Netzero dialup a brief how to that works. updated 3/14/09
works best on a freshly installed system where the default dialers haven't been configured or used.

1. Requires a linux compatible modem, java jre runtime installed, and java -version work at a command prompt
2. Download needed files on another system and copy to their proper directories.
3. Install netzero.deb
4. make a link between the port where your modem is physically located and /dev/modem in the rc.local file
5. /opt/nzclient/runclient.sh has to be run as root. To execute, create a launcher with the following on the command line: "gksudo /opt/nzclient/runclient.sh" without the quotation marks; or log in as root and use the launcher that netzero provides
6. To hangup click on netzero launcher, at the login screen click "cancel"
7. To save your password: enter password, select save, click the cancel button
8. If a "server not found" error occurs after getting connected edit /etc/resolv.conf with the following:
nameserver 64.136.52.73
nameserver 64.136.44.73
if "server not found" error still occurs after editing /etc.resolv.conf do this at a command prompt:
sudo chmod 644 /etc/resolv.conf

notes:
1.for non debian distros extract out data.tar/nzclient and copy nzclient to the /opt directory.

2.This is one way to install java, have to be root: get jre-6u7-linux-i586.bin from sun-java and copy to /usr and make sure it is executable.
have to agree to sun-java terms
will work on most systems
note: version of java has changed since this was posted, change version numbers to the version you are using.
not sure if open source java will work with netzero.

3.Modems: Check in LQ's HCL and see if your modem is listed. Since most internal modems are winmodems for ease of setup would suggest an external controller modem that connects to the serial port. Link for winmodem help
http://linmodems.technion.ac.il/

On most computers with a modem connected to the standard serial port. The modem link will be:
ln -sf /dev/ttyS0 /dev/modem
in the rc.local file, but not always.

To create the modem link in some distros, create a new rule in /etc/udev/rules.d/ with the following KERNEL=="ttyS0", SYMLINK+="modem"

4.Do not edit netzero files, thats not the problem.

5. ppp, kppp, wvdial will not work with netzero. The default dialers will connect with netzero, but that is as far as you will get. If your lucky you will get to the download page, but usually not.

6. I have gotten netzero to work on ubuntu 8.10, puppy, DSL harddrive install, slack12, bsd, and blag,
puppy linux was the easiest. just install java-1.6u5.pet,extract out netzero.deb and put nzclient folder in /opt. drag the root/desktop/netzero file to the desktop and edit the command to gksudo /opt/nzclient/runclient.sh and your done. The slack12 came with java runtime. I just log in as root start netzero logout then login as user.


I'm in the process of gradually updating this to make it more understandable so please bear with me.
good luck

Thank you immensely for the post. Everything worked fine in terms of the netzero program launching. The problem I encountered was during "Connecting" the following Connection Failure message appeared:

Your modem is not defined, please make sure the file /dev/modem exists

I was not sure where to locate my modem information, so I used what the kppp program user guide named, which was ttyS0. This is what the user guide explained:
[FONT="Arial"][FONT="Tahoma"]

Modem Device

Choose the device appropriate for your hardware.

/dev/ttys0

DOS or Windows® users will know this as COM1, while COM2 is /dev/ttys1 and so on. These devices are the ones normally used on Linux® systems.
/dev/cua0

The first serial line (COM1). COM2 is usually /dev/cua1 and so on. These devices are commonly used on BSD systems, namely FreeBSD, NetBSD and OpenBSD. Older Linux® systems may also have these, although on Linux® they were renamed some time ago to /dev/ttySx.
/dev/ttyI0

On Linux® these belong to internal ISDN cards. These devices emulate a common Hayes compatible modem. /dev/ttyI0 is for the first, /dev/ttyI1 is for the second ISDN card and so on. These devices are only available in the Linux® version.
/dev/modem

Many Linux® distributions make a symbolic link from the real modem device to /dev/modem. You should avoid using this one.. Use the real device that it is pointing to instead.

Where do I find out what modem I have on my computer?

step 4 up there is to have the next command in the /etc/rc.d/rc.local file

ln -s _____ _____

(sym links /dev/modem to your /dev/whatever

IOW, in that way, /dev/modem is created, it's a sym link to your real hardware device

if you don't create said link using the rc.local file to do so, then said sym link does not exist (as per your error)

wvdial at slackbuilds.org can find your modem, say its hardware /dev/____ name

minicom ??

hold off on wvdial and hope someone else chimes in here.

What kind of computer? internal or external modem? If winmodem then add on and use an external modem

Alan.

did kppp perhaps correctly detect your modem?

If so,

ln -s /dev/ttys0 /dev/modem

(I think)

is the line to add to your /etc/rc.d/rc.local

(gets /dev/modem created)

Alan.

Thanks. It worked perfectly.