# Dialup Modem Connection Problem



## Terry Mester (Mar 25, 2018)

I have an Intel HM18025 V.92 56K Voice / Fax / Data internal Modem.  It works perfectly fine with Microsoft Windows.  However, my attempt to connect to my Internet Service Provider using BSD's 'ppp' Command fails.  Upon entering Terminal Mode 'term' it gives the following message, and then goes dead:
deflink: Entering terminal mode on /dev/cuau0
Type '~?' for help

Now, I know that 'ppp' recognizes the Modem is there because when I try to enter Terminal Mode on the empty COM Port 2 it gives the following error message:
Warning: deflink: /dev/cuau1: Badfiledescriptor
Failed to open /dev/cuau1

The Modem does have a MS Windows Driver File.  I'm assuming that the Driver is needed for Voice and Fax operations, and not Data.  If BSD needs a Driver for Data Modem function, then you need to provide such BSD Drivers if you want to acquire converts to FreeBSD.  The ability to connect to the Internet is a must for Computer users.  After suffering the MS Windows 'Blue screen' horror due to the failure of their Firewall, I would like to be able to use BSD for my Internet sessions to avoid such MS problems.  I hope that I won't be stuck with MS Windows.


----------



## Oko (Mar 25, 2018)

Terry Mester said:


> I have an Intel HM18025 V.92 56K Voice / Fax / Data internal Modem.


Internal Modem's were Windows only modems. Assuming you are not trolling you have to find a genuine hardware serial RS-232 modem like this one

https://www.usr.com/products/56k-dialup-modem/usr5686g/

Those modems that you can purchase now typically don't come with RS-232 port

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_port

but rather with DB-25 connector.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RS-232

Device driver for hardware modem is NOT needed! The FreeBSD handbook had a section on how to set up those. I forgot what I was doing on FreeBSD as it was 20 years ago but I remember that OpenBSD had kernel and userland daemon. IIRC I used to use kernel *pppd.   *OpenBSD FAQ dial-up section was removed years ago as nobody is using it but *man*  pages are pretty darn good so if you follow it you will be able to set you dial up connection in 5 minutes.

https://man.openbsd.org/OpenBSD-6.2/pppd.8



Terry Mester said:


> If BSD needs a Driver for Data Modem function, then you need to provide such BSD Drivers if you want to acquire converts to FreeBSD.


BSD communities are not a religious cults. We don't need any "converts". Personally I could care less what OS people are using. I live in a free country and use OS to power my computers do to the work more efficiently so that I have time to do things I really like (hiking national parks for example).


----------



## Terry Mester (Mar 28, 2018)

I'll assume that Oko got up on the wrong side of the bed.  Can someone confirm the accuracy of this statement in Post #2: "Internal Modem's were Windows only modems".  It makes no sense whatsoever that a Hardware device cannot be operated by any Operating System or Software programme.  Why would the 'ppp' Command open the COM Ports if internal Modems don't work with BSD?


----------



## SirDice (Mar 28, 2018)

Terry Mester said:


> Can someone confirm the accuracy of this statement in Post #2: "Internal Modem's were Windows only modems".


A lot of them were.


> It makes no sense whatsoever that a Hardware device cannot be operated by any Operating System or Software programme.


The "problem" with WinModems was that it's not just a piece of hardware, it requires a fully functional driver to actually be able to use the card. No driver, no working card. And these cards tended to have Windows-only drivers and their manufacturers didn't supply the required information to be able to create drivers for them. "True" modem cards don't require a driver and simply show up as an extra serial port. 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Softmodem


----------



## Terry Mester (Apr 1, 2018)

Thanks for the clarification and Wiki Link.  I can tell from the pictures that my Modem is a Software Modem, and not a Hardware Modem.  This explains why it has no DIP Switches.  Perhaps it also explains why it has such low compression compared to my ISP's Modem compression.  Ironically my 26-year-old 9200 Baud Modem is a Hardware Modem.

After I install a Hardware Modem I'll follow-up to let you know how 'ppp' works out.


----------



## Terry Mester (Apr 1, 2018)

I found this US Robotics Internal Controller Modem (Model USR5610C).  Will it work with BSD?
http://www.usr.com/products/56k-dialup-modem/usr5610c/

If it needs a Driver, can this Linux version be converted to BSD?
ftp://ftp.usr.com/usr/dl15/LNUX_3ComMdm-1.0-1.i386.rpm


----------



## trev (Apr 1, 2018)

Terry Mester said:


> I found this US Robotics Internal Controller Modem (Model USR5610C). Will it work with BSD?



Very unlikely. The clue is at the bottom of the page "Windows required".

Get an external modem.


----------



## Terry Mester (Apr 3, 2018)

trev said:


> Very unlikely. The clue is at the bottom of the page "Windows required".
> ...


I believe that refers only to the Call Notification feature.  Since the Datasheet states that it works with Linux, and is Hayes compatible as well as Unimodem TSP / TAPI compliant, its Data function should work with any OS.

I'm waiting to hear back from the company for their opinion on compatibility with BSD.


----------



## vchan (Apr 9, 2018)

Wow I had that modem or a similar one from US Robotics back in the day. Unfortunately I was pretty young and my computer had Windows 98 on it so I have no input on how it works with BSD.


----------

