Hello Lug,
This is my first attempt at writing an 'How-To'.
An How-To for 'Connecting to the Internet in Linux using a Dial-up modem'
1. Get yourself a dialup modem. If its an external modem, you can safely go in
for any model. All external modems were hardware modems till recently, so it
would be fine if you could get a model that was launched sometime back. If its
an internal modem you're intending to buy, take care to strike a deal with the
dealer to exchange/replace the modem if it doesn't work with your system,
before you pay the price. Otherwise go in for an internal modem which is based
on 'Conexant' or 'Pctel' or 'Lucent-Agere Lt' chipset. Take an internal modem
and locate a black chipset almost at the centre of it. The chipset name will be
written on it. It is safer to go for a 'Conexant' or 'Pctel' or 'Lucent-Agere
Lt' chipset internal modem than to experiment with other chipset modems.
2. Install the modem in your system.
3. Install your favorite GNU/Linux distribution, with development tools and
compilers enabled. If you're not installing 'KDE', take care to install 'Kppp',
by selecting custom installation and then individual packages or else install
it separately after the main installation. Kppp is a simple, easy to use dialup
tool for KDE which has minimum/no dependency problems, which works smoothly
with most/all window managers. If you're a new user, you'll be better off
installing KDE.
{[( For internal modem users:
Download driver for the modem and install it in your system. If you could
get a binary for your distro, it would be easier, otherwise compile the source
of the driver. Follow the instructions in the driver source package to compile
and install it. The driver creates a new virtual device in your /dev folder.
Please keep in mind that internal modems are 'soft modems' and the soft modem
driver creates a new virtual device/port '/dev/ttySHSF0' or '/dev/ttySL0' or
similar depending on the chipset of your modem.
Now start a console/terminal and enter "ls -l /dev/modem". If the result
has '/dev/modem -> /dev/ttySHSF0' or similar in it, go to step 4. The arrow in
between means that /dev/modem is a shortcut/symlink that points to
/dev/ttySHSF0.
If the result shows that /dev/modem doesn't point to anything, then a
symbolic link from /dev/modem to the virtual device of your modem must be
created. Find out the virtual device created in /dev folder for your modem, by
entering "ls -lt /dev/ttyS*"; you can find it easily with its created/modified
date. If you still can't recognise it, go for a trial and error method; make a
symlink to the device you think is your modem's virtual device, like any
mentioned above or similar. Create a symlink by entering "ln -s /dev/ttySHSF0
/dev/modem".
Please take note that, in the above discussion, '/dev/ttySHSF0' should be
read as/replaced by your specific modem's virtual device. )]}
4. Start Kppp; there will be a shortcut in Menu -> Internet -> Kppp or start a
console/terminal and enter 'kppp'
5. Cilck 'Setup'; in 'Accounts' tab, create an account and give its dial-up
no. and under 'Authentication' select 'PAP/CHAP'.
6. Select 'Device' tab and give the appropriate device. For external modems,
if your modem is connected to the serial port COM1, give /dev/ttyS0, or if
COM2, /dev/ttyS1, or so on. For internal modems, select /dev/modem as the
device.
7. In 'Modem' tab, click 'Modem Commands' and give 'ATZ' as first init string
and 'ATM1L1' as second init string; save/close and click on 'Query Modem'. If
everything is fine, the results should give a description of your modem.
8. Don't forget to check out the other tabs for conveniences like docking to
the tray on connect, showing the charges incurred etc.
9. Your system should now start connecting to the net when you click on
'Connect' in the opening window of Kppp.
10. If it doesn't start connecting to net or hangs at the 'Initializing modem'
phase, delete the '/dev/modem' by entering "rm /dev/modem" and make a new
symlink to another appropriate virtual device as before and then re'Connect'.
Appendix I
Download drivers:
For Conexant chipset modems: http://www.linuxant.com/drivers/
For Pctel chipset modems:
http://linmodems.technion.ac.il/pctel-linux/welcome.html
For Lucent-Agere LT chipset modems: http://www.heby.de/ltmodem
Appendix II
Console commands:
ls => list files
ls | more => list files pagewise; quit by pressing 'q'
ls | less => list files pagewise; quit by pressing 'q', scroll using 'Page
Down' and 'Page Up'
ls -l /dev/* => list the files which the symlinks in /dev points to
ln => create link
ln -s => create soft link
Appendix III
Modem Initialization Strings:
ATZ, ATM1L1, ATX, ATX1S10=250s11=50
Appendix IV
Read other Howtos/Documentations for better understanding.
http://www.linux.org/docs/ldp/howto/PPP-HOWTO/
http://linmodems.technion.ac.il/Linmodem-howto.html
For more help, send mail to the local LUG. Help will be on its way even though
a bit late.
Zaheer Mohamed Kozhakkaniyil
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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