SpeedTouch USB ADSL modem install on Linux SuSE 9.1




Installing SpeedTouch USB drivers on the Linux SuSE 9.1 release yields problems. A friend and I tried out a few HowTo found on the Web but with no result. Moreover the SuSE 9.1 Personal Edition contains no C compiler.

The package proposed here is derived from the SpeedBundle 1.0 package. It is designed to install on a vanilla Personal Edition SuSE 9.1.

The package contains the firmware/microcode for the standard green manta SpeedTouch DSL modem. So before using the package you must register here. (If you have a different SpeedTouch modem you will have to fetch and install the appropriate firmware. See at the bottom of this page.)

(All maneuvers are made by commands you type in a terminal window. Of course you can also start a KDE session as root and do the same using the mouse and your text editor of choice.)

This is the address of the package you must download in order to install the modem: http://home.scarlet.be/~braseri1/speedtouch/speedbundle_SuSE_9.1.tar.gz

Put that speedbundle_SuSE_9.1.tar.gz package somewhere. Say in your home directory. If your user name is joe then your home directory is /home/joe.

Open a terminal windows (console) (available in the System submenu).

Inside that terminal window type this command to become superuser (root) inside that terminal. (Type the superuser password when asked to.)

su

Type this command to go to the /opt directory:

cd /opt

Type this command to extract the package inside the /opt directory. Of course replace "joe" with your username:

tar xzf /home/joe/speedbundle_SuSE_9.1.tar.gz

If everything went fine now a speedbundle_SuSE_9.1 directory has been created inside the /opt directory. (Possibly type the  ls  command to check). Enter the speedbundle_SuSE_9.1 directory with this command:

cd speedbundle_SuSE_9.1

Type this command to edit the user_data.txt text file:

mcedit user_data.txt

Inside the file, replace the dummy login and password by your own ones. Also put the correct vpi and vci numbers for your ADSL account. In Belgium that's 8.35 but it will most probably be different in your country. Best look inside your provider's data or phone the help desk. To get clues click here. Login must be in the first top line, then password, then the appropriate vpi.vci in the third line. Once you filled those login, password and vpi.vci, save the file by hitting the F2 key. Quit the mcedit editor by hitting F10.

Start the install procedure with this command:

./install

A lengthy scroll of endless items should roll inside the terminal window. Once it stops your modem drivers should be installed. Plug in the modem to check. Or unplug and re-plug it. Or restart the computer. (Please note the system needs a few lengthy seconds after the modem lights stop blinking, before the connection is usable.)

Don't erase the /opt/speedbundle_SuSE_9.1 directory. It is needed by the modem software.

Should the connection stop after a few days continuous computer activity, you can restart it with this command in a terminal window (you need to be root (su)):

pppd call speedtch

If you wish to stop the ADSL connection type this in a terminal window (being root (command su)):

killall pppd

In order to install a different firmware, rename that firmware file so it becomes named firmware.bin and put it inside the /usr/lib/speedtouch directory, replacing the existing firmware.bin file. Then unplug and re-plug the modem to test. (In order to use a Speedtouch 330 modem you can use the ZZZL_3.012 firmware you can download from the Alcatel website. A strange behaviour you can experience is the ADSL LED starts flashing a few minutes after you're connected, and continues to flash indefinitely. This does not seem to be a problem.)

If you wish to use different login, password or vpi.vci, either change the user_data.txt file and make a new installation or simply tune these three files:

/etc/ppp/chap-secrets
/etc/ppp/pap-secrets
/etc/ppp/peers/speedtch


Thanks to Michael Lacey for trying out on a 330 modem.



Eric Brasseur  -  September 10 2004  till  February 2 2005        [ Homepage | eric.brasseur@gmail.com ]