Installing a SmartLink based external USB modem
JeB
al) external USB modem for Mandrake 9.1.
Driver for 2.4.x kernel here: http://www.smlink.com/products/
(wade thru the license agreement, etc) Currently version 2.7.14
Unpack where you intend to use them.
The README file has a lot of useful and necessary info.
Install the kernel source files from disk 3 if you haven't already done
so. (duh? thanx to B Mullen for pointing this out)
the MAKE command will now do it's thing.
(no need to edit makefile)
then MAKE install-usb continues along the USB branch
set country code as per README (I think default is US if that's your
locale, I set it anyway).
you'll end up with a /dev/modem you can use to make dialup connections.
It works ... BUT I've only been getting 31k (v.34?) connects to my v.92
ISP. (I get 40-44k connects with the windows drivers) The AT commands
don't help. I've put in a request to Smart Link support for assistance
and will report back if they do or if i stumble across the problem.
Corrections, additions, clarifications invited ... jim
John Danielson, II
I would be interested in learning if it connects and stays connected at
a faster rate than that if no other USB devices are used, and to know if
you have a USB 2.0 bus or an older 1.0 USB bus.
If willing, try to see if a PS\2 mouse and keyboard free up USB
bandwidth enough to increase the speed of the modem, ok??? Linux tends
to share the USB about equally, and keep things live when connected. I
would plug in the PS\2 stuff with box off, and see if it sets things up
rigth for you after a hardware detect at boot.
USB mice with PS\2 adapters sometimes work better with adapter on in
Linux, especially with other devices hooked into USB bus that take up
limited bandwidth. I tend to minimize USB stuff except for
intermittently tasked things like printing or scanning (not always doing
that, so not busy a lot of the time), and my USB mouse tended to play
rabbit(leap half across screen 2-4 seconds late) more when it was hooked
to USB and the bus was doing other things busily than when it was unbusy.
Same might be true of a modem, it might be getting device latency lags
due to USB device focus switching as it goes alternatively active and
inactive. SERIAL(non-USB, older serial bus) modems do not have this
problem as much, nor network accessed modems, mostly it is USB modems
that lag this way.
JeB
The only other USB device is a printer. And this is connect speed
(negotiated at connect time between modems ... a 386 class computer can
run a modem at v.90 speeds) , not really that much to do with throuput.
I have both versions of USB but running the modem on the 1.0 bus.
>If willing, try to see if a PS\2 mouse and keyboard free up USB
>bandwidth enough to increase the speed of the modem, ok??? Linux tends
>to share the USB about equally, and keep things live when connected. I
>would plug in the PS\2 stuff with box off, and see if it sets things up
>rigth for you after a hardware detect at boot.
>
>USB mice with PS\2 adapters sometimes work better with adapter on in
>Linux, especially with other devices hooked into USB bus that take up
>limited bandwidth. I tend to minimize USB stuff except for
>intermittently tasked things like printing or scanning (not always doing
>that, so not busy a lot of the time), and my USB mouse tended to play
>rabbit(leap half across screen 2-4 seconds late) more when it was hooked
>to USB and the bus was doing other things busily than when it was unbusy.
>
>Same might be true of a modem, it might be getting device latency lags
>due to USB device focus switching as it goes alternatively active and
>inactive. SERIAL(non-USB, older serial bus) modems do not have this
>problem as much, nor network accessed modems, mostly it is USB modems
>that lag this way.
Well .. it's an interesting theory but I'll still speculate that it's
some sort of config problem making it connect at lower speeds. I believe
there's some sort of "soft" UART to do buffering as needed and the cpu
to modem data rate can be set to something like 480k bps. However I'll
watch for suggestions that your theory might apply.
Paul
> A few hints on installing a Smart Link based (including Aztech, H-P, et
> al) external USB modem for Mandrake 9.1.
>
> Driver for 2.4.x kernel here: http://www.smlink.com/products/
> (wade thru the license agreement, etc) Currently version 2.7.14
That's the driver I'm using for my HP UM9800-W USB modem.
> It works ... BUT I've only been getting 31k (v.34?) connects to my v.92
> ISP. (I get 40-44k connects with the windows drivers) The AT commands
> don't help. I've put in a request to Smart Link support for assistance
> and will report back if they do or if i stumble across the problem.
I get 46666 with Linux, my son has an external modem on his W98se PC and
gets the about the same - we sometimes see 48000. I have not had to play
with the AT commands.
Have you tried setting you Windows box to log the modem, then see what AT
commands are actually used?
--
Paul
Paul
> I would be interested in learning if it connects and stays connected at
> a faster rate than that if no other USB devices are used, and to know if
> you have a USB 2.0 bus or an older 1.0 USB bus.
I've got a PS/2 keyboard & mouse plus USB scanner & joystick. My UM9800w USB
modem works at 46666 using the same driver as Jim. It has been a reliable
modem so from my perspective, unless there is a USB hardware fault, I don't
think much could be gained by unplugging other USB stuff. Interested to
hear if otherwise.
--
Paul
JeB
wrote:
>
>Have you tried setting you Windows box to log the modem, then see what AT
>commands are actually used?
I haven't (blush) but will give it a try ... thanx for the suggestion.
JeB
welp ... the win routine has a pretty extensive init string but it
doesn't change me getting v.34 connects with the linux setup. I'll keep
looking and report back any success.