Hi all, can someone please explain to a complete linux newbie how to install my silver speedtouch 330 modem on mandrake 10.0 I really am about to go insane here,Ive read every tutorial available,reformted no less that 16 times as I have no idea how to set a windows partition but i'l be damed if I can get it working. The last time was the furthest i ever got. I managed to update the kernal,got the microcode going but it is now missing a gci or something like that. PLEASE CAN SOMEONE EXPLAIN IN PLAIN ENGLISH HOW TO GET THIS WORKING. Before I seriously consider taking the sledge hammer to this dam computer.

Ok, I've gotten my silver (rev4) SpeedTouch330 working with Mandrake 9.2, 10.0 and 10.1, in a variety of different manners and levels of automation. So firstly: it can be done.
Secondly, it shouldn't require any reinstalls, and definately any windows partitions. Though you may want to use a newer release like 10.1 or even 10.2/Limited Edition 2005.
Thirdly have you established which revision your modem is?
Forthly please follow the line in my sig.
Fifthy could you state which methods you have tried to get the modem working? Speedtouchconf script?

I had to format to get windows on again to look for further advice. The last one I tried involved editing speedtouchconf script or something and as I dont have a clue how to edit that was out the window,There are several other methods which i cant remember of the top of my head but i also recall the straight forward method of adding a new connection and having the microcode on floppy didnt work either. I dont have a clue about the modem all I know is its a silver speedtouch 330 on wanadoo bband

I think half the problem is I dont understand even the basic commands of linux,so if you could explain to me in plain english what to do im sure I wouldnt have a problem

Ok, so assuming you've got a fresh Mandrake install:

You'll need to install PPP and PPPoATM support, and whatever they depend on. This is because you need to use PPPoA to make the connection. Can you use the Mandrake Control Centre to Install these packages?

You'll need to transfer something called firmware onto the modem every time it is reconnected to your pc. There are various methods to automating this, notably the speedtch kernel driver which is meant to detect when the modem's usb cable is connected and then run the modem_run transfer program. Also the firmware varies depending on modem version so you need to ensure you have the correct code for your modem. This should be on the cd provided. Do you have an mgmt.o file, or ZZZLP1.eni and ZZZLP2.eni?

Basically you want to: get the firmware file.
Have modem_run execute to load the firmware.
Set up your ppp connection settings
Start your ppp connection
Be able to stop your connection.

Right now I'm on a machine I've half configured as it's usually using a 56Kmodem, so I manually, run modem_run, then pppd call adsl, and kill the pppd connection process.