Lt Avram Dorfman <dorfman@hq.af.mil> wrote:

[...]
> when I launch pppd, specify a port, speed and chat w/ a file, all I get
> with debugging on is "chat: alarm" and then "chat: alarm" and finally
> "chat: Failed".

chat is called, so the problem must be somewhere between chat and the
serial ports.

> I realize there could be  a problem with the chat script, but it doesn't
> even make the modem light blink (i.e. it's not sending a single character).

Perhaps your serial ports aren't working at all. Does the modem respond
when you type AT<enter> in a terminal program in MacOS?

You could simulate a simple terminal program in BSD with 'cat' and
'echo', e.g.:

cat /dev/tty00 &
echo AT >/dev/tty00
...
This should give you the response from the modem (OK or ERROR).

If this all fails you can check the output of the serial ports by
connecting another machine with a null-modem cable and/or measure with a
logic tester at the connector's pins.

If that gives also no response, prepare to compile your own kernels with
a modified serial driver. I'm afraid I have to do that on my LCII, too
before connecting to the modem via NetBSD...


Markus

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