Date: Thu, 11 Oct 2001 21:03:23 -0700 From: gryph@mindless.com To: David Johnson <djohnson@acuson.com> Cc: Annelise Anderson <andrsn@andrsn.stanford.edu>, freebsd-newbies@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: MODEM & THE COMPLETE FREEBSD Message-ID: <3BC66B8B.32B90051@mindless.com> References: <Pine.BSF.4.10.10110111507540.16465-100000@andrsn.stanford.edu> <3BC6238A.C3A8229@acuson.com>
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David Johnson wrote: > Annelise Anderson wrote: > > > Someone asked me how one determines whether or not one has a winmodem. > > (Macs sometimes have the equivalent of winmodems also.) Of course > > they don't work, but the user doesn't know for sure whether it's > > because it's a winmodem or because ppp or whatever is not properly > > set up--and thus doesn't know whether or not to give up. There is only one way to tell: A hardware modem will be detected as a standard serial port by the BIOS and kernel probe, a software modem won't. There will also be jumpers on a hardware modem to manually choose the serial port to use. > 1) If the modem box says it will work with DOS, then it is a component > modem. I have an old USR winmodem that has device drivers for DOS. > 2) Since winmodems need software, check with the manufacturer for > software updates or fixes. If there are, then it is a winmodem. Hardware modems can come with updates/fixes. All those 56k firmware flash updates, for example. > If you > have the floppy/cd that comes with the modem, see if it actually has > software in it, or merely configuration settings for Windows. If it is > just configuration settings, then it is a component modem. If it's a really cheap winmodem that uses common parts, you can install it with just a configuration file, as the Windows CD has some software modem drivers on it. > > I also know of no question I can ask a sales person that they have a > > chance of answering to determine whether the modem in a laptop is a > > "winmodem." Ask for the model number and reference that against the maker's website. If it's a PCI modem, get the PCI vendor and device ID numbers and reference those against the registered IDs list. > One thing I have told people to do is to simply demand a refund or > replacement for winmodems. It won't work everytime, but I've seen it > work often enough, even with the big box stores like Best Buy. Escalate > the issue up to managers and vice presidents if you have to. If you ask the sales staff if it's a hardware or software modem, and they can't tell you, and you then can their assurance you can return the modem if it turns out to be a software modem, then you have a case. Otherwise you're risking fighting against open-box policy. Most stores won't take back an item simply because you bought the wrong part if no salesperson told you it was the right one. To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-newbies" in the body of the message
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