As of today I have begun using a Conexant HCF 56k dial up modem with my Mandriva 2008.0 OS, and whilst it connects it will not do so for very long before hanging up on kppp (a minute or two), further it seems to plateau at around a speed of 1.5kbs which is pretty darn infuriating.

I am yet to try the modem in Windows as I don't have (know of!) its driver, but am assuming the problems I am having are related to the module supplied with Mandriva 2008.0, of which I don't know, but am guessing to be hcfserial. But on this I could be wrong.

The chipset is unknown to me at this point too, the only thing I can provide other than this debug info saved to a file, but will have to get back into Mandriva first.

I hope the limited info is not too sparse, I have unfortunately not had long too look this stuff up, but will give all I can once I have found it. If anyone can help me before this...

NirvanaII

Some extra info:

lspci
...
02:09.0 Communication controller: Conexant HCF 56k Data/Fax Modem (rev 08)

lspci -n
...
02:09.0 0780: 14f1:1033 (rev 08)


As per the saved file:

Dec 21 02:39:07 localhost pppd[7063]: pppd 2.4.4 started by stuart, uid 500
Dec 21 02:39:07 localhost pppd[7063]: Using interface ppp0
Dec 21 02:39:07 localhost pppd[7063]: Connect: ppp0 <--> /dev/ttySHCF0
Dec 21 02:39:07 localhost pppd[7063]: CHAP authentication succeeded
Dec 21 02:39:07 localhost pppd[7063]: CHAP authentication succeeded
Dec 21 02:39:08 localhost pppd[7063]: local IP address 62.69.37.36
Dec 21 02:39:08 localhost pppd[7063]: remote IP address 89.145.254.75
Dec 21 02:39:08 localhost pppd[7063]: primary DNS address 84.45.23.5
Dec 21 02:39:08 localhost pppd[7063]: secondary DNS address 84.45.23.6
Dec 21 02:40:35 localhost pppd[7063]: Hangup (SIGHUP)
Dec 21 02:40:35 localhost pppd[7063]: Modem hangup
Dec 21 02:40:35 localhost pppd[7063]: Connect time 1.5 minutes.
Dec 21 02:40:35 localhost pppd[7063]: Sent 6407 bytes, received 109701 bytes.
Dec 21 02:40:35 localhost pppd[7063]: Connection terminated.
Dec 21 02:40:35 localhost pppd[7063]: Exit.

not sure but you do know conexiant and linuxiant are together in the money making bussines so if you bought the winmodem yes a windows modem. we call them linumodem they are not a stand free modem it is emulated by a program and module. in linux we call this a module and users space. if you bought it new you will have to get the key that came with it so you can use there driver at full speed. this is the main reason I will not use a conexiant modem I by all agre chip sets here is the link you need.
by the way there is some old beta driveras running around. that you build.
http://www.linuxant.com/drivers/hsf/...-installer.php and why we hate them because they stole it from us and should be sued.
http://www.linuxant.com/drivers/index.php#news you will see that you have to pay for it. and if you are using free mandriva then it will only run at 1400 kbs. till you buy the key.
this is a huge blow to the gnu. and people shun this in the free soft ware and I do not mean free as in money read the gnu and you will find out about free software.

This is very damn annoying! So is what I have as good as it gets without paying? Would I be right to think the beta drivers will a) require expertise I don't have to build and b)be unreliable.

I guess the available compiled version with Mandriva is missing the proprietory code made available to me with the key (cash), and that were Lixuant used to create a workaround souce to get faster speeds, this has been a long time been unavailable (too dated)to be any use?

Would I be wasting even more time in attempting to get this modem running?

I have a couple of Ambient dial ups (undetected by kppp) as well the Motorola you know about, would I fare better with these? I have spent an eternity already on the Motorola modem.

(not that there's anything wrong with the Conexant one, i'm using it fine now... in Windows!)

Buy an external modem that hooks up to a serial port. Sure you can select a USB modem, but you will run into the same problem. A USB to serial adapter should work in Linux with out any problems.

buy a lucent it was bought by us robotics that got bought out by agre and the martian modem driver is kept up date for them I keep one built for my system in case hi speed goes down a just built a module for the new 2.6.27. and mandriva keeps that driver up to date on all systems as a down load. the usb or serial plug in type are the best. I played with and built and tested those beta drivers and it was no fun. the beta drivers are all about 7 years old take alot to get them going with the knew kernels.
last but not least go to your favorite computer recyclers he will have modems for 5 bucks but like my guy he may have a key that comes with them in a oem box. pissed me off I bought one new had it for a few years then put linux on it and now they want more money to use bull poop.

You apparently have the worst modems in your arsenal. I paid $69.00 Cnd. for my latest acquisition (a seemingly "hard hit"), a USRobotics USB modem model 5637. I have tons of pci modems and was stuck with the ltmodem and Intel 537EP for the longest time, the ltmodem for 64 bit Linux, the Intel for Windows as it had better speed. The ltmodem was a turtle with an average of 3.0kbps, the Intel usually around 4.0 to 4.4kbps.
But when I saw this USB jobby at Staples saying it will work with all major OS's including Mac, I just had to have it as I never spent any time with Mac as I could not install any pci modems with it. This USRobotics is a snap to get going in every damn OS on my multi-boot, and 4.0 to 4.4kbps in every one of them.
I have the Conexant HFS in my laptop, never used it on-line at this particular location because of the obvious, now I can get decent speed with it also when the desktop is busy.

If I could get more than 500MB total transfers from Satellite providers (the current maximum in this area for an arm & a leg per month), I would ditch this dial-up dependency.

I don't have serial ports in either unit...which is the current trend, the Universal Serial Bus is taking over.

A fair few interesting suggestions there - thankyou all.

I ran scanmodem a little while before coming back here and it would seem there is not even support for the Ambient modems; Conexant I now know about, and the Motorola I've really no clue.

It had occured to me that the key might be stickered on the modem, and so I checked this; there is a 20 digit alpha-numeric code, is this a likely candidate? If it is what must I do/download that doesn't commit me to buying a new key, and allow me to enter this one I have?

Drakeo, this would be pretty failsafe you think?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/AGERE-LUCENT-M...1%7C240%3A1318

But the consesus seems to be get an external serial/USB (if Lucent/ USRobotics/Agre). Really I'm willing to buy another, secondhand one if under £10.00.

Junior Hacker,

When you say "ltmodem" do mean a Lucent Lt or is "Lt" a suffix used to signify something characteristic to any modem type in general?

Anyone,

I have found a packaged Mandriva 2007.0 full-driver version of hcfpcimodem for download here:

http://fr2.rpmfind.net//linux/RPM/ma...07.0.i586.html

I imagine if were to try and install this in 2008.0. the tree structure could perhaps be similar enough not to fail to me, but when the time came to create/install a driver designed for an earlier kernel, all might go awry... "But!" I wonder; could I somehow extrapolate a full 2007.0 working driver another way? Find it uploaded online somewhere to try perhaps?

This guy got a 2007.0 Conexant driver working in his 2008.0 laptop:

http://fixunix.com/mandriva/547187-m...oft-modem.html

It's a worth a shot before buying a new modem or foolishness?

the Motorola uses the conexiant chip.

You've lost me, sorry...

We're talking about my Motorola modem, right?

""Predictive diagnostics for card in bus 02:0a.0:
Modem chipset detected on
NAME="Communication controller: Motorola Wildcard X100P"
CLASS=0780
PCIDEV=1057:5608
SUBSYS=1057:0000
IRQ=23
IDENT=Motorola

For candidate modem in: 02:0a.0
0780 Communication controller: Motorola Wildcard X100P
Primary device ID: 1057:5608
Support type needed or chipset: Motorola""

???

But the ebay link is as you prescribe?

Like I said in my previous post. Buy an external modem that hooks up to a serial port or RS-232. Sure it will cost you more than £10.00, but it will work as expected.

The following is what I recommend you get.

U.S. Robotics 56Kbps V.92 External Fax modem (USR5686E)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16825104135

A fancier 56 Kbps v.92 External modem is the following.

U.S. Robotics 56Kbps V.92 Business Modem (USR3453C)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16825104004

The list of modems are just examples. I like one of the review stating these types of modems works with out any problems in Linux. Sure you can spend money to get the full support for your present own modem, but the hardware will still cost you more money to use it. I do not believe in manufactures forcing their customers to pay for support. Free support should already come after registering it.

Just bought this:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/3Com-56k-Exter...1%7C240%3A1318

Quite cheap too. I only hope it works!