No carrier on a Ac'97 linmodem

I recently upgraded to Debian Lenny (unstable) and installed the sl-
modem-daemon package. scanModem says to download and install the
slmodemd (SmartLink Modem Driver) .tar.gz file. Well, I though I'd do
it the Debian way and install the .deb package rather.

slmodemd runs perfectly, and after I reconfigured it for my country,
it seems to work perfectly.

However, when I try to dial (using wvdial OR kppp) it says "No
carrier". Understandable. So I try the configuration on another
computer (which modem I know works), and it's fine. OK, so then I try
dialing the number on a phone from the same phone cable that plugs in
to the computer, thinking it might be a faulty phone line. I get the
standard beeps from a V.90/V.92 number.

No matter what I try, it still says that. Does anybody have any
suggestions on how to remedy this? I really want to get this modem to
work . . .

KAWK



kawk@theprogrammingsite.com

On Sat, 29 Sep 2007, in the Usenet newsgroup comp.os.linux.networking, in
article <(E-Mail Removed). com>,
(E-Mail Removed) wrote:

NOTE: Posting from groups.google.com (or some web-forums) dramatically
reduces the chance of your post being seen. Find a real news server.

>However, when I try to dial (using wvdial OR kppp) it says "No
>carrier".

And what happens when you try to use something like 'minicom'? The
'No Carrier' message means that the modem heard a dial-tone, was able
to dial, and (depending on how long it took for the message to appear)
EITHER there wasn't a modem _detected_ on the other end (which may be
an incorrect modem initialization string) OR those crap tools you are
trying to use is looking for a 'Login:' prompt, and the ISP is hanging
up the phone because you aren't a starting ppp connection immediately.

>No matter what I try, it still says that. Does anybody have any
>suggestions on how to remedy this? I really want to get this modem
>to work . . .

I take it that the loosemodem doesn't have a working speaker. You
could try setting /etc/ppp/pap-secrets with the correct username and
password, and then running this script (as root):

[compton ~]$ cat /usr/local/bin/dialin
#!/bin/bash
exec /usr/sbin/pppd connect "/usr/sbin/chat -f /etc/ppp/dialscript" lock \
defaultroute noipdefault nodetach /dev/modem 115200 crtscts user kawk
[compton ~]$

There must not be anything after the \ in that line.

[compton ~]$ cat /etc/ppp/dialscript
ABORT BUSY ABORT 'NO CARRIER' "" AT&F0 OK ATDT2662902 CONNECT \d\c
[compton ~]$

Then look at the output of /sbin/ifconfig -a and see if you are getting
a ppp0 link.

Old guy

> And what happens when you try to use something like 'minicom'? The
> 'No Carrier' message means that the modem heard a dial-tone, was able
> to dial, and (depending on how long it took for the message to appear)
> EITHER there wasn't a modem _detected_ on the other end (which may be
> an incorrect modem initialization string) OR those crap tools you are
> trying to use is looking for a 'Login:' prompt, and the ISP is hanging
> up the phone because you aren't a starting ppp connection immediately.

You're right about the init string . . . it's AT&F rather than ATZ.
Dang it, why didn't I check that first . . . .
And yes, wvdial and kppp are terrible. I'll try minicom or something
rather. The 'no carrier'
message appears right after "Initializing Modem . . .", before it even
gets to dialing.

> >No matter what I try, it still says that. Does anybody have any
> >suggestions on how to remedy this? I really want to get this modem
> >to work . . .
>
> I take it that the loosemodem doesn't have a working speaker. You
> could try setting /etc/ppp/pap-secrets with the correct username and
> password, and then running this script (as root):
>
> [compton ~]$ cat /usr/local/bin/dialin
> #!/bin/bash
> exec /usr/sbin/pppd connect "/usr/sbin/chat -f /etc/ppp/dialscript" lock \
> defaultroute noipdefault nodetach /dev/modem 115200 crtscts user kawk
> [compton ~]$
>
> There must not be anything after the \ in that line.
>
> [compton ~]$ cat /etc/ppp/dialscript
> ABORT BUSY ABORT 'NO CARRIER' "" AT&F0 OK ATDT2662902 CONNECT \d\c
> [compton ~]$
>
> Then look at the output of /sbin/ifconfig -a and see if you are getting
> a ppp0 link.
>
> Old guy

Okay, I'll try that and replace the "kawk" up there with my username.

> NOTE: Posting from groups.google.com (or some web-forums) dramatically
> reduces the chance of your post being seen. Find a real news server.

Alright, I will do that.

On Wed, 03 Oct 2007, in the Usenet newsgroup comp.os.linux.networking, in
article <(E-Mail Removed) om>,
(E-Mail Removed) wrote:

NOTE: Posting from groups.google.com (or some web-forums) dramatically
reduces the chance of your post being seen. Find a real news server.

[I wrote]

>> The 'No Carrier' message means that the modem heard a dial-tone, was
>> able to dial, and (depending on how long it took for the message to
>> appear) EITHER there wasn't a modem _detected_ on the other end
>> (which may be an incorrect modem initialization string) OR those crap
>> tools you are trying to use is looking for a 'Login:' prompt, and the
>> ISP is hanging up the phone because you aren't a starting ppp
>> connection immediately.
>
>You're right about the init string . . . it's AT&F rather than ATZ.
>Dang it, why didn't I check that first . . . .

AT&F (normally shorthand for AT&F0) is used by a lot of modem
manufacturers as the "reset to factory defaults" string. Some modems
actually want something else (USR wants 'AT&F1' to get hardware flow
control, rather than XON/XOFF). ATZ is rather iffy, as it means
setting the modem to some 'saved' setting (see AT&Wn). Now, what was
save to NVRAM? Who knows.

>And yes, wvdial and kppp are terrible. I'll try minicom or something
>rather. The 'no carrier' message appears right after "Initializing
>Modem . . .", before it even gets to dialing.

That doesn't sound right - Before dialing, it should be complaining
about the lack of dial-tone, or the application should be complaining
that it can't talk to the modem. The 'No Carrier' message should not
occur there, as carrier (the two modems screaming at each other) hasn't
occurred yet. Shouldn't be expecting to hear carrier until you've at
least dialed the number, and not received a Busy tone.

>Okay, I'll try that and replace the "kawk" up there with my username.

That script was originally developed in the mid-1990s, and except for
changing the username and telephone number, has been working with at
least four different modems and (for me) six different ISPs. It's
about as generic as you can get.

Old guy

(E-Mail Removed) (Moe Trin) writes:

>On Wed, 03 Oct 2007, in the Usenet newsgroup comp.os.linux.networking, in
>article <(E-Mail Removed) om>,
>(E-Mail Removed) wrote:

>NOTE: Posting from groups.google.com (or some web-forums) dramatically
>reduces the chance of your post being seen. Find a real news server.

>[I wrote]

>>> The 'No Carrier' message means that the modem heard a dial-tone, was
>>> able to dial, and (depending on how long it took for the message to
>>> appear) EITHER there wasn't a modem _detected_ on the other end
>>> (which may be an incorrect modem initialization string) OR those crap
>>> tools you are trying to use is looking for a 'Login:' prompt, and the
>>> ISP is hanging up the phone because you aren't a starting ppp
>>> connection immediately.
>>
>>You're right about the init string . . . it's AT&F rather than ATZ.
>>Dang it, why didn't I check that first . . . .

As He says, never use ATZ. It is a random command. AT&F is almost always
right except for Sportster modems.


>AT&F (normally shorthand for AT&F0) is used by a lot of modem
>manufacturers as the "reset to factory defaults" string. Some modems
>actually want something else (USR wants 'AT&F1' to get hardware flow
>control, rather than XON/XOFF). ATZ is rather iffy, as it means
>setting the modem to some 'saved' setting (see AT&Wn). Now, what was
>save to NVRAM? Who knows.

>>And yes, wvdial and kppp are terrible. I'll try minicom or something
>>rather. The 'no carrier' message appears right after "Initializing
>>Modem . . .", before it even gets to dialing.

>That doesn't sound right - Before dialing, it should be complaining
>about the lack of dial-tone, or the application should be complaining
>that it can't talk to the modem. The 'No Carrier' message should not
>occur there, as carrier (the two modems screaming at each other) hasn't
>occurred yet. Shouldn't be expecting to hear carrier until you've at
>least dialed the number, and not received a Busy tone.

>>Okay, I'll try that and replace the "kawk" up there with my username.

>That script was originally developed in the mid-1990s, and except for
>changing the username and telephone number, has been working with at
>least four different modems and (for me) six different ISPs. It's
>about as generic as you can get.

If you want help debugging, try www.theory.physics.ubc.ca/ppp-linux.html
which has a step by step procedure to get you hooked up to your ISP.



> Old guy

(E-Mail Removed) wrote:
> You're right about the init string . . . it's AT&F rather than ATZ.

Uh, they're similar but different. AT&F resets to factory defaults;
ATZ resets to the configuration you've last written to the "modem" nvram.

Chris

On Fri, 05 Oct 2007, in the Usenet newsgroup comp.os.linux.networking, in
article <(E-Mail Removed)>, Chris Davies wrote:

>(E-Mail Removed) wrote:

>> You're right about the init string . . . it's AT&F rather than ATZ.

Note that he is talking about an AC97 winmodem which probably doesn't
have any NVRAM - never mind the rest of the hardware it's missing.

>Uh, they're similar but different. AT&F resets to factory defaults;
>ATZ resets to the configuration you've last written to the "modem" nvram.

Admittedly, a USR Sportster, but the on-line help (AT$) and dead-tree
manual both say

Yn n=0 Next Reset to &W0 settings
n=1 Next Reset to &W1 settings
n=2 Next Reset to &F0 settings
n=3 Next Reset to &F1 settings
n=4 Next Reset to &F2 settings

Zn n=0 Dip #7 up: Yn
Dip #7 down: &F0
n=1 Reset to &W0 settings
n=2 Reset to &W1 settings
n=3 Reset to &F0 settings
n=4 Reset to &F1 settings
n=5 Reset to &F2 settings

so it can be a bit tricky. Going further, one of the Rockwell chipset
modems lists only

Z0 Restore stored profile 0 after warm reset
Z1 Restore stored profile 1 after warm reset

(ATYn having unrelated functions), while another doesn't even describe
the command (though observed results are Z restoring the single saved
profile, and Z? doing nothing other that responding 'ERROR').

The 'Hayes modem command standard' isn't a standard, and even Hayes
didn't follow it consistently.

Old guy