[ale] Help needed for a Non-Profit project - if not Linux thenwill go Windows

Geoffrey esoteric at 3times25.net
Sun Apr 6 22:39:10 EDT 2003


run it the first time with:

minicom -s

This will provide you a menu to set it up.  You should know the device 
used from the SuSE configuration.  Set the device to the proper value.

Exit the configuration and then try manually dialing a number:

atdt770-555-1212

If that doesn't work, try typing:

AT

It should return 'OK'

Are you familiar with the AT modem command set?

Greg wrote:
> how ? I type "minicom" and get nothing back.  Here are some facts
> that may help:
> 
> Telepath 28.8 fax modem (from a Gateway pc) US Robotics chipset io ==
> 0x210 irq == 5
> 
> The modem is recognized on the hardware inventory under  'isapnp'
> 
> when trying to connect I get the following Kinternet log entries: 
> Initializing modem Sending ATZ Sending ATQ0 Re-sending ATZ Modem not
> responding Connect script failed
> 
> Does this have something to do with wvdial ? I have started smpppd
> 
> Any clues anyone ??
> 
> TIA Greg
> 
> 
>> -----Original Message----- From: ale-admin at ale.org
>> [mailto:ale-admin at ale.org]On Behalf Of Geoffrey Sent: Sunday, April
>> 06, 2003 6:42 PM To: ale at ale.org Cc: Watson McKeel; Keld; FreeBytes
>> Director Subject: Re: [ale] Help needed for a Non-Profit project -
>> if not Linux then will go Windows
>> 
>> 
>> Greg wrote:
>> 
>>> Yes, that's how I am doing it.  I went to Suse since it is so
>>> easily configurable.  It recognizes the modem, seems to connect,
>>> but won't dial out.  I need to do some googling on the type of
>>> modem and what it takes to connect.  I am sure that I am not
>>> feeding it some variable that it needs.  I have heard of modems
>>> that need some customized strings or variables to work.
>> 
>> Try accessing it from the command line with minicom.
>> 
>> 
>>> Greg
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>>> -----Original Message----- From: ale-admin at ale.org 
>>>> [mailto:ale-admin at ale.org]On Behalf Of Geoffrey Sent: Sunday,
>>>> April 06, 2003 12:30 PM To: ale at ale.org Cc: Watson McKeel;
>>>> Keld; FreeBytes Director Subject: Re: [ale] Help needed for a
>>>> Non-Profit project - if not Linux then will go Windows
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> Greg wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>>> BTW  If anyone has modem configuring foo then please share
>>>>> the
>>>> 
>>>> knowledge.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>>> We are this --->| |<----- close to getting a Linux project
>>>>> off
>>>> 
>>>> the ground.
>>>> 
>>>> Wish I could be there!  Anyway, I've had very good success with
>>>>  SuSE 8.1 and configuring modems.  Use YAST2:
>>>> 
>>>> yast2->Network Basic->Modem configuration
>>>> 
>>>> From there, hopefully it will auto detect the modem.  If not,
>>>> then you'll have to configure it manually.
>>>> 
>>>> If it is detected, select to configure/change it.  From that
>>>> point, it's pretty straight forward.  I've done this for static
>>>> ip as well as dhcp, it works well.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>>> Greg Canter
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>>> -----Original Message----- From: ale-admin at ale.org 
>>>>>> [mailto:ale-admin at ale.org]On Behalf Of Geoffrey Sent:
>>>>>> Saturday, April 05, 2003 11:48 PM To: ale at ale.org Cc:
>>>>>> Watson McKeel; Keld; FreeBytes Director Subject: Re: [ale]
>>>>>> Help needed for a Non-Profit project - if not Linux then
>>>>>> will go Windows
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> I'd like to help, but will be out of town.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> One note, I'd be interested in knowing how anyone plans to
>>>>>> lock you out of the command line with win98.  If you've got
>>>>>> a browser, you fire up command.com and you've got a dos
>>>>>> window.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> I've done something very similar to what you're looking for
>>>>>>  though.  Had a slide show fire up from boot for my wife
>>>>>> during conference week.  It's pretty straight forward, you
>>>>>> call startx from rc as the last thing to run. In the
>>>>>> .xinitrc file it simply called the browser passing to it
>>>>>> the location of the slideshow.  Worked like a champ.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> If you're still looking for assistance late next week I'll
>>>>>> be back in town, let me know.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Sorry, I would have loved to get involved on this one.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Greg wrote:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> I am helping out at a non-profit called Free Bytes 
>>>>>>> (http://www.freebytes.org) that is providing support to
>>>>>>> the
>>>> 
>>>> Atlanta Food
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>>>>> Bank for an initial order of 30 computers - out of a
>>>>>>> possible
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> future order
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> of several hundred.  We are looking for an OS that can be
>>>>>>>  installed on machines that will immediately dial up via
>>>>>>> modem to an ISP, have a web browser come up so folks can
>>>>>>> use a web based form for ordering food shipments, and the
>>>>>>> box must be configured so that it will not
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> allow the user
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> to get to a command line or otherwise play with the
>>>>>>> machine. A working model must be done by this week and
>>>>>>> not only is there a time
>>>> 
>>>> crunch, but
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>>>>> since the first distro we went with (a Slackware derived
>>>> 
>>>> version) failed
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>>>>> miserably (only 1 successful install out of 4 machines
>>>>>>> and
>>>> 
>>>> even then the
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>>>>> modem is almost unconfigurable). We need a solid victory
>>>>>>> or
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Windows 98 will
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> be installed on all machines (it is an all or nothing
>>>>>>> project -
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> only 1 OS
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> will be selected).  MS Windows is our back-up if a Open 
>>>>>>> Source solution cannot be found.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Here are the HW requirements: RAM:	64 MG (sorry, we have 
>>>>>>> little ram and the machines
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> have varying slots)
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> HD:	1 GB is the lowest size, we can put other hard
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> drives in the PCs (all
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> less than 1 GB, though) CPU:	Pentium 133 MHz Modem:	We
>>>>>>> need an easily customizable interface so we can
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> easily customize
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> it.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Here are the SW requirements Boot to a browser after the
>>>>>>> X windows comes up. GUI (for a browser and for a button
>>>>>>> to push that will do a
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> shutdown/halt)
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Need to have good looking fonts on browser. A button to
>>>>>>> push that will do a shutdown/halt Can meet the HW
>>>>>>> requirements. Easily installable.  I understand that
>>>>>>> given enough time
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> any one can figure
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> out how to make a modem work, but we don't have the time
>>>>>>> or the
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> folks who
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> have a high level knowledge of a *nix to configure the
>>>>>>> modems
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> to work.  Our
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> installers have primarily Windows experience and work 
>>>>>>> primarily
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> on Saturdays
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> for several hours.  A member of the Free Bytes staff will
>>>>>>> go out to the field to deliver, configure, and do a field
>>>>>>> test of the PC's as well as teach the end users and
>>>>>>> supervise the initial install and test.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Time Line: If I cannot find a easily configurable distro
>>>>>>> by Sunday
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> night and no one
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> steps up with a viable alternative/solution, then I will
>>>>>>> have
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> to call the
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> project manager at Free Bytes and tell them to go ahead
>>>>>>> with
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Windows 98.  We
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> would like to do a demo this week to the customer with a 
>>>>>>> Linux
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> box and show
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> how easy it is (think kiosk). If I can get a workable 
>>>>>>> solution
>>>> 
>>>> by Sunday
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>>>>> night I will call and tell the Free Bytes project manager
>>>>>>> we
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> can use Linux -
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> with a demo box to follow by mid week.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Current Problems: * HD size: most modern Linux distro's
>>>>>>> are horribly bloated
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> and we don't
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> have the time to take out every single thing as well as
>>>>>>> the
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> fact that the
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> minimum for most distro's is about 1.7 GB anyway.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> * Needs to be easily installable.  We may have to do
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> several hundred of
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> these boxen.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> * Time.  We bet on a solution that has not worked out and
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> does not have an
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> easy way to automatically crank up the modem and easily
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> configure the modem
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> so we lost valuable time already.  A solution needs to be
>>>>>>>  done
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> ASAP - (in 2
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> days) and a working model by this Wed (so I can have a 
>>>>>>> working
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> box in the
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> project manager's hands by mid week).
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> What I need help with: Suggestions on a good distro. I
>>>>>>> intend to try several of my
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> old ones this
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> weekend.  The modern ones (RH and Suse bombed) An already
>>>>>>>  scripted distro that can be installed that will
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> provide a kiosk
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> or even just simple window manager, browser and a method
>>>>>>> to
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> easily configure
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> the modem. Suggestions on good modem cards and/or
>>>>>>> external modems that
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> work well with
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Linux.  I know about the Linux hardware compatibility
>>>>>>> list but
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> I want real
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> world advice. Any suggestions on how to EASILY configure 
>>>>>>> modems. ( I only
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> have experience
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> with TCP/IP and Linux). Any help to come by next Saturday
>>>>>>> to put some boxes out the
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> door - unless I
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> have to recommend a Windows solution. Either Linux or a
>>>>>>> BSD solution is ok.  I know it can be
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> done, I just don't
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> have the time now (already spending 12 hrs at work daily)
>>>>>>> to do
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> it and test
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> it myself and Free Bytes needs it soon too.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> What I don't need help with: Any politically motivated 
>>>>>>> flames.  I don't have the time
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> nor the mind.  The
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> customer wants a simple computer solution and has already
>>>>>>>  seen
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> a Windows box
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> and considers it the standard to beat. We need to have a
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> solution that is
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> realistic and will work.  The customer doesn't care about
>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> how - just the
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> what.  I will not hesitate to recommend a MS solution to
>>>>>>> help them feed people. I am sorry, but the hardware and
>>>>>>> other requirements are not
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> negotiable.  I
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> really wish we had modern boxes with already installed 
>>>>>>> <distro
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> here> that
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> automagically just needed the phone # to work, but that
>>>>>>> is not
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> the reality.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> What is in the requirements is all we have to work with
>>>> 
>>>> (unless some one
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>>>>> donates several hundred bigger/better/faster/newer
>>>>>>> computer's
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> in the next 4
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> days).
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> So, can any one help ?  in any way ? even advice on
>>>>>>> modems
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> is needed.  It
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> would be nice if several dozen or even a few were to come
>>>>>>> by
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> next Saturday
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> to help with installs too, but right now I need to get a
>>>>>>> demo
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> working within
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> the requirements. If it passes muster, then we will worry
>>>>>>>  about
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> the initial
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> order of 30.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> If you want to help, then please email me at
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> runman at speedfactory.net  If
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> anyone wants to seriously help take on this project AND
>>>>>>> CAN
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> REALLY REALLY
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> DONATE THE TIME then just ask and we can talk on the
>>>>>>> phone to
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> night - but at
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> any rate I need to give the project manager the word not 
>>>>>>> later
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> than Sunday
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> night.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> TIA,
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Greg Canter
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________ Ale
>>>>>>> mailing list Ale at ale.org
>>>>>>> http://www.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> -- Until later: Geoffrey		esoteric at 3times25.net
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> The latest, most widespread virus?  Microsoft end user 
>>>>>> agreement. Think about it...
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> _______________________________________________ Ale mailing
>>>>>>  list Ale at ale.org http://www.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale
>>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> _______________________________________________ Ale mailing
>>>>> list Ale at ale.org http://www.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> -- Until later: Geoffrey		esoteric at 3times25.net
>>>> 
>>>> The latest, most widespread virus?  Microsoft end user
>>>> agreement. Think about it...
>>>> 
>>>> _______________________________________________ Ale mailing
>>>> list Ale at ale.org http://www.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale
>>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> _______________________________________________ Ale mailing list 
>>> Ale at ale.org http://www.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale
>>> 
>>> 
>> 
>> -- Until later: Geoffrey		esoteric at 3times25.net
>> 
>> The latest, most widespread virus?  Microsoft end user agreement. 
>> Think about it...
>> 
>> _______________________________________________ Ale mailing list 
>> Ale at ale.org http://www.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale
>> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________ Ale mailing list 
> Ale at ale.org http://www.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale
> 
> 

-- 
Until later: Geoffrey		esoteric at 3times25.net

The latest, most widespread virus?  Microsoft end user agreement.
Think about it...

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