Dial Up ISP
 

I know this probably doesn't belong here, but I figured that I could get an answer. I am trying to find a dial up ISP. I have never dialed up using linux.

Could someone tell me exactly how to dial up using slack-current, and/or recommend an ISP that supports linux?

all dial-up ISPs use the ppp protocol, so all of them should work fine. The real problem is to set up the modem and dialer. If you have a internal winmodem, you will have to go to www.linmodems.org to set it up. I have done it with a Lucent LT. The dialer is your choice, but I could not get any of them but the intellegent wvdial to work.

Has anyone ever dialed up using Earthlink & Slackware?
How?

I have not, but it should not matter. All ISPs use the same protocol, and Linux supports that, so you should be able to connect to whatever ISP you want to use. First things first, you need to be able to use your modem.

I do not have an onboard modem, and it would have to be a PCI device - which shouldn't be expensive, or hard to come by. Can anyone recommend a manufacturer? The HCL didn't exactly make it apparant.

External serial modems are better, but if you absolutely have to use an internal modem, I have used the Lucent LT linmodem which has pretty good support for a linmodem, but a real modem would be better. Of course, Linux compatibility is the most important. A compatible linmodem would always be a better choice than a incompatible full modem. Really, the HCL is all that matters.

Is it best to have a modem that is supported by the kernel? Or is it better to find one with a separate driver?

well, having one supported by the kernel would probably be easier, but as long as it works, it does not really matter IMO.

yea goto linmodems.org read through their site also try linuxant.com if your modem has a conexant chipset but beware there driver isnt free. I ended up getting and external modem from pricewatch for 15 bucks

*ANY* external modem is compatible with Linux, without the need for any drivers or kernel modules. This is because they connect through the serial port (which Linux can talk to).

The configuration of the modem is done purely through the AT command set.

Now the earlier posts about all ISP's using the same protocol is true, however there is another piece that is missing, and that is the authentication protocol used: namely pap or chap.

Nearly all ISP's use pap or chap and it will cause your configuration to be a little different, but really not much. I would hands down buy an external modem and then shop around for an ISP. Ask them specifically if they use pap or chap for authentication. You'll find that some will know the answer and others won't. That in an of itself will help you weed out the morons.

You will not be able to use an ISP that requires you to use their dialer (like AOL or netzero, although netzero does have a linux version dialer now).

Configuration is actually straightforward, and fairly easy using CLI. Check out the PPP-HOWTO at http://www.linux.org/docs/ldp/howto/...WTO/index.html

Look for one of these cards on the net, or you favorite auction site. It is a PCI hardware modem

Lucent Venus 56K V.90 PCI Hardware Modem

IF you get an external modem, do make sure you don't get a USB one, as i can guarantee you that won't work in linux. make sure it is serial.

pretty much any dial up service will work, and the app *I* use when i'm in X is kppp, which is just as easy to setup as it is in windows.

Network config and kppp is headache
 

I use Earthlink dialup with an external serial Multitech (~$100) modem. Sweet. Also a PCI US Robotics modem (~$30) on another machine. O.K.

The problem I have had -- and it's still unresolved -- is having both kppp and a configured network. I had kppp going fine for a long time, then I decided to network some machines together. kppp no longer worked. I tried lots of stuff, like reinstalling kppp -- no go. Now I use have to use an "untainted" Slack install on a different partition to get online. I just use a USB flash memory drive to schlepp files around.

I have got a PCI dynex modem in there. I can't get anything to work yet. How can I just test my modem and make sure it works.

dialup isp
 

I'm using dialup4less.com. It's reasonably priced too.