Still unable to use dialup USB modem

Discussion in 'Networking' started by collinsc, Nov 10, 2008.

  1. collinsc

    collinsc

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    Hi everyone,

    I travel to places that don't have wireless internet available, and need to connect with an external USB dialup modem. I purchased a Zoom 3095, but have been unable to get it recognized by the AAO. I have read various threads that I have found on this forum, but I'm still having problems (possibly because I am a Linux newbie). The other threads are discussing using cell phones as modems, but I need to connect to a landline.

    My AAO has wvdial and gnomeppp installed. I have downloaded the cdc-aom.ko file and installed it in the /lib/modules/2.6.23.9lw/usb/class/ folder.

    When I run gnomeppp, and go into Setup, and click on Detect, it does not detect a modem. Perhaps my wvdial.conf file is incorrect? I'm not sure what to put for the modem device name. "dev/modem"? "dev/ttys0"?

    When I type "lsusb", it does show the modem, listed as "bus 002 device 002". I don't know what to do with that information.

    Thanks in advance, for any help you can provide.
     
    collinsc, Nov 10, 2008
    #1
  2. collinsc

    Andysan

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    Andysan, Nov 10, 2008
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  3. collinsc

    Japser

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    Hi, I was reading into this too.
    I am wondering if the next command could do the trick:

    sudo modprobe cdc-acm

    Then try

    sudo wvdialconf

    Just an experiment.

    Bottom line: It -is- a hardware modem, and -will- work with the newest kernel. But in between it is quite confusing.

    HTH --Japser.
     
    Japser, Nov 10, 2008
    #3
  4. collinsc

    collinsc

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    Hi Jasper,

    Thanks for your suggestions...

    When I type sudo modprobe cdc-acm, it accepts the command and returns to the prompt.

    When I then type sudo wvdialconf, it says:
    Scanning your ports for a modem. Sorry, no modem was detected! Is it in use by another program? Did you configure it properly with setserial?

    I tried typing setserial or sudo setserial, and it says Command not found.

    Any other suggestions?

    Thanks,
    Chris
     
    collinsc, Nov 11, 2008
    #4
  5. collinsc

    collinsc

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    Hi Andysan,

    No, I hadn't seen that. Thanks for the info. I have just read that thread, and I'm afraid it's a little beyond my capabilities. Instructions like "you have to compile it for specific kernel in your version of linux" don't mean much to a Linux-newbie like me.

    However, I did notice that the thread author mentioned the same "modprobe cdc-acm" command that Jasper mentioned above. So I tried typing that, followed by the other commands mentioned by the author, which apparently create a ttyACM0 node, and then make a symbolic link to ttymodem. But even after that, wvdialconf still says that no modem is detected.

    By the way, I also wrote to Zoom Tech Support, and was pleasantly surprised when they responded within an hour. However, the response was "Sorry, We don't really provide technical support for linux machines".

    Thanks again,
    Chris
     
    collinsc, Nov 11, 2008
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  6. collinsc

    collinsc

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    Hi everyone,

    Just wanted to bring you up-to-date...

    After trying every suggestion I could find on this forum (and others), I have given up on using my Zoom 3095 modem. Following the example of Dave on this post... http://www.aspireoneuser.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=4502&p=42921#p42921
    ... I bought a US Robotics 5637 modem.

    I plugged it into the AAO, opened up gnomePPP, went into Setup, clicked on Detect, and it detected the modem! I entered my ISP's phone number, along with my username & password, then clicked on Connect, and it connected! Amazing! :roll:

    But now I have a dumb question. What else must I do? When I open Firefox, it can't access any web pages.

    Thanks,
    Chris

    P.S. Anybody wanna buy a never (successfully) used Zoom 3095 modem for cheap? ;)
     
    collinsc, Nov 19, 2008
    #6
  7. collinsc

    Japser

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    Congratulations!
    Your last question looks like the usual DNS problem.
    Go to the website of your ISP and look for the IP-numbers of its Domain Name Servers.
    Those numbers should go into /etc/resolv.conf like this:

    nameserver a.b.c.d
    nameserver a.b.c.d

    where a.b.c.d is those numbers.

    You can do this with this command:

    sudo mousepad /etc/resolv.conf

    --Japser.
     
    Japser, Nov 19, 2008
    #7
  8. collinsc

    collinsc

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    Hi Jasper,

    Thanks for the info. But I have encountered a problem...

    Since I only need dialup access occasionally, when I travel, I have been using a prepaid account with BudgetDialup (they have local access numbers worldwide, as well as tollfree numbers). I searched their website, and could not find any DNS info, so I emailed their Tech Support, and got the following reply:
    "We use multiple networks, and the DNS IP are different. You must be able to configure your dialup software to accept IP address automatically."

    Is it really necessary to hard-code the IP addresses with Linux, or is there another option? Hopefully there's some dialer software that can use automatic addressing?

    Thanks for all the help,
    Chris
     
    collinsc, Nov 21, 2008
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  9. collinsc

    Japser

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    Japser, Nov 21, 2008
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  10. collinsc

    collinsc

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    Japser,

    Whoa! As a Linux newbie, I'm afraid that I don't know what to make of that info! :shock: What are you suggesting that I try?

    Thanks again,
    Chris
     
    collinsc, Nov 21, 2008
    #10
  11. collinsc

    Japser

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    Well, I too had my doubts. The point is: I just don't know.

    You have a modem that dials, so you are near a solution, but it all gets very complicated very quickly, with chat-scrips and options and what not.
    On my Debian system the answer would be to install "pppconfig" but the question is what to do on Fedora-based Linpus.

    SO, maybe there is somebody "here" who knows the answer ...................

    For the rest I can just guess: can "Network Manager" not do this for you ?

    My approach usually is to take it apart, look 'under the hood', and what we see is that we just need to start a program called "pppd" with some options, like the number to dial, username, password, and something like "usepeerdns".

    I hope somebody jumps in here. --Japser.
     
    Japser, Nov 22, 2008
    #11
  12. collinsc

    Japser

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    One more thought: would "Gnome-PPP" not do the trick ?
    --J.
     
    Japser, Nov 22, 2008
    #12
  13. collinsc

    collinsc

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    Hi Japser,

    > can "Network Manager" not do this for you ?

    You'd think so, wouldn't you? But this stupid Network Manager has no provisions for an old-fashioned dialup connection.

    > would "Gnome-PPP" not do the trick ?

    I had been trying Gnome-PPP without success. But today I found the missing ingredient! After clicking on Setup, and selecting the Networking tab, I just had to type budgetdialup.com in the Domain Name field.

    Success! :D

    Thanks for your help & patience,
    Chris
     
    collinsc, Nov 22, 2008
    #13
  14. collinsc

    Japser

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    Very happy to know that it works in the end!
    --Japser.
     
    Japser, Nov 22, 2008
    #14
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