Hi. First post here... I thought maybe this should go in the networking forum, but google shows more activity on softmodems in here... Anyway, down to business...

I've got a softmodem in a Sony Vaio PGC-FR415M laptop, Intel 537 chipset. I downloaded drivers from Intel and installed from source. KPPP didn't find the modem until I'd run minicom once, but anyway, that's now fine... All the diagnostics now work fine, query modem produces eminently sensible output...

Problem is when I try to dial. I get a "No dial tone" type meesage from both KPPP and minicom. I've listened in on a phone while trying to dial, and there seems to be no attempt to dial (no tones or even clicks). Same problem with both root and pleb accounts.

lsmod shows that the drivers are both loaded (in this case called 537 and 537_core). PPP front ends (KPPP / minicom) are both set to use /dev/modem which point to /dev/ham.

Now, is it possible that /dev/ham is a hangover from an earlier attempt to install lsmodem drivers? I think possibly not, since I can communicate with the modem with PPP front ends and in terminal windows. Attempts to change device to ttySx produced variable results from no response to crashing KPPP.

I also note that even with the volume turned on in KPPP, the modem ain't making any noise.

I can provide any kind of diagnostic output you guys need to help. I just have no idea where to go from here, - any and all suggestions *very* gratefully recieved. I've looked all over here and elsewhere for solutions, but no joy for this problem. I promise some effort was made to find a solution before posting here...

Cheers...

In minicom, try just typing 'ata'. You should hear a dialtone.

Cheers. I'll try that when I get back from work (9.00 pm GMT). It just aint right, - DHCP through eth0 takes 30 seconds, stone age modem takes weeks...

Shall we start a campaign against softmodems??

EDIT:

Just remebered... Isn't ATA the dial command? In that case, the dial script already sends:
ATA<phone number>
No dial tone at this point. Anyway, I'll try your suugestion in case ATA <no number> makes a difference.

Thanks a lot for now...

ata is the answer command. atd is the dial command. Example:
atdt[number]
('t' is for tone-dialing)

Quite right. Schoolboy error on my part. I'll certainly give that a go tonight. Unfortunately we're on a digital exchange here, so not much point trying yet I wouldn't have thought...

Thanks a lot for taking time to reply, - I'll let you know how it goes.

Cheers

Hi aaa,

Bit later than promised... Tried ATA (and also LOWERCASE ata). Both gave the new error "NO CARRIER" under minicom. Nothing audible through the speaker on the computer or through the handset (eavesdropping).

Can I conjecture that perhaps this might be some kind of interrupt / other witchcraft related thing?

The kernel is communicating with the modem, - it seems almost as if the "plumbing" is sick? Next guess, - have a look in /proc <scary>

Apologies for invocation of witchcraft, - just got in from the pub...

Thanks for taking the time to suggest it... Given a bit of a push, I'm sure this can be fixed.

Cheers,
James

Quick update - Farting about with it today, I checked dmesg. Which spat an oops code back at me arising from a modem related call. So I obviously have bigger problems than no dial tone. Will post more when I've done some hunting around based on the traceback...

How the hell the box didn't fall over is the first "interesting" question. Answers on a postcard...