Topic: PPP Stalling on 5.1.2

[Bruce Friedman]

Using an internal PCI controller based modem (Actiontec PCIV921201CW) and the standard scripts of SME 5.1.2, I am finding that certain web sites stall consistently.

I have two different computers with 5.1.2, each witht the same type of modem, on two different ISPs.  In both cases, the www.nytimes.com website will stall after drawing the header.

I have seen similar reports of stalls on FTP in these forums and in the newsgroups, and tried all the configuration suggestions I found, to no avail.

Is it possible it is the modem type?  I picked this particular modem based on a referral from a Linux newsgroup, so I would be surprised if that was it.

Note that the failure is somewhat random, but the NYTimes site seems to be consistent.  Other sites that are very slow are www.usatoday.com and www.chicagotribune.com

I know it is not the website because another computer simulataneously downloaded the sites faster, using a 56K modem from the same ISP on a different line.

Any suggestions at this point are greatly appreciated.

[Bruce Friedman]

Additional Info Found:

Subsequent to the original message posting, I tested on SME 5.5 and SME 5.6alpha6.

Results are that SME 5.5 operates just like SME 5.1.2 - stalls on the given pages - generally very poor performance of the modem connection with masquerading.

With SME 5.6alpha6 - the problem vanishes.  I also noticed that the newer kernel recognized the modem during boot - the old one did not.  Under 5.1.2 and 5.5, it is necessary to add the following to the /etc/rc.local file (at the end)

/bin/setserial /dev/ttyS2 uart 16550A port 0xf800 irq 9

With SME 5.6alpha6, it detects the modem as ttyS04.  I set the configuration file up for ttyS4 manually - i.e. edit /home/e-smith/configuration and then make a change to it so it will regen the dependent files.  You need to make the change manually because the script will not allow you to choose ttyS4.

With the change, at least the masqueraded connection works well.  Now to test everything else.