't provide you with a router (and you don't buy one yourself), you must configure the PPPoE connection manually on your computer. How to do it in the article: How to set up and use PPPoE Internet connection on Windows 10.