[ALUG] linux newbie - help requested

[Keith Watson]

> From: ted.harding at nessie.mcc.ac.uk Sent: 15 January 2007 09:17
> 
> On 14-Jan-07 elc at freeola.net wrote:
> > Hi
> > I've been dabbling in Windows for a few years now and thought I knew

> > something about what I was doing.
> > Being reluctant to spend my hard earned cash on upgrading from Win
98 
> > SE to another Gates product, I thought I would try Linux.
> > I am now dual booting Win 98 and Kubuntu and working with a dial up 
> > internet connection. Now I realise how much I don't know !!!
> > My winmodem is an Intel (R) 536 EP V.92 and Kubuntu doesn't
recognise 
> > it. Somewhere the internet informs me that of all the winmodems in
use 
> > the one I have should have a linux driver.
> > I've downloaded 'scanmodem' and run it and I get hundreds of lines
of 
> > text that means nothing to me.
> > Linux looks good to me, and I feel like sticking with it, if only I 
> > can get past first base.
> > Can someone talk me thru in one syllable steps please to overcome
this 
> > first hurdle.
> >
> ># Many thanks Eric
> 
> Can I very strongly recommend ditching the winmodem, and 
> getting hold of an external modem (connects by a serial cable 
> to a serial port on the computer)?
> 
> Look out for a statement on the box that it is Unix or Linux 
> compatible (or the like), or works on any operating system, 
> and make sure it does *not* state that it requires any 
> version of Windows.
> 
> One I have is the Zoom 56K v.92/V.90 Model 3049. On the box 
> it says (under "Bundled Software"): "This modem's hardware 
> works with computers running Windows, Macintosh, Linux, and 
> other operating systems, which typically include software for 
> Internet access".
> 
> The included CD (i.e. the "bundled software") is for supporting
> "V.92 modem-on-hold, fax, and other modem features" for *Windows*.
> 
> These functions (and all modem functions) are anyway 
> accessible using the Hayes AT commands built in to the modem 
> hardware, and so such a modem needs no driver!

I'd 2nd Ted's comments, get an external box if you can find one. It's
not that easy these days finding new ones although 2nd hand ones are
available on places like eBay.

Having said that I currently run an Intel 536EP linmodem on my Edgy
set-up at home.

The whole scanmodem route suggested by Ubuntu is a waste of time, you
have to download the source for the Intel 536 Chipset (and the headers
for the precompiled kernel) and compile the driver modules yourself.

Some of the serial i/f code changed with 2.16 (IIRC some legacy stuff
was removed) and the source referred to by linmodems.org (and that on
the Intel support site) doesn't compile.

I tracked down some updated source that does compile, when I get home
(I'm currently at work) I'll post the link here.

One thing I did notice with Dapper is that although the drivers compiled
I was only getting about 70% (about 2.5Kbytes/sec) of the throughput I'd
gotten with earlier relases of Ubuntu using the Intel536 drivers.

With the revised source (which now caters for the 'improved' i/f
functions) I'm back to full speed (in my case about 4.25KBytes/sec - on
a good day - going downhill - with the wind behind me :o) ).

There are a couple of gotcha's you need to whatch out for when setting
up and using the drivers once compiled. Again I'll post them when I get
home.

However sometime this year I am definitely going to sort out a broadband
connection.

Regards,

Keith 
____________
'I can see nobody on the road.' said Alice.  'I only wish I had such
eyes,' said the King, 'to be able to see Nobody! And at that distance
too!'  -  Lewis Carroll