what is missing from 3.3.1 for a dialup internet access?
 

Hey all!
I've been trying to get a MEPIS machine to dial into a local ISP... you may know my story well by now... but I am curious: what programs are missing from the default install as to make this possible? It seemed that I needed to install (via cable internet connection at a diff location):
--pppd
--wvdial

Does that sound right? Anything else I should have but might not? Kppp is no fun but nor is wvdial; I feel that something must be missing.

thanks!

I found this on a Mepis support site:

pppconfig
Submitted by clivesay on Thu, 05/26/2005 - 18:59.

I think there's something flakey in kppp somewhere. I have no idea what it is. All I know is that an apt-get of pppconfig from unstable and couple minutes and your on the net! Just add a connect and hangup entry in the Internet section and you're ready. The whole thing took less than 10 minutes compared to all the time I've spent wrestling with kppp.

Maybe the Mepis developers might consider writing a custom frontend to ppp and have it as an alternative to kppp if people want a 'pretty' GUI?
Otherwise, just get pppconfig and enjoy!

http://www.mepis.org/node/6617

I use pppconfig with Ubuntu as the default dial up program didn't work. Let me know if you need more help with it.

I am really sorry to hear you have had so much trouble.

I have tried a number of Linux distros before I settled on Simply Mepis, because it was the easiest by far to work with,(I thought anyway).

I have a Swann Smart Pro Surfer serial modem, and it worked just fine with KPPP, without any other additions or downloads.

I clicked on KPPP > selected Configure (manual configuration) >put in the name of my ISP and the phone number I dial. All other settings were default.

In Modems I gave it a name (Swann) and selected from the drop down list, dev/ttys0,being the only serial modem in the system, and set the connection speed at 57600.

That was about it as far as I can recall. I prefer KPPP because it is always so easy to set up, and I have done it many times on many distros (but always with the same Swann modem). I don't know if you have a problematic modem type, since I have no experiance with any others (apart from Winmodems in my Windows machines).

Can you get hold of a Knoppix CD to run live and see if KPPP in that will connect for you?

Dialup Help
 

I was frustrated as well with MEPIS, but keep at it and you will find it is worth the effort. I had the same problems with getting a modem to work. In one of your previous posts you were using an HSF modem (Conexant). To use a winmodem you must have the right drivers, go to linuxant.com and read. You must first have the kernel source installed, as it was not included with the distribution. It is a large download and will take mega time on a dialup connection. You were almost there in reading your previous post, it just wasn't finding the kernel source files it needed to do a compilation. Kppp will work just fine with some simple tweaks to the AT commands. If I remember correctly, I only changed one setting from the default. I believe I dropped the Z from the ATZ command. Check the Mepis Lovers forums as they have a wealth of information. I have a HCF modem and yes I had to pay for drivers, but it was worth it! I hope this helps, as it took me over a week to figure this out as a newbie!!

Here's an idea...
 

I've been through h3ll and back with modem issues on Mepis, Ubuntu, and Slack, and I finally learned a few tricks along the way. I was having what sounds like the same problem you were, and I learned to work around it with KPPP. Try these:

1. Get a serial external modem. Unless you have a true hardware modem, which is hard to find these days, you are in for a fight. I had a Creative Modemblaster PCI with Broadexant chips, had it connecting and "talking", but the drivers (in my case, from linuxant) were only getting it part of the way to authentication, then crapping out. I know that many have gotten good results with them, so it's hit or miss. I'm sure that I could have gone back and forth getting configuration info from the linuxant people, etc., until it worked, but I have a life, too, and was spending way too much time and effort on it.

Trust me, as everyone told me (and they were right), save yourself the trouble, go to an office supply or computer store and get a serial (NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT USB!!!). They run between 45 and 60 USD for the lower end. You'll never have to worry about winmodems, linmodems, etc., ever again. I'm using an OfficeDepot External Serial modem, 56K, which I got for 50.00 day before yesterday. It works WONDERFULLY with KPPP in Mepis!

2. One big bugaroo in KPPP, I've discovered, is to set the modem speed. Configure your modem: give it a name (I like to use the port name (i.e., /dev/ttyS1) as the name, I don't know if there is a bug which that helps or not, but it can't hurt, either way. Not many people have 2 modems! ;-) ), then get the other settings right. Then...this is the important part, SET THE SPEED. For some reason that I don't understand, if you pick a speed over, what is it, 119,200 or something around there, it seems to flake out the modem. Pick something lower.

I could kick myself. Three weeks worth of fighting, dialling a zillion times, tweaking configurations...all I had to do was put the modem on, tell KPPP about it, set the speed a little slower (kind of like in windows), and I was on the net, I kid you not, in 25 seconds. With a hotter connection than I get with it under Win2k!!!

Just trying to save you some grief...I know how frustrating it is.

Yes, exactly what I had found.

Thats why I bought the Swann Smart (serial external). Had no trouble at all with it.

I have heard Xandros does recognise some internal Winmodems, but I had no luck with it.

And setting the modem speed to 57600 is quite important - I left it at the default high speed at first too, and the best connection speed I could get was 9600! Imagine how hard it was to get any updates! :)

Interesting...
 

I guess the speed must be related somehow to commands that the modem either likes or doesn't, depending on the chipset. When mine was set too high, I simply couldn't connect. A test of the commands would yield a series of ASCII characters. I don't know why, but it was evident that the modem was all confused. Dropping down to 115,200 or whatever exactly the ratio is did the trick. I don't know why, but it seems to be very true.

Another thing I found that helped, with a Ubutu installation, was to edit the /etc/ppp/peers/kpp-options file to remove the # from the noauth command. I didn't know...I knew about ppp/options, and I knew some of the other edits, but I hadn't heard of a kppp-options. That got me online just hunky dory.

bandwidth
 

I could be mistaken but I am pretty sure that it needs to be set at 57600 , otherwise the amount of incoming data just overwhelms the modem. Sorry I can't give any more details but I only understand the concept. Woob

WHAT KIND OF MODEM DO YOU HAVE?
 

You need either an internal isa modem (if your board has that slot) or
an external serial port modem.
If you are trying to get an internal pci modem to work, HELL WILL
FREEZE OVER FIRST .

Just found your initial post
 

So you have a serial modem. If you still have'nt gotten on the internet,post here and i will show you how to get KPPP to work .

well, thanks all for the help. We gave up on dial up and signed up for DSL (good move, I think)

Thanks again! As this is sure to come up again in the future, I now have a great list of ideas to try before posting for more help!