Debian Sarge HOWTO

This HOWTO is for users of the Sarge release of Debian. It was kindly contributed by Ghost Dog.

The First Step: Configuring the Kernel

You will save yourself from a lot of trouble if you download the latest kernel source.(no patching bla bla bla).

You have to be root in order to download as well as install the programs.

Download the kernel source

apt-get install kernel-source-2.4.22

Configure the kernel

Remark: These are the options needed to get this driver running. You will also have to enable the other drivers you need for your system. A good starting point to determine what these are, are the (currently) loaded modules.

For more information on how to build a kernel see the Linux Kernel HOWTO. The entries required are:

• Code Maturity Level Options
  • Prompt for development and/or incomplete code/drivers [Y]
• Loadable Module Support
  • Enable Loadable Module Support [Y]
• General Setup
  • Support for hot-pluggable devices [Y]
• Networking Options
  • Packet Socket [Y]
  • Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) (EXPERIMENTAL) [Y]
• Network Device Support
  • PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol) Support [Y]
  • PPP Deflate Compression [Y]
• USB Support
  • Support for USB [Y]
  • Preliminary USB Device Filesystem [Y]
  • UHCI (Intel PIIX4, VIA,...) Support [M]
  • OHCI (Compaq, iMacs, OPTi, SiS, ALi, ...) support [M]

For PPPoA you will need the following options:

• Network Device Support
  • PPP Over ATM (EXPERIMENTAL) [Y]

For PPPoE you will need these options:

• Networking Options
  • RFC 1483/2684 Bridged protocols [Y]
• Network Device Support
  • PPP Over Ethernet (EXPERIMENTAL) [Y]

The Second Step: Installing the Binary Management Application and Hotplugging

Download and install the modem_run program:

apt-get install speedtouch

Download and install hotplugging:

apt-get install hotplug

Install the firmware:

To get the firmware, follow the instructions on this page

Next, as root, copy the firmware to /usr/local/lib:

cp mgmt.o /usr/local/lib/firmware.bin

or

cp alcaudsl.sys /usr/local/lib/firmware.bin

or

cp firmware.bin /usr/local/lib/firmware.bin

depending on the version of the firmware you are using.

Install the appropriate hotplug script

Place the following in /etc/hotplug/usb/speedtch:

#!/bin/bash

case $ACTION in

add)
echo "uploading firmware"
if /usr/sbin/modem_run -k -f /usr/local/lib/firmware.bin ; then
sleep 10
echo "starting pppd"
if ! /usr/sbin/pppd call speedtch ; then
echo "failed to start pppd!"
fi
else
echo "firmware upload failed!"
fi
;;

esac

The Third Step: Configuring PPPoA and PPPoE

If your provider uses PPPoA or PPPoE you will need to do

apt-get install ppp

Configuring PPPoA

Put the following in the file /etc/ppp/peers/speedtch:

# To connect to using this configuration file, do
# pppd call speedtch

lcp-echo-interval 10
lcp-echo-failure 3
noipdefault
defaultroute
user "username"
noauth
noaccomp
nopcomp
noccp
novj
holdoff 4
persist
maxfail 25
updetach
usepeerdns
plugin pppoatm.so
0.38

Remarks:

You will need to replace "username" with your ADSL username.

Also, in the above example "0.38" is the VPI/VCI ATM pair for the author's provider. You will need to know what the correct values are for your provider, and substitute those. If these values are incorrect, you may sync, but you will not be able to connect to your ISP's IP layer, and probably be frustrated. These values can be obtained from the Window's Alcatel client, your ISP or the FAQ.

Edit the file /etc/ppp/chap-secrets and replace its contents with the following:

# Secrets for authentication using CHAP
# client        server        secret                IP addresses
username        *        password

Now put the same in /etc/ppp/pap-secrets.

Remark: You will need to replace "username" with your ADSL username and "password" with your ADSL password.

Configuring PPPoE

Put the following in the file /etc/ppp/peers/speedtch:

# To connect to using this configuration file, do
# pppd call speedtch

lcp-echo-interval 10
lcp-echo-failure 3
noipdefault
defaultroute
user "username"
noauth
noaccomp
nopcomp
noccp
novj
holdoff 4
persist
maxfail 25
updetach
usepeerdns
plugin pppoe.so
nas0

Remark: You will need to replace "username" with your ADSL username.

Edit the file /etc/ppp/chap-secrets and replace its contents with the following:

# Secrets for authentication using CHAP
# client        server        secret                IP addresses
username        *        password

Now put the same in /etc/ppp/pap-secrets.

The Fourth Step: Setting up ATM

Download and Install libatm1

apt-get install libatm1

The Fifth Step: Running the driver

If everything went according to plan, the driver should start as soon as you plug in the SpeedTouch USB modem. Congratulations! You are online!