Date: Tue, 10 Jun 2003 20:50:10 -0700 From: Andy Sparrow <spadger@best.com> To: "Kevin Oberman" <oberman@es.net> Cc: freebsd-mobile@freebsd.org Subject: Re: FreeBSD laptop with: 56k modem, ethernet, Xfree86 Message-ID: <20030611035011.54DBF1E0@CRWdog.demon.co.uk> In-Reply-To: Message from "Kevin Oberman" <oberman@es.net> <20030610203722.F22385D04@ptavv.es.net>
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--==_Exmh_1898814200P Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii > > > I thought IBM did The Right Thing. > > > > You mean they use real modems in their laptops? > > Not in any recent one. They did release the source code for their old > mWave modems, Yeh, sometime after the point at which anyone cared, IIRC. :) > but they have not used them in years. My T30 used the > "standard" AC'97 modem which ltmdm at least didn't used to support. Ironically enough, although they no longer ship a Lucent modem, IBM used to, and IBM parts are the easiest-to-identify source for the combined Intel EtherExpress/Lucent WinModem mini-PCI card which seems to cost ~$25 on Ebay and takes 45 seconds to fit (it's also considered a user-replaceable part - like memory, thus doesn't void warranty). I personally get far better results with the fxp driver than I ever did with the xl driver (which would generate hordes of "watchdog timeouts" under heavy load) my old 3Com ethernet card used to use, and the ltmdm port works fine[0]. Thus, both built-in ports on my laptop Just Work. As an aside, I've yet to find a PC card modem that didn't work. I've got a selection of Psion, Megahertz, 3Com & US Robotics (I know the last 3 are all 3Com now) of various vintages & for various reasons. Just make sure it has a real UART on it. I just prefer to keep the card slots free for other devices (wireless, SCSI, Flash disk). It's pretty lame to buy a new laptop and swap out parts immediately, but I certainly wouldn't rule out a laptop that otherwise was exactly what I wanted[1] because it came with a FreeBSD-unfriendly mini-PCI card fitted. Because I have a brand spanking new spare one sitting on a shelf waiting for that moment :) And at least you have the option with mini-PCI, unlike stuff integrated onto the mobo. They *are* designed to be user-replacable - one screw, two tabs, standard & keyed flying lead(s) etc. It's no harder than fitting a SO-DIMM. I can't wait until we start seeing laptops with multiple mini-PCI card slots and modular outlet panels for 'em :-) Even the brand-new RRP for the mini-PCI card from Big Blue themselves is $125, which is a tiny %-age of the cost of a high-end laptop, and they're available much cheaper as NOS spares on Ebay. I think Compaq also used to fit this combo card to some models for a while, but their web site is kinda vague as to chipsets, and at least some models used the despised 3Com combo board (NIC & nodem). YMMV. Cheers, AS [0] This superb piece of work is actually a loader that loads a software image into the modem and then "talks" to it for you, if I understand correctly - it's more like a "softmodem" than a "winmodem". CPU load is not noticably increased at all with a PIII-600. [1] Sorry, it's gotta have 3 *real* buttons (i.e. that generate X events) and a trackpoint. That's kind of limiting. --==_Exmh_1898814200P Content-Type: application/pgp-signature -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.2.1 (FreeBSD) Comment: Exmh version 2.6.3 04/04/2003 iD8DBQE+5qbyPHh895bDXeQRAvrcAKC+5LQrsrTNvRt/QPWbR3T3Q9fETQCeKFk2 tdSXvmIGsWGa+vbofrubbsE= =tmrV -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- --==_Exmh_1898814200P--
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