Improve Ubuntu's modem configuration tools

[Tim Hull]

I have a dial-up modem that I use regularly, and I'd like to suggest a few things
in order to clean up Ubuntu's modem configuration tools.

First of all, GNOME's modem connection tool should create connections fully
editable by
the command line pppconfig tool and usable by pon/poff - and vice versa. Also,
after creating
a connection the "modem lights" applet should be added to the top GNOME menu bar
with the wi-fi status, volume and
power status applets and fully configured. Finally, people should have a chance
to configure modems
during the install (maybe give people a choice between network cards and modem
connection during the install).
Finally, although this is a little off topic, automatically detect and configure
Winmodems if possible.

[Tim Allen (tim-allen)]

I'd like to add my agreement to the sentiments expressed above. I'm a new
Ubuntu user and I've just installed. It was a bit of pain to get connected
through my dial up connection. Here's my story.

Firstly, I have an ethernet card which but it normally is not plugging in to
anything. When I installed, I configured it to have the static IP of 192.168.121.1.

After booting up for the first time, I set about getting a ppp link going over
dial up. I fired up "Networking" under Computer-> System Configuration and it
looked like the right place to be. I added my a new connection with the right
settings Once it seemed to have activated the interface, I tried to access the
web. Nothing would resolve. After some messing around, I figured out that I
needed to disable eth0 for things to work.

Apart from now being able to connect, I am still far from happy. Here's what's
still broke:
  - I have added the modem lights applet to the panel, but it doesn't work.
  - running pon as my normal user gives this: Error: only members of the 'dip'
group can use this command.
  - running pon as root gives this: /usr/sbin/pppd: In file
/etc/ppp/peers/provider: unrecognized option '/dev/modem'
  - you can't run wvdial as a normal user because you don't have permissions to
read /etc/wvdial.conf
  - running wvdial as root gives:
--> WvDial: Internet dialer version 1.54.0
--> Cannot open /dev/modem: No such file or directory
--> Cannot open /dev/modem: No such file or directory
--> Cannot open /dev/modem: No such file or directory

All the above points are not necessarily problems per se, but an easy and idiot
proof way to get up and running as a dial up user would be great.

[Tim Hull (thully-arbornet)]

modem config tools seem fine now