How to use AOL dial up?
How to use AOL dial up?
I am running puppy off a live cd with a low resource machine. I have several modems that will dial out, connect to the network, start ppp -- and disconnect. AOL says no way, but I have read about PENG but don`t see how this can work with CD puppy. I only have AOL dialup here so this newbie needs help.
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purple_ghost
- Posts: 416
- Joined: Thu 10 Nov 2005, 02:18
First is the modem working? then Penggy.
Hi,
Welcome to the kennels. I am not the most technical competent person here. I am answering because no one else has so far, and I fought with the AOL demon for awhile last year, and to bump up your post up the list.
I am going to say some things you probably already know, but I think I should write this to be of use to a complete computer novice. Please do not offended.
Puppy Linux allows one to install programs from the menu Menu/Setup/Puppy Package Manager or if the is from the community (we have a lot of neat packages that are not originally with Puppy (out of the box), one can install it by putting it into Puppy and clicking on it. Getting them into Puppy when one does not yet have an internet connection usually requires a computer on the internet and to carry the files via floppy disc or USB key.
The issues you face start with using a Dial Up modem with Linux. First of all, this is not so much a Linux issue as the will of modem builders to build lots of modems that were slightly different to one another, which would require a unique hard ware driver, few drivers written for Linux, nor furnished the info for Linux types to write modem drivers. Ahem. Let me start again. To use any piece of hardware with an OS, there must be a driver which helps that piece of hardware talk to the OS. Dial Up modems come in two varieties. True hardware modems, or a soft modem. A true hardware modem always works with Linux (caveat, sometimes requires the user to set a different "init string.") The standard being an External Serial Port Modem is always a true hardware modem. A Serial Port is an elongated oval port which computer manufacturers are no longer putting on computers. I have also purchased a USB true hardware modem, but beware, only a few USB modems are true hardware modems. A Soft Modem being one in which some of the work of the modem is done by software in the OS. Microsoft (M$) Windows and the need for modem builders to create their own proprietary modems caused a lot of different soft modems to be built, which require their own individual drivers. Soft modems can have trouble linking up to Linux.
So the first question is. You got Puppy to thinking it is working with your current modem? Do you know what modem you have?
You can look at your hardware devices in Puppy by Menu/System/Hardinfo hardware information.
If you do not know how to deal with the modem, no biggie. Just post back here the modem info, and the version of Puppy you have. We have several folks who, like you, still use dial up modems, and fortunately for you, know a lot more than I do. Barry, and some other folks have done a lot of work in getting soft modems to working seamlessly with Puppy Linux.
Your next task is to conquer the problems created by AOL. Most people connect to the internet. When one uses AOL, one connects to AOL servers which connect one to the internet. That means the connection is different. Last I heard, AOL tech people just say it is not possible to use Linux and Dial Up with their stuff, which is not true, but AOL is not willing to be helpful. As you have found the program you need to get a connection to AOL is Penggy (yes, I meant to use two "g"s). Penggy is a Linux program that connects to AOL. My last attempt is on the second page of the forum post.
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=35530
Since then we have a different version of Puppy. For each version of Linux, there is a Repository of programs which are all ready for anyone to download, install and use. Barry has been very good about choosing a base distro of Linux to make it easy to use the Repository(s) of one of the major distros Repository(s). So please post which version of Puppy you have so others can be more forward in making specific suggestions of where you can get Penggy and how to get to work. Oh yeah, how much RAM does this other computer have?
We have some very competent technical people who usually answer with very specific information, when given a very specific set of information of what is needed. They do not much try to re-create some portion of a manual for each poster.
Please also note the search site on the bottom of my post. The standard forum search (standard forum software) is not very good, this other search is much better.
I notice some people. in previous versions of Puppy, have had problems with using AOL and the firewall. If you did not go through the setting up of a Firewall yourself, then forget about this, it can not be your issue. Puppy comes with the Firewall turned off.
Take heart. Many of the better qualified people always jump in behind my posts to keep me from misleading people. so BUMP.
Welcome to the kennels. I am not the most technical competent person here. I am answering because no one else has so far, and I fought with the AOL demon for awhile last year, and to bump up your post up the list.
I am going to say some things you probably already know, but I think I should write this to be of use to a complete computer novice. Please do not offended.
Puppy Linux allows one to install programs from the menu Menu/Setup/Puppy Package Manager or if the is from the community (we have a lot of neat packages that are not originally with Puppy (out of the box), one can install it by putting it into Puppy and clicking on it. Getting them into Puppy when one does not yet have an internet connection usually requires a computer on the internet and to carry the files via floppy disc or USB key.
The issues you face start with using a Dial Up modem with Linux. First of all, this is not so much a Linux issue as the will of modem builders to build lots of modems that were slightly different to one another, which would require a unique hard ware driver, few drivers written for Linux, nor furnished the info for Linux types to write modem drivers. Ahem. Let me start again. To use any piece of hardware with an OS, there must be a driver which helps that piece of hardware talk to the OS. Dial Up modems come in two varieties. True hardware modems, or a soft modem. A true hardware modem always works with Linux (caveat, sometimes requires the user to set a different "init string.") The standard being an External Serial Port Modem is always a true hardware modem. A Serial Port is an elongated oval port which computer manufacturers are no longer putting on computers. I have also purchased a USB true hardware modem, but beware, only a few USB modems are true hardware modems. A Soft Modem being one in which some of the work of the modem is done by software in the OS. Microsoft (M$) Windows and the need for modem builders to create their own proprietary modems caused a lot of different soft modems to be built, which require their own individual drivers. Soft modems can have trouble linking up to Linux.
So the first question is. You got Puppy to thinking it is working with your current modem? Do you know what modem you have?
You can look at your hardware devices in Puppy by Menu/System/Hardinfo hardware information.
If you do not know how to deal with the modem, no biggie. Just post back here the modem info, and the version of Puppy you have. We have several folks who, like you, still use dial up modems, and fortunately for you, know a lot more than I do. Barry, and some other folks have done a lot of work in getting soft modems to working seamlessly with Puppy Linux.
Your next task is to conquer the problems created by AOL. Most people connect to the internet. When one uses AOL, one connects to AOL servers which connect one to the internet. That means the connection is different. Last I heard, AOL tech people just say it is not possible to use Linux and Dial Up with their stuff, which is not true, but AOL is not willing to be helpful. As you have found the program you need to get a connection to AOL is Penggy (yes, I meant to use two "g"s). Penggy is a Linux program that connects to AOL. My last attempt is on the second page of the forum post.
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=35530
Since then we have a different version of Puppy. For each version of Linux, there is a Repository of programs which are all ready for anyone to download, install and use. Barry has been very good about choosing a base distro of Linux to make it easy to use the Repository(s) of one of the major distros Repository(s). So please post which version of Puppy you have so others can be more forward in making specific suggestions of where you can get Penggy and how to get to work. Oh yeah, how much RAM does this other computer have?
We have some very competent technical people who usually answer with very specific information, when given a very specific set of information of what is needed. They do not much try to re-create some portion of a manual for each poster.
Please also note the search site on the bottom of my post. The standard forum search (standard forum software) is not very good, this other search is much better.
I notice some people. in previous versions of Puppy, have had problems with using AOL and the firewall. If you did not go through the setting up of a Firewall yourself, then forget about this, it can not be your issue. Puppy comes with the Firewall turned off.
Take heart. Many of the better qualified people always jump in behind my posts to keep me from misleading people. so BUMP.
Google Search of Forum: http://wellminded.com/puppy/pupsearch.html
If you have a "hardware" modem or external modem (instead of an internal "winmodem)...maybe these threads could help:
http://www.freedomlist.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=20355
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 042#250042
...I am not so sure as to how you could get it working from a live cd though (I think it is only intended for full hard drive installs).
http://www.freedomlist.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=20355
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 042#250042
...I am not so sure as to how you could get it working from a live cd though (I think it is only intended for full hard drive installs).
UPDATE: I have upgraded as recommended and ready for more...
I have followed the advice and upgraded to an external serial modem [USRobotics 56k] and puppy does reconize it. I have done a full install of Puppy 4.3.1 to the HD [reformatted to ext3] . I have used Grub bootloader config and set destination to MBR and tried to change the menu lst. as recommended but have not yet been able to boot with out the cd in. I have installed Penggyfullpet . Puppy package manager confirms it is there and all dependencies but so far I have not been able to configure it to my system or start the program. I need to take it to the next level but I am not to familiar with command line and editing so do not assume I know what I am doing. Processor is 800 mhz with 128 mg ram
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purple_ghost
- Posts: 416
- Joined: Thu 10 Nov 2005, 02:18
A little more description please.
I had hoped someone who was using AOL now would jump in and offer advice. I no longer have a hard line, so I can not even attempt to experiment with AOL Dial Up. I may say some things you already know, please be tolerant if I do. Someone may come along later who does not know what you know, so I will try to mention some of the basic stuff which comes to my mind.
I had started to point out that what the fellow meant when he said Puppy must be on hard drive is that, You must have a place to install Peneggy, (and keep your settings) on the hard drive to easily use Puppy over and over. If say you are using Windows and booting off the hard drive, then Puppy will want to create a little file on the hard drive that is a pup_save file with all of your settings and the programs which you have installed. Puppy can also create what we call a frugal install where Puppy places on the hard drive a copy of the Puppy OS itself, which should allow for faster booting later, and can create interference between different versions of Puppy. Since you have freshly formatted the hard drive, I doubt if you have that interference between different versions of Puppy. Anyway, Puppy does run just fine off of a Windows FAT32 or Windows NTFS.
Exactly what is the Modem you have acquired. What is the model number, a little bit of the description of what it looks like. Did you buy it new, and break the shrink wrap yourself? I ask that because I used to have a US Robotics External Serial Port Modem that had a bunch of pencil switches which might have been changed if you bought that same model modem used.
First, please describe what you see that make you think the modem is working? Do you hear it try to dial the number?
Please look up the local numbers for AOL Servers in your area. Are you sure you have your exact log in name and password.
Perhaps you are further along in this process of trying to log into AOL than I know.
I am curious if it is easy for you to download another ISO of Linux and burn it to CD? Ubuntu is surely too resource intensive for you to want to use on the computer you are using, My thought is though, it is easier to work on a problem when you are sure you have only one issue instead of several. I would be pretty sure that a Live CD of Ubuntu, plus the repository of Ubuntu would have a current version Peneggy that works with the current version of AOL.
Let me say that a little differently. Might be the version of Peneggy you have downloaded and installed might not work with the current version of AOL. I have not tried the process to install Ubuntu programs into the current version of Puppy. One can, of course, also compile the latest version of Peneggy with the Puppy compiler. Then one only needs to be sure that one has provided all the libraries and dependencies that Peneggy needs to actually work.
A lot of folks do not have much trouble in using Puppy.
If you are using AOL, then it is my hunch you are in the US. Are you east coast, west coast?
I had started to point out that what the fellow meant when he said Puppy must be on hard drive is that, You must have a place to install Peneggy, (and keep your settings) on the hard drive to easily use Puppy over and over. If say you are using Windows and booting off the hard drive, then Puppy will want to create a little file on the hard drive that is a pup_save file with all of your settings and the programs which you have installed. Puppy can also create what we call a frugal install where Puppy places on the hard drive a copy of the Puppy OS itself, which should allow for faster booting later, and can create interference between different versions of Puppy. Since you have freshly formatted the hard drive, I doubt if you have that interference between different versions of Puppy. Anyway, Puppy does run just fine off of a Windows FAT32 or Windows NTFS.
Exactly what is the Modem you have acquired. What is the model number, a little bit of the description of what it looks like. Did you buy it new, and break the shrink wrap yourself? I ask that because I used to have a US Robotics External Serial Port Modem that had a bunch of pencil switches which might have been changed if you bought that same model modem used.
First, please describe what you see that make you think the modem is working? Do you hear it try to dial the number?
Please look up the local numbers for AOL Servers in your area. Are you sure you have your exact log in name and password.
Perhaps you are further along in this process of trying to log into AOL than I know.
I am curious if it is easy for you to download another ISO of Linux and burn it to CD? Ubuntu is surely too resource intensive for you to want to use on the computer you are using, My thought is though, it is easier to work on a problem when you are sure you have only one issue instead of several. I would be pretty sure that a Live CD of Ubuntu, plus the repository of Ubuntu would have a current version Peneggy that works with the current version of AOL.
Let me say that a little differently. Might be the version of Peneggy you have downloaded and installed might not work with the current version of AOL. I have not tried the process to install Ubuntu programs into the current version of Puppy. One can, of course, also compile the latest version of Peneggy with the Puppy compiler. Then one only needs to be sure that one has provided all the libraries and dependencies that Peneggy needs to actually work.
A lot of folks do not have much trouble in using Puppy.
If you are using AOL, then it is my hunch you are in the US. Are you east coast, west coast?
Google Search of Forum: http://wellminded.com/puppy/pupsearch.html
A few more details.........
Maybe to many problems to address at once. Since I must boot fro CD and Puppy loads in to Ram I can only assume The HD is not even coming into play and I can deal with that later. I do have it formatted EX3 and a clean Install of Puppy 4.3.1 and Penggy . The only link I could get to work for Penggy and dependencies came from here : http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 0&start=15 . At this point I have been unable to execute the Penggy program or add my numbers or screen name . I assume I must go thru Penggy and not Pupdial so I have not tested my used modem. It is sportster model 0701 with the row of dip switches on the back. When I probe for it Puppy reconizes it is there but that is as far as I have gone. I am on the East coast.
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purple_ghost
- Posts: 416
- Joined: Thu 10 Nov 2005, 02:18
Is the Modem?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... _-25104003
Although there may be more important things to worry about.
Although there may be more important things to worry about.
Google Search of Forum: http://wellminded.com/puppy/pupsearch.html
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purple_ghost
- Posts: 416
- Joined: Thu 10 Nov 2005, 02:18
I am going to look for find a version of Puppy with WINE,
Better would be if someone on the forum would volunteer to compile the latest version of the AOL program for Puppy 4.3.1. Since I can not test it, I am not a good resource for this. Any takers.
http://www.yolinux.com/TUTORIALS/LinuxTutorialAOL.html
That page might be a bit much for a newcomer.
There is also finding a version of WINE and using the standard AOL CD. Frankly I am not sure if the modem will be properly configured by the AOL CD by itself. Nor where the exchange between the PupDial program and either Peneggy or the WINE version of the AOL CD.
Let me put that another way. These kinds of modems require an "init string" to be passed to them to configure them to the OS. PupDial does that for US Robotics Modems I have used. I used the 56KB variety of the US Robotics Modem that looks a bit like yours, except it is black, and it always worked pretty well.
http://www.yolinux.com/TUTORIALS/LinuxTutorialAOL.html
That page might be a bit much for a newcomer.
There is also finding a version of WINE and using the standard AOL CD. Frankly I am not sure if the modem will be properly configured by the AOL CD by itself. Nor where the exchange between the PupDial program and either Peneggy or the WINE version of the AOL CD.
Let me put that another way. These kinds of modems require an "init string" to be passed to them to configure them to the OS. PupDial does that for US Robotics Modems I have used. I used the 56KB variety of the US Robotics Modem that looks a bit like yours, except it is black, and it always worked pretty well.
Google Search of Forum: http://wellminded.com/puppy/pupsearch.html
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purple_ghost
- Posts: 416
- Joined: Thu 10 Nov 2005, 02:18
I bet you have seen this.
Google Search of Forum: http://wellminded.com/puppy/pupsearch.html