Re: newbie trying to install usb modem
On Tue, 28 Sep 2004 14:27:26 +0100, Stephen Puttick
<stephen_puttick@sjpej.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:
> I have just installed sarge using CDs (jigdo download of 1st 3) on my
> old win98 PC. I have 2 hard disks so Debian is on a separate disk - so
> no real problems if I need to start again.
>
> I have an Alcatel speedtouch 330 USB (broadband/ADSL) modem, which works
> on both the win98 PC and my win xp laptop. I'm not quite ready to
> completely abandon windows yet, but the first step along that route
> would be to start with a shared internet connection with the Debian
> machine in charge. Ultimately I would like a proper home network, where
> I could allow my daughter (currently 20 months) access to some internet
> (such as CBeebies) and access to her own login without any danger of
> wrecking anything else.
>
> 1) Do tell me if I've made any false assumptions so far
> 2) I found the following site which talks about recompiling the kernel
>
> http://linux-usb.sourceforge.net/SpeedTouch/docs/sargehowto.html
>
> http://linux-usb.sourceforge.net/SpeedTouch/download/index.html
>
> this all sounded a bit more involved than i was planning as a newbie
> installation.
>
> I have sarge installed with the 2.4 kernel. (jigdo template 19 Sept 2004)
> 3)Am I right in thinking that a newer kernel might support the speedtouch.
> 4) I haven't yet got an ethernet card - I thought I'd wait until I could
> get a net connection up and running. Am I wrong? should I go and get
> one now?
>
> So any advice on how to get this modem working would be greatly
> appreciated - or should I abandon it for another model (it was provided
> with the ADSL).
>
The page you mention is quite old (on the end there's a date
2003/07/20) so, probably the information even if correct are probably
outdated.
There should be two ways to run your modem, the first using a kernel
module, in your case should be using the "speedtch" module, the second
running your modem with some userland tools, like usblib.
I suggest you to install the package called "speedtouch" (it should be
present in Sarge), it should have all the info to run your modem. I've
only configured once a USB modem, a couple of years ago with a woody
system (but it wasn't an Alcatel, something with a Globespan chipset)
the "only" difficult part is where to find the correct firmware to
upload on the modem.
About the NIC, you can install it when you prefer.
Andrea
Reply to: