kppp

[TMAN]

kppp doesn't seem to be able to properly use my Connexant HCF (win)modem (of eeeevil). When I try to connect or query modem I get "Sorry, the modem doesn't respond". Now I know the modem works and is in dev/modem cause wvDial has no problem connecting. I'm using the mbsi source drivers (if there is another project for drivers please tell) on Mandrake using gcc 3.0. Thanks.

[MaXimum SMOKE]

Glad to see that someone is starting to do drivers for those cards now... Anyhow I'd start looking at wvdial's conf file and comparing it to Kppp under the tab Modem ---> Edit modem commands Check for differences in the initialization string, then experiment with the 'Pre-init Delay time' adjustment of kppp.

[TMAN]

Ironically that was the first thing I did. But, like then, I still am not all together sure what to do. There are two initialization strings in wvdial the first one is exactly the same as with kppp. pre-init delay time doesn't seem to do anything. On the other hand right after posting I had a hunch that this might be an issue with the lock file so I changed permissions to allow all users to edit (unsafe/insecure?). kppp and wvdial worked perfectly until I went to linuxconf and changed permissions per its advice ftp, http stuff but not the lock file. Could this be another prmissions issue?

[MaXimum SMOKE]

I missed something.... Everything worked O.K. until you changed the permissions of what, ? The overall systems permissions that Mandrake uses for system security?

Permissions can screw up the operation of a lot of things. Linux in general has been trying to make things more user-friendly, without messing up security. It's been an interesting thing. In the older versions like RH 5.x you even had to mount your cdroms from the command line. Anyhow, if kppp and all worked before you changed system permissions, you are probably on to the right area. The error message you are geting is like their general 'we don't know what it is' error. Mandrake is based on the RH I'm using, but these newer versions do have their differences. Kppp and wvdial should both be front-ends for the pppd daemon, so there is a relationship there. like /sbin/ifup ppp0 used to start the process too.

[TMAN]

I understand that, but now my dilema is that by changing the security I might leave the system in a compromising state. There has to be another way! Oh well. I'm only using kppp because it's a simpler graphical frontend to kppp compared to kwvdial. I guess that I'll just use kwvdial for now.

[MaXimum SMOKE]

Sometimes it can be a real fun thing trying to keep up with the changes in the distributions' tools. I was trying to remember what the levels were for Mandrake Security. The lowest was like no internet connection, Then there was a general one for use as a client machine, where probably most of the people were, then they tightened it up more for server use. There could be just a 'bug that effects kppp in whatever mode you chose. I've tried a few different dialers. Kind of like RH's usernet... simple and sweet. Tell you what. I've been fooling around with this since RH 5.2... I consider myself a novice. This OS changes rapidly, and sometimes radically. You can subscribe to Mandrake's emails and some of the others and still be happy to catch but a fraction of the information out there. This, my friend, is an electronic frontier. Enjoy the experience it has to offer. No one knows it all (Use what works for you, on your given machine.) You are right, that you need 'client level' security, for a client machine. That may mean wvdial, unless you're ready to put some advanced time into 'the books'

[aym]

I have a Conexant modem too, I had the same problem, and I found the solution here:
http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/Conexant+R...WTO/index.html

[TMAN]

thanks! I'm looking into that now