Michael Thanks. We will set a URL to your email and parseout sections into the scanModem instructions. MarvS On Fri, Feb 13, 2009 at 9:50 AM, Michael NG <mng@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > I have just been through a slow learning process getting my dialler > working. It is fine. The experience of newbies with difficulties > understanding may be harder to capture than the finer points of hardware > and software. > > Therefore I am putting together an explanatory text that might help. > Please feel free to comment or advise corrections. > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Overview: Using Linux as a base for dialling Internet Service Providers > > > Many may want to use their computers this way when travelling away from > their normal home base and its broadband or cable connections. This > write-up is intended to help you to understand what steps you are > completing as you going through the installation and setup procedures. > Then, when something does not work, you may find this a helpful guide as > to what is missing or disconnected. > > > Background > > 1. Modems used with computers are usually proprietary products for > which the manufacturer has inserted some technology that is > considered a trade secret. For this reason, manufacturers are > reluctant to issue copies of the software needed, for fear that > the secrets inherent in the modems are revealed. > > 2. The proprietary nature of the software then means that it cannot > be included in distributions of linux (such as Debian or Ubuntu, > Red Hat or SUSE) since everything in these distributions is > always open and free to be copied by any and all users. To > preserve this fundamental basic rule, indeed foundation, of > linux, users who want to connect through modems have to find and > install certain proprietary programs for themselves. > > 3. Modems are connected through files kept in the /dev directory. > This is a dynamic directory which is generated by the linux > kernel when it is booted and loaded. The reason it is dynamic is > that for the modern Plug and Play connection of units > (particularly modems on USB wires, or modems plugged into > through PCMCIA ports), the operating system has to assemble a > set of device files that suit what is going on. The files in > the /dev directory are lost when the computer is shut down, and > therefore have to be regenerated when the computer is started > up > > 4. Programs going by the family name of AGRSM have been written to > handle the needs of modems made by Agere corporation. The most > common of these is the 011c11040 model. For it, the program > AGRmodem (hereafter written as "agrmodem") has been prepared and > will be accessed by linux through the file name of /dev/modem. > Rather than use that standard name /dev/modem, however, it is > preferable to use a special name for this manufacture such > as /dev/AGR1, or /dev/AGR3. > > 5. These driver programs are intimately connected into the linux > kernel. They have to be regenerated whenever the kernel is > rebuilt, which needs to be rather frequently. It would therefore > be valuable to have something that does the regeneration > automatically, whenever the kernel is regenerated. That has been > written, too. "dkms" is the program that lives in the kernel and > invites (flags the need for) the regeneration, while dkms-agrsm > is the one that actually will do the regeneration, when so > invited. > > 6. In addition, all modems work through one of the serial ports in > the computer (in DOS and Windows these are called COM1, COM3 > etc.) Therefore Agere Corporation has prepared a matching > program to handle the connection of the 11c11040 modem through > the serial port it will use. Handling this requirement in a > similar way, this program is to be placed in /dev/SAGR – short > for serial port of AGERE modem system. > > 7. At this point, we could dial the internet service provider and > type in our signon code and password when the ISP answers the > phone; then press a button to get the modem program to start > exchanging data through the serial port. However, it is easier > and more consistent to store the signon codes and password in a > dialler program. So we will need to set that up too. The > password has the added requirement that we have to store it in a > secret, hidden place. > > 8. We therefore require the following: > > a. The programs agrmodem and agrserial. These programs are also > called "drivers". Operating versions have the suffix ".ko" > > b. A program to pick up the master copy of these driver programs > and put them in the /dev directory when the computer is booted. > This is called "agrtools". > > c. An instruction that the computer is not to use /dev/modem but > the equivalent address of /dev/AGR3. These instructions are "ln" > symbolic links. > > d. For the dialler program we could use "wvdial" directly or Gnome > PPP with is a GUI presentation of the same thing. > > e. "dkms-agrsm" needs to be installed, waiting and connected, for > whenever the kernel is regenerated. > > Now you can proceed into the details > > > > > > (Observations: wvdial.conf is not a very secret > place. /etc/ppp/pap-secrets has root read locks on it. But wvdial.conf > which is without any lock, and holds the ISP access passport in clear. > > That is why this configuration reference file is put into /etc. So that > it will need root to handle or change it. > > > It is not quite clear to me why wvdial.conf says "Modem = /dev/ttySAGR", > when we are not going to use that. We are putting in the links, why not > use /dev/modem, or even go direct to /dev/ttyAGR3. > > > I have not put in anything about the linux headers since I do not quite > follow that part yet. > > > I have not explained what HDA stands for > > > I also do not follow the ALSA issue, but suppose AGRSM needs to > neutralize the sound card outputs. > > > What would be the most useful place to send this?) > > > mng 2009/02/13 > > >
