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Re: [LUG] Modem Drivers-Meet



On Tuesday 28 September 2004 8:45 pm, Julian Hall wrote:
Great idea Sadie.  I think your best bet would be to compile a list of
ISPs that support Linux in the area first, then see if you can find out
what modems they support.

Oops. ISP's don't support modems - either the modem works and you'll connect, 
or it won't and you can't. ISP's only support the protocol over the phone 
line. True some of the big name ones used to make things difficult by 
requiring customised chatscripts but that's not the issue.

No point converting people and taking the 
effort to help them get online the first time, only to find they have
reloaded Windows at a later date after the following exchange:

As I mentioned, the only guaranteed method is an external modem - not a USB 
one either, a proper serial hardware modem.

Cmr:  I'm having trouble logging on today.
Tech:  OK what version of Windows do you have?
Cmr:  I'm running Linux.. Debian.
Tech: I'm sorry we do not support Linux.

Ring back and tell them you're using Windows. That's what we all did.

After you have that info you ought to be able to download the
drivers/modules for the specific modems you've identified.  It would be
wasteful of your time to download a raft of drivers/modules for Linux
only to find that the people who turn up are with ISPs that don't
support those modems and/or don't have them anyway.

Agreed. There are simply too many modems to get them all. If it was that easy, 
modem identification and driver installation would have been part of the 
distribution installer long ago - like network cards are today.


-- 

Neil Williams
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