Linux Driver For Prolific 2303

[manivannan 0]

Does anyone have the Linux driver for Prolific 2303 chip based USB cable ? Where can I get it ?

[raghugs 1]

Hello manivannan

all new versions popular Linux Distribution would automatically load driver for Prolific 2303 USB-to-Serial adapter,

to check if your distribution loaded the driver automatically do the following,

login as user root,

then type this without quotes, "lsmod"

see if pl2303 loaded, if no then issue the following command,

modprobe pl2303. check if it works,

else you to this site,

http://koti.mbnet.fi/lonnberg/pl2303x.html

Raghu GS

[manivannan 0]

Thanks Raghu.

I found that RedHat Linux loads Prolific 2303 automatically as you said.

But I am not able to set up a dial-up connection using that. First of all, how to find port number to which my phone is connected ? In windows, it is COM5. I found the corresponding device listing only for the COM1-to-COM4 range (/dev/ttyS0 to /dev/ttyS3). What does COM5 translate to in linux device terminology ? Or doesnt Linux support more than 4 COM ports ? If someone who is using RConnect on linux can provide me guidance it will be very helpful.

mani

[Vishal Gupta 4]

Yah! I'm using RConnect in Red Hat Linux 9 without any problem!

But my cable is a serial one.

U can try /dev/modem as ur COM port!

[raghugs 1]

Hello

why don't you use rconnect cmdline?

it would automatically find correct port.

to check in which port it connected in linux,

in redhat's cap menu find system-log-viewer .

login as root and open /var/log/messages using gedit or kedit,

you see similar line,

"pl2303" not attached to .

there the port number would be listed,

if even after specifiying correct port didn't solve your problem

then go to the site i specified in my previous post

[dacodecz 0]

Hello friend,

I am using PL2303 usb to serial converter cable on regular basis, it works without a hitch. I am posting some general instruction hope it will help you solve the problem.

On command prompt type ...

dmesg | grep pl2303

< the output would be something like this if pl2303 module is loaded correctly>

pl2303 2-2:1.0: PL-2303 converter detected

usbcore: registered new driver pl2303

drivers/usb/serial/pl2303.c: Prolific PL2303 USB to serial adaptor driver v0.12

if you get something like this than type on command prompt

dmesg | grep tty

< the output would be something like this if everything is fine till now >

usb 2-2: PL-2303 converter now attached to ttyUSB0 ==> look for this line

cdc_acm 2-1:1.0: ttyACM0: USB ACM device

now if you have only this usb to serial adapter then most probable you will get something like this or check on which ttyUSB??? your cable is attached to it, it can be anything from ttyUSB0 to ttyUSB256.

BTW what redhhat linux version you're using.

Use rconnect command line tool to get connected to the internet. One thing more I want to share is that with usb to serial converter you can change you

PC <===> Phone speed upto 230400 bps, for this check your moble and set the appropriate options and specify the same to the rconnect script. Personaly I am using kppp and it work like a charm, but I had to modify the program a bit, mostly the modem initilization sequecnce, CDMA modems are very peeky about AT command set, send them some wrong and see how they get hanged :-).

I am posting my rconnect script maybe it will help ya.

Feel free for any further query.

Hey when we gonna have the EV-DO connection .......

===========================================================

My Rconnect Plan -> Platinium .

My RIM Phone LG RD 2130...

Data statistics for this month and counting

Receive ==> 10.12GB and ++

Transmit ==> 1.942GB and ++

Total ==> 12.06GB and ++

Connect Time => 364:25 hrs and ++

rconnect.txt

[manivannan 0]

Thanks Raghu and Dacedecz.

I could locate pl2303 in dmesg. It has been connected to the port ttyUSB0 as Dacodecz suggested.

Hi Dacodecz,

I tried RConnect's command line program. But I could not install it. In the step of detecting COM and USB ports (after selecting phone make and model) it said that there is no COM port in my computer; It didn't even bother to say anything about the USB ports! But I do have two USB ports in my computer and I have connected the phone to one of them. How do we make rcmdline recognize the USB ports ?

I also tried your script to connect. (I ran it as: script <phone-number> <phone-number>) It didn't work. I got these lines in the /var/log/messages file about the attempt.

Jan 31 16:30:42 localhost pppd[9423]: pppd 2.4.1 started by root, uid 0

Jan 31 16:30:43 localhost chat[9424]: send (at+cta=30^M)

Jan 31 16:30:44 localhost chat[9424]: expect (OK)

Jan 31 16:31:29 localhost chat[9424]: alarm

Jan 31 16:31:29 localhost chat[9424]: Failed

Jan 31 16:31:29 localhost pppd[9423]: Connect script failed

Jan 31 16:31:30 localhost pppd[9423]: Exit.

Please help.

Thanks,

mani

[dacodecz 0]

Thanks Raghu and Dacedecz.

I could locate pl2303 in dmesg. It has been connected to the port ttyUSB0 as Dacodecz suggested.

Hi Dacodecz,

I tried RConnect's command line program. But I could not install it. In the step of detecting COM and USB ports (after selecting phone make and model) it said that there is no COM port in my computer; It didn't even bother to say anything about the USB ports! But I do have two USB ports in my computer and I have connected the phone to one of them. How do we make rcmdline recognize the USB ports ?

I also tried your script to connect. (I ran it as: script <phone-number> <phone-number>) It didn't work. I got these lines in the /var/log/messages file about the attempt.

Jan 31 16:30:42 localhost pppd[9423]: pppd 2.4.1 started by root, uid 0

Jan 31 16:30:43 localhost chat[9424]: send (at+cta=30^M)

Jan 31 16:30:44 localhost chat[9424]: expect (OK)

Jan 31 16:31:29 localhost chat[9424]: alarm

Jan 31 16:31:29 localhost chat[9424]: Failed

Jan 31 16:31:29 localhost pppd[9423]: Connect script failed

Jan 31 16:31:30 localhost pppd[9423]: Exit.

Please help.

Thanks,

mani

25705[/snapback]

<<pppd /dev/ttyUSB0 230400 crtscts asyncmap 0 novj novjccomp lock debug usepeerdns defaultroute logfile /var/log/pppmsg.log c

onnect '/usr/sbin/chat -v "" at+cta=30 OK "atdt#777" CONNECT' mtu 264 mru 576>>

please change 230400 to 115200 in the script or change the phones data rate settings to 230400, by default it's set to 115200 and your phone and serial port baud speed needs to be at same speed to get going, it seems there is speed mismatch problem from you debug message. If you want I can post another script trimmed for 115200, but I guess you can change it yourself :-).

BTW what phone you're using ?

[manivannan 0]

Thanks Dacedecz for the quick response. Let me try changing the script as you have said.

I am using LG RD 5130.

[manivannan 0]

Hi Dacedecz,

I changed the baud rate and tried again. It didn't work. /var/log/messages had something like this: the modem did not respond to some ATZ (or something) command. Do you think there is some problem with the cable ?

[raghugs 1]

Hello i told you know

please go here

http://koti.mbnet.fi/lonnberg/pl2303x.html

[dacodecz 0]

Hi Dacedecz,

I changed the baud rate and tried again. It didn't work. /var/log/messages had something like this: the modem did not respond to some ATZ (or something) command. Do you think there is some problem with the cable ?

25943[/snapback]

Dear manivannan,

Can you post the modem's log from your /var/log/messages, and can you tell me what kernel are you using, type uname -r and post the result, lets hope you did'nt wasted your money to some broken cable.

[manivannan 0]

Thanks Raghu and Dacodecz.

Dacodecz, I am using Red Hat 9. Linux Kernel Version 2.4.20. I will post the /var/log/messages file soon.

Raghu, I forgot to try your suggestion completely. I just visited that site. There is no detailed instruction for Red Hat users. They only provide a driver for red hat users (to be used at one's own risk!). What should I do with that driver ? Where should I put it and is there any instruction to install it ?

Edited February 4, 2005 by manivannan

[raghugs 1]

Hello Manivannan

it seems using the driver from Prolific is not easy,

i giving this instruction with knowing it would work or not,

but as far as i know it won't do any harms to you.

it it is'nt work your time would be wasted.

1 > install kernel-source package,

then go to /usr/src/linux/drivers/usb/serial

rename pl2303.c to something else,

download the zip file,

then go in to and copy pl2303.c from /disk/Redhat_9/

paste that file into /usr/src/linux/drivers/usb/serial

then go to this url and follow the instruction on rebuilding kernel

http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/linux/R...tom-kernel.html

i have another easy idea, even i am also using that, that is

why don't you buy/make a serial cable for your phone?

[manivannan 0]

Hi Raghu,

Before deciding that my cable is faulty I want to try this one thing: recompiling the kernel as you have suggested. (I do not have a serial port in my laptop. That's why I have to struggle with this USB cable.)

Unfortunately there is no simple test to check if the cable is faulty. (PC Sync doesn't work with this cable; It always says "the phone is locked or restricted"; even when the phone is not locked. But I am not sure if this is enough evidence to say that the cable is faulty.)

I want to try this rebuilding the kernel also because I am learning a bit more about linux by doing all these experiments. In fact I have installed linux just to learn more about it.

Thanks for your guidance.

mani

[dacodecz 0]

Thanks Raghu and Dacodecz.

Dacodecz, I am using Red Hat 9. Linux Kernel Version 2.4.20. I will post the /var/log/messages file soon.

26024[/snapback]

Dear manivannan,

If your system is not running any mission critical services and if you dont have any legacy program issue, then I would suggest to install something new in your system. Redhat 9 is now a history, try fedora core 3 or debians sarge, or if you dont feel like installing new linux in your system then try latest knoppix. All Linux distribution I mentioned have all the needed drivers built in.

Well if you feel like a geek today :-), than try LFS.

I am posting some of the links from where you can get this.

www.linuxfromscratch.org

fedora.redhat.com

www.debian.org

www.knoppix.net

mirrors.kernel.org/fedora

Cheers ..............

[manivannan 0]

Hi Dacodecz,

Do you mean that all these linux distributions have the drivers for both PL 2303 and PL 2303 H/X and they can support both ?

mani

[dacodecz 0]

Hi Dacodecz,

Do you mean that all these linux distributions have the drivers for both PL 2303 and PL 2303 H/X and they can support both ?

mani

26215[/snapback]

Dear manivannan,

2.6 version of kernel have the driver support for both the chipsets. Fedora, debian test and knoppix latest all have the drivers for pl-2303 built-in, and hey same driver have the support for both chipsets.

check driver source for kernel 2.6

path-to-the-kernel-source/drivers/usb/serial/pl2303.c.

Cheers ..........

[manivannan 0]

Hi Raghu,

I tried to recompile the kernel. I put the pl2303.c file as you said and did exactly what the instructions at LinuxFromScratch.com said; But when I tried to boot the customized kernel, I got this error: "Kernel Panic VFS: can not load root fs; Please append a valid "root=" option". The grub.conf file has the same set of options for both the kernels except the initrd image. The size of the initrd image for the new kernel is 88 KB. (For the old kernel, it is 152 KB.) The size difference is because I probably did not select many of the modules in the customized kernel. I am still able to boot into the old kernel.

is it possible to fix this ?

mani

[manivannan 0]

Hi Dacodecz,

I will consider installing a new flavour of linux after seeing how far this recompile adventure gets.

mani

[dacodecz 0]

Hi Raghu,

I tried to recompile the kernel. I put the pl2303.c file as you said and did exactly what the instructions at LinuxFromScratch.com said; But when I tried to boot the customized kernel, I got this error: "Kernel Panic VFS: can not load root fs; Please append a valid "root=" option". The grub.conf file has the same set of options for both the kernels except the initrd image. The size of the initrd image for the new kernel is 88 KB. (For the old kernel, it is 152 KB.) The size difference is because I probably did not select many of the modules in the customized kernel. I am still able to boot into the old kernel.

is it possible to fix this ?

mani

26263[/snapback]

Dear manivannan,

Assuming you are using red hat 9 OS, please build kernel like this.

Please check you have selected these options to be build inside the kernel not as modules.

CONFIG_BLK_DEV_RAM=y

CONFIG_EXT2_FS=y

or your initrd will always fail while mounting its image. Redhat uses ext2fs as it's initrd filesystem.

Now execute these commands in the kernel directory

make clean

make mrproper

make menuconfig (select the options as you need but remember abouve config options must be build inside the kernel not as moule)

make bzImage

make modules

make modules_install

make install

if you're using lilo than type lilo -c -v

if it still fails than please post your kernel config file as attachment.

your kernel config file is inside the kernel source directory .config file.

Cheers .........

Edited February 8, 2005 by dacodecz

[raghugs 1]

Hello Manivannan

why didn't you follow the instructions given in the folowing url?

if did you follow the instruction from that url then chances for failing is

http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/linux/R...tom-kernel.html

this instruction is tailored to your specfic version Redhat distribution.

i given the link in my previous post itself,

i think you can still try the instruction above from the above given link.

or

if you wan't to buy Linux CD follow the links below

http://linuxbazar.com/other.html

http://www.roseindia.net/linux/

[dacodecz 0]

Hi Dacodecz,

I will consider installing a new flavour of linux after seeing how far this recompile adventure gets.

mani

26264[/snapback]

Dear manivannan,

I can send you the fedora core 3 cd's, if you can provide me your mailing address, all free :-).

[manivannan 0]

Hi Raghu and Dacodecz,

Raghu, during my first recompilation attempt, I had followed the instructions in redhat.com pages you sent me the links to. But, by mistake, I wrote linuxformscratch.com instead of redhat.com.

I set those two modules to be built into the kernel as Dacodecz said. But I forgot to include the PL2303 module and compiled the kernel and followed the installation procedure. I was able to boot into this new kernel (its name was linux-2.4.20Custom) but then I realised that I had not included the pl2303 module. So I had to recompile the kernel again. This time I incuded the PL2303 module and compiled the kernel in the same name. But the final installation step failed (make install) saying that mkinitrd failed. The error message from mkinitrd was: "All of your loopback devices are in use". I tried a bit of debugging and found that the value of the variable modName was "ext3" when this error was reported. I thought including the module ext3fs was the problem and tried to recompile the kernel (now in a different name "linux-2.4.20_PLX", thinking that name could be a reason for conflict too) without including ext3fs. Again the same "make install" step failed with the same error message.

Now I am running windows so I am not able to post the mkinitrd script or the kernel .config file. If you feel you need any of those to find what the problem is I will boot into linux and post the required files.

mani

[manivannan 0]

Hi Dacodecz,

I have downloaded knoppix 3.7 successfully and written a CD. I am able to boot from the CD and can browse both my windows and linux partitions. But I don't know how to configure the modem in knoppix. Is there a help page you can point to ? I tried the modem dialer application in KDE. I added an account and a modem and tried dialling it. Though it said "modem is ready" I could not get connected. I think I missed some ppp options there.

mani