Hi. I am trying to install and get working my Motorola SB4200 SURFboard cable modem. I have downloaded the linux version of the launch client and compiled it and installed it (I think). Anyway after following the instructions it says that I need to add BPAlogin (the client) to my start up scripts. How do I do this? I am running mandrake 10.1 on a p4 3.0 GHz 1 GB ram. Also I have not been able to find out how I tell mandrake to use the modem to connect to the net, will this happen automatically once the login client is working and it connects to my ISP. I also get this error message which may or may not need to be fixed to get it to work. error reading information on service bpaloging: No such file or directory make *** [install] Error 1 This files I think does exists in /usr/ect/users or somewhere like that I can find it if something needs to be done regrading it.

Thx

Is that the internal modem?

I used to have one of the internals a long time ago, but I never tried it under Linux.

I'd venture to say that if this is one of the internal ones that requires special drivers under Windows, that you may have some luck trying to utilize ndiswrapper.

I'm speculating though.

No, a Motorola Surfboard is an external modem that you connect through either an ethernet port or a USB port.

As for startup scripts, try this site:

http://linuxgazette.net/issue48/tag/50.html

For connecting after you have the modem connected, I'll assume that you are using an ethernet port and that you are using KDE as a GUI for linux. If so, you need to run harddrake, which you get to by clicking to go to menus, then click "system", "configuration", "hardware" , "harddrake". You'll have to put in the root password. Then select your ethernet card in the left pane and click "run config tool" in the right pane. The rest should be reasonably self explanatory.

You connect to the Cablemodem the same as you do to any network device - through the NIC. Tell MCC to set up a LAN connection:

Open MCC in the Mandrake menu system in 'System' / 'Configuration' / 'Configure Your Computer'.

Click 'Network and Internet' in the menu list at the left, then open the 'New Connection' icon in the main pane.

Choose 'LAN Connection', click 'Next' at the bottom right.

Choose your NIC card (mine is at 'eth0: ADMtek|ADM983 Linksys Etherfast 10/100'), and click 'Next' at the bottom right.

Choose 'Automatic IP (BOOTP/DHCP)' if you want to get your IP address automatically. This is the correct choice if your computer is connected directly to the cablemodem (meaning there is no other device [router] between the cablemodem and your computer), then click 'Next' at the bottom right.

You can keep the default option 'Assign Host name from DHCP address', or de-select this choice and enter the DHCP host name for your computer if you prefer, then click 'Next' at the bottom right.

Enter your computer's Host name here. This is an optional step, so you can skip this if you choose, then click 'Next' at the bottom right.

Optionally enter a zeroconf hostname. This is an optional step as above, then click 'Next' at the bottom right.

Finally, keep the 'Yes' option selected, and click 'Next' at the bottom right.

That should set up your basic Internet connection. That is how I set up mine, and it works well for me.

HTH,

Woa there cowboy!

If it's an external modem, installing or trying to use those scripts will "break" mandrake so to speak.

This advice is really for other distros and not required for Mandrake.

Do as Ernie posted.

This stuff is pretty simple in Mandrake provided you work with it.

Hi. Thanks for all the info. I should have said that it was connected via usb. I will try to set it up using the way you described Ernie but will that work if its connected via usb?

Thx

USB is a different beast altogether.

It should be AVOIDED for internet connections if this is at all possible.

Does your modem have an ethernet port?

If so a cheap NIC and a crossover cable should be all you need.

Yes it does have an Ethernet port and I do have cables for it. It will have to be connected into my hub though because I’m planing on using this pc as a gateway computer. Why is Ethernet better to use, if I understood things correctly usb2 offers higher data transfer rates than Ethernet 100 so plugging it in to usb would allow faster data transfer.

Thx

I was providing him a link that showed how to edit startup scripts. Many broadband ISP's require that a program be run to show that your broadband device is indeed supposed to connect to their network and they will not work if the program isn't run. I wasn't advocating that he go through his startup scripts nilly willy and change needless stuff, but I was attempting to provide a source on startup scripts that would detail how they work in case he does need a program to be run at each startup, cowboy.

Don't let the data rate worry you. If you're using a cable modem, you'll probably be getting at most around 5 Megabits from the modem to your computer, and both USB 2.0 and Ethernet are more than capable of delivering this type of throughput. Ethernet has a theoretical speed of 100 Megabytes, which is probably at least 160 times as fast as your internet connection. It would probably be a lot easier to get it working by buying a $10 ethernet card for your PC than trying to use the USB port, and since the modem has both ports that is the route I would take.

Hi. I have managed to get it work. I used the ethernet connection which helped heaps as i managed to get a ip addy and dns off my isp but there was a lot to fiddling that i had to do with the login client but it all finaly works. Thanks heaps.