[100615] in RedHat Linux List
RE: "Winmodems" (Support in Linux)
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Bruce Richardson)
Sun Nov 22 12:01:45 1998
From: Bruce Richardson <brichardson@lineone.net>
To: "'redhat-list@redhat.com'" <redhat-list@redhat.com>
Date: Sun, 22 Nov 1998 16:59:29 -0000
Resent-From: redhat-list@redhat.com
Reply-To: redhat-list@redhat.com
Leo wrote:
(re Ramon's instructions)
<<If I understood correct, is it possible then to make a Winmodem work
under Linux by
the method you just described?>>
No, those were instructions for switching from an internal modem to a
serial card carrying an external modem without disrupting any programs set
to use the internal modem.
<<I have a Diamond SupraExpress i56 PCI internal modem... works Ok under
NT, but not Linux (still using my old external 14400 under it).>>
Linux does not currently work with PCI modems. Linux assumes all modems
are connected to the PC through a serial port. It can work with ISA
internal modems because they have a UART (serial port chip) on board.
There are two kinds of PCI modems: one has no UART but does have a DSP
(Digital Signal Processor, the chip that does the digital-analogue
conversion), the second cheaper kind has neither chip. Both require
special drivers to imitate UART's, the cheaper kind relying on the driver
to do ALL the work (which puts a big strain on the processor). There will
never be a driver for the second kind - it's just not worth the effort.
Eventually, there will be drivers for the first kind, since ISA is on the
way out and all internal modems will be PCI (or just built straight onto
the motherboard, I suppose) but the manufacturers will have to either
publish their hardware specs or agree on a standard interface that driver
writers can work with.
The short answer is there is no Linux driver for your modem.
<<Also, I'm a bit confused here about all this winmodem stuff. They're not
PnP, right?
(pnpdump doesn't see it)>>
The PCI standard has plug and play built into it and doesn't actually need
OS support (here's a tip if you only have Linux on the machine - boot to
the CMOS settings and set 'PnP-aware OS' to 'No', that way the PCI
interface takes care of all its own settings). pnpdump is part of the
ISApnptools kit which is designed to make pnp work for ISA cards under
Linux. pnpdump doesn't bother with PCI cards.
<<Does every kind of these winmodems have a unique method
(maybespecific-driver-oriented) to set them?>>
Pretty much.
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