Setting up a Modem in Red Hat 5.0 to 5.2

 

 
 

If you have a "Winmodem"  you are SOL with the instructions here.  There is such a thing as 
"isapnp" written to enable winmodems in Linux.  I really don't know anything about it since I 
purchased my 56k modem specifically for Linux.  You should check the Modem How-To for 
more information.

Ok, first do you have an internal or external modem? If you have an internal modem(and isn't 
a winmodem plug n play piece of junk) you will need to know the jumper settings.  If you have 
a dual boot system with Windows 95, go to Start->Settings->Control Panel-> and double 
click on Modems.  A window titled Modem Properties will pop up.  Click on the Diagnostics 
tab.  This will tell you the Com port which your internal modem is installed on.  Highlight that 
port if it isn't already and click on More info.  The next window will have the IRQ(Interrupt:)
listed.   You should be able to do the same for an external modem also.  Now you know which
Com port and which IRQ your internal modem is installed on.  Write this down, because if you 
are anything like me, as soon as you reboot into Linux you will have forgotten what they were. 
If you are not dual booting and didn't write down the jumper settings of your modem(or you got 
the computer from somebody) you will need to open the case and look at the card.  More than
likely, you will need to rip it out.  If you don't have the manual for the modem and can't get the 
settings on-line, good luck.  I would suggest a new one which will only cost around 50 US dollars.

1. If you are already running Linux skip to #3.

2. Reboot into Linux, login as root.

3. At the prompt type startx and hit enter.

4. You should see the Control Panel and a terminal window.The Control Panel looks like this:

5. Click on the Modemtool icon(the one with the phone in front of the computer.)

6. You should see the following:

7. Select the port that corresponds to your modem and click OK.

8. That's it.  You have made a symbolic link from your modem to /dev/modem.

9. The superuser(root) is the only one allowed to initialize the modem by default.  To connect 
to another computer or ISP, you type su and hit enter.  It will prompt you for the root password.
 Enter the password and hit enter.  You can now use the modem to connect, but once connected, 
type exit at the root prompt to return to your own prompt.  To disconnect, just repeat the above steps.