Topic: modem set-up problem

[Henry]

I want to use ver.3.01 as a internet server, but I can't get the dialer routine to initilize.
No dialing, no nothing. The config. test screen returns an "unable to connect with e-smith" message.
Help. I don't know much about Linux, been running winblows too long to have any smarts left.
The network runs well (file serving) and I'm using a URS 56k v.90 int FAX modem.

Where do I go from here?

Tnx, Henry

[Gerald Jansen]

Are you sure that you are not using a Win modem. I have found that it is best to use
external modems.

[henry]

I've swapped out several modems. All are hardware modems, with jumpers.

Can't get the thing to dial. No noise, no nothing.

It's frustrating..................

[Colin Mattoon]

You shouldn't hear a noise. E-smith mutes the modem speaker by default (or at least on the machines I set up the modem speaker has been muted). Using the "less" command, while logged in as root at the command line, I would suggest a look at /var/log/messages.

In my limited experience with Linux (not just e-smith), that file is useful to see what kink of problems your machine encountered when it tried to connect to your ISP.

[henry]

OK, What do I look for in the log file? The other side could be that the modem is installed OK, but isn't
getting the signal to initiate the dialing sequence. What kind of settings do I need to have in the clients
to start the dialing routine? I'm running win95 and Netscape on the clients.


Thanks for your help..............


Henry

[Colin Mattoon]

You look for errors. /var/log/messages records the router's attempt to connect to your ISP and the events that occur during that attempt.

As to what you do to initiate dialing, first download the e-smith manual in PDF format and read how to set up networking in Windows. You really do nothing to initiate the connection other than open a browser, or a mail client, etc. You have to set the IP for the e-smith server as your default gateway to the Internet -- and you do this on your Windows machines. Any time the Windows machine needs to connect to the Internet, E-smith takes care of it for you.

Download the manual, it's a quick read and should answer this to your satisfaction. Odds are, your e-smith machine is working fine and the workstations simply need to be configured.

[Colin Mattoon]

BTW, about half the time, my e-smith machine reports that it cannot connect to the e-smith site. Doesn't matter to me, it works properly anyway.

[Charlie Brady]

Colin Mattoon wrote:

> You look for errors. /var/log/messages records the router's
> attempt to connect to your ISP and the events that occur during
> that attempt.

/sbin/ifconfig ppp0

will tell you immediately whether you have a currently active PPP connection.

> You have to
> set the IP for the e-smith server as your default gateway to
> the Internet -- and you do this on your Windows machines.

As long as your e-smith server is configured with the DHCP server enabled, and the WIndows machines are configured to obtain an IP address automatically (I believe that this is the default) then the default gateway will be set up correctly automatically.

Charlie

[Colin Mattoon]

Probably true...I don't use DHCP, so I had to open "my computer" on the only windows machine I have.Charlie Brady wrote:

> Colin Mattoon wrote:
>
> > You look for errors. /var/log/messages records the
> router's > attempt to connect to your ISP and the events
> that occur during > that attempt.
>
> /sbin/ifconfig ppp0
>
> will tell you immediately whether you have a currently active
> PPP connection.
>
> > You have to > set the IP for the e-smith server as your
> default gateway to > the Internet -- and you do this on your
> Windows machines.
>
> As long as your e-smith server is configured with the DHCP
> server enabled, and the WIndows machines are configured to
> obtain an IP address automatically (I believe that this is the
> default) then the default gateway will be set up correctly
> automatically.
>
> Charlie

[Henry]

I finally found an external modem and got the gateway thing to work, but it's slow compared to
my internal modem running Wingate software. I get faster service through Wingate and the
win95 tcp/ip stack.

I still can't get the e-smith stuff to dial and connect, so I'm using e-smith as file server software
and Wingate to do IP sharing. It's a bit kludgy, but it works.

I couldn't log on as root either. Do I type the characters that spell out Ctrl-Alt-F3 or the keystrokes?
I'd really like to get the modem problem sorted out, but the manual leaves a
bit too much to the imagination.

[Charlie Brady]

Henry wrote:

> I couldn't log on as root either. Do I type the characters that
> spell out Ctrl-Alt-F3 or the keystrokes?

Just Alt-F3, actually. And the keystrokes, not that list of characters


Charlie