The Mepis
Dialup Modem Center
This site
is a starting point for finding dialup modems that are known to work
in Mepis with little or no configuration*. Many dialup modems promise
to work with Linux, but users find that after installing the modems,
most require downloading large files and compiling, which can be
intimidating or impossible for new users (any instructions for doing
things such as this assume you know much more than you
do).
Don't be fooled...you can waste a lot of time and money finding a dialup modem that works. I personally have bought “hardware” modems that I cannot configure, and manufacturers don't always tell the whole story. It is a frustrating process, and the goal here is to try to eliminate that.
A group of Mepis users, myself included, became tired of buying modem after modem. We decided to compile (no pun intended) this list of dialup modems to save others from such troubles.
This list
is small, and we want to make it bigger. You may submit your
automatically configured dialup modem to mepismodem@yahoo.com.
Keep in mind that any dialup modem submitted MUST be detected by
Mepis “out-of-the box” (i.e., no downloading drivers, no
compiling, etc). Also, send us any settings that you make in KPPP,
such as connect speed adjustments, modem commands, etc.
DISCLAIMER: This list is compiled from Mepis users who have gotten these dialup modems to work with a minimum of configuration. It is applicable only to Mepis. It is not complete, it does NOT guarantee your success, and is only posted here as a starting point. You are strongly encouraged to verify this information via the Internet before buying anything. Start with the Mepis user forums and search for or ask if anyone has had success (or failure, for that matter) with a particular dialup modem that you are interested in. As always, your mileage may vary.
| Modems that are Likely to Work Out of the
Box with Mepis |
|
|
Modem name |
Caveats |
|
|
External Serial Modem |
|
Any external serial modem |
Virtually any external serial modem is
supposed to work with virtually any version of Linux, but always go
online and check for compatibility with Mepis beforehand. Go to the
forum and don't be afraid to ask questions. If you buy a used model, be
sure that the power supply matches your modem...for example, my Best
Data Smart One didn't work on 9V 400 MA (the lights lit up and the
modem appeared to respond to queries, but no dice), but did work on 9V
1000MA (despite that, I still got poor connect speeds and frequent
disconnects. Go figure). You might have to do some Googling
to determine what the
correct amperage/voltage is. Go to the manufacturer's website first. If
anyone has an external serial modem (NOT USB) that absolutely will NOT
work, please send it to me the name of it and I will list it here.
Remember to set KPPP to match the serial port where your modem is
located, for example, mine is /dev/ttyS0. If you're unsure, set it for
ttyS0 and query the modem...if nothing happens or you get all blank
fields, go to ttyS1, then ttyS2, etc. Please send us info ONLY about
those external serial modems that don't seem to work, so we can put
them
on the list below for everyone to avoid.
|
|
|
PCI MODEMS |
|
Hummingbird HA56C (AC560PCI-F0) UPC Code: 8-59223-00002-7 (Agere/Lucent chipset) |
Reported to work fine.
Fairly cheap, too,
from newegg.com. In KPPP, set the modem connect speed to 115200.
Another user reports that you might have better luck the flow
control set to RTS/CTS and XON/XOFF software selected. UPDATE: This modem is no longer
available from newegg.com, but it can still be found at
outpost.com.
Source: http://www.mepis.org/node/5849,
contributor email |
|
PCI modems with Lucent/Agere chipsets (check specific models) |
Some Lucent/Agere chipset modems should work out-of-the-box with Mepis. The trick is to find the ones that do. For example, the Hummingbird HA56C and the built in Lucent modem in my laptop both work just fine, while the Batsonic and Trendnet modems listed below do not. Only buy a Lucent modem that someone has specifically found to work with Mepis without excessive configuring. DON'T assume that any Lucent/Agere modem will work! Source: mepis.org |
|
|
PCMCIA MODEMS |
|
None yet listed...if you have one that Mepis configures automatically, please send it to mepismodem@yahoo.com |
|
|
|
Built-In Laptop Modems |
|
Compaq Presario 1200 Series Lucent Winmodem (model tested – Presario 1279) |
Mepis automatically configured everything for this modem. I just put my ISP number, username and password in KPPP and it worked, and has continued to work very quickly and reliably, rarely connecting below 50k. I didn't have to change a thing. I might add that everything else on the 1279, from video to sound, is also detected and installed perfectly by Mepis. Source: me |
|
|
USB Modems |
|
None yet listed...if you have one that Mepis configures automatically, please send it to mepismodem@yahoo.com |
|
|
|
Other modem types |
|
This modem is confirmed to work on the MepisLovers.org Hardware Database. |
This is a "dual PC" modem. It connects to a network card on your computer. It sets up a mini network, and you access that network and issue dial commands to the modem through your web browser. I haven't had any experience with this, but it sounds foolproof, as the actual modem part of it isn't even controlled by Mepis, but rather runs off of it's own internal software. Your computer interfaces with it through your network adapter, and generally, Linux support for network adapters is excellent. Be warned however that this particular modem type may be difficult or impossible to configure through ISP's that require special connection software, such as AOL or Earthlink. You must also have a network card installed to use it. Also keep in mind, this is still a dialup modem, and it will NOT connect to DSL or cable. Furthermore, expect this modem to cost more than a regular modem, in the range of $50 new, less if you can find a working used model. Here's a link to one model, although it may not be the actual model listed at left: http://www.actiontec.com/support/modems/dualpcmdm_faqs.html . If anyone has had success with another modem of this type, please email me with the name and model number. Source: http://www.mepis.org/node/5849 , http://mepislovers.org/hwdatabase/ |
| UNCONFIRMED
- More testing is needed to determine if the following modems work with
Mepis. |
|
Linksys PCMLM56 Ethernet/Modem Combo (PCMCIA) I got this one because a site specifically stated that it would work under Linux (not Mepis – shame on me). Mepis loads the drivers serial_cs and pcnet_cs on startup, presumably one for the modem and one for the network card. The network LED lights up, but I never tested it on a network connection. That part may work. But, the modem side is totally unusable. Incidentally, I managed to get this one working in BeatrIX without downloading or configuring anything...dialed out to my ISP without problems. To be fair, I can't rule out that Mepis doesn't just prefer to use the onboard Lucent Winmodem instead, and without that, it could work. The fact that BeatrIX was able to find and configure it suggests this is the case. If anyone has some spare cash lying around and wants to try it, or has actually gotten this to work with Mepis, let me know and I will move it up to the chart, with appropriate caveats in place. Until then, I wouldn't buy one until someone confirms that it works. Source: Me (please prove me wrong, as this one is under the couch collecting dust! Yay!). |
| Common dialup modems that MAY
be reported to work, but do NOT, or require downloading, compiling and
installing (i.e., these do not work out-of-the-box with Mepis).* |
| Despite information to the
contrary, these modems may not work reliably with Mepis in the
experience of one or more users. This is not to say that using these
modems is impossible, but you might want to start somewhere else, or
you may end up with problems (in other words, be prepared for big
headaches): PCTel PCI Winmodem A standard, cheap, OEM modem that ships with a lot of computers. Drivers for this modem are included with Mepis, but users in the Mepislovers.org hardware database report problems in getting the modem set up correctly. I tried to set one up as well without success. Mepis found it, installed the driver, then tossed it alongside the road like an empty beer can. Yay! Source: me http://www.mepis.org/node/4088 http://mepislovers.org/hwdatabase/?page=viewItem&model=HSP56&manufacturer=PCTel Intel 536ep PCI modem This modem says right on the box, “Hardware Based Solution”, whatever that means. It apparently does not mean “hardware modem”. I know. I have one. It doesn't work. Again, a driver is included, but stories of downloading (40 MB!) and compiling “kernel headers” abound. Yay! Source: me http://www.mepis.org/node/6022 Trendnet TFM-PCIV92A PCI modem - More proof that you need to check things out carefully before buying. Mepis detects and installs this Lucent chipset modem as lt_serial. Modem responds to simple queries, but fails to detect a dialtone when trying to connect (Ooooh! So close!). The same modem was tested in Windows where it worked just fine. Keep in mind, this is a Lucent chipset modem, so theoretically, it should work in Mepis. But, it doesn't. Yay! Source: http://www.mepis.org/node/5849 Hummingbird 1MS56S PCI modem - Got fooled into ordering this one, thinking it was actually the Hummingbird model listed above. Went to it from a link someome posted, but I didn't find out until after I had already ordered, the link had changed. This is the model that Newegg is selling in place of the Hummingbird HA56C above. It is NOT a Lucent/Agere modem, rather, it has a SmartLink chipset. SmartLink modems can work with Linux, but additional fiddling and configuring (and headaches) are required. This one's a long way from self-configuring...Mepis loads NO driver for it, SmartLink or otherwise. I would have had the same result if I shoved a dead hamster in the PCI slot. Yay! Source: Me Batsonic i307 Lucent/Agere PCI Modem -(At this point, I'm going off my rocker). The modem says "Agere" right on it. On the box, it says, "The Lucent Edge". Windows driver disk included says Agere on it. There's not an empty spot on the outside of the box, because it's covered with the word "Lucent" (okay, that might be an exaggeration, but it's clearly a Lucent chipset modem). SimplyMepis 2004 doesn't find it with either kernel 2.4 or 2.6. SimplyMepis 3.3 finds it and installs lt_serial on startup. Querying the modem returns the appropriate info (I'm feeling really good at this point). Hit Connect and KPPP returns "No dialtone". By the way, I also heard that if the "no dialtone" problem occurs, you should disable "plug and play OS" in the BIOS. I tried that too, but it didn't work. No amount of fiddling or cursing changed the situation. Yay! Source: Me |
More info to come. Please email us if you get a PCI, PCMCIA, USB or other modem working in Mepis with minimal fuss.
*Notice:
No warranty or guarantee of the workability or unworkability (is that
a word?) of ANY dialup modem with Mepis is expressed or implied. This
site is not affiliated with or endorsed by Mepis or Mepislovers.com.
Buy modems at your own risk!
