ISA Modem


Forum: Networking
Topic: ISA Modem
started by: Rapidweather
Posted by Rapidweather on Jan. 31 2004,02:43
I have a Viking 56RSM2 modem, an ISA modem, 56K that works in Damn Small Linux. This is news, for I had thought that this modem works only with Windows.
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I have SuSE linux and Windows 98 installed on this same hard drive, so now that I have discovered that wvdial works with this modem, I need to reboot into SuSE, and try it there. I had been using a US Robotics hardware modem on the serial port to get an internet connection in SuSE.
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The Viking modem was fairly expensive, about $80.00, so it's no cheap winmodem, but has no jumpers for com port and IRQ, and I believe it's a controller modem.
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I'm just suprised it works. :D
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What I do for each computer I set Damn Small up on, by copying the CD's /knoppix folder to the hard drive, and booting with a boot floppy is this:
First, restore with my restore/backup floppy.
Then, copy the filetool.lst from the restore/backup floppy to /home/damnsmall, overwriting the default filetool.lst there.
Then I mount a new floppy, and copy the /home/damnsmall/filetool.lst to the floppy. At this point there is no backup.tar.gz on the new backup/restore floppy.
Then I get wvdial working, by cd to /etc and:
#scite wvdial.conf
This will bring up my previous wvdial.conf from the original restore, in the scite editor. I adjust/try the /dev/ttyS_ in the wvdial.conf until I get one that will dial. I save wvdial.conf in scite after each change, then dial again till I connect.
Once connected, I can now backup to the new backup/restore
floppy, and the correct wvdial.conf will be saved, for this computer. So each computer might have it's own wvdial.conf that is unique, but all other restore items are the same.
I have a background image, a new menu, and a .blackboxrc, and other items on the restore floppy, that is placed on the new computer with DSL is started (with boot floppy) and restored (with unique restore/backup floppy).
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I do download MozillaFirebird, and once I get that going, I use emelfm to copy the entire /MozillaFirebird directory to another primary partition, and restore from there, with this menu:
(that part begins about 11 lines down)
< http://www.angelfire.com/ms/telegram/fluxbox_menu_3 >
Of course if you wish to use this menu, copy it to your /home/damnsmall/.fluxbox directory as "menu".
Posted by Rapidweather on Jan. 31 2004,04:21
The ISA modem mentioned in the above post does not work in SuSE linux 2.2, on the same computer. I just tried to get it to work, using wvdialconf. The wvdial version in SuSE is 1.40, and the one in Damn Small Linux is 1.53, so this may be the difference, allowing the modem to work in DSL, but not in SuSE. I'm not really sure, but this does point to the fact that DSL may, at least in my case, connect to the internet on a greater number and variety of computers than other linux distros can.  :)
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One of the big problems facing linux users is the great number of winmodems that are installed in computers, that won't work with Linux.
The above case is an exception, giving a big boost to Damn Small Linux in my view :D
Posted by hasty on Jan. 31 2004,11:11
Agree totally about the winmodems.

<Climbs on soap box>

I'm constantly getting people come to me for advice who have been given an old windows machine or bought a new one and they know nothing about computers but they do want to go online.

This is the time when we should be converting them to linux, before they acquire a windows mindset, but the winmodems almost forces the OS choice.

One result is that a lot of linux developement is wasted (hope thats not too strong)trying to make gui front ends that are indistinguishable from windows.

<Falls off....> :O
Posted by trigggl on Feb. 15 2004,22:08
If you could let me know what setup you used to get this modem working I would appreciate it.

I think mine should be working, but wvdial refuses to see it.

I used the .deb for the kernel 2.4.20.  Mine is actually pci, but I know it works in Linux.  I'm using now in fact.  I just can't use it in DSL yet.
Posted by Rapidweather on Feb. 23 2004,04:47
Well, I just booted the box using DSL 6, and now it won't work with the new setup, so I had to copy the wvdial, wvdialconf, and wvdial.conf from my old Damn Small 0.5.3.1 to a floppy, and then copy these files to DSL 6, when I rebooted into it. I am having some trouble getting my filetool.lst going, it seems that the tarball cannot get completely written, or something.
Wvdial had no problem with this modem, or does Redhat Linux 9, on the same box. Of course I cannot use the redhat wvdial, it needs some sort of library, so I had to copy the wvdial files from DSL 0.5.3.1.
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I am posting this from MozillaFirebird in DSL 6, using wvdial.
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Here's where I put the files:
/etc/wvdial.conf
/ramdisk/usr/bin/wvdialconf
/ramdisk/usr/bin/wvdial
also a copy of wvdial.conf here:
/ramdisk/usr/bin/wvdial
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It's working now, but I hesitate to reboot and try and get my restore
tarball back, but I guess I'll carefully review the filetool.lst and make sure
it has all I need.
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To be on the safe side, I have copied my filetool.lst to /home/damnsmall,
as the default filetool.sh will use that if it cannot find one in the restore
device. I use a partition, and keep my tarball there, with a filetool.lst, which
ought to work. I found out I need to keep the floppy drive empty, or
the filetool.sh script will try and write to that. I do not have a usb port or
device on this box.
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Here is my filetool.lst
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/home/damnsmall/.fluxbox
/home/damnsmall/.xtdesktop
/home/damnsmall/.xinitrc
/opt/xsetup
/opt/ppp
/home/damnsmall/.blackboxrc
/home/damnsmall/.dillo
/home/damnsmall/.links
/opt/MozillaFirebird
/home/damnsmall/.phoenix
/home/damnsmall/.opera
/ramdisk/usr/bin/opera
/ramdisk/usr/lib/opera
/ramdisk/usr/share/opera
/home/damnsmall/.start_opera
/home/damnsmall/.install_opera
/home/damnsmall/.boot_opera
/home/damnsmall/web.html
/home/damnsmall/web_files
/home/damnsmall/upload
/home/damnsmall/kreon
/etc/wvdial.conf
/ramdisk/usr/bin/wvdialconf
/ramdisk/usr/bin/wvdial
/ramdisk/usr/bin/wvdial.conf

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I'll get back here with more details later.
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:D
Posted by Modrak on Feb. 23 2004,22:39
The modem has two parts...
1st = New serial port (only the chip)
2nd Modem (sucking power from ISA bus and) connected to the serial chip :)

I've got (almost) same thing on my laptop (but PCMCIA)...works grooooovy
Posted by Rapidweather on Feb. 24 2004,01:19
Putting wvdial back in Damn Small needs to be on the to-do list. I had to put it back as per the above post, and it works well. I suppose the new 6.0 setup is easier, if it detects your modem. That setup is similar to what is used in Grey Cat Linux, and it is designed for newbies, walks them through the setup step by step.
With wvdial, you have to use the Scite editor to put your ISP phone number, and your username, password in wvdial.conf. In my setup , wvdial.conf is in
/ramdisk/etc/wvdial.conf
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I would not have had any problem if my modem had been detected, but it wasn't.
This modem works in Redhat Linux 9, on this box, so it ought to work in DSL too.
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:;):
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