Knoppix 5.1.1 - External modem busy - needs configuring?

This is a newbie question. Been using Windows XP for four years and now want to get a dual boot system going. Internal PC modem is Winmodem so instead I dug out my old Timedia FX0560SP external 56K modem and plugged it into the 25 pin serial port. Having looked through the posts here, I gather getting a Winmodem to work with Linux can be quite trying...!

When I tried to get online I kept getting told "Modem busy" when I tried to query it. Do I need to find and load up drivers for a 56K external modem, or would Knoppix 5.1.1 (DVD version) have my modem already configured at startup? I read on the web that Knoppix is very good at autoconfiguring everything at start up.... would it even load a suitable driver for an external serial modem?

If I need to configure it myself, could someone please tell me which menu to go into... I have searched all the preferences I can find without success.

Thanks. All I really want is to get online with Linux & Firefox so I can browse the internet without worrying about Windows/Microsoft viruses...