FreeBSD laptop with: 56k modem, ethernet, Xfree86

[Andy Sparrow]

> > > I thought IBM did The Right Thing.
> > 
> > You mean they use real modems in their laptops?
> 
> Not in any recent one. They did release the source code for their old
> mWave modems,

Yeh, sometime after the point at which anyone cared, IIRC. :)

> but they have not used them in years. My T30 used the
> "standard" AC'97 modem which ltmdm at least didn't used to support.

Ironically enough, although they no longer ship a Lucent modem, IBM used 
to, and IBM parts are the easiest-to-identify source for the combined 
Intel EtherExpress/Lucent WinModem mini-PCI card which seems to cost 
~$25 on Ebay and takes 45 seconds to fit (it's also considered a 
user-replaceable part - like memory, thus doesn't void warranty).

I personally get far better results with the fxp driver than I ever did 
with the xl driver (which would generate hordes of "watchdog timeouts" 
under heavy load) my old 3Com ethernet card used to use, and the ltmdm 
port works fine[0]. Thus, both built-in ports on my laptop Just Work.

As an aside, I've yet to find a PC card modem that didn't work. I've got 
a selection of Psion, Megahertz, 3Com & US Robotics (I know the last 3 
are all 3Com now) of various vintages & for various reasons. Just make 
sure it has a real UART on it.

I just prefer to keep the card slots free for other devices (wireless, 
SCSI, Flash disk).

It's pretty lame to buy a new laptop and swap out parts immediately, but 
I certainly wouldn't rule out a laptop that otherwise was exactly what I 
wanted[1] because it came with a FreeBSD-unfriendly mini-PCI card 
fitted. Because I have a brand spanking new spare one sitting on a shelf 
waiting for that moment :)

And at least you have the option with mini-PCI, unlike stuff integrated 
onto the mobo. They *are* designed to be user-replacable - one screw, 
two tabs, standard & keyed flying lead(s) etc.

It's no harder than fitting a SO-DIMM. I can't wait until we start 
seeing laptops with multiple mini-PCI card slots and modular outlet 
panels for 'em :-)

Even the brand-new RRP for the mini-PCI card from Big Blue themselves is 
$125, which is a tiny %-age of the cost of a high-end laptop, and 
they're available much cheaper as NOS spares on Ebay.

I think Compaq also used to fit this combo card to some models for a 
while, but their web site is kinda vague as to chipsets, and at least 
some models used the despised 3Com combo board (NIC & nodem).


YMMV.

Cheers,

AS

[0] This superb piece of work is actually a loader that loads a software 
image into the modem and then "talks" to it for you, if I understand 
correctly - it's more like a "softmodem" than a "winmodem". CPU load is 
not noticably increased at all with a PIII-600.

[1] Sorry, it's gotta have 3 *real* buttons (i.e. that generate X 
events) and a trackpoint. That's kind of limiting.

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