same problem trying to get online with Knoppix as with SUSE?

[surfsteve]

I am an XP user and would like to try using knoppix. From reading the forum it looks like my windows modem wont work with Knoppix. I tried SUSE and after running into the same problem found out that I needed to buy an external modem but even after doing so was never able to dial out and connect to my ISP.

If I try knoppix will I have the same problems trying to configure it as I did with SUSE? I don't have any software with the modem. This was a few years ago so maybe things have changed and hopefully gotten a little more user friendly?

[Harry Kuhman]

When modems were first made for PCs (and for computer before them), they contained all of the modulator/demodulator hardware needed for the modem functions. They worked great. Then some designers came along and decided that they could make modems out of little more than a D to A and A to D chip and a computer interface, letting computer software do all of the work that the modem hardware (sometimes including micocomputers in the modem) used to do. At first most of these tended to be internal PC cards and the real modems became harder and harder to find, although they did exist. People who didn't know any better advised others to get "external modems" rather than to try to understand or explain the difference in "WinModems" and true modems. At first the WInModems didn't work all that well either, although the software improved and the computing power also improved to where the concept actually worked, although the software was generally only available for Windows, not Linux.

Several things have changed since then. Some Winmodems are now supported by Linux (although not all, it depends on the chip set used). And not all external modems are really true modems, some external modems are actually WInmodems now!

So this really boils down to do you have a true modem or not? If you have a true modem, internal or external on a 9 pin or 25 pin serial connection then I expect that you'll be able to use it with Knoppix. If you have an internal Winmodem you might be able to use it, I've seen some previous descussion in these forums about it although I've never done so myself (there is a search forums in the forums that should help you find that information), again it depends on if your modem chip is supported. And if you have an external modem on a USB interface, winmodem or true modem, then I expect it will be much harder to get it to function.

If you post again you will do yourself a big favor if you actually give the make and model of the hardware that you hope to get working.

[surfsteve]

Thanks for taking your time out to post for me!

Funny I thought about posting the model of the modem but didn't want to bother anybody. It's an Encore modem ENF656-EV-CIPR. From what you are saying I should probably try my old internal win modem to see if it works as well.

I'm one of those guys that leaves the cover over my computer off and I also turn it around backwards. I can read my internal modem was made in China and it says Diamond on the card. There are some more tags on it but I will need reading glasses to see them.

It sounds like I should just go ahead and order a Knoppix CD. The company I found charges more than triple the cost of the CD for shipping so it might be a good time to discuss ordering other versions (distributions?) of linux at this time.

If I find I like Knoppix and want to use it all the time (instead of windows) is there any reason I would want to go on booting up from a floppy all the time?

I been reading Knoppix is related to Debain but I was told that Debain was only for hard core geeks. While I might be a hard core windows using geek I want to do the most amount of computing with the least amount of effort. My research led me to believe that the best way to do this was to use SUSE but I had a bad experience trying to get advise from a linux chatroom and all anyone would do was tell me I needed to look it up for myself and direct me to Google which turned me off from using it for several years (till yesterday when I heard a computing talk show recommend Knoppix and discovered this forum).

Of course the obvious question is what if I want to use my CD drive? I read one post on here that recommended VSL (very small linux for any newbies that might come across this thread later) but it seems to me that putting a different linux on my hard drive is the way to go.

If I do fall in love and want to use Knoppix will I have to set up my modem each time I boot up or does it save all that to the hard drive? Also if not can it be written onto the CD? My burner always crashes when I try and copy CD's using windows. I wonder if I will have the same (or different problems) doing it with Knoppix.

[Harry Kuhman]

It sounds like I should just go ahead and order a Knoppix CD.

I discourage buying a copy of Knoppix or other Live CD. They tend to be burnt at high speed to maximize the seller's profit, and high speed burns can be very unreliable. I don't know what your issue is that you don't make your own, I'm guessing that you are on dial-up since you started this discussion by talking about modems. But even with dial up the CD can be downloaded in a couple of overnight sessions (BitTorrent restarts cleanly), or you could find a friend or neighbor with high speed access and introduce him to Knoppix too and make a disc for each of you. As a dial up user I would certainly start with a small distro like DSL or Puppy Linux, both are amazing packages for their size. If you lack a burner then they are so inexpensive now that that is not a good excuse, particularly if you are considering buying multiple Live CDs, or again a friend or neighbor could help and end up with a copy of the disc for their trouble.

Of course the obvious question is what if I want to use my CD drive? I read one post on here that recommended VSL (very small linux for any newbies that might come across this thread later) but it seems to me that putting a different linux on my hard drive is the way to go.

Yea, a Live disc has this "issue", but it's not usually a big concern. Actually, the only times I've burnt discs under Live CDs were just for the experience of doing it. Either the toram cheat code with a lot of RAM for Knoppix, toram and a smaller distro, a smaller distro and then writing data on an unfinalized disc, or even a second optical drive can all be used to approach this issue. But Live CDs are a learning tool (and often a recovery tool); you are correct that you should use them for that and when you are ready go ahead an install a Linux intended for hard disk on your computer, then there is no CD conflict. Debian is the distro that Knoppix is based on and I would suggest that would be one option to look at. If you do have a high speed connection then I would suggest the "Net Install" of the "testing" version of Debian is the best way to go for the average new user.