Hello linmodem discussion,
As a very new member, I may be rushing this post. My member confirmation has
happened, but I haven't heard anything from the moderators regarding my
scanModem data. I'm using my mother's computer, so her name appears on some
of my posting.
So if it's OK for me to start posting now, I'm Frank K from Oregon, visiting
in Wisconsin, both USA. In Oregon I have a pair of USR internal HW modems
running under openSuse10.2. In Wisconsin I have a pair of WinModems, either
of which, I hope to make work with openSuse11.0.
This link seems to imply that the slamr module my ALi 5459 SmartModem, AKA
NetoDragon, wants is now incompatible with openSuse. The alternative Alsa
driver mentioned "almost" works!
http://en.opensuse.org/Smart_Link_Modem.
For openers, I would like to know if any discussion members watching have
built slamr with openSuse > 10. I'm capable of building my own if I can get
all the pieces I would need.
An easier get would be to learn the "magic" to making the Alsa driver work.
openSuse11.0 comes with a SoftModem rpm that contains the slmodemd also
provided by the slamr package. The /etc/init.d/slmodemd is part of the rpm
"provides". It 's a script that will load slamr or defer to alsa depending
on environment variables.
My MB has an on-board iCH4 soundcard that takes the snd-intel8x0 referred to
in the above link. My alsa version 1.0.16rc2 also has the snd-intel8x0m
module referred to in the link. If I use the invocation shown in the link
slmodemd errors out, complaining about hw:1.
openSuse's Yast sets the environment variables that control the slmodemd
script. Yast's instructions say to set the device variable to slamr0 if not
alsa; otherwise modem:x or hw:x,y where x=card# and y=PCM#. Elsewhere I've
read that "aplay -l" shows which PCM is the sound card and which PCM is the
modem.
In my case aplay -l shows two devices and doesn't chance with the modprobe
snd-intel8x0m. If I set the slmodemd device to hw:0, "almost" everything
works as described! The symlink /dev/sttSL0 to /dev/pts/3 is created and the
modem becomes "animated". Meanwhile the system sound quits!
With device hw.0, and the symlink, the "modem" the wouldn't open before will
query and dial now, but it never touches the phone line! The dial errors out
with "No Carrier". Killing slmodemd releases the system sound!
I'm thinking that slmodemd using device hw:0 attaches to the soundcard
instead of the modem. All of the trial and error devices I've tried have
caused slmodemd to error out.
If I can build slamr for 11.0 I think my problem will be solved, but failing
that I need advice from an alsa expert to make slmodemd attach to the modem.
I belong to the alsa-users list, but their business is sound and not modems,
so I don't expect help from that quarter!
Another option is to switch to the Lucent WinModem. As I understand Linuxant
has a marginal Lucent driver for sale. It's not to late for me to switch
distros if a more modem friendly exists. openSuse is my first choice and I
love KDE! Last there are external modems that work and some used internal HW
modems available.
Well if anyone is still with me here, thanks for your patience!
I'm hoping this discussion will lead me closer to SW solution to my modem
problem.
Pleased to meet you, members! Frank K
