LinuxQuestions.org
Latest LQ Deal: Latest LQ Deals
Go Back   LinuxQuestions.org > Forums > Linux Forums > Linux - Distributions > Mandriva
User Name
Password
Mandriva This Forum is for the discussion of Mandriva (Mandrake) Linux.

Notices


Reply
  Search this Thread
Old 09-11-2003, 03:30 PM   #1
katjawoo
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: Sep 2003
Location: Minnesota
Distribution: Mandrake 9.1
Posts: 6

Rep: Reputation: 0
modem help with mandrake 9.1


I installed Mandrake 9.1 this weekend and I still can't figure out how to get my modem to play nice with it.

I get a "Modem Ready" message and then feared "The modem does not respond" when I try to test the connection using the mandrake config utility (drakconnect, I think?) and kppp.

I have a USR external fax modem...not a winmodem unless I'm completely misunderstanding the concept of what a winmodem is.

In an effort to try to figure this problem out, I looked through a Modem HOWTO and a PPP HOWTO and one of them suggests I test the connection with Kermit or minicom. However I don't think I have either of those installed and I, being a linux newbie, don't know how to go about getting these installed. Am I over-complicating this yet?

I tried to go into the BIOS and disable the PnP settings, but I'm not sure I did that correctly.

Thanks in advance,

Katie

Does it look like I'm on the right track here?
 
Old 09-11-2003, 06:14 PM   #2
katjawoo
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: Sep 2003
Location: Minnesota
Distribution: Mandrake 9.1
Posts: 6

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 0
Additional info:

When the modem is simply powered on, there is one light lit. When KPPP is attempting to establish a connection, two lights are lit.
 
Old 09-11-2003, 07:04 PM   #3
TSloth
Member
 
Registered: Oct 2002
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 97

Rep: Reputation: 15
I got my external US Robotics Faxmodem to work kinda by trial and error. Things to try:

Check your BIOS to see if the serial port(s) are enabled. Or, if you were using the modem on that port in Windows, then you know it's enabled.

Try the Mandrake device configuration wizard, either from the Mandrake Control Center (on your taskbar) or you can run it from a command console where you have su'd to root (the command is "drakconnect --wizard" i think). If the modem is plugged in to the first serial port (com1) on your PC and turned on, it should be detected on ttyS0. The second serial port (com2) is ttyS1.

Try running the Kppp dialer either from the K menu (K -> Networking -> Remote Access -> KPPP) or from a terminal (just type kppp and press return.) In Kppp, click the Setup... button.

The Accounts tab is where you set it up to dial the ISP.

The Device tab is where you tell it where your modem is connected, e.g. /dev/ttyS0 or /dev/modem (which on my system is a link to ttyS0), flow control (probably "hardware").

The Modem tab is where you can specify special commands to be sent to the modem, where you can query the modem, and where you can start a mini-terminal to send commands to the modem. Try the Query button. kppp should get back lots of info from the modem, which it will display for you. The modem lights should blink as it begins this. If not, either your modem is not set up right or you're not talking to the right serial port.

You might also try the Terminal button to talk to the modem. It will send whatever you type to the device you have set up in the Device tab. The first command to try is "at" (or AT (case doesn't matter)) followed by the enter key. The modem should respond "OK". If that doesn't work, you're not talking to the modem. If it does work, then you are talking to the modem, so try "ATDT" immediately followed by your phone number. You should hear your modem dial the phone number, which will will be busy (because your modem is using the line!).
If you got the "OK" but didn't hear the modem dial, then the volume is not set right... try sending it "atm1l3" to set the volume up.

If you've used this modem under Windows, then the DIP switches (on the back of the modem, where the cables plug in) are probably OK. I've seen various recommendations for these. I have 3, 5, and 8 down.

Let us know if this helps, or if you solve the problem another way.

- TSloth
 
Old 09-12-2003, 03:30 PM   #4
rrsc16954
Member
 
Registered: Sep 2003
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
Distribution: Kubuntu 12/4
Posts: 214

Rep: Reputation: 30
If you think it may be a driver problem try

http://www.linuxant.com/

who supply linux drivers for conexant modem chips. I looked and there are several USR modem models listed.
 
Old 09-12-2003, 08:19 PM   #5
burroughs
Member
 
Registered: Sep 2003
Location: SW Fl
Distribution: SuSE 8.2 and Vector 5.0
Posts: 52

Rep: Reputation: 15
This is good reading. I am still in the trial and error stage. All trial this far end in error. Maybe one day I will grasp the concepts of Linux. I gave up on winmodems and installed a USR Sporterster 56k external today. Didn"t find "Drakeconnect", or the modem anywhere. Right now am trying a re-install with everything hooked up and turned on. I have drivers on an .inf file but have no idea how to use it! Guess I need to change my handle to "Dummy".
 
Old 09-12-2003, 09:21 PM   #6
TSloth
Member
 
Registered: Oct 2002
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 97

Rep: Reputation: 15
All (?) of the Mandrake configuration stuff is available through the Mandrake Control Center (MCC) which you can start with an icon on the task bar that looks like a red wrench in a circle in front of a computer monitor. The first thing it will do is ask you for the root password (unless you are already root).

If you're at a terminal window (such as Konsole, the icon that looks like a yellow shell in front of a computer monitor), then you can get to all of the individual Mandrake configuration tools by typing in a command at the prompt. (The prompt is something like "you@localhost home $ "). Most of the Mandrake configuration tools have either the word "drak" in them (no "e") or "drake" )with an "e"). Some are available as a regular user (but they make you type in the root password before they do anything) and some are available only as root (superuser), so you might as well become superuser before you start them. To do so, type "su" at the command prompt, type in the root password when asked, and then you're root (or superuser). The command prompt will then have a # in place of the $ as a hint that you gotta be careful now because you can do lots of dangerous things.

Two of the interesting commands you can type in are "drakconnect" (no "e") and "diskdrake" (to partition your hard drive). But as I said, you can just select the appropriate action from inside the Mandrake Control Center if you don't want to deal with the command console and don't want to type in Linux commands.

- TSloth
 
Old 09-12-2003, 11:57 PM   #7
burroughs
Member
 
Registered: Sep 2003
Location: SW Fl
Distribution: SuSE 8.2 and Vector 5.0
Posts: 52

Rep: Reputation: 15
Thanks for the info. I found all that since last post and reading your post. ran drakconnect. modem was there on ttys0. I got one dial under test but isp hung up without connection. Since then modem does not respond(no dialtone or dialing sound).
reset modem and rebooted. ran drakconnect again. still no action from modem. Gotta get some sleep. Maybe be better tomorrow night. Dave
 
Old 09-13-2003, 12:11 AM   #8
TSloth
Member
 
Registered: Oct 2002
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 97

Rep: Reputation: 15
That's interesting, burroughs, because I've had the same experience. I've tried 3 external US Robotics moems -- a 28.8, a 33.6, and a 56K. All worked under Windoze. The 28.8 and the 33.6 worked once each under Linux, but now only dial, attempt to connect, and drop. The 56K still connects OK. I wonder if something fried my 2 slower modems?

Let me know if you discover something.

Thanks...
- TSloth
 
Old 09-13-2003, 07:48 PM   #9
burroughs
Member
 
Registered: Sep 2003
Location: SW Fl
Distribution: SuSE 8.2 and Vector 5.0
Posts: 52

Rep: Reputation: 15
OK Gurus.... Where in 9.1 do you find hardware info on an external modem. Like the init strings, etc. I found it on 8.1 but not on 9.1 Thanks Dave

update: I did read your post TSloth and will try again to find it.
As for modems being fried, I doubt it. Just for proof that mine was good, I changed Hard Drives and put in W98SE. It detected and configured the Sportster. As a matter of fact I am making this post from that machine and It works great. It is faster than the winmodem in my 750 Druon machine.

So now I know for sure that I have to get more knowledge on Configuring Linux to make the modem work there.

lost in LinuxLand---Dave

Last edited by burroughs; 09-13-2003 at 10:06 PM.
 
Old 09-15-2003, 03:06 PM   #10
katjawoo
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: Sep 2003
Location: Minnesota
Distribution: Mandrake 9.1
Posts: 6

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 0
Hey, thanks for the responses! I'm going to print out this thread and take it home and see what happens...

Katie
 
Old 09-15-2003, 03:12 PM   #11
burroughs
Member
 
Registered: Sep 2003
Location: SW Fl
Distribution: SuSE 8.2 and Vector 5.0
Posts: 52

Rep: Reputation: 15
Quoting the post#3 on this thread by TSloth.

"Try running the Kppp dialer either from the K menu (K -> Networking -> Remote Access -> KPPP) or from a terminal (just type kppp and press return.) In Kppp, click the Setup... button."

I do not have KPPP listed under Remote Access. Maybe that is why it doesn't work!!!

Dave
 
Old 09-15-2003, 04:08 PM   #12
jimbean
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: Sep 2003
Distribution: Linux 9.1
Posts: 3

Rep: Reputation: 0
I went into the program installer and installed wdial before I could use kppp and then I could only use kppp in root so I made a link (shortcut) to it and changed the ownership to myself instead of root.

My kppp could not see my pcmcia modem until I hot unpluged and repluged it in.

I am messing with console but I don't know how to move around in the directory like in windows. In windows I use cd for change directory.

Jim
 
Old 09-15-2003, 06:49 PM   #13
katjawoo
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: Sep 2003
Location: Minnesota
Distribution: Mandrake 9.1
Posts: 6

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 0
Hey! I made it online. It was a mixup with the IRQ designations in the BIOS.

For whatever reason, it was putting both my ports on the same IRQ number (IRQ4). But because they were listed with different COM numbers (COM1 and COM4) I didn't think that would be a problem. It worked under Windows that way. So as I was rebooting today, I noticed out of the corner of my eye in all the stuff that was scrolling by as the machine booted up, and it noted the two serial ports, with COM and IRQ numbers...and the IRQ numbers were different! So on a hunch, I went back into the BIOS and set it to the IRQ number that I saw flash by, and lo and behold, that's all I needed to do. I was able to dial right in after that.

I tried going back and finding the lines with the IRQ numbers in the boot up scroll, and it scrolled by so fast that I wasn't able to double check. I figured if it was wrong, I'd just try the rest of the IRQ numbers, but I didn't need to.

burroughs, it sounds like you might need to run install again to "upgrade" your programs so that you get kppp. I'm not sure what you'd pick. I'm running KDE and my remote access menu contains the following items:

KPPP
KPPP - Log viewer
LinNeighborhood
Remote Desktop Connection
Telnet
Telnet, SSH, and Rlogin
TightVNC
Virtual Network Connection

Nevermind that telnet doesn't work. But now I can get connected at least, so I can dig up more info without having to find a net connected computer somewhere else. *phew*

Thanks to all who replied!

Katie
 
Old 09-15-2003, 07:04 PM   #14
burroughs
Member
 
Registered: Sep 2003
Location: SW Fl
Distribution: SuSE 8.2 and Vector 5.0
Posts: 52

Rep: Reputation: 15
Thanks Katie,
I think that just for grins I will change Hard Drive and do a new install with 8.1 and see if that works before I mess with 9.1 again.
I still haven't gotten anywhere with 9.1. After I see what happens with 8.1 I might try 9.1 again later. I am on that machine still with W98SE and all is well so hardware must be good but I will also check IRQ's and Addresses of Serial Ports to make sure there is no conflict there. You were correct, comm1 and comm3 have the same IRQ, comm2 and comm4 have the same IRQ normally but odd-even combo with same IRQ is not normal.
Good Luck, Dave
 
Old 09-15-2003, 08:20 PM   #15
burroughs
Member
 
Registered: Sep 2003
Location: SW Fl
Distribution: SuSE 8.2 and Vector 5.0
Posts: 52

Rep: Reputation: 15
Thumbs up

Hey!!!

Sucess!!!

I did a fresh install of Mandrake 8.1 and everything (including modem) works except I may have a printer problem. I got a message during boot that said something on the order of

"strange, I can't seem to probe parallel port"

I will work on that later, at least I am finally online with Linux. Only took a YEAR!!!

Dave
 
  


Reply


Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off



Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Mandrake 10 modem deftone Linux - Newbie 0 06-03-2004 06:35 PM
Mandrake 10 Modem bgfay Mandriva 4 04-25-2004 12:14 PM
Mandrake 10.0 and modem mimsmall Mandriva 8 03-19-2004 10:34 AM
Mandrake 9.1 And modem BigBrittDOGG Linux - Hardware 9 07-22-2003 11:15 PM
modem for mandrake 9.0 bill.ramsay Linux - Hardware 2 06-19-2003 09:19 AM

LinuxQuestions.org > Forums > Linux Forums > Linux - Distributions > Mandriva

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 01:09 PM.

Main Menu
Advertisement
My LQ
Write for LQ
LinuxQuestions.org is looking for people interested in writing Editorials, Articles, Reviews, and more. If you'd like to contribute content, let us know.
Main Menu
Syndicate
RSS1  Latest Threads
RSS1  LQ News
Twitter: @linuxquestions
Open Source Consulting | Domain Registration