Are you using an external or PCI modem? If it's a winmodem it may not be usable under LINUX. If it's a serial modem it'll probably be on dev/ttyS0 (COM1) or /dev/ttyS1 (COM2). If it's a PCI then it should be on one of the other /dev/ttyS? ports.
wvdial is a pppsetup program that will scan for your modem, but it doesn't come in Slackware.
Just try each of the devices in the list during the pppsetup script, or manually edit the line in /etc/ppp/options.

yeh i know how to get it gonig under kde - i am using gnome, and wvdial isn't installed - so using gnome dialer is not an option either - i need to actually get my system to find my modem - it's not listed under anything. is there not a hardware setup program? similar to setting up lilo?

I've had this modem working through KDE in many distros - kppp did it all for me, i also had it working in gnome using the kppp package, but now i have done a fresh install with only gnome - and i cannot get anything to even recognize my modem. In mandrake or suse, i had a GUI config that scanned for my modem, picked it up as my external acer 56surf modem, and away i went - how do i run a hardware scanning tool in slack?

Okay, it's external. Is it connected by a serial cable, USb or what? IS it on COM2?
The graphical setup tools usually are a front end to wvdial. wvdial actually scans the ports to find a modem. But If you know what port it's on you can set it up manually:
rm -f /dev/modem
ln -s /dev/ttyS? /dev/modem
or put the line in /etc/ppp/options for the correct device.

isn't there a way that you can pipe oput what is connected to your com ports? or your tty ports?

My modem is connected via (what windaz picks up as com1) serial(?), it is also an Acer 56 Surf is anyone has used them before(usually extremely easy to set up).

I fear that i may be missing a package or something for Slackware, something that i am assuming is there by default, i did run full install when i set it up (full bar all the KDE stuff), is there any other steps i need to take to pick up my modem?
Another thing is - it also works on generic 56k modem drivers in windows and Mandrake... (if that is of any use).

Okay if it's on COM1 then when gnomeppp asks where the modem is put in /dev/ttyS0. It doesn't matter what brand of modem it is, Linux will treat it the same.

For kgm.

OK, seeing that everyone has managed to get the poor guy all confused. Perhaps I should step in...

Make sure you have the rp-ppoe package installed.

You're using sympatico ADSL... so this is REALLY easy. Do the steps below as root:

1) run adsl-setup and answer the really simple questions.
2) run adsl-start to fire up your ADSL connection.

Done!

To disconnect: run adsl-stop.

Not so difficult now, isn't it? ;)

gnomeppp huh? i'll check for that.

Cheers.