Modem Problems USB External

Jason I. Alexander · 09-17-2006, 08:00 AM

I've just installed Ubuntu and I have no idea how to get my modem working. It's an external U.S. Robotics USB 56k modem. lusb listed it in the output but the OS itself is not getting to it. I have no idea where to find drivers.

I would greatly appreciate some help!

Thank you.

macemoneta · 09-17-2006, 10:51 AM

No drivers are usually needed for real modems. Check your /var/log/messages or dmesg when you plug the modem in, and you should see it assign a tty to it (for example, /dev/ttyS0). That is the device you need to specify in your software. If a tty is not assigned, you'll see an error message that should explain the problem.

Jason I. Alexander · 09-17-2006, 05:52 PM

I plugged in the Modem and I got this:

Unbutu kernel: [4296067.227000] usb 3-2: new full speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 5.

It does not assign the modem to anything specific, as far as I see. So if you can dissect this and gimme some feedback I'll be happy, thanx.

Please let me know what I'm missing here.

macemoneta · 09-17-2006, 07:56 PM

That message doesn't indicate anything. If there's no other message, then you may have an external Winmodem. If that's the case, you will be better off purchasing a real modem. Winmodems have part of their function implemented in software, and consume resources from your computer to function. If your box indicates that Windows and/or Mac is required and has minimum CPU requirements, you have a Winmodem.

PlancksCnst · 09-17-2006, 08:24 PM

I am having a similar problem of a device that should act as an external modem, but it doesn't get assigned a /dev/tty* device when I plug it in. I'll post here if I come across a solution. Do you happen to be using Ubuntu 6.06?

Jason I. Alexander · 09-17-2006, 09:34 PM

I'm Ubuntu 5.10.

Jason I. Alexander · 09-17-2006, 09:35 PM

I'm using Ubuntu 5.10.

Jason I. Alexander · 09-17-2006, 09:39 PM

On Windows however I've never installed the software for the modem, just the driver.

macemoneta · 09-18-2006, 12:08 AM

Real modems don't need a driver; Windows, Mac and Linux all know how to interact with serial devices. If you needed a driver, you have a Winmodem.

Jason I. Alexander · 09-18-2006, 05:40 AM

`So is it totally out of the question? the modem working under linux.

PlancksCnst · 09-18-2006, 07:03 AM

I very much doubt it is a winmodem because it's an external modem. See this thread. If it is a winmodem, however, see http://linmodems.org/ .