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Can I use Conexant V90 56K Data Fax PCI modem?

Posted: Mon 28 Jan 2008, 15:47
by Twiddle
Hello all ,
This is my first post here. I am brand new to linux and just got my first copy of puppy 2.15CE bootable with help from the search feature here.
My question today is where can I find out if my modem is compatable with linux? My windows dialog box tells me my modem is a

Conexent V90 DSL 56K Data Fax PCI modem,
the port being used is com 2.
The identifier says its a PCI/CPQ1602.

Will I be able to set this modem up to run on windows and linux both or will I need an external serial modem for linux? A new modem seems to be the recomended fix but I would rather not spend the money if I dont have to.
I am self taught on win98se, I have no official training on computers and by no means an expert so please be easy on me.
Thanks in advance.

Posted: Mon 28 Jan 2008, 16:06
by bugman
Um...have you TRIED it yet?

:wink:

Posted: Mon 28 Jan 2008, 17:47
by Lobster

Posted: Mon 28 Jan 2008, 17:52
by Twiddle
Um, yes I tried it.
I was hopeing it would auto detect but it didnt. I ran the connection wizard and made the best choice I thought was available (TTyslo) and recieved an error message that my choice did not seem to be a modem. I exited without saveing any information so when I try it again I will start completly over again rather than trying to fix my errors.
Thanks.

Posted: Mon 28 Jan 2008, 17:56
by Twiddle
Thanks Lobster,
A quick check tells me my modem is not listed on either page.

Posted: Mon 28 Jan 2008, 18:05
by bugman
Twiddle wrote:Um, yes I tried it.
Good job, my bad...

Not sure what dialup program you are using, but I cannot get the default one (gkdial? or something like that) to work with my modem.

So what I use is wvdialup, the old-fashioned one. Try opening a terminal window (the terminal on my puppy is called rxvt but it may be different on yours?) and type "wvdialshell".

After detecting it brings up a window for you to put in a phone, id, password.

It always detects my modem, even when nothing else will.

(sorry if I'm giving bad advice; I'm running an old pup and have not kept up with changes. Try everything everyone else tells you first!)

Posted: Tue 29 Jan 2008, 01:32
by muggins
Hello Twiddle,

If it's the same as this one:

http://www.modem-help.co.uk/CIS/CPQ1602 ... -FCC-.html

the you would need to get the hcf driver from linuxant:

http://www.linuxant.com/drivers/hcf/dow ... taller.php

A couple of issues though. With most pupversions having 2.6 kernels, the linuxant driver is speed-limited to 14.4kbps...snail-pace. (If you were using an older puppy, say pup1.08 with a 2.4 kernel, then the driver isn't speed-limited).

To remove the speed-limit on a 2.6 kernel, you just need to buy a $US20 license.

Posted: Tue 29 Jan 2008, 15:12
by Twiddle
Thanks muggins,
That looks like the one I have. Now let me see. $20.00 for the driver that lets me go more than a snails pace or $20-30 for a new modem and keeping a spare, hmmm....
I think I'll go shopping for an external that I can install in windows as a primary modem and linux will auto detect, That way I should be able to use one modem on a dual boot system. I think I know now why linux people dont like conexant modems.
I'll keep the link just in case.
Thanks

Posted: Tue 29 Jan 2008, 15:16
by Twiddle
muggins I am curious,
how did you find the info for the conexant modem? I searched for parts of two days and couldnt that info. Google couldnt even help me.

Posted: Wed 30 Jan 2008, 01:58
by muggins
Hi Twiddle,

Your options, AFAIK, are:

1) Buy a real external modem & get < 56k
2) Use free conexant driver & puppy with 2.6 kernel & get 14.4k
3) Use free conexant driver & puppy with 2.4 kernel & get < 56k
4) Buy $US20 lunuxant license & pup with 2.6 kernel & get < 56k


With regard to buying a real modem, this thread might be of interest:

http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 13&t=23746

How did I know of the info on conexant modem? I had one for awhile, but it got retrenched when I upgraded to a 2.6 puppy.

Posted: Sat 16 Feb 2008, 16:13
by chicks
Another option, which we just got working under Debian on a Dell PC:

http://direct2dell.com/one2one/archive/ ... 21325.aspx

You'll need to read the license carefully, but it installed without a hitch for us, even though the modem and PC were not the ones targeted by Dell.

It does have to be compiled on the target PC, and I have no idea of the mechanics involved in getting a .deb installed under Puppy...

Posted: Sun 17 Feb 2008, 05:26
by muggins
chicks,

Do you know, offhand, if this driver has the speed limitation for 2.6 kernels? I've got a HSF PCI card floating around, so I'll give it a try. However, I thought Twiddle had a conexant HCF modem, which, if that's the case, won't be helped by the Dell HSF driver.

Posted: Sun 17 Feb 2008, 06:14
by tempestuous
jcoder24 has been the Conexant HSF/HCF softmodem authority in the past -
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=2258

but I seem to recall that the NON-SPEED-LIMITED Conexant source code which jcoder provides won't compile on modern kernels.

That Dell hsf .deb package looks promising; I just extracted it now and I see that it contains source code, with an automated installer.
For the installer to work you would need to have the Puppy build tools (devx) installed ...
and maybe also the Puppy kernel source installed.

Similarly, ASUS has made available the modem source code for the optional Conexant RD02-D110 modem for the Eee small laptop.

Posted: Sun 17 Feb 2008, 17:06
by chicks
This is not the crippled version of the driver, it's full speed. There are apparently two versions:

http://linux.dell.com/wiki/index.php/Ub ... dem_Driver

IF you decide to buy an external modem.

Posted: Sun 17 Feb 2008, 22:34
by purple_ghost
Make sure it is a true hardware modem. An External Serial Port Modem is always a hardware modem. Some of the USB external modems are WinModems, I.E. Softmodems and some of these would never work with Linux.

Also, very important. Make sure your computer has a Serial Port before you buy. Some of the later computers do not have Serial Ports.

Posted: Tue 19 Feb 2008, 17:28
by notned
Hey my thread got referred to! Grin. The modem I got still works. I recommend it.

Posted: Wed 20 Feb 2008, 07:49
by muggins
@chicks,

Image I'm posting this via a, previously defunct, HSF modem, using pup2.16 & 2.6.18.1 kernel, thanks to the link you provided.

And it's not speed limited. The steps I followed were:

1) Extract the .deb & copy across the included ./etc & ./usr directories, to /etc & /usr.

2) I ran hsfconfig, but it complained about missing sysctl. I got this from telemetric_au's .rar package, here:

http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... ch&id=3314

I copied this .rar file to temporary directory /hsf, then extracted this with:

Code: Select all

cd /hsf
unrar e *.rar
I then needed to give sysctl executable permissions & copy it to /usr/bin:

Code: Select all

chmod +x sysctl
cp sysctl /usr/bin
However testing it, by entering sysctl -h, and it complained of missing library file, libproc.so.3.1.9. telemetric_au had included libproc.so.3.1.8, so I copied this to /usr/lib, & created a symlink:

Code: Select all

cp libproc.so.3.1.8 /usr/lib
ln -s /usr/lib/libproc.so.3.1.8 /usr/lib/libproc.so.3.1.9
I then ran hsfconfig again, and just received one complaint, (about Hda support not being active, which jcoder24 explains is about Intel Hda modems, in this thread Here

I then removed my existing modem configuration, (from modem-wizard) then, following jcoder24's advice, added the following lines to /etc/rc.d/rcl.local:

Code: Select all

rm -f /dev/modem /dev/cuaHSF0 /dev/ttySHSF0 2>/dev/null
hsfconfig --serial 
Then I rebooted, and here I am.

Posted: Wed 20 Feb 2008, 09:51
by tempestuous
muggins wrote:... but it complained about missing sysctl.
... it complained of missing library file, libproc.so.3.1.9.
sysctl and libproc.so are both part of Procps, available as a dotpup here
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 2543#82543

Posted: Wed 20 Feb 2008, 17:19
by chicks
muggins wrote:@chicks,

Image I'm posting this via a, previously defunct, HSF modem, using pup2.16 & 2.6.18.1 kernel, thanks to the link you provided.

And it's not speed limited...
Excellent. Maybe someone will wrap this into a .pup for the rest of us Puppy neophytes.

Posted: Wed 05 Mar 2008, 22:04
by mouldy
Found an old modem that seems to be hsf chip. Plugged it in and went through the process. Hsfconfig runs builds module but cant find the modem. Hmm, its out of junk hardware box and looks like one of my cats may have regurgitated on it (they recognize quality) in distant past, so it simply may be junk and not drivers fault. Didnt find any other hsf modems in junk pile, have one hcf modem that I know works cause had it working under Puppy 1.xx. That wasnt a crippled driver, but it still seemed slow if I remember correctly, slower than under windows.


Well, see if windows sees this modem, if not, then it goes into toss pile.