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  • From: baslinux AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • To: baslinux AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [BL] no dial tone
  • Date: Fri, 8 Oct 2010 13:48:47 +0000 (UTC)

I set up a Compaq LTE5280 120MHz 80MB RAM laptop (no CD-ROM drive, no USB, no modem or ethernet or wireless, has serial, IR, parallel port, and working sound) for a neighbor to use for email, with BL2. I tried two known good PCMCIA modems (one is always ttyS3, the other identifies as ttyS1 or ttyS2 depending whether I leave IR enabled as com2) and one external modem (ttyS0 - plugged into com1). A known good phone line (I also tried mine, which works with other laptops) and cords. BL finds the modems but 'no dial tone'. (Puppy cannot even find them, after 30 min or so of very slow operating since it was wasting most of the memory on stuff like modules for cd-rom, usb, printing and sound, and rox filer).

The external modem works in DOS with kermit, and I went online with it. In linux kermit says something about a file not being accessible (UDCP?), locked. There is a lynx for DOS but I would like her to also have access to a javascript graphical browser.

The hard drive in there was moved over from another computer where a pcmcia modem worked with the same software setup. I cannot test with BL3 loop or floppy BL2 because kernel 2.2 does not work. 'fatal kernel too old' or 'machine check exception error' or 'read-only file system'. I did not test with BL3 on hard drive and kernel 2.4 .

I have gotten OSS sound to work on laptops where Puppy with Alsa failed. How would I approach getting the modems to work here?

PCMCIA network card works perfectly.

I have one Toshiba laptop where only the built-in AMR winmodem works, and it prevents all other modems from working (IRQ problem?). This has no built-in modem that I can find, but something in BIOS mentions RJ-45 and IRQ setting for it. You can also set sb io port and irq. I did not see anything conflicting with IRQ3 or IRQ4 (external modem in com1).

I temporarily gave her my first linux laptop, a 100MHz Toshiba with 24MB memory, a CD-ROM drive, and Opera 8 (uses less RAM). It even has a 20 minute battery and does 800x600 framebuffer and sb sound. She can use links2 non-graphically to read some mail. svgalib does not work (scrambled screen even in VGA mode), which is typical of laptops and LCD monitors. I have other laptops she could use, but would like to solve this modem problem.

I can try a 4-wire instead of 2-wire phone cord. But the 2-wire ones work with two other laptops and the same modems. Except for a couple where the plug catches on the wires.

I had set her up a 500Mhz desktop (works with BL, puppy refuses to work on it, I forget why) but she cannot see the monitor with her bifocals and there is no room for it downstairs where she sleeps.

Perhaps her neighbor has broadband and a WEP wireless signal she could share.

Sindi Keesan



  • [BL] no dial tone, baslinux, 10/08/2010

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