SPUG: modems

[Kenneth W. Meyer]

I don't have the last word on this subject but there are a couple of things: to consider

1) A "Winmodem" per se off-loads the signal processing to software controlled by the operating system.  Therefore, it is pretty clear that, lacking very specific accommodations by Linux, only Windows will be compatible with "Winmodems".  However, not all modems that will function with Windows are Winmodems.  I would guess that no external modems are Winmodems, but many internal ones also are not.  In fact, I would not buy a Winmodem inasmuch as it merely tangles the O/S with another task, and most importantly, a time-critical one. The original question did not specify whether the modem in question was specifically a Winmodem or not.

2) I have the feeling that the PnP aspects of IRQ assignment etc. are really primarily settled between the motherboard and the modem card.  I would examine the BIOS setup screens carefully to ascertain whether you can take a PCI slot (I presume that this is a PCI type of modem) out of the PnP sequence and give it a specific, legacy, interrupt.  Then Linux may be happier with it.  This is the part that I am most uncertain of.

3) Another aspect of the solution is whether your communications software is compatible with the command set used by the modem.  If the modem is not specifically named in the program's set-up list, it used to be that one could pretty safely designate a generic "Hayes-compatible" modem to obtain most if not all of the functionality.  However, these days, since Hayes lost its leadership position, and since there is such a proliferation of registers needed to service the newly available feature-sets, this may not be a feasible approach. Nevertheless, a compatible fit may be available under some other name.

I wouldn't give up without a fight, and some conversation with tech support from both the modem and the O/S vendors.

Good luck, again.

Ken Meyer
kmeyer at aa.net



----------
From: 	Steve Laybourn[SMTP:otter101 at hotmail.com]
Sent: 	Wednesday, January 05, 2000 4:31 PM
To: 	spug-list at pm.org
Subject: 	Re: SPUG: modems

Hello!

   Nope, you are out of luck. A Winmodem will NEVER work on a Linux system. 
Seems that the hard-wired (or jumpered) IRQ and COM ports are a necessity 
for Linux to work with your modem.

   Don't feel bad, it took me a month (and two versions of Linux) before I 
got this one sorted out.

   Good luck, man!
   Steve Laybourn
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