[SATLUG] Help with Modem

[Sean Carolan]

> Can someone sort me out please?
> Thanks herb

Herb, I have been down this road several times since 1998 when I first
started using Linux.  That blood stain you see on the wall is the spot
left from me banging my head on it repeatedly due to frustration with
winmodems.

Honestly, your best solution is to bite the bullet and buy an external
hardware modem*, perhaps one like this:

http://www.usr.com/products/home/home-product.asp?type=specs&sku=USR5686E

If you're on a budget you can pick up a similar one or slightly older
v.90 model for $20 or so on ebay.

You'll have a much more pleasant experience than trying to shoehorn
the Winmodem into working with your Linux box.  Even if you *do* get
it working, it probably will not be as stable as a real hardware modem
would be.  With the external one you'll have no problems getting it to
dial or hang up, etc. automatically.

Anyway that's my $0.02.  I hope to save you a world of misery dealing
with a crappy winmodem.

thanks

Sean

*(Note - if you do buy a modem, please post a link to what you're
considering purchasing here first.  Recently some of the external
modems are coming with only USB ports, and they are no different than
the winmodem you have now.  You need to make sure it's a real hardware
modem)