} } That is no good. What he needs is using RADIUS with a different backend, } instead of /etc/passwd. I recomend MySQL. } } []s } } - -- } Rodrigo Barbosa <rodrigob at suespammers.org> i went back and looked at orig post. he mentioned the @ character... not the other special char garbage it fits the bill very nicely especially since admitting he is using radius and your SQL solution works will work well too if "serious scale" is needed or if other special chars are needed... remember, there were two competing threads. :-) - rh Robert Hanson - Abba Communications Computer & Internet Services (509) 624-7159 - www.abbacomm.net