Re: tlug: PCMCIA modem cards

["Alan B. Stone" <stoneab@example.com>]

--------------------------------------------------------
tlug note from "Alan B. Stone" <stoneab@example.com>
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Thanks, I'll give that a try.  The problem I had was when I was prompted
by the RedHat installation as to whether I needed PCMCIA support, I said
yes, it ran some test and came back....PCMCIA test failed.  When I did
get it to work, it came back later and told me that I had not configured
the kernel with pppd (which I know I had done).  I've been tempted to
try the Slackware installation to see if it is any better (or worse).

I wouldn't say I'm a RedHat guy...but after working with Slackware for
awhile I found RedHat to be the quickest to set up, and to teach my
friends who were interested in Linux.  I've been thinking about Caldera,
but haven't had the opportunity to see it in action.

Anyway, thanks for the info, I'm going to work on it while I'm out in
Hawaii, and I'll let you know what happens.

Blaine

Stephen J. Turnbull wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------------
> tlug note from "Stephen J. Turnbull"
> <turnbull@example.com>
> --------------------------------------------------------
> >>>>> "Alan" == Alan B Stone <stoneab@example.com> writes:
>
>     Alan> I'm trying to setup a notebook that has a PCMCIA card modem.
>
>     Alan> I've never worked with PCMCIA with Linux, so could someone
>     Alan> please tell me how I go about setting it up so that when I
>     Alan> use my dialing script and call on the /dev/modem it defaults
>
>     Alan> to the PCMCIA modem?
>
> I don't know squat about dialup with Linux (I complain about
> Tsukuba-Dai's "information bikepath" but it's faster than analog phone
>
> and it's free).  So you're on your own once you get to PPP.
>
> But the PCMCIA part is transparent as long as Linux supports your
> card.  You just tell the distribution's setup utility you want to use
> PCMCIA, and which driver, and the rest is basically transparent.  At
> least that was my experience with Debian.  (The reason I originally
> went Debian was that the RedHat "PowerLinux" set wouldn't allow both
> FTP and PCMCIA in the installation process due to a menu snafu, and
> since my ethercard was PCMCIA I was hosed.  I've been assured this has
>
> been fixed in more recent RedHat sets, since you seem to be a RedHat
> kinda guy.)
>
> PCMCIA seems to be sort of like PCI, except it's notebook-oriented: it
>
> figures out a lot of the internal traffic control for you, so you
> don't need to deal with it.
>
> Main problem is recognizing the PCMCIA interface (there are two main
> chipsets and the kernel driver modules are different).  You shouldn't
> have to do anything more for a modem, these are bog standard.  My
> PCMCIA modem is a 3Com ether/modem combo so it needs a special driver,
>
> but the modem part seems separate from the ether driver which also
> works for non-modem versions as I recall.  I've never tried the modem
> without the ether driver installed so I'm not sure, but I think it
> would probably work as a modem without the ether driver.
>
> If you've got the docs for the PCMCIA interface in your box, it should
>
> tell you which chipset and you're home.
>
> HTH
>
> --
>                             Stephen J. Turnbull
> Institute of Policy and Planning Sciences
> Yaseppochi-Gumi
> University of Tsukuba
> http://turnbull.sk.tsukuba.ac.jp/
> Tel: +81 (298) 53-5091;  Fax: 55-3849
> turnbull@example.com
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rate Internet access with no time charges.  Full line of corporate
Internet and intranet products are available.   info@example.com
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