need modem help
 

Conexant HCF modems, if I understand correctly, will not provide a 56K connection in Linux. I think this explains why my modem would not work before I (think I) had to install Windows to dial out and post this question...I read the dmesg file and do not think the kernel was detecting my modem. I tried several ppp scripts with different ttys just in case but none worked. If Conexant HCF modems will provide a 56K modem in Linux (2.4 kernel), can somebody point me to a webpage with info about it. Most of the documentation I read said Conexant HSF modems work but HCF modems won't. The only documentation with an alternative was linuxant.com in 'drivers,' which offered an HCF program to download a driver that can (after getting a license) provide a 56K connection. I can ultimately try this option if thet program can be written to floppy. I would rather consult the help on this site first. So again, if Conexant HCF modems will provide a 56k modem in Linux (2.4 kernel), can somebody point me to a webpage with info about it.

Otherwise, is there a way, if I make mine a dual-boot computer (Windows and Linux), to dial out in Linux? I don't think it makes sense, but maybe there is a way using VMWare type products, or something I just don't know.

I don't have other computers to connect to. I can write to floppy, but don't have anything bigger to write to like a CDRW or Zip drive. Hopefully a new internal modem can be avoided, since this computer is an IBM NetVista 2179750, it has a wacky case and installing another internal modem may take awhile and if I must I would rather spend learning something cool.

If there are external modems with USB supported by Linux I can also go that route, so if that's my best bet any info would help.

I went on linmodems.org before and had read alot of the info. The site says Conexant HCFs do not work but Conexant HSFs can work; Interestingly, it also had a link to a developer site that charges $15 for a Conexant HCF 56K driver.

BTW, I have an external Verizon DSL modem lying around, as far as I know there's no way that can solve my problem either.

time vs. money
 

It sounds as if you should definitely get a dual boot machine set up because as well as your modem problem in Linux, you will have to get security on it as well, and it takes quite a while to master that.

So partitioning out your drive to allow Windows on it, and using in to connect to the internet for the short term is a good option.

Also deliberately making a separate VFAT partition where both Linux and Windows can write to means that anything you download can be shared between the two filesystems.

The linmodems.org and the scanModem program are highly recommended - you are dealing with authorities on the subject - you could simply email them, although it smells as if the Cxnt HCF is really troublesome.

At some point getting these modem to work in Linux is so time consuming (don't forget, documentation for them can be quite bad) that somebody at some point has to charge for them.