PCI Modems

dhughes · 11-09-2003, 10:12 PM

Is it just me, because I'm having trouble trying to get my modem working, or are a lot of people having trouble getting their PCI Modem to work with Linux?

I installed Mandrake 9.0 a week ago just to try Linux again on my new system and everything but the modem is working..the one thing I want. (Ironic considering the roots of Linux!) If I remember the last time I tried Linux Mandrake 8.2 or some Red Hat version I had an ISA modem and it was detected right away.

I have an Aopen PCI HCF Conexant that can be "seen" by the OS but for the life of me I can't seem to configure. "Plan B" is Linuxant.com (sorry can't put the link since I am new here...LQ anti-spam policy) I'm snooping around their page.

Maybe there is a simple solution for installing a PCI modem in Linux if everyone is having problems no matter what distribution they are using it must be a pretty deep rooted problem.

This thread would be a great spot to post your replies all you gurus.

salparadise · 11-10-2003, 01:19 AM

there's a page here

http://start.at/modem

it might help you

dhughes · 11-10-2003, 02:42 PM

Thanks, but I've been to that website...still looking. It has some good links. Some of it I don't know how to do, yet.

And since I'm here, I was wondering are all PCI modems WinModems? I didn't think they were but from what I've been reading it seems they all are. I thought my Aopen PCI modem was a hardware modem.

Between my short attention span and wanting to get a modem working with Linux, I may resort to buying an external serial hardware modem at the store or Ebay, or buying the drivers.

fancypiper · 11-10-2003, 02:45 PM

Post the output of this command (preferably just the modem part):

cat /proc/pci

# Modem and connection troubleshooting
WinModems and Linux
Modem HOWTO
Modem NHFs
Linmodems.org
Conexant/Rockwell modem HOWTO
The Unofficial PCTel Linux Driver page
I finaly got my PcTel hsp56 mr modem to work
Linux driver for Winmodems with Lucent Apollo (ISA) and Mars (PCI) chipsets
Lucent AMR modem listed as an Intel AC'97 - Smart Link Modems
The kppp Handbook
Dial-up Networking Configuration Using KDE's Kppp
Troubleshooting ISP Connection Problems

# Configuring a real hardware pci modem
To configure a pci modem, open an x terminal and su - to the root account:

Code:

[fancy@tinwhistle fancy]$ su -
Password: 
[root@tinwhistle root]# cat /proc/pci

Look for your modem in the returned list. Look for something similar to mine:

Code:

  Bus  2, device   2, function  0:
    Communication controller: PCI device 151f:0000 (TOPIC SEMICONDUCTOR Corp) (rev 0).
      IRQ 5.
      I/O at 0xc400 [0xc407].

With this info, I use the setserial command:

Code:

[root@tinwhistle root]# setserial /dev/ttyS0 irq 5 port 0xc400 uart 16550a

Then I test the modem with the internet connection wizard and it works. I edit /etc/rc.d/rc.local and enter the setserial command:

Code:

[root@tinwhistle root]# pico -w /etc/rc.d/rc.local

My file for an example

Code:

#!/bin/sh
# Redhat /etc/rc.d/rc.local file
# This script will be executed *after* all the other init scripts.
# You can put your own initialization stuff in here if you don't
# want to do the full Sys V style init stuff.

touch /var/lock/subsys/local
# configure modem
setserial /dev/ttyS0 irq 5 port 0xc400 uart 16550a

Now, it remains configured after a reboot.

dhughes · 11-10-2003, 05:22 PM

I tried setserial but I got a message that said "command not recognized" or something to that effect.
When I try cat /proc/pci I get this (have to write it down by hand):

Code:

 Bus 0, device 12,  function 0:
 Communication controller: Conexant HCF 56K Data/Fax/SpeakerPhone Modem
 IRQ 5
 Master Capable, Latency = 32
 Non-Prefetchable 32 bit memory at 0xeb01000 [0xeb01ffff]
 I/O at 0xb000 [0xb007].

Maybe I'm doing it wrong...you seem to have had luck with it.

fancypiper · 11-10-2003, 05:26 PM

setserial won't help you as that works with a real modem. If you don't have it, you can install with the command:

urpmi setserial

You have a conexant winmodem and will have to install the module for it.

Conexant/Rockwell modem HOWTO

dhughes · 11-10-2003, 06:17 PM

Yeah I saw that page too, that was my Plan B. Thanks anyway.
I'll do that now and try their free HCF driver the ones limited to 14.4kbps and if it works I'll buy their 56k version
Now the problem is to download the file and transfer it from Windows to Linux.
I'll let everyone know how it went in case someone else is having the same problem.

dhughes · 11-11-2003, 02:51 PM

Nope, didn't work...or it did and I don't know how to finish, but I'm quite sure it didn't.
I downloaded the free HCF (14.4kbps only) driver for my version of Mandrake 9.0 (2.4.19-16mdk) but it was zipped so I had to go back to Windows to unzip it ( got "zip not in your directory"/wasn't there dummy in other words, error in Linux) and then put the rpm on a CD-RW boot to Linux and then clicked on the file. It used KPackage to install it, I assumed it was installed, and it showed a bunch of files with a green check mark to the left of them.
The instructions said to run hcfconfig but I can't seem to get it to run. It is supposed to detect my modem and install it. So close...yet so far.
The modem doesn't work.

sboddy · 11-11-2003, 06:21 PM

dhughes,

Those things suck!

The modem is "hardware"only in the sense that there is a PCB.
HCF with the C standing for Controllerless. Not as much hardware is missing as an HSF (Soft-modem like in my lappy), but it still requires special drivers. Special drivers that will now cost you money because the company now wants to make a buck. Further, you may fare better with the HCF, but my HSF had serious stability problems. If the modem became I/O bound (not too hard with my usage patterns), It would start spewing errors into the syslog, and then the connection became erratic. I had to manually unload the modules as root, then restart the connection to get stability back. I also use xMule (currently), and this software crashed regularly using the HSF modem. Since implementing an IPCop firewall with an external Creative Blaster Modem, I don't recall a single crash of the same install of xMule on my lappy. Another box I set up (my Mums) has an HCF modem, but she doesn't hammer it the same way I do, so I don't know how stable that is.

Now, having ranted, I'll try and sort you out. All this detail is from the machine with the HCF modem under SuSE. Details may well differ for a Mandrake system, but should help get you started.

This system doesn't have hcfconfig. Looks like the docs are out of sync, as there is a hcfpciconfig which is almost certainly what you're looking for. I believed it just configured the contry code for compliance with local telecoms standards, but I could be wrong. You'll need to be root to run it, and it should be in roots PATH. On this system its in /usr/sbin. Failing that try using the locate or find commands (man [find|locate] if you don't know how to use them).

SuSE's Internet dialer software uses a generic device /dev/modem as a symbolic link to the real modem device. You need to find out what Mandrake is expecting the modem device to be (as I said mine is /dev/modem), then look in /dev. Here it looks like this

Code:

lrwxrwxrwx    1 root     root           13 Oct 22 16:12 modem -> /dev/ttySHCF0
crw-rw----    1 uucp     uucp     240,  64 Sep  4 16:08 ttySHCF0

and in the /etc/modules.conf

Code:

alias /dev/ttySHCF[0-9]* hcfpciserial
alias char-major-240 hcfpciserial
alias /dev/cuaHCF[0-9]* hcfpciserial
alias char-major-241 hcfpciserial
alias /dev/modem hcfpciserial
options hcfpciserial calloutmajor=241 pcideviceid=0x1002 pcivendorid=0x127A serialmajor=240

Note that options line may well be different for you. Don't blindly copy these values. The lspci command can help you here.

Lastly you need to configure the dial-up account details in. In SuSE this is done with YaST. At this point I bow out and confess complete ignorance of the Mandrake method.

My final advice?... Get rid and buy a cheap external. My Creative Blaster serial modem cost £40, and is faster, smoother, and way more stable than the soft modem ever was. Plus I can move it between machines far easier than a PCI one.

Regards
Steve

fancypiper · 11-11-2003, 06:26 PM

I picked up a serial port external modem for $14.50. I get good connections and no headaches installing proprietary modules.

sboddy · 11-11-2003, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by fancypiper
I picked up a serial port external modem for $14.50. I get good connections and no headaches installing proprietary modules.

Bleedin' Nora! Was that new? v.92? Where?
I wasn't sure if the bold "serial port" was aimed at my post, but I updated to show that my CBM is the serial one. There are likely problems with most USB modems too, so (dhughes) avoid these like the plague too.

Regards
Steve

fancypiper · 11-11-2003, 06:48 PM

Yeah, some people think USB is an external modem, but most of them are winmodems as well. A serial port modem works with any OS.

It was brand new. I keep watch on several sites via pricewatch.com and I picked this one up at Computer Geeks.

I see they currently have some new ones priced $16.50 and $17.99.

sboddy · 11-11-2003, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by fancypiper
Yeah, some people think USB is an external modem, but most of them are winmodems as well. A serial port modem works with any OS.

It was brand new. I keep watch on several sites via pricewatch.com and I picked this one up at Computer Geeks.

I see they currently have some new ones priced $16.50 and $17.99.

I'd laugh if it wasn't so tragic. I can order this International, and it works out £10 cheaper than my UK bought model. Of course I'd have doubts about it working in the UK what with the tendency of the Yanks to go their own way w.r.t tech. Plus, it doesn't have the v.92. However, thanks for the link fancypiper, as it may be real useful when buying other things. I especially like the Linux compatability symbol they have.

Regards
Steve

dhughes · 11-13-2003, 06:35 PM

Yeah, sboddy, it's /dev/modem
I read that USB modems are WinModems, so none of them for me.
...but I gave up, for now.

I probably have what I need but being a newbie I probably have what I need I just don't have the skills yet. I just learned to sort of use gzip last night :P ...sort of.

I "borrowed" an external serial modem from work and it works fine...it is detected I mean , but I can't go anywhere once I connect. that's a question for the Networking section. But I need to take it back. It's very hard to find an external serial modem, and if I do it's very expensive. Here in eastern Canada in my area there's only one type in the stores here ( USR ) and it's $200.00 !

I figure if I can get a working modem then I'll be able to mess around some other time without having to switch between Windows and Linux. (I have two HDs, one Win XP and the other Mandrake Linux, I'm planning on building a Linux-only box later.)

My best hope I'd say is for the Aopen FM56...forget the model name exactly. My USR Winmodem is barely detected there are a lot of blank areas after running cat /proc/pci in it's description.

The quest continues.

Dhimani · 11-13-2003, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by fancypiper
I picked up a serial port external modem for $14.50. I get good connections and no headaches installing proprietary modules.

After tinkering with a couple of PCI modems in my Linux machine, trying to get them to work, I did the EXACT same thing. Got a Zoom external serial modem, and it works beautifully---no drivers or anything..how refreshing.