Linux community members:
I am new to Linux and I am beginning to enjoy it, however, I cannot connect to the internet. I followed the directions in the Connection Wizard, but when I finish, a connection has not been established. Am I doing something asinine, such as not installing ISP software (as in Windows) or to I need a linmodem? My current moden is an Intel 536EP V.92. I have installied Mandrake 8.2 with KDE and GNOME on a second hard drive. Thank you for any assistance.
greenlinux

Welcome to LQ.

Can you tell us about your modem? How does it attach to your computer - serial port, usb, PCI, ISA, AMR, CNR?

Also, could you explain a little more what you have done already? Have you tried the programme kppp? It's very good.

My modem is in a PCI slot. I have used the Internet Connection Wizard without success. Please tell me what the kppp program is and how to access and use it.
Thank you,
greenlinux

That moden is more then likely a winmodem...You have a fiew choices you could goto linmodem and download a driver for linux (if they have one), Or you could go out and find your seld a cheap external moden and those are hardware and work everytime (at least for me). Kppp is pretty simple and straight forward if you cannot get it to work then likely you need a driver or a linux ready modem. Are you even dialing through the modem when you cannot connect? Does linux "see" the modem?

thank you very much. Linux does see my modem via the connection wizard, but after that--silence. I will try the kppp utility and go linmodems.
greenlinux

Right - I've been wrestling with this hardware on and off for a while and I've got it going - just.

The 536ep HaM modem is a Hardware Assisted Modem - yes, a winmodem. But it is supported for linux. You just have to be careful about how you configure your system.

If Mandrake is anything like redhat - you use a wizard to configure an internet connection and you use a network device control daemon to actually dial up on a day-to-day basis. The network control will have a "configure" option. This opens up another daemon for configuring devices and hardware etc.

So far so good?

Now - check that the modem is installed correctly using a comm program (minicom on my machine) you go "minicom -s" to configure it to use the drivers (on my machine the driver is /dev/536ep though the symbolic link /dev/modem does the same thing). You're doing all this a root

Successful?
Use the network device control (or equiv.) to remove your previous attempts at configuring the 536ep modem. Remove the device and the hardware entry - this is stuffing you up.

Save.

Use this control again, to create a new hardware of type generic modem (or equiv.)
Edit the hardware entries - replace /dev/ttyS0 (or whatever the default is normally) with /dev/modem or /dev/536ep (or wherever the driver is).

NOW: you can use the internet config wizard to make a new internet connection.
BUT: go back and edit the new device that appears in the network device control... you'll want to edit the knickname to something distinctive, and edit the device to the name of your new modem hardware entry (in my system it's called modem1 since modedm0 already exists).

Now you are away!

There's just one thing... I can dial up and download the pop summarry, but I cannot brows or receive mail. Someone tell me what I missed!
Simon

Forum members:
I installed what US Robotics told me was a linmodem: PCI 56K V92. The problem is using kppp, what device do I select in order to complete the connection? When I use dev/modem, the system (Mandrake 9.2) states it is initializing the modem, but it just stalls and freezes. Please advise. Thank you.
greenlinux

In a console su to root, if u are not runnning as root allready then type:
drakconf
This should bring up the mandrake control center, from here select network and internet, then click new connection. Follow the steps to set up ur modem using the dial up numbers etc. once u have done this it will say network needs to be restarted, this will connect you to the net.
In future if u need to connect go to the console and type:
ifup ppp0
(or whatever ur modem is called ppp+)
when you want to disconnect type:
ifdown ppp0

hope this is of some kind of help to you bye

Specs: US Robotics Performance Pro modem (Advertised as Linux compatable, real modem, not win version), Mandrake 10.1.

Dials out fine, modem and ISP chat, connect isn't made. My impression is the connection fails when the ISP answers. Any ideas? Keep in mind I am a linux rookie.

try dev/ttyS0 or dev/ttyS1

Internal or USB modems can be detected and analised using the scanModem script available via the linmodem project.

You should be aware that the intel i536/537 HaM Modem chipset has a buggy driver which will not always work. The driver is usually supplied with the modem, the latest version can be downloaded from the intel site. This has been much discussed in the past - this board has a great "search" feature: do use it.

External serial modems will always work, as will internal ASI modems. These are 100% hardware modems.

The serial modem will be device /dev/ttySx where x is any one of 0,1,2,3 ... corresponding to DOS COM1-4 respectively.

ASI modems will have jumper selects which tell you which COM port the modem is configured to. External modems are normally COM1 = /dev/ttyS0 unless something else is assigned that port (like a serial mouse), in which case it is COM2 = /dev/ttyS1 (However, I have seen modems assigned something different.)

A no nonsence way to setect a modem is to open a terminal and su. Send commands to the suspected port as follows:

echo "atdt 5551234" > /dev/ttyS0

watch for the lights flashing, listen for the dialtone and "number does not exist" tone. If these occur, then you have found your modem ... otherwise try /dev/ttyS1 etc until it is found.

You shold be aware that /dev/modem is a symbolic link. Enter ls -l /dev/modem in terminal for details.

Advertising as "linux compatible", for modems, is not reliable. Many manufacturers advertise their intel chipset modems like this, and they are not very compatible. Instead, look at what the chipset is. Look at how it is driven ... if it is advertised as a hardware modem, (not Hardware-Assisted - HaM - or "software") then it will work. If it is external serial, it will work. PCI modems may not work - the linmodem site has a list of chipsets that are known to work.

I have tried many so called linux modems and external modem. after much frustration i tried an ethernet modem Actiontec makes one called "Actiontec Dual PC Modem" all you need is a lan card. since it doesnt require any drivers it works with all operating systems as long as it recognizes your lan card. its really that simple. but you may have to set it up using a windows pc. since the software is for windows. its a self sufficient modem. I set it up in windows and rebooted to linux and voila i was connected just that simple

I would try a later version ie Mandrake One which can be had on Magazine DVD's as 9.2 is a bit old now .

I found Mandrake 10. xxx just decided to connect my external modem to /dev/ttyS3
I see someone already mentioned "try dev/ttyS0 or dev/ttyS1"

Probably stating whats now obvious to you but newcomers take note
To Dial out in Linux you must run KPPP or equivalent which is the dialler program

I don't understand what you were doing setting up the modem on windows initially . This can be done from Linux Kppp and the modem can be queried there . There should not have been any software needed for the modem as far as I am aware.

Quit wrestling with KPPP, Linmodems, Winmodems and External modems. get yourself an ethernet modem and enjoy linux. "No Drivers needed" "self sufficient" "works with all OSes" if your lan card will work then it will work. I have spent countless hours configuring kppp with linmodems and external modems. some work with some distros but most dont work with most.
go to buy.com and search actiontec scroll down to dual pc modem. best data also makes an ethernet modem. havent tried this one.

Drop 8.2 now, and install 2005 or 2006

If you search LQ for 536ep and my username, I have posted some
info on how to make this work. Note intel driver might have been
upgraded since. Otherwise all other posts should help you