Dell Conexant HSF Modem with Intrepid Ibex?

[kazemi]

I did a clean install of ubuntu 9.04, and tried to compile the newest linuxant driver for HSF modem (replaced by /modules/imported from Dell OEM driver).

The result: I still get the error message with "string.h" during "sudo hsfconfig". Very interesting indeed!

Anybody else managed to compile the driver with the latest linuxant TAR package? (not the pre-compiled DEB package from their website).

maybe this is problem with kernel or the driver itself!!

I gave up testing, will wait until the next kernel version is out and will try compiling again....

[Paul S]

I did a clean install of ubuntu 9.04, and tried to compile the newest linuxant driver for HSF modem (replaced by /modules/imported from Dell OEM driver).

The result: I still get the error message with "string.h" during "sudo hsfconfig". Very interesting indeed!

Anybody else managed to compile the driver with the latest linuxant TAR package? (not the pre-compiled DEB package from their website).

maybe this is problem with kernel or the driver itself!!

I gave up testing, will wait until the next kernel version is out and will try compiling again....

Did you remember to "sudo aptitude install build-essential linux-headers-generic" on your fresh install?

As I said before, it compiles on jaunty here, but I don't know what I have installed differently. Also, are you sure your getting the correct architecture (i386 versus x86_64)

regards,

[kazemi]

clean install, double checked that i have build-essential, linux-headers as necessary, and all other things...

result = the same error message with "string.h"

did u manage to compile the latest linuxant driver (modified by Dell OEM driver) on jaunty? u couldn't get more than 14kbps?

by the way, anybody checked the latest ISO DVD Image from Dell for Jaunty? maybe they have included a working driver for their modem.... I dont have access to high speed internet, so i can't check it...

[McMurdo]

Sounds rather complicated. I hope there is a driver in that .iso or Dell releases a .deb soon.

[digitalhead]

by the way, anybody checked the latest ISO DVD Image from Dell for Jaunty? maybe they have included a working driver for their modem.... I dont have access to high speed internet, so i can't check it...

Sounds rather complicated. I hope there is a driver in that .iso or Dell releases a .deb soon.

No, Dell's DVD ISO does not include the driver and I seriously doubt they will release a DEB for it either. It appears as though Dell has decided to only support LTS releases and leaving the rest up to the users. I've been banging my head against the wall for over a week trying to hack this modem driver to get it working and I'm not going to give up. Since I'm using Kubuntu, I've been looking forward to the latest KDE 4.2 for a while, but if I can't get online, it's kind of pointless to worry about upgrading.

As a side question, does anybody know if the DKMS package from Dell will let you upgrade through apt and keep the modem driver working through distribution upgrades? If so, that could be the answer to this problem, but it seems kind of mean and cruel to force dialup users to upgrade to a new release over the Internet. Personally, I haven't seen where DKMS does any real good, even just a kernel upgrade in the same release.

[ChamPro]

clean install, double checked that i have build-essential, linux-headers as necessary, and all other things...

result = the same error message with "string.h"

did u manage to compile the latest linuxant driver (modified by Dell OEM driver) on jaunty? u couldn't get more than 14kbps?

by the way, anybody checked the latest ISO DVD Image from Dell for Jaunty? maybe they have included a working driver for their modem.... I dont have access to high speed internet, so i can't check it...

I haven't had any luck with Jaunty either. I get the same string.h error. Here's my sudo hsfconfig log:

driver version 7.68.00.09oem
(cd /lib/modules/2.6.28-11-generic/build && make "CNXT_KERNELSRC=/lib/modules/2.6.28-11-generic/build" "M=/usr/lib/hsfmodem/modules" "CC=gcc" clean)
make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.28-11-generic'
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.28-11-generic'
(cd /lib/modules/2.6.28-11-generic/build && make "CNXT_KERNELSRC=/lib/modules/2.6.28-11-generic/build" "M=/usr/lib/hsfmodem/modules/GPL/hda" "CC=gcc" "HDA_CFLAGS=-DFOUND_KZALLOC  -DFOUND_TLV   -DFOUND_IRQ_HANDLER_T -DFOUND_DELAYED_WORK  -DFOUND_NO_CTL_ELEM_RW" clean)
make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.28-11-generic'
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.28-11-generic'
rm -rf *.o GPL/*.o *.ko GPL/*.ko *.mod.c GPL/*.mod.c .*.cmd GPL/.*.cmd .tmp_versions .tmp_versions  /lib/modules/2.6.28-11-generic/build/.tmp_versions/hsfosspec.mod  /lib/modules/2.6.28-11-generic/build/.tmp_versions/hsfserial.mod  /lib/modules/2.6.28-11-generic/build/.tmp_versions/hsfengine.mod  /lib/modules/2.6.28-11-generic/build/.tmp_versions/hsfpcibasic2.mod  /lib/modules/2.6.28-11-generic/build/.tmp_versions/hsfpcibasic3.mod  /lib/modules/2.6.28-11-generic/build/.tmp_versions/hsfhda.mod  /lib/modules/2.6.28-11-generic/build/.tmp_versions/hsfmc97ich.mod  /lib/modules/2.6.28-11-generic/build/.tmp_versions/hsfmc97via.mod  /lib/modules/2.6.28-11-generic/build/.tmp_versions/hsfmc97ali.mod  /lib/modules/2.6.28-11-generic/build/.tmp_versions/hsfmc97ati.mod  /lib/modules/2.6.28-11-generic/build/.tmp_versions/hsfmc97sis.mod  /lib/modules/2.6.28-11-generic/build/.tmp_versions/hsfsoar.mod Modules.symvers GPL/hda/Modules.symvers Module.symvers GPL/hda/Module.symvers modules.order GPL/hda/modules.order Module.markers GPL/hda/Module.markers
(cd /lib/modules/2.6.28-11-generic/build && make "CNXT_KERNELSRC=/lib/modules/2.6.28-11-generic/build" "M=/usr/lib/hsfmodem/modules" "CC=gcc" modules)
make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.28-11-generic'
  CC [M]  /usr/lib/hsfmodem/modules/mod_engine.o
In file included from /usr/lib/hsfmodem/modules/mod_engine.c:10:
/usr/lib/hsfmodem/modules/imported/include/osservices.h:356:20: error: string.h: No such file or directory
make[2]: *** [/usr/lib/hsfmodem/modules/mod_engine.o] Error 1
make[1]: *** [_module_/usr/lib/hsfmodem/modules] Error 2
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.28-11-generic'
make: *** [all] Error 2

I have installed build-essential and doing a find /usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.28-11-generic/ -iname '*string.h*'

/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.28-11-generic/include/linux/string.h
/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.28-11-generic/include/config/netfilter/xt/match/string.h

I'm debating whether to just use the Linuxant free driver since my Dad has old phones lines anyways, or pay the $20 instead of buying a new modem (all 3 of the modems I have are crappy Conexant winmodems).

UPDATE: I tried to install the Linuxant drivers from .debs (the alsa & hsf) and it just maxes the CPU trying to build the module but never finishes. Awesome.

[digitalhead]

I found out earlier today that Dell is definitely not going to be providing Conexant modem drivers for any version of Ubuntu released after 8.04. This leaves a few options... buy the driver from Linuxant for $20 every year, buy an Intel or Lucent external modem (if you're using a laptop), or figure out how to hack future drivers, which will get rather annoying after a few releases. A decent external modem will run anywhere between $20 and $40, which will be about the same cost of renewing a Linuxant license until I replace my laptops. So much for Dell supporting Ubuntu. Personally, I'm still trying to hack the driver. If I get it solved, I will be sure to post it here.

[NZJon]

Hi there digitalhead,

I've installed some "Dell Hybrid" drivers, as per the instructions here, on my Dell Inspiron 6000.

Using WvDial or gnome-ppp I can get the modem to dial, and connect to, the remote machine. This shows me that the modem can be made to work. (I had to faff around creating a symlink for the .../linux/string.h file in parent dir.) However, as soon as the "handshaking" is completed, the pppd is started, which then exists straight away. I can't figure out (yet) how to fix this.

I've got a post up here which details my pppd problems. If you have any advice, I certainly love to hear from you.

Cheers,

Jon

[Kaulbach]

I work at a community-based ISP in Toronto. We were donated a large number of Dell GX1 series machines (P2,400Mhz typically).We wished to install some version of Linux, put some inexpensive modems in, and distribute to people without internet access so they could use our dial-up. At that time 6.06 (Dapper) was the platform we chose to work with, and "winmodems" were becoming plentiful and cheap as people began migrating to ADSL, cable, and other faster forms of internet access. After some research it was determined that the Conexant RD01-D270 model would work with the methods described at the following threads:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=180632
and
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=189009

A custom 6.06 package was built for this. We also ordered a bulk amount of these modems at this time. During this period system updates and other changes to 6.06 and later versions made the custom driver problemmatic (default bash/dash shell, kernel updates, etc) and Dell was also beginning to supply full speed OEM drivers which we were hopeful might work. The results of lspci for instance shows in part:
Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:8d88]

The primary Vendor:Device result is:
Conexant Systems, Inc. Device [14f1:2702] (rev 01)

The chipset reads CX11252-15, and research indicates it is an HSFi

To try and expedite matters we approached Linuxant about a possible bulk licensing fee, but they were not agreeable to this. Dell disclaimed knowledge of this modem and basically we were back to the beginning of trying to work it out ourselves. 8.04 arrived during this period. The Dell 8.04 Conexant drivers seemed to sometimes work, sometimes not. Much frustration ensued. Also Dell is not currently providing drivers for 8.10 and 9.04, possibly we may see one for next LTS of 10.04 (hopefully).

Recently we revived the idea and this is how I got this particular model working under 9.04
(specifically an Xubuntu box but all instructions given here are Desktop-Environment-agnostic and should work equally well with KDE or GNOME )

Firstly, the pre-requisites need to be present:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install build-essential linux-headers-$(uname -r) debhelper fakeroot

Later, hsfconfig will try to use /usr/src/kernel-headers-$(uname -r) instead of /usr/src/linux-headers-$(uname -r) so we do:
sudo ln -s /usr/src/linux-headers-$(uname -r) /usr/src/kernel-headers-$(uname -r)

Make the directories:
cd ~/
mkdir Dell ; mkdir Linuxant

Start by getting the 8.04 Dell driver and untar it:

cd Dell
wget http://linux.dell.com/files/ubuntu/hardy/modem-drivers/hsf/hsfmodem-7.68.00.09oem.tar.gz
tar -xvzf hsfmodem-7.68.00.09oem.tar.gz

Same with the most recent Linuxant Debian tarball:
cd ../Linuxant
wget http://www.linuxant.com/drivers/hsf/full/archive/hsfmodem-7.80.02.04full/hsfmodem-7.80.02.04full.tar.gz
tar -xvzf hsfmodem-7.80.02.04full.tar.gz

Make a patches dir in the Linuxant one, get and put a patch there:
cd hsfmodem-7.80.02.04full
mkdir patches ; cd patches
wget http://www.linuxant.com/drivers/hsf/full/archive/patches/hsf-7.80.02.04-debian_tree.patch
cd ../

Remove the Linuxant modules/imported directory and replace it with the Dell modules/imported directory:
rm -rf modules/imported
cp -a ~/Dell/hsfmodem-7.68.00.09oem/modules/imported modules

Taking from Posting #4 at http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1143904 fix line 356 of the osservices.h file
From:
#include <strings.h>
Into:
#include <linux/string.h>

For this I did in the current working directory of ~/Linuxant/hsfmodem-7.80.02.04full/ :
nano +356 modules/imported/include/osservices.h
Saved and exited.

To reflect that this is a custom-built driver, I edited lines 12 and 13 in the Dell makeflags.mak file (not an essential step):
nano +12 modules/imported/makeflags.mak
And changed:
IMPORTED_BUILD_TYPE = oem
IMPORTED_CNXTLINUXVERSION = 7.68.00.09oem
Into:
IMPORTED_BUILD_TYPE = custom
IMPORTED_CNXTLINUXVERSION = 7.80.02.04custom
Saved and exited.

At this point hsfconfig needs to be made so that we can apply the patch:
sudo make install
So after this I did:
sudo hsfconfig --patch patches/hsf-7.80.02.04-debian_tree.patch
Then successfully made clean, rebuilt again:
sudo make clean
sudo make install
And then the recommended:
sudo hsfconfig

When hsfconfig asks "Where is the linux source build directory that matches your running kernel?" I used:
/usr/src/linux-headers-$(uname -r)


THERE WAS A PROBLEM! (and then a solution in my case)
The sudo make install/sudo hsfconfig process had no complaints, and recognised my modem after a reboot, creating the proper /dev/ttySHSF0 and linking /dev/modem to this. All seemed well, but was not.
Testing with: sudo screen /dev/modem and manually inputting commands showed the modem properly responds to all the things like ATZ and so on, which looked good (f you do this part remember that ctrl-a and then uppercase K will exit the screen session properly).

HOWEVER: Setting ATX1 (ignore dial tone) and then picking up the phone and listening while it is dialling a number from a command like ATDT123456789 shows it is not actually making any touch-tone sounds that would dial anywhere. Eventually it times out with NO CARRIER for instance.

THERE WAS A DIAGNOSIS:
So after much gnashing of teeth, wailing, fruitless experimental AT commands to the modem, etc, I discovered that the default driver being used for this modem was incorrect.
It is an HSFi modem but the best guess of the detection method was to use the driver called hsfpcibasic2smart when in fact it should have been the driver called hsfpcibasic2hsfi ...this turns out to be coded into the file: mod_pcibasic2.c

THERE WAS A SOLUTION:
So in the working directory of ~/Linuxant/hsfmodem-7.80.02.04full
nano +118 modules/mod_pcibasic2.c
(which in the file is just under a line reading, appropriately "/* the following entries need verification & more testing: */" )
I changed:
{0x14F1, 0x2702, PCI_ANY_ID, PCI_ANY_ID, 0, 0, CNXTHWCFG("pcibasic2smart")},
into:
{0x14F1, 0x2702, PCI_ANY_ID, PCI_ANY_ID, 0, 0, CNXTHWCFG("pcibasic2hsfi")},
Saved and exited (please note the 0x14F1 and 0x2702 correspond to Vendor:Device of 14F1:2702 found from lspci -nn ).

I then made clean, rebuilt, ran hsfconfig:
sudo make clean
sudo make install
sudo hsfconfig

Success!

Further notes:
For some reason it wants to load all these modules (result of lsmod|grep hsf):
hsfusbcd2 69312 0
hsfmc97sis 71488 0
hsfmc97ati 70440 0
hsfmc97ali 77112 0
hsfmc97via 72888 0
hsfmc97ich 74812 0
hsfpcibasic3 113032 0
hsfpcibasic2 71216 0
hsfserial 28708 8 hsfusbcd2,hsfmc97sis,hsfmc97ati,hsfmc97ali,hsfmc97 via,hsfmc97ich,hsfpcibasic3,hsfpcibasic2
hsfengine 1267776 9 hsfusbcd2,hsfmc97sis,hsfmc97ati,hsfmc97ali,hsfmc97 via,hsfmc97ich,hsfpcibasic3,hsfpcibasic2,hsfserial
hsfosspec 107084 13 hsfusbcd2,hsfmc97sis,hsfmc97ati,hsfmc97ali,hsfmc97 via,hsfmc97ich,hsfpcibasic3,hsfpcibasic2,hsfserial ,hsfengine
hsfsoar 101720 7 hsfusbcd2,hsfmc97sis,hsfmc97ati,hsfmc97ali,hsfmc97 via,hsfmc97ich,hsfpcibasic2

I'll poke into why this happens shortly, it seems only (for me) hsfengine, hsfserial, and hsfpcibasic2 are essential.

[chang47]

I haven't had any luck with Jaunty either. I get the same string.h error. Here's my sudo hsfconfig log:

driver version 7.68.00.09oem
(cd /lib/modules/2.6.28-11-generic/build && make "CNXT_KERNELSRC=/lib/modules/2.6.28-11-generic/build" "M=/usr/lib/hsfmodem/modules" "CC=gcc" clean)
make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.28-11-generic'
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.28-11-generic'
(cd /lib/modules/2.6.28-11-generic/build && make "CNXT_KERNELSRC=/lib/modules/2.6.28-11-generic/build" "M=/usr/lib/hsfmodem/modules/GPL/hda" "CC=gcc" "HDA_CFLAGS=-DFOUND_KZALLOC  -DFOUND_TLV   -DFOUND_IRQ_HANDLER_T -DFOUND_DELAYED_WORK  -DFOUND_NO_CTL_ELEM_RW" clean)
make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.28-11-generic'
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.28-11-generic'
rm -rf *.o GPL/*.o *.ko GPL/*.ko *.mod.c GPL/*.mod.c .*.cmd GPL/.*.cmd .tmp_versions .tmp_versions  /lib/modules/2.6.28-11-generic/build/.tmp_versions/hsfosspec.mod  /lib/modules/2.6.28-11-generic/build/.tmp_versions/hsfserial.mod  /lib/modules/2.6.28-11-generic/build/.tmp_versions/hsfengine.mod  /lib/modules/2.6.28-11-generic/build/.tmp_versions/hsfpcibasic2.mod  /lib/modules/2.6.28-11-generic/build/.tmp_versions/hsfpcibasic3.mod  /lib/modules/2.6.28-11-generic/build/.tmp_versions/hsfhda.mod  /lib/modules/2.6.28-11-generic/build/.tmp_versions/hsfmc97ich.mod  /lib/modules/2.6.28-11-generic/build/.tmp_versions/hsfmc97via.mod  /lib/modules/2.6.28-11-generic/build/.tmp_versions/hsfmc97ali.mod  /lib/modules/2.6.28-11-generic/build/.tmp_versions/hsfmc97ati.mod  /lib/modules/2.6.28-11-generic/build/.tmp_versions/hsfmc97sis.mod  /lib/modules/2.6.28-11-generic/build/.tmp_versions/hsfsoar.mod Modules.symvers GPL/hda/Modules.symvers Module.symvers GPL/hda/Module.symvers modules.order GPL/hda/modules.order Module.markers GPL/hda/Module.markers
(cd /lib/modules/2.6.28-11-generic/build && make "CNXT_KERNELSRC=/lib/modules/2.6.28-11-generic/build" "M=/usr/lib/hsfmodem/modules" "CC=gcc" modules)
make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.28-11-generic'
  CC [M]  /usr/lib/hsfmodem/modules/mod_engine.o
In file included from /usr/lib/hsfmodem/modules/mod_engine.c:10:
/usr/lib/hsfmodem/modules/imported/include/osservices.h:356:20: error: string.h: No such file or directory
make[2]: *** [/usr/lib/hsfmodem/modules/mod_engine.o] Error 1
make[1]: *** [_module_/usr/lib/hsfmodem/modules] Error 2
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.28-11-generic'
make: *** [all] Error 2

I have installed build-essential and doing a find /usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.28-11-generic/ -iname '*string.h*'

/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.28-11-generic/include/linux/string.h
/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.28-11-generic/include/config/netfilter/xt/match/string.h

I'm debating whether to just use the Linuxant free driver since my Dad has old phones lines anyways, or pay the $20 instead of buying a new modem (all 3 of the modems I have are crappy Conexant winmodems).

UPDATE: I tried to install the Linuxant drivers from .debs (the alsa & hsf) and it just maxes the CPU trying to build the module but never finishes. Awesome.

I had the same problem and after reading a couple of threads including this one I decided to edit /usr/lib/hsfmodem/modules/imported/include/osservices.h and changed "string.h" to "linux/string.h" on line 356. I then redid hsfconf and was able to get the driver working on Jaunty. Tested it out with faxing and it worked. I just wanted to do fax.

Hope this will work for you.