9.1 PPC autodetects modem connection but modem doesn't respond
 

I used the 9.1 PPC KDE Mandrake Control Center Harddrake program to autodetect my modem device. Harddrake autodetects all of my devices except for the modem. Harddrake also detects the following unknown devices:
MPC 106(Grackle), USB open host controller, Cinemaster C 3.0 DVD decoder, Paddington Mac I/O controller, PCI 1251 high performance PC card controller. Could any of these unkown devices be a modem?

After the Harddrake program failed to detect my modem, I used the Mandrake Control Center network and internet configure program to configure the dial-up connection. I used the dial-up Wizard and it detected a "normal modem connection" on port ttySO, but when the Wizard actually tried to connect I got a message that the modem does not respond.

I also used the Gnome remote access dial-up program and it actually indicates a connection was made, but within a few seconds I get a message that the pppdaemon has failed. I also used the KPP remote access program and the connection also failed.

How can I get Mandrake to detect and configure my modem?

You might have to compile your modem driver. I currently am having the same trouble.

Go to your modem manufacturer's website and download a driver that is compatable with Linux. Choose the correct operating sytem.

If you have a 'winmodem' you may not be able to ever connect to the internet. A 'winmodem' is a modem that is essentially 'missing' hardware, that Micro$oft makes up for with software. Thus a 'winmodem' might only work with Windows......(sigh).

There are ways to see if your modem is a winmodem. What is the manufacturer? If you have a U.S. Robotics modem, you might be screwed.

There is a site called http://www.linmodems.org/ which will scan you computer to see what the chipset is. If your lucky, you will have a real 'hardware-based' modem, in which is almost garunteed to be compatable with linux.

You may or may not be able to find a driver, but if you do, then you will need to 'compile' the driver before linux can access it using the 'make install' command. But first you will need to have the kernel source headers installed for the kernel you are using.

Please feel free to ask more questions if you need to. Linux is very command-line based when it comes to installing-configuring, so don't feel like it will be a peice-of-cake, because it can be very difficult, as I have found out the hard way :-)

Good luck.

BTW, I have had to purchase a real hardware-based modem. Intel536ep is a good modem, I bought it on e-bay for only $10! And intel is not a generic name...they make good quality products. I am currently trying to install my modem driver for Mandrake after switching over from Red Hat. There is not that much difference, but I wanted to try something new. And now I have to install my kernel source headers before I can compile the modem driver.