2009/7/26 Robert D Davidson <robert(a)datamatrix.co.nz>:

The root password seems to be different from the password entered for the user account created when loading Ubuntu.  Is there any way of getting it or is known only to the Kernal Maintainers?

"Assuming Ubuntu, which is what I'm more familiar with, at the command prompt, type:- sudo pppconfig You should then be prompted for your password if running from the account you used to set up the system." Perhaps I should have made it clearer ... "your" NOT "root". So far, I've not needed to know the root password on my system, and by being able to use "sudo su -" to become root, there should be no need to. Michael

H Michael, I got into root and used pppconfig everthing went fine except the modem was not found automatically and I manually set it to dev/ttyS1 the offered default value. Howver when I tired pon I got unrecognized option '/dev/modem Maybe the modem port is not turned on in the BIOS as Bruce said? Cheers Robert ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bruce Kingsbury" <zcat(a)zcat.geek.nz> To: "Waikato Linux Users Group" <wlug(a)list.waikato.ac.nz> Sent: Sunday, July 26, 2009 6:57 PM Subject: Re: [wlug] Message for Michael MXDonald There is NO root password. Open a terminal in your normal user login (Accessories, Terminal) and type "sudo pppconfig" -- and the password it asks for is the same one you used to log in. 2009/7/26 Robert D Davidson <robert(a)datamatrix.co.nz>:

Hi Jaytee,

The root password seems to be different from the password entered for the user account created when loading Ubuntu. Is there any way of getting it or is known only to the Kernal Maintainers?

Cheers

Robert

----- Original Message ----- From: <jaytee(a)clear.net.nz> To: "Waikato Linux Users Group" <wlug(a)list.waikato.ac.nz> Sent: Sunday, July 26, 2009 5:10 PM Subject: Re: [wlug] Message for Michael MXDonald

...

You need to preface your command with the word sudo then a space that will make you root whilst that job is done. Regards john

----- Original Message Follows -----

...

Hi Michael,

Thanks for that. However how do I make myself root to run pppconfig?

Cheers

Robert

----- Original Message ----- From: "Michael McDonald" <mikencolleen(a)gmail.com> To: "Waikato Linux Users Group" <wlug(a)list.waikato.ac.nz> Sent: Sunday, July 26, 2009 3:56 PM Subject: Re: [wlug] Adding a Serial Modem

2009/7/26 Robert D Davidson <robert(a)datamatrix.co.nz>:

...

Yes indeed, I was told at the last WLUG Fixit meeting, after someone spent two hours trying to get a driver going for a Conextant internal modem and failed, that getting a serial modem would be trivially easy. However this has not proved to be the case and I am getting an earful from the groundcrew.

The last time I installed a serial modem I found that the most reliable method was using commands:- 1. pppconfig for setup 2. pon to connect 3. poff to disconnect

Michael _______________________________________________ wlug mailing list | wlug(a)list.waikato.ac.nz Unsubscribe: http://list.waikato.ac.nz/mailman/listinfo/wlug

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Hi Michael, I did all that and I could see the connectoin in the peers folder and I used it in conjunction with the pon command with all the ports and still no joy but no error messages.either. The modem TX and RX lights are off when the P.C. is runing though they flash on briefly at P.C. boot up time. The PWR HS and MR lights are on all the time. Cheers Robert ----- Original Message ----- From: "Michael McDonald" <mikencolleen(a)gmail.com> To: "Waikato Linux Users Group" <wlug(a)list.waikato.ac.nz> Sent: Sunday, July 26, 2009 10:08 PM Subject: Re: [wlug] Message for Michael MXDonald

2009/7/26 Robert D Davidson <robert(a)datamatrix.co.nz>:

...

I got into root and used pppconfig everthing went fine except the modem was not found automatically and I manually set it to dev/ttyS1 the offered default value. Howver when I tired pon I got unrecognized option '/dev/modem

Maybe the modem port is not turned on in the BIOS as Bruce said?

In a terminal session, and running as root ... cd /etc/ppp/peers ls -l

You should see a list of configurations ... "provider" and the one you set up.

...

From memory, when you issue the "pon" command you should add the name of the file you set up. pon <your file>

If the modem does nothing, you probably don't have the correct port - you should have been able to detect it when you did pppconfig. It's easy to use pppconfig and change it (or edit the file manually).

It could be worth experimenting with Puppy Linux, running from CD. Puppy has a good "tool" for connecting via Ethernet or modem to the Internet. Alternatively, the other tools that you can use in Ubuntu (eg gnome-ppp) allow you to "query" the modem during setup. No response means you haven't got the right port!

Gnome-ppp may work for you - it was just that I found pon/poff worked reliably - the computer I set up was going to a non-technical user and I wanted something that worked 100%.

Michael _______________________________________________ wlug mailing list | wlug(a)list.waikato.ac.nz Unsubscribe: http://list.waikato.ac.nz/mailman/listinfo/wlug

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2009/7/26 Robert D Davidson <robert(a)datamatrix.co.nz>:

...

I did all that and I could see the connectoin in the peers folder and I used it in conjunction with the pon command with all the ports and still no joy but no error messages.either. The modem TX and RX lights are off when

Hi Michael, When I try using the command "AT" in root using the terminal program it responds "Garbled time" ? Cheers Robert ----- Original Message ----- From: "Michael McDonald" <mikencolleen(a)gmail.com> To: "Waikato Linux Users Group" <wlug(a)list.waikato.ac.nz> Sent: Monday, July 27, 2009 8:55 AM Subject: Re: [wlug] Message for Michael MXDonald the

...

P.C. is runing though they flash on briefly at P.C. boot up time. The PWR HS and MR lights are on all the time.

Sounds like you haven't entered the correct port for the modem. When you enter the "pon" command (with the right file), the lights on the modem should start a merry dance. Your first step is to determine the port that the modem is connected to. That's where something like Puppy or gnome-ppp is a good deal of help.

One way of doing that is to use a "terminal" program which communicates directly with the modem, send it a command, and check for the response - that's how it was done many years ago. Sending "at" (without quotes!) should provoke the response "OK". The modern GUI connection setup procedures make it relatively to test your modem connection - "query" your modem - no response, you haven't got it right. Anything a modem does is usually indicated by the lights. For that reason, it makes troubleshooting very easy. On the other hand, the so-called "winmodems" don't give any independent indication of what they're doing.

Later, if I get the opportunity, I'll go in search of a computer and bits and pieces and do a bit of testing. I've dealt with so many operating systems and procedures over the years so don't remember the details!

Michael _______________________________________________ wlug mailing list | wlug(a)list.waikato.ac.nz Unsubscribe: http://list.waikato.ac.nz/mailman/listinfo/wlug

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Hi Chris, The complexites fine with me. However I need to know were to find these Hyperterminal equivalent programs in a default load of 64 bit Ubuntu 8. I have had a poke around in accessories and system but I don't see them. Cheers Robert ----- Original Message ----- From: "Chris O'Halloran" <cmoman(a)gmail.com> To: "Waikato Linux Users Group" <wlug(a)list.waikato.ac.nz> Sent: Wednesday, July 29, 2009 9:34 AM Subject: Re: [wlug] Message for Michael MXDonald

The 'terminal' you've typed "AT" into is the bash terminal or prompt which sends commands to the linux kernel.

The 'terminal' Michael is referering to is program sending commands directly to the modem. The windows equivalent would be Hyperterminal.

Within Linux you could use minicom but many modem controller programs have a terminal available for sending these 'at' type command directly to the mode.

I've generally used kppp in the past but obviously there is a range off programs available.

If this all seems a bit too complicated, there is a fixit day this coming Saturday. It sounds like you might have some suitable hardware this time around.

Cheers,

Chris

2009/7/28 Robert D Davidson <robert(a)datamatrix.co.nz>:

...

Hi Michael,

When I try using the command "AT" in root using the terminal program it responds "Garbled time"

?

Cheers

Robert

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2009/7/29 Robert D Davidson <robert(a)datamatrix.co.nz>

Hi Chris,

The complexites fine with me. However I need to know were to find these Hyperterminal equivalent programs in a default load of 64 bit Ubuntu 8. I have had a poke around in accessories and system but I don't see them.

You nedd to install minicom, as it is not installed by default. If you using the synaptic package manager, it is under the 'Communication' menu. Alternatively, "sudo apt-get install minicom" in the command line will install it. -- simon

yeah, you do. I haven't been paying complete attention so I'm not sure what they want you to do with the modem, but if you don't need to get information from the modem(eg to just set it up) you should be able to send commands to it using echo command > modemport or something, I used to do that with msdos so I assume it can be done with linux. probably possible to capture the output from the modem and route it to stdout too but don't ask me how to do that either On Wed, Jul 29, 2009 at 10:51 AM, Robert D Davidson <robert(a)datamatrix.co.nz

wrote:

Hi Peter and Simon,

I did that and I got "Error Couldn't find package Minicom" If I need to be on the internet for this then I am going in circles.

Cheers

Robert

----- Original Message ----- *From:* Simon Green <simon(a)simongreen.name> *To:* Waikato Linux Users Group <wlug(a)list.waikato.ac.nz> *Sent:* Wednesday, July 29, 2009 10:44 AM *Subject:* Re: [wlug] Messsage for Chris O'Halloran

2009/7/29 Robert D Davidson <robert(a)datamatrix.co.nz>

...

Hi Chris,

The complexites fine with me. However I need to know were to find these Hyperterminal equivalent programs in a default load of 64 bit Ubuntu 8. I have had a poke around in accessories and system but I don't see them.

You nedd to install minicom, as it is not installed by default. If you using the synaptic package manager, it is under the 'Communication' menu. Alternatively, "sudo apt-get install minicom" in the command line will install it.

-- simon

------------------------------

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The big downside with an Ubuntu install is that the standard expected default setup is a broadband connection.  You can only get so much on a cd and aptget is not much cop without it.  I've had discussions about this with the Ubuntu guys in the past and apparently you can get a DVD image, I just haven't been able to find it and they only give away CDs

You can download DVD images from Ubuntu's cdimage server: http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/releases/ Cheers, Peter -- Peter Reutemann, Dept. of Computer Science, University of Waikato, NZ http://www.cs.waikato.ac.nz/~fracpete/ Ph. +64 (7) 858-5174

The 'terminal' you've typed "AT" into is the bash terminal or prompt which sends commands to the linux kernel. The 'terminal' Michael is referering to is program for sending commands directly to the modem. The windows equivalent would be Hyperterminal. Within Linux you could use minicom but many modem controller programs have a terminal available for sending these 'at' type command directly to the modem. I've generally used kppp in the past but obviously there is a range off programs available. If this all seems a bit too complicated, there is a fixit day this coming Saturday. It sounds like you might have some suitable hardware this time around. Cheers, Chris 2009/7/28 Robert D Davidson <robert(a)datamatrix.co.nz>:

Hi Michael,

When I try using the command "AT" in root using the terminal program it responds "Garbled time"

?

Cheers

Robert

----- Original Message ----- From: "Michael McDonald" <mikencolleen(a)gmail.com> To: "Waikato Linux Users Group" <wlug(a)list.waikato.ac.nz> Sent: Monday, July 27, 2009 8:55 AM Subject: Re: [wlug] Message for Michael MXDonald

...

...

I did all that and I could see the connectoin in the peers folder and I used it in conjunction with the pon command with all the ports and still no joy but no error messages.either. The modem TX and RX lights are off when

2009/7/26 Robert D Davidson <robert(a)datamatrix.co.nz>: the

...

P.C. is runing though they flash on briefly at P.C. boot up time. The PWR HS and MR lights are on all the time.

Sounds like you haven't entered the correct port for the modem.  When you enter the "pon" command (with the right file), the lights on the modem should start a merry dance.  Your first step is to determine the port that the modem is connected to.  That's where something like Puppy or gnome-ppp is a good deal of help.

One way of doing that is to use a "terminal" program which communicates directly with the modem, send it a command, and check for the response - that's how it was done many years ago.  Sending "at" (without quotes!) should provoke the response "OK".  The modern GUI connection setup procedures make it relatively to test your modem connection - "query" your modem - no response, you haven't got it right.  Anything a modem does is usually indicated by the lights.  For that reason, it makes troubleshooting very easy.  On the other hand, the so-called "winmodems" don't give any independent indication of what they're doing.

Later, if I get the opportunity, I'll go in search of a computer and bits and pieces and do a bit of testing.  I've dealt with so many operating systems and procedures over the years so don't remember the details!

Michael _______________________________________________ wlug mailing list | wlug(a)list.waikato.ac.nz Unsubscribe: http://list.waikato.ac.nz/mailman/listinfo/wlug

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On Wed, 29 Jul 2009 11:23:26 Graham Lauder wrote:

Hi Robert,

Good to see you got a serial modem.

Do you still have the OpenSuSE box?

In which case

Connect the modem and switch it on

Go into Yast Select "Network Devices" Select Modem and wait for process to finish Select the "modem0" Click edit

"Modem device" should read either ttys0 or ttys1 (equivalent of COM1 and COM2 in windows), go for 0 at this point, it's pretty trivial to change it in YAST later

If you have a dial prefix, put it in, then click next and follow the instructions through the next couple of windows to do with isp and so on.

At the end a popup will come up saying something like "these packages need installing" and list probably kpppd, wvdial and kinternet and maybe some other dependencies. Sometimes this popup will come up twice, just click OK and carry on, YaST will figure out what it needs.

When it's finished logout of the session and log back in.

in the applications menu under "internet" there will be a "Kinternet Dialer"

Click that. A little plug icon will appear in the system tray. Sometimes it will have an exclamation mark, if so right click the icon and select provider and Interface seperately and make sure there is an X next to your isp name and modem0. If not just click and it will appear.

If there is no exclamation mark, click the icon and your modem should light up and start making the standard awful noises.

Oops all of the above assumes a KDE desktop, you can still use Kinternet in Gnome but you have to specifically install it. It is by far the best linux dialup tool. ..... IMNSHO. Cheers G -- Graham Lauder, OpenOffice.org MarCon (Marketing Contact) NZ http://marketing.openoffice.org/contacts.html INGOTs Moderator New Zealand www.theingots.org.nz

On Wed, 29 Jul 2009 12:54:27 Robert D Davidson wrote:

Hi Graham,

The big problem now is the head scherag has got hooked on Ubuntu's Majong game and she is pretty serious about it. She was a serious player of Patience in windows but now seems to have graduated to Linux games.

Cheers

Robert

:D There's always one hiccup. The Mahjjong is on the SuSE DVD as well, just go into Yast >Software management and type: "games" in the "search" field, and install the "Gnome Games" package. SWMBO in my house just got to level 100 in Frozen bubble. One problem that all the distros share... too many ways to waste time ;) One _good_ thing all distros share is the ability to change one out and put another one in while still retaining all your files. All distros will find and retain partitions as they are if required. So basically swapping distros is only a matter of formatting the / partition and leaving the /home partition alone. If you use the same login name, all distros I've dealt with will simply reuse that login's home directory and all the files and settings therein. All linux distros work on the premise that the most important part of your comp is your content, other OS's seem to work on the premise that the Operating system is the most important part. Cheers G -- Graham Lauder, OpenOffice.org MarCon (Marketing Contact) NZ http://marketing.openoffice.org/contacts.html INGOTs Moderator New Zealand www.theingots.org.nz