[lug] modem woes with RH-9

[Frank Whiteley]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Vickroy" <Jim.Vickroy at noaa.gov>
To: <lug at lug.boulder.co.us>
Sent: Tuesday, September 09, 2003 08:32
Subject: [lug] modem woes with RH-9


> Hello,
>
> I am trying to move from MS Windows XP to Red Hat Linux 9; I have been
> unable to get RH-9 to work with my modem.  Here are some particulars.
>
> The modem is a Conextant HSF56k HSFi (rev 1) so I went to:
>
> http://www.linuxant.com/drivers/hsf/downloads-rh-i586.html
>
> and downloaded:
>
> hsflinmodem-5.03.27lnxtbeta03042700k2.4.20_8-1rh.i586.rpm
>
> which should be correct for my RH kernel version (uname -r ==> 2.4.20-8)
>
> I installed this rpm and received indication that the modem is
> accessible as /dev/ttySHSF0.  So far so good.
>
> Next, on my computer, I go to:
>
> Red Hat Icon (start menu) | system settings | network
>
> and try to configure.  After a short interval, I still receive a
> message that no modem was found, but I proceed with the configuration
> by manually typing an entry for /dev/ttySHSF0.
>
> I also ran hsfconfig which assured me "all is well", but it isn't.
>
> The modem, now, at least, dials but never seems to get a successful
> connection, because, after a brief interval, it redials and repeats
> this process until I terminate it.
>
> Thanks in advance for any suggestions.  As Linux "newbie", this has been
> a very painful experience.
>
> -- jv
>
You might try looking at the modem driver or modem logs in XP and see what
init string is being applied and emulate this in your Linux session.  You
might also visit www.modemsite.com and check the speed limiting area for
this modem and try a V34 init string.  If that works, then tweaking might be
in order for best performance.  Sometimes 45K is better than 49K to stop
re-trains and re-negotiations and disconnects.  But first you have to get
connected.

Due to recent updates in our vendor dial pool, we've seen some interesting
things recently.  Most dial-ups have recently been updated to V.92 and in
some cases autonegotiation has been problematic (USR V.92, hint add +pig=1)
and as the drivers have been refined (on either end) the problem sometimes
moves or disappears and a new one emerges.  For example, a client recently
had trouble connecting on all dozen or so Twinhead laptops due to an
unannounced upgrade to the dial-up equipment.  The Twinhead driver on the
support site was as installed and had worked fine.  V.34 worked, but V.90/92
choked.  The modem manufacturer (brand escapes me at the moment) had a more
recent driver which worked fine for V.92 and V.90.  There are init strings
to force V.90, V34, V22 etc for testing.

Rockwell/Conexants have had some issues also, but more often disconnects.
Speed limiting usually helps.

HTH,

Frank Whiteley
Greeley