Modem help

[Bill Davidsen]

max bianco wrote:
> 
> 
> 2008/2/22 Mikkel L. Ellertson <mikkel at infinity-ltd.com 
> <mailto:mikkel at infinity-ltd.com>>:
> 
>     max bianco wrote:
>      > Can someone point me to a good modem how to? I am trying to setup a
>      > dial-in server and I cannot detect my modem but it is listed in
>     lspci.
>      > When i run wvdialconf i get no modem detected. I have tried several
>      > different modems, lspci lists them but my configuration is obviously
>      > lacking somewhere, i have used the setserial command but
>     apparently not
>      > correctly. i have read and followed several how to's but none by
>     itself
>      > seems complete. Can anyone help by pointing me to a good source for
>      > modem config on  Redhat and clones. I know not all modems are
>     compatible
>      > so a suggestion for an internal modem that is know to work is also
>      > welcome. I have a lot of old internal modems lying around so one is
>      > bound to be compatible. I have tried conextant, agere, ESS, and
>      > smartlink internal modems. From what I understand I'd have better
>     luck
>      > with an external modem but I don't have one lying around so.....
>      >
>      > Thanks,
>      >
>      > Max
>      >
>     Let me make sure I understand what you are trying to do. If I am
>     reading things right, you want people to be able to dial into your
>     machine, and log in (or make a ppp connection). If this is the case,
>     you need to configure mgetty for the ports you want. You then need
>     to create entries for each line in /etc/inittab. They used to
>     include examples in inittab, but they do not any more. There are
>     examples in the inittab man page. There is also a fair amount of
>     documentation included in the gmetty package.
> 
> 
> Yes I want to be able to dial in and access the network. However I am 
> having  trouble dialing out from my f8 box as it does not detect the 
> modem. The dial-in server is centos actually but it has the same 
> problem, it cannot detect the modem that is installed. So I figure these 
> as my first two hurdles, getting both boxes to recognize that they have 
> modems then setting up the stuff you suggest with mgetty or do i have to 
> configure mgetty to get my modem recognized in the first place? The 
> mgetty config would only be needed on the machine i dial in to right?
> 
I suspect this is a "winmodem" which runs the connection using mostly 
software. You really don't want that...

If you want a modem to work for sure, look for a Telebit, Hayes, big old 
serial modems which do all the compression stuff in the modem. Connect 
serial, set the serial speed WAY up, 230400 bps comes to mind from 
memory, enable hardware flow control and compression, and you are ready 
to go. I can dig out other brands, I still have a ton of modems and 
"HUB-6" six port serial cards from the days when I had a modem pool and 
sold UUCP news and mail service on usenet.

The compression works well in ppp dialup, I used to run X to some 
machines, and it gave about 150kbit at the interface after compression. 
Then you learn about PAP, CHAP, and MSCHAP authentication. Good fun, 
chance to learn something pretty obsolete.

Get a real modem, which you program with the "Hayes command set," text 
config commands. That will at least get the modem recognized.

If I knew of a good voice modem which worked with Linux I'd put it to 
use, but the hardware is hard to find.

-- 
Bill Davidsen <davidsen at tmr.com>
   "We have more to fear from the bungling of the incompetent than from
the machinations of the wicked."  - from Slashdot