slmodem driver doesn't connect to line

[jeremy2nd]

Hi,
I am struggling with my laptop modem (like many others as I have seen in forum) for a long time, already. I try to use a slmodem driver, because I think it should be the proper one.
I have experimented with different versions of slmodem driver and kernel releases but without success. My actual configuration is:

----------------------------------------
laptop ASUS M6858Ne

$ lspci | grep Modem
0000:00:1f.6 Modem: Intel Corp. 82801DB/DBL/DBM (ICH4/ICH4-L/ICH4-M) AC'97 Modem Controller (rev 03)

$ uname -a
Linux n200178 2.6.11-gentoo-r11 #2 Sat Jul 2 22:09:40 CEST 2005 i686 Intel(R) Pentium(R) M processor 1.70GHz GenuineIntel GNU/Linux

driver:
net-dialup/slmodem-2.9.9d +alsa -usb
---------------------------------------

A modem accepts and responds to AT commands written to /dev/ttySL0, as ATI, ATIn, ATX1 and so on. But the modem doesn't connect to a phone line. Commands like ATH, ATH1, ATA or ATDnumber
have no effect. For example, dialing with wvdial looks like this:

--------------------------------------
bash-2.05b# wvdial test
--> WvDial: Internet dialer version 1.54.0
--> Initializing modem.
--> Sending: ATZ
ATZ
OK
--> Sending: ATQ0 V1 E1 S0=0 &C1 &D2 +FCLASS=0 M1L3 I7 X1
ATQ0 V1 E1 S0=0 &C1 &D2 +FCLASS=0 M1L3 I7 X1
Country: CZECH_REPUBLIC
OK
--> Modem initialized.
--> Sending: ATDT971101200
--> Waiting for carrier.
ATDT971101200
(here is timeout cca 50s)
NO ANSWER
--> Unknown dial response string.
--> Disconnecting at Mon Jul 4 15:13:48 2005
-----------------------------------

It looks like the modem is dialing, but in fact, it's doing nothing.
I have tried both variants - the kernel module snd_intel8x0m and the slamr module. During system boot this message appears in messages log:

-----------------------------------
Aug 4 15:28:49 n200178 ALSA sound/pci/ac97/ac97_codec.c:2006: MC'97 1 converters and GPIO not ready (0xff00)
-----------------------------------

If I use the kernel module ...

----------------------------------
# Config file for /etc/init.d/slmodemd

DEV=/dev/ttySL0
COUNTRY=CZECH_REPUBLIC
GROUP=dialout
# the group should be kept in sync with:
# /etc/devfs.d/slmodem (devfs)
# /etc/udev/rules.d/55-slmodem.rules (udev)

# The following symlink will be created if uncommented
LN_DEV=/dev/modem

# Raise priority to reduce modem dropouts
NICE=-6

# ALSA Options:

# The following sets the ALSA (alsasound) init script to
# be a dependancy of the slmodem one. It does also provides
# ALSA support.
MODULE=alsa

# The modem hardware slot
# use "modem:0", "modem:1", etc.
# usually modem:1 is used
HW_SLOT=modem:1

# Non-ALSA OPTIONS:

# MODULE=slamr
# or
# MODULE=slusb
---------------------------------------------

... then slmodemd initialization (/etc/init.d/slmodem start) completes silently. When I issue commands like ATI, it works well. But, if I issue ATDnumber command, these messages are
loged:

---------------------------------------------
Aug 4 16:03:31 n200178 ALSA sound/pci/intel8x0m.c:401: codec_semaphore: semaphore is not ready [0x1][0x700300]
Aug 4 16:03:31 n200178 ALSA sound/pci/intel8x0m.c:415: codec_write 1: semaphore is not ready for register 0x54
---------------------------------------------

If I use the module slamr ...

---------------------------------------------
# Config file for /etc/init.d/slmodemd

DEV=/dev/ttySL0
COUNTRY=CZECH_REPUBLIC
GROUP=dialout
# the group should be kept in sync with:
# /etc/devfs.d/slmodem (devfs)
# /etc/udev/rules.d/55-slmodem.rules (udev)

# The following symlink will be created if uncommented
LN_DEV=/dev/modem

# Raise priority to reduce modem dropouts
NICE=-6

# ALSA Options:

# The following sets the ALSA (alsasound) init script to
# be a dependancy of the slmodem one. It does also provides
# ALSA support.
# MODULE=alsa

# The modem hardware slot
# use "modem:0", "modem:1", etc.
# usually modem:1 is used
# HW_SLOT=modem:1

# Non-ALSA OPTIONS:

MODULE=slamr
# or
# MODULE=slusb
---------------------------------------------

... these messages are logged during slmodemd initialization (/etc/init.d/slmodem start) and the ATDnumber command doesn't works as well:

---------------------------------------------
Aug 4 16:16:23 n200178 slamr: SmartLink AMRMO modem.
Aug 4 16:16:23 n200178 slamr: probe 8086:24c6 ICH4 card...
Aug 4 16:16:23 n200178 ACPI: PCI interrupt 0000:00:1f.6[B] -> GSI 4 (level, low) -> IRQ 4
Aug 4 16:16:23 n200178 PCI: Setting latency timer of device 0000:00:1f.6 to 64
Aug 4 16:16:23 n200178 slamr: mc97 codec is CXT22
Aug 4 16:16:23 n200178 slamr: slamr0 is ICH4 card.
Aug 4 16:16:29 n200178 wait_for_sysfs[18868]: either wait_for_sysfs (udev 045) needs an update to handle the device '/class/slamr/slamr0' properly (no device symlink) or the sysfs-support of your device's driver needs to be fixed, please report to <linux-hotplug-devel@lists.sourceforge.net>
----------------------------------------------

Do you have an idea to get the modem ready, either with the kernel module or with the slamr module?

[thespongeoflove]

I am having the same problem described above and i have also tired the same things with no luck. Anybody have any ideas for us?

Off topic: Have you gotten the fn keys to work on your laptop? if so how did you do it

[jeremy2nd]

I don´t know why the slmodem driver doesn´t work, I think it should do. Nevertheless, I have installed a driver hsfmodem and it works fine. Unfortunately, this driver is not free of charge, it works just on 14,4 kbps (I think) and must be registered to achieve full speed. But better than nothing.

I haven´t tried to revive the fn keys, yet. But I lay my hopes on acpi4asus package (still under development).

[vmalep]

Hello,

I had similar problem with slmodem. When trying hsfmodem, I found the solution for slmodem...

I had to activate the following supports:
Device driver --->
Networking support --->
<M> PPP support for async serial ports
and
Character devices --->
Serial drivers --->
<M> 8250/16550 and compatible serial support

fyi:

helium linux # lspci|grep Modem
0000:00:11.6 Communication controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. AC'97 Modem Controller (rev 80)
helium linux # uname -a
Linux helium 2.6.11-gentoo-r3 #13 Sun Sep 25 00:48:21 IDT 2005 i686 VIA Nehemiah CentaurHauls GNU/Linux

driver: slmodem

I hope it can help.

Best regards,
Pierre

[jeremy2nd]

Unfortunately, this is not solution for my troubles. I have configured and loaded both of that modules. I have tried to install the latest version of the Gentoo slmodem ebuild again, but it's the same all the time.
I thing a boot-time message
ALSA sound/pci/ac97/ac97_codec.c:1989: MC'97 1 converters and GPIO not ready (0xff00)
could be the key to that issue.
Nevertheless, thanks for your tip.

[Seron]

I've got the modem running with the slamr module on an Acer 371tci laptop. However it drops the line too early during connection negotiation, resulting in a NO CARRIER message, usually after about 25 secs. At two occasions I've had it detect a carrier and at one of those started ppp but failed after that. I've tried to change the timeout with ATS7=100, but it doesn't seem to make any difference.

I have these messages from dmesg: