Trouble using 3Com ethernet/modem

[Lance Heller <lheller@wcom.com>]

I have a 3Com 3CCFEM556 10/100BaseT/56K ethernet/modem pcmcia card
in my Chembook (Asus) F7400 notebook running a fortified Debian
Slink distribution with kernel 2.2.13p15.  

Briefly, the problem I see is that I'm unable to use the ethernet
interface until and unless I establish a PPP session on the modem.
Once the PPP session is set up, everything works normally and the
PPP session can be terminated without effecting operation of the
ethernet interface.  Before starting the PPP session, cardinfo 
reports the card ready, finds interfaces eth0 and ttyS2, and 
otherwise appears normal.   The routing table is also correct and
ifconfig report eth0 to be up and properly configured. 

Any help, comments, or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Lance


----------------------------------------------------------------------
Lance Heller                     |         
  International I.S./O.S.S.      |  MCI WorldCom         
  email: lance.heller@wcom.com   |  6929 North Lakewood Avenue
  phone: (918)590-4921           |  Tulsa, OK  74117  
  fax  : (918)590-1103           |  MailDrop: 3.1-310
----------------------------------------------------------------------