ISDN-problem

[Markus Amersdorfer]

Hi Michael,

> > Starting ISDN services: error:
> >     Neither /dev/isdninfo nor /dev/isdn/isdninfo exist!
> >     Before you can use any ISDN facilities, ensure you have the
> >     proper kernel modules loaded. These will probably be 'isdn' and
> >     'hisax'. Read /usr/share/doc/isdnutils/README.HiSax.gz for more
> >     information(e.g. with 'zless
> >     /usr/share/doc/isdnutils-base/README.HiSax.gz').
> > 
> > The modules isdn and hisax are loaded, though.
> 
> This appears to be a udev problem. The needed device nodes are not
> created in /dev.
> 
> I opened https://bugzilla.ubuntu.com/show_bug.cgi?id=3156 to track the
> problem. 

I could not get the isdn4linux-approach with ipppd to work.
(Trying to recompile the kernel to have the corresponding functionality
in-kernel instead of as modules resulted in ... well, nothing usable ...
;).)

> To get capi working you need "libcapi20-3" and "pppdcapiplugin" (the
> later is not on the CD IIRC). I attached a mini-howto to make it work
> with those two packages.

That's what I did eventually, and it worked just fine with my AVM
Fritz!PCI v2.

Based on the mini-Howto you posted, I did the following:

1. Install from the Warty-CD (apt-get install ...):

   isdnutils-base_3.3.0.20040728-2_i386.deb

and manually download and install (dpkg -i ...) the following packages

   http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/universe/i/isdnutils/
     pppdcapiplugin_3.3.0.20040728-2_i386.deb

   http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/universe/i/isdnutils/
     libcapi20-3_3.3.0.20040728-2_i386.deb

2. Put the following modules in /etc/modules to have them loaded at
   boot-time:

     ppp_generic
     ppp_synctty
     capi
     mISDN_core
     mISDN_l1
     mISDN_l2
     l3udss1
     mISDN_capi
     mISDN_isac
     avmfritz protocol=2

3. Disable the hisax-modules by adding the following ones to
   /etc/hotplug/blacklist:

     hisax_fcpcipnp
     hisax
     hisax_isac
     hisax_st5481

4. Configure the dial-up account for my provider "AON"
   /etc/ppp/peers/isdn/aon:

     sync
     noauth
     user <username>
     plugin userpass.so
     password <password>
     defaultroute
     plugin capiplugin.so
     number <dial-in number>
     protocol hdlc
     ipcp-accept-local
     ipcp-accept-remote
     /dev/null

5. Add the corresponding nameserver to /etc/resolv.conf

6. Add my user to the group "dip" and re-logon.

7. Dial by executing "pon isdn/aon".
   (You can hangup using "poff isdn/aon" ...)

The last command creates the device "ppp0", which is used for the
external connection.

Add-on: According to /var/log/messages, data-compression is enabled for
the connection.


Many thanks again, Michael!

Cheers,
Max


PS:
Concerning the default-Warty-CD: I could not get the isdn4linux/ipppd
approach to work due to the missing device-files as well as the system
complaining about "not havin PPP functionality" (see other mails of this
thread).
As isdn4linux is deprecated in the upstream Linux 2.6 kernel I'd suppose
to add the CAPI-functionality as the default-ISDN-way-of-dialing-up for
the next Ubuntu-release, perhaps by even providing some easy-to-use
configuration-program if possible. :)

-- 
Information is always to be treasured, Raul. It is behind only love
and honesty in a person's attempt to understand the universe.
                                            <Dan Simmons, Endymion>