DSL Ideas and Suggestions :: Internet Dialer

Note: I haven't yet used DamnSmall Linux 0.6.2, so please if anything mentioned below is incorrect or has been fixed don't be angry with me    

I am using DamnSmall Linux 0.5.x and what is really letting me down is the lack of a user-friendly interface to configure the Internet connection settings (username, password, modem configuration, etc.). I want to believe that newer versions will support this feature, so a even begginers will be able to easily configure the Internet connection settings.

So? Can this be done?

If you are using DSL 0.5.3.1, which has wvdial, it it easy to configure your internet
connection.
I know there is not a windows-like internet connection wizard, but once you get
used to wvdial, you will like it, I am sure. (I know I do)
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1. First, these files need to be on your system, and restored from your backup.tar.gz each time you boot up DSL.:
/etc/wvdial.conf
/ramdisk/usr/bin/wvdialconf
/ramdisk/usr/bin/wvdial
/ramdisk/usr/bin/wvdial.conf
That was a snippet from my filetool.lst
2. Look at the /usr/bin/wvdial.conf in the scite editor. There should be a default one on your system. Now, that needs to be modified to reflect your username,
password, and ISP telephone number. Once you have done that, go to step
three:
3. Run /usr/bin/wvdialconf like this:
cd to /usr/bin
wvdialconf wvdial.conf
4. That run will detect your modem, and modify the wvdial.conf in
   /usr/bin to reflect your modems location.
5. Copy the completed wvdial.conf to /etc/wvdial.conf
6. You may now connect to the internet using wvdial.
7. To easily do that, modify your menu to add dial and hangup like so:
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Debian MENU

[begin] (Damn Small 0.6.2)
[exec] (Root Shell) {rxvt -rv -fn fixed -cr yellow  -T "Bash" -e sudo /bin/bash}
[exec] (FireFox) {/opt/firefox/firefox}
  [submenu] (Dialer) {}            
            [exec] (dial) {rxvt -rv  -T "dial" -e sudo  /ramdisk/usr/bin/wvdial}
            [exec] (hangup) { rxvt -rv  -T "Hangup" -e sudo killall wvdial}
         [end]
  [submenu] (Apps) {}
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Of course there is more to your menu, but I have shown you how I do it.
Use the scite editor to edit /home/damnsmall/.fluxbox/menu as su
to get these changes in place.
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Another way is to open a terminal (rxvt) and wvdial (enter).
You need to be root to do that, so when you open the terminal,
sudo wvdial
and that should do it. wvdial will run down to the ISP phone number and
there will be a short wait until your connection goes through, then lots of
output will appear in the terminal to show that. Your actual connection
speed and ip address will be amoung the items shown. I am luck to have
a 52000 speed on dialup with my ISP, but my telephone lines are in tip-top
shape to accomplish that.  
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Now for the bad part: DSL 0.5.3.1 was the last version to have wvdial.
I have not used the setup in 0.6.2, because it cannot detect the modem
I am using on this computer, so I have to manually put the wvdial files in
to 0.6.2 when I restore from the backup.tar.gz each time.
In fact, I am using DSL 0.6.2 now, and wvdial, and the combination works
great. How do you get the wvdial from 0.5.3.1 and put it in 0.6.2? Copy the
files onto a floppy, reboot into 0.6.2 and copy them into their places, and
be sure and edit your filetool.lst to include them when you backup. If you do
not backup, (no Foxfire or Mozilla Firebird), and you just use Dillo, you can
either copy them each time, or just edit the default filetool.lst to include the
above wvdial lines. It can get complicated here, so look at my howto:
http://www.angelfire.com/ms/telegram/general_howto
When there, look over the luit linux section, as that dsl remaster distro
uses wvdial, and what I have there is what you need, most likely.
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Perhaps others with experience with the new dialer can get in here and
give a mini-howto on setting up your internet connection and modem.
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I find that wvdial will detect all of my modems, hardware modems, etc.
So I prefer to use it.
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