I am having poor experiences with my no-name 536EP-based software modem. The latest version of the driver, 4.62, from Intel, is able to establish a PPP connection but the connection stops responding after about fifteen seconds. One release previous, 4.60, is able to establish and maintain a PPP connection but one that is marked by periods of inactivity about thirty seconds apart. 4.60-1 seems to largely alleivate this problem, although it is not completely gone. I would like to know if anyone is having this problem, and, if so, what you've done about it. Or, if you know what I could do to fix this problem, I would appreciate a message.
The problem is most likely with the modem and not the PPP subsystem or something because this motherboard has an on-board PCTel modem that is well-supported. I am building a new PC for which this 536EP modem will be used and all the parts have not arrived in the mail yet. I wanted to test this modem's Linux compatiblity before I put together the new machine. I have, of course, disabled the software drivers for the PCTel modem, and removed the interface card, although many components of the modem are on-board and cannot be removed.
What follows is the lines in /var/log/messages while a PPP session was running.
[root@simba abarr]# tail -f /var/log/messages
Nov 29 13:27:04 simba pppd[3227]: No response to 4 echo-requests
Nov 29 13:27:04 simba pppd[3227]: Serial link appears to be disconnected.
Nov 29 13:27:10 simba pppd[3227]: Connection terminated.
Nov 29 13:27:10 simba pppd[3227]: Connect time 2.6 minutes.
Nov 29 13:27:10 simba pppd[3227]: Sent 12296 bytes, received 45861 bytes.
Nov 29 13:27:10 simba pppd[3227]: Exit.
Nov 29 13:27:10 simba /etc/hotplug/net.agent: NET unregister event not supported
Nov 29 13:27:37 simba kernel: NETDEV WATCHDOG: eth0: transmit timed out
Nov 29 13:27:37 simba kernel: eth0: Transmit timeout, status 00000204 00000040
Nov 29 13:27:38 simba kernel: eth0: Media Link On 100mbps full-duplex
Nov 29 13:28:59 simba kernel: PCI: Found IRQ 10 for device 00:0b.0
Nov 29 13:28:59 simba kernel: PCI: Sharing IRQ 10 with 00:01.3
Nov 29 13:28:59 simba kernel: PCI: Sharing IRQ 10 with 00:01.2
Nov 29 13:29:38 simba pppd[3383]: pppd 2.4.1 started by abarr, uid 501
Nov 29 13:29:38 simba pppd[3383]: Using interface ppp0
Nov 29 13:29:38 simba pppd[3383]: Connect: ppp0 <--> /dev/536ep
Nov 29 13:29:38 simba /etc/hotplug/net.agent: assuming ppp0 is already up
Nov 29 13:29:39 simba pppd[3383]: Remote message: ^@
Nov 29 13:29:39 simba pppd[3383]: Cannot determine ethernet address for proxy AR P
Nov 29 13:29:39 simba pppd[3383]: local IP address 67.72.179.18
Nov 29 13:29:39 simba pppd[3383]: remote IP address 63.215.29.235
Nov 29 13:29:39 simba pppd[3383]: primary DNS address 207.69.188.187
Nov 29 13:29:39 simba pppd[3383]: secondary DNS address 207.69.188.186
Nov 29 13:29:52 simba su(pam_unix)[3465]: session opened for user root by (uid=5 01)
Nov 29 13:31:08 simba pppd[3383]: Terminating on signal 15.
Nov 29 13:31:14 simba pppd[3383]: Connection terminated.
Nov 29 13:31:14 simba pppd[3383]: Connect time 1.5 minutes.
Nov 29 13:31:14 simba pppd[3383]: Sent 6693 bytes, received 33613 bytes.
Nov 29 13:31:14 simba pppd[3383]: Exit.
Nov 29 13:31:14 simba /etc/hotplug/net.agent: NET unregister event not supported
--------------------------------
[root@simba abarr]# lspci -vvv
00:00.0 Host bridge: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] 630 Host (rev 30)
Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B-
Status: Cap+ 66Mhz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort+ >SERR- <PERR-
Latency: 64
Region 0: Memory at f4000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=64M]
Capabilities: [c0] AGP version 2.0
Status: RQ=32 Iso- ArqSz=0 Cal=0 SBA+ ITACoh- GART64- HTrans- 64bit- FW- AGP3- Rate=x1,x2,x4
Command: RQ=1 ArqSz=0 Cal=0 SBA- AGP- GART64- 64bit- FW- Rate=<none>
00:00.1 IDE interface: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] 5513 [IDE] (rev d0) (prog-if 80 [Master])
Subsystem: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] SiS5513 EIDE Controller (A,B step)
Control: I/O+ Mem- BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B-
Status: Cap- 66Mhz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR-
Latency: 16
Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 0
Region 4: I/O ports at ffa0 [size=16]
00:01.0 ISA bridge: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] 85C503/5513
Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle+ MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B-
Status: Cap- 66Mhz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR-
Latency: 0
00:01.1 Ethernet controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] SiS900 10/100 Ethernet (rev 84)
Subsystem: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] SiS900 10/100 Ethernet Adapter
Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR+ FastB2B-
Status: Cap+ 66Mhz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR-
Latency: 64 (13000ns min, 2750ns max)
Interrupt: pin C routed to IRQ 11
Region 0: I/O ports at de00 [size=256]
Region 1: Memory at f3ffd000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
Expansion ROM at f3fc0000 [disabled] [size=128K]
Capabilities: [40] Power Management version 2
Flags: PMEClk- DSI- D1+ D2+ AuxCurrent=160mA PME(D0+,D1+,D2+,D3hot+,D3cold+)
Status: D0 PME-Enable- DSel=0 DScale=0 PME-
00:01.2 USB Controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] USB 1.0 Controller (rev 07) (prog-if 10 [OHCI])
Subsystem: Unknown device 0039:7001
Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV+ VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR+ FastB2B-
Status: Cap- 66Mhz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR-
Latency: 64 (20000ns max), cache line size 08
Interrupt: pin D routed to IRQ 10
Region 0: Memory at f3ffe000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
00:01.3 USB Controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] USB 1.0 Controller (rev 07) (prog-if 10 [OHCI])
Subsystem: Unknown device 0039:7000
Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV+ VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR+ FastB2B-
Status: Cap- 66Mhz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR-
Latency: 64 (20000ns max), cache line size 08
Interrupt: pin D routed to IRQ 10
Region 0: Memory at f3fff000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
00:02.0 PCI bridge: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] SiS 530 Virtual PCI-to-PCI bridge (AGP) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])
Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B-
Status: Cap- 66Mhz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR-
Latency: 0
Bus: primary=00, secondary=01, subordinate=01, sec-latency=0
I/O behind bridge: 0000c000-0000cfff
Memory behind bridge: ef600000-ef6fffff
Prefetchable memory behind bridge: df400000-ef4fffff
BridgeCtl: Parity- SERR- NoISA- VGA+ MAbort- >Reset- FastB2B-
00:09.0 Multimedia video controller: Brooktree Corporation Bt878 Video Capture (rev 02)
Subsystem: ATI Technologies Inc: Unknown device 0001
Control: I/O- Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR+ FastB2B-
Status: Cap- 66Mhz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR-
Latency: 64 (4000ns min, 10000ns max)
Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 9
Region 0: Memory at ef5fe000 (32-bit, prefetchable) [size=4K]
00:09.1 Multimedia controller: Brooktree Corporation Bt878 Audio Capture (rev 02)
Subsystem: ATI Technologies Inc TV-Wonder
Control: I/O- Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR+ FastB2B-
Status: Cap- 66Mhz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR-
Latency: 64 (1000ns min, 63750ns max)
Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 9
Region 0: Memory at ef5ff000 (32-bit, prefetchable) [size=4K]
00:0b.0 Communication controller: Intel Corp. 536EP Data Fax Modem
Subsystem: Intel Corp.: Unknown device 1000
Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV+ VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR+ FastB2B-
Status: Cap+ 66Mhz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR-
Latency: 64, cache line size 08
Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 10
Region 0: Memory at f3800000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4M]
Capabilities: [e0] Power Management version 2
Flags: PMEClk- DSI- D1- D2+ AuxCurrent=375mA PME(D0-,D1-,D2+,D3hot+,D3cold+)
Status: D0 PME-Enable- DSel=0 DScale=0 PME-
00:0d.0 Network controller: Linksys: Unknown device 8201 (rev 11)
Subsystem: Accton Technology Corporation: Unknown device 3201
Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR+ FastB2B-
Status: Cap+ 66Mhz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR-
Latency: 64 (16000ns min, 32000ns max), cache line size 08
Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 11
Region 0: I/O ports at dc00 [size=256]
Region 1: Memory at f3ffcc00 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=1K]
Expansion ROM at f3fa0000 [disabled] [size=128K]
Capabilities: [c0] Power Management version 2
Flags: PMEClk- DSI- D1+ D2+ AuxCurrent=0mA PME(D0+,D1+,D2+,D3hot+,D3cold-)
Status: D0 PME-Enable- DSel=0 DScale=0 PME-
00:0f.0 Multimedia audio controller: C-Media Electronics Inc CM8738 (rev 10)
Subsystem: C-Media Electronics Inc CMI8738/C3DX PCI Audio Device
Control: I/O+ Mem- BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR+ FastB2B-
Status: Cap- 66Mhz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR-
Latency: 64 (500ns min, 6000ns max)
Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 5
Region 0: I/O ports at da00 [size=256]
00:0f.1 Communication controller: C-Media Electronics Inc CM8738 (rev 20)
Subsystem: C-Media Electronics Inc CM8738
Control: I/O+ Mem- BusMaster- SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B-
Status: Cap+ 66Mhz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR-
Interrupt: pin B routed to IRQ 11
Region 0: I/O ports at d880 [size=64]
Capabilities: [40] Power Management version 2
Flags: PMEClk- DSI- D1- D2+ AuxCurrent=55mA PME(D0+,D1-,D2+,D3hot+,D3cold+)
Status: D0 PME-Enable- DSel=0 DScale=0 PME-
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] SiS630 GUI Accelerator+3D (rev 21) (prog-if 00 [VGA])
Subsystem: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] SiS630 GUI Accelerator+3D
Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster- SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B-
Status: Cap+ 66Mhz+ UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR-
BIST result: 00
Region 0: Memory at e0000000 (32-bit, prefetchable) [size=128M]
Region 1: Memory at ef6e0000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=128K]
Region 2: I/O ports at cc80 [size=128]
Capabilities: [40] Power Management version 1
Flags: PMEClk- DSI- D1+ D2+ AuxCurrent=0mA PME(D0-,D1-,D2-,D3hot-,D3cold-)
Status: D0 PME-Enable- DSel=0 DScale=0 PME-
Capabilities: [50] AGP version 2.0
Status: RQ=16 Iso- ArqSz=0 Cal=0 SBA+ ITACoh- GART64- HTrans- 64bit- FW- AGP3- Rate=x1,x2,x4
Command: RQ=1 ArqSz=0 Cal=0 SBA- AGP- GART64- 64bit- FW- Rate=<none>
