Topic: Out-of-the-box ADSL USB Speedtouch support

[Simon B.]

Alcatel have released a driver for the Speedtouch ADSL USB modem widely deployed by BT in the UK for residential and budget business use.

Two problems, two solutions.

1) Problem 1: There is a proprietry part to the driver containing the microcode. It can not be re-distributed.
Possible Solution: Ask the user to insert a floppy disk with mgmt.o on it at some point in the install. It's inconvienient, but nothing can compare to the frustration I have just gone through trying to get the thing to work with other out-of-the box firewalls.

2) Problem 2: The open source part requires patching a 2.4.x kernel. Most firewalls are based on a 2.2.x.
Possible solution: Don't bother with the difficult to install and unreliable official "open source" part of the driver. There is an easy to install alternative here...
http://benoit.papillault.free.fr/speedtouch/index.en.html

Why not just use an ethernet ADSL modem? Becuase BT didn't give me one and having already paid for the modem I don't want to buy another one. Also the terms and conditions say I have to use what BT give me.

[Franck PIERRE]

As the microcode is a binary file, i don't know why you think it is not re-distributable. There is no open licence on it, but everyone can use it.

Two french users have been able to use the Alcatel STUSB (Manta) on e-smith, with Benoit Papillaut drivers.

The first who has been able to connect throught the STUSB has made a page on how to install it (page in french) :
http://www.bazimon.com/speedtouch.html

These explanations may change in the future to include more e-smith specifications. The author would also like to create a contrib RPM for all STUSB "sad" users...  (;-D)
We often discuss on it on the alt.e-smith.fr NG.

Hope this will help you.

Regards.

[Simon B.]

Hi Frank,

>As the microcode is a binary file, i don't know why you think it is not re-distributable. There is no open licence on it, but everyone can use it.

Benoit had to stop re-distributing the microcode and direct users to the Alcatel Website so I am assuming they have restrictions on distributing the code, problably just to make sure the world doesn't get polluted with old versions of it. Also, if a firewall is an all-GPL distribution then the distro authors may want to keep everything on it "pure" and avoid any closed-source components.


>Two french users have been able to use the Alcatel STUSB (Manta) on e-smith, with Benoit Papillaut drivers.

>The first who has been able to connect throught the STUSB has made a page on how to install it (page in french) :
http://www.bazimon.com/speedtouch.html

Thank you very much for the tip, I'll check it out. Much appreciated! It's in French but I can still understand it.

>...all STUSB "sad" users... (;-D)

We'd all be happier if it just worked!

Regards,
Simon B.

[Franck PIERRE]

Simon B. wrote:
> We'd all be happier if it just worked!

Let us know if it works for you.

Regards.