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Thread ID: 14636 2002-01-14 10:07:00 winlinux and winmodems Guest (0) Press F1
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31170 2002-01-14 10:07:00 having found out i have a 'winmodem' which is not supported under linux. i just wondered,...would 'winlinux' be a cheaper option than buying a new modem? is winlinux able to access the internet under windows?

comments appreciated

mike
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31171 2002-01-14 10:41:00 who said linux doesn't support win-modems... I have a compaq laptop with a win-modem in it, and RedHat 7.1 correctly identified it when i installed linux and it has worked fine since day one... On some PC's you maybe need to do some manual configuration, but there is heaps of info on the web to help out... Guest (0)
31172 2002-01-14 11:08:00 Many new Linux distributions are able to recognise winmodems but I'd still rather have a hardware modem.

You can get cheap ones on trademe.co.nz
Guest (0)
31173 2002-01-14 12:37:00 Winlinux is just linux installed on your windows partition rather than on its own partition.

So it won't change anything (except it will run slower).
Guest (0)
31174 2002-01-15 02:55:00 Winlinux works by creating a Windows directory, and installing 4000-5000 files. All file access are addressed through WinDOS structures and are therefore slower.

It does not use Windows drivers for devices such as modems.

There is a collection of HOWTO files which is kept up to date. There is one for Windows modems. Because people want to use the modems which come with new computers, the number of winmodems which can be used in Linux is increasing. Dave has one which works. Fine. He's lucky. There are a lot of Win Modems which do NOT work in Linux. No tweaking willl fix that.

But the modem software for external modems has been used (and therefore been debugged and improved) for 10 years, it is more likely to be reliable than new stuff. That is why the recomendation is to use an external modem.

It's just the general rule: 'Don't go looking for trouble'.

The HOWTO-Hardware file is reliable. If it says that something is not supported that means that it does not work. If the experts can't make it work, you can't. Some hardware is recommended: that means that they have had active cooperation from the manufacturers -- hardware documentation, help from design engineers, etc.
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31175 2002-01-15 05:47:00 Thanks for the advise, I'll do some shopping for an external modem.

Mike
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