Installing the Martian Module for Lucent Agere Modem Tutorial.
This is actually quite a simple procedure, just read carefully any text related especially those in the folders of the ScanModem and Martian Module, they also show a less detailed instructions on how to use them, here I am trying to be as accurate as possible mentioning just the essentials and usually missed parts of the process, with some extra details for the novice same that help me in my own situation. I hope this words to be useful for any one in need.
If you know already that your modem is the Lucent is fair to skip the following steps in relation, if not you can continue, now if you have a computer with Windows in it still (in a dual boot) you can also look for your modem like this.
In Windows click on start > control panel. (then, the easiest way is to switch to classic view, and double-click the System icon.) then, click on the Hardware tab, and then Device Manager. Expand the Modems tab by clicking on the +, and your modem should be listed, in this case the Lucent Agere.
If you just have K/Ubuntu you can try
ScanModem. For more details about ScanModem and how to find if you need the Martian Module please refer to the
Ubuntu documentation section of the same.
Prerequisites for the installation:
- Repetitive yet important; knowledge that you need the Martian Module. If you did the ScanModem the 1stRead.txt will tell you if this is the module you need.
- The package build-essential (in a fresh installation) which come in the live CD but it is not installed by default.
- The last Martian (20080407 for K/Ubuntu 8.04) source package found here.
First you need to install the build-essential package from the live CD, place it in the tray and open in your menu System > Administration > Synaptic then click on Settings > Repositories and add the CD in the bottom of the window where is mention, in this case Ubuntu 8.04. close and then click on reload. Now in the left panel click on Origin and it will show the CD name, click on the name with the Main termination. It shall list build-essential, install it along with its dependencies (those are installed automatically by Synaptic).
Download the martian-full-20080407.tar.gz to your desktop (this is the easier folder) and right click on it, select Extract Here, now you have a new folder with the same name than the downloaded one, open the terminal by going Applications > Accessories > Terminal. If you Terminal window does not cover the whole screen you can simply drag the folder in it after a cd command. (example: you@you$ cd /home/Desktop/martian-full-20080407) or you can type the entire command and directory in the terminal. By this time you shall be with a open terminal an in the Martian folder directory looking something like this.
You can also verify by typing in the terminal ls and the result is the files and folders contained in the Martian folder, open Nautilus by double clicking in the Martian folder on your desktop and shall be the same.
Next step is to compile the module by typing the following in the Terminal.
At this moment you will see some procedure that takes some seconds, if you find that the process is interrupted with and error(s) message it must be that either this is not the last Martian Source file or the Build-Essentials is not installed yet. (It is highly recommended to do this on a recently installed system to prevent any unknown issues).
Once the Martian Module is build you proceed to the installation by typing in the Terminal.
It will ask for you password then after you type it hit the enter key (comment for the new user: the password does not appear in the terminal in any way it stays “blank”). You can find more information about sudo in your system documents.
Now the Martian Module is installed and ready to run, in order to start it now you type in the Terminal.
Then.
This last command shall run the module and it will tell you where the modem is located, in this case is
/dev/ttySM0 (the last is a zero not a capital o). Note that some people prefer to make a symbolic link to make /dev/ttySM0 visible under /dev/modem, but it is not necessary at all since you will have to modify the wvdial.conf file or configure any dialer you must as well enter where the modem is located. Update: For the KPPP in kubuntu the symbolic link shall be implemented, there is a procedure in the following lines in the KPPP section.
The Martian Module will not run automatically after boot, you need to modify you /etc/rc.local file for this to happen, note that the martian-full-20080407 folder include a file that automates this process but is not yet well developed since it will write the commands in the wrong position in the rc.local file, but modifying this file is quite simple.
Open the Terminal and type.
It will open the text editor with its contents in which instructs you to put any entry ABOVE the exit 0 command in order to work you need to type the following two lines.
Note that there are just two lines added above the exit 0 command, if this does not run the Martian Module then try with sudo like this.
Some times you just need to do it as root therefor the usage of the sudo command. Reboot you computer to verify that the changes work with your system by trying the martian_modem in the Terminal.
It shall give you the following error.
At this moment if you did not found any other error or problem you must have your Lucent Aegere modem working and visible under K/Ubuntu, but now you need to dial to your Internet Provider for this you usually have the phone number to dial, your ID and password and that is all you need for a simple setting. For advance configurations refer to its respective guides in your system documents or in the Ubuntu documentation.
WVDIAL
This program is installed by default and you can configure it in different ways, the most simple is to open the terminal and type.
Then hit the enter key and a text editor will display the contents of this file, it will show three to four options without any value, you will need to have a least this ones to make it run the dial process. Note that Phone, Username and Password need to have your own information. Modem, PPPD and Carrier Check are the same as shown here.
For any extra option refer to the wvdial manual pages in your system documents. There is also a wvdial.conf example in the Script folder of the Martian folder.
Save you document and in the terminal type.
After you hit the enter key you will hear the modem dialing. Later you can create a launcher icon in your panels or menu for this command.
GNOME-PPP
This is a little program for Ubuntu that will work with your wvdial and configure it in the GUI itself instead of the text editor, just type your information in the required spaces and dial. The only problem is that you will not be able to do it without the root mode, (it happens since Ubuntu 7.10) the solution is to edit the command in the configuration window of the launcher.
In the menu or in the panel (any where you have it) right click on the icon launcher and select Properties, a window will open and in the command space type gksu gnome-ppp (or browse the path, it will look like this gksu /usr/bin/gnome-ppp) close the window and now it will ask for you password any time you launch the program.
Note that if you launch the gnome-ppp the first time you are going to configure it as root, it shall detect the modem device by itself, or you can type it (/dev/ttySM0) in case you did not open the program as root since it will not display it in the drop down menu.
Also gnome-ppp is not on the default installation, you can download and isntall it in Synaptic.
KPPP
For Kubuntu this is the program to use, just type your information in the respective spaces that apply and it will dial right away.
Update: Since I use gnome-ppp even in Kubuntu I did not realize that KPPP will not let you enter the correct device in this case ttySM0, there are several work a rounds for this problem, the simplest one is to open the terminal and create the symbolic link.
And open KPPP whit the /dev/modem as device.
If you want to adventure in to the automated script you can create one and make it executable at startup and save time at the moment you want to use KPPP.
First create a blank document in your desktop by right clicking in any empty space in your screen then Create New > Text File, you can give it any name, for this example we use modemlink, open your file and place the following in it.
and then save it. Now open the Terminal and execute the following commands:
Then hit the enter key, now.
And here just to verify try the list command.
It shall give you a list of the files in this directory in green font color and your new file modemlink will be white. This is because the file is not executable yet. In the Terminal then we do.
Hit the enter key, now try again the ls command and your file should look also in green color. Restart you computer and try it.
Notes: Your system documents can be accessed in the Help icon or by pressing the F1 key in a empty desktop.
This method was used with K/Ubuntu 8.04 and also in 7.04 and 7.10, they all work just with this module, the only variable is the martian-full-diferent_date file to be downloaded, they work better with the one made in the same range of time.
Once you update your kernel the module will not work, in this case just go to the martian folder and re do the following commands for re-installation.
In case you delete this folder allready just add the first steps in this tutorial to recompile the module.
The Ubuntu forums is the place to find most of the answers, try severeal key words like Lucent, Agere. Martian, Modem, etc. there are many links also that will point to important information, also when you Google for answer if using Ubuntu as part of the criteria does not give you useful results try Linux instead and you ranges will be wider.
Comments and Questions in expectation, please share your experience.
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