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--- guides:virtual_modem [2019-05-27 18:12]
omolini
+++ guides:virtual_modem [2020-02-08 19:44]
omolini
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 ~~NOTOC~~
-====== VMODEM ======
+====== The Raspberry Pi Virtual Modem ======
-====== A Raspberry Pi Serial to Ethernet adapter ======
+// Dial-Up Internet-Service-Provider-in-a-box ! Turn a Raspberry Pi into a Serial Dial-up Modem to connect to the Internet //
-//Turn a Raspberry Pi into a Dial-up Modem to act as a LAN interface for legacy computers and serial terminals. //
 {{ :images:divider3.png?nolink |}}
 {{youtube>H-rCLei0sc8?medium}} {{youtube>i_Ax0aNYWP0?medium}}
-{{ :guides:pics:google_search_with_ns3.png?450 |}}
 ----
-Anyone remember the good old days of dial-up connectivity? Well, back in 80's and 90's, computers connected using a dial-up modem, and the only thing computers needed was a serial COM port for communication, which was included virtually with every computer (USB didn't exist back then!). Nowadays every computer sold has some sort of Wi-fi or Ethernet connectivity, and our old legacy computers are just left to rot! Well, I'm planning on changing that! Why? For fun, of course! :-D
+Do you remember the early days of Internet and dial-up connectivity? We used to be connected to the Internet using a modem connected to a telephone network, and the only thing computers needed was a serial port for communication, which virtually every computer had. Nowadays every computer sold has some sort of Wi-fi or Ethernet connectivity, but our vintage computers are left to rot offline! I plan to change that. Nowadays, there are many ways you can get a PC online, including getting a 3com 3C503 or 3C509 network adapter, but sometimes an old PC just doesn't have expansion for a network card expansion, or maybe you're not even trying to connect with a PC. Well, whatever piece of technological equipment it may be, as long as it has at least one serial port, a keyboard and a display, you're in luck! Get to experience connecting to the Internet just like in the good old days.
-In this four-part tutorial we will build a Raspberry Pi that will be able to present itself as a serial modem to a client computer which will enable easy connection to Internet using their pre-existing serial port on any Windows 3.1/95/98/Me and any other operating system with built-in support for [[wp>Point-to-Point Protocol|PPP]]. In other words we'll use a Raspberry to convert a serial connection to an Ethernet connection. When all is said and done, your old legacy computer will be fooled to think that it's calling an actual [[wp>Internet Service Provider]] and establishing an Internet connection with them! Your Raspberry Pi will just be telling your computer what it wants to hear, and is providing access to the Internet using your pre-existing Internet connection.
+{{ :guides:pics:vmodem-header.png?nolink |}}
+In this four-part tutorial we will build a Raspberry Pi that will act as a serial modem to a legacy computer which will enable a straightforward connection to Internet using a pre-existing serial port on any computer with support for [[wp>Point-to-Point Protocol|PPP]], this includes all Windows computers starting from Windows 3.0 and early Macintosh classics. But PPP support is not strictly required, and even simple serial terminals can connect to the Internet using Linux as a login host. In other words we'll use a Raspberry to convert a serial connection to an Ethernet connection. When all is said and done, your legacy computer will think it's calling a real [[wp>Internet Service Provider]] and establishing an Internet link with them! Your Raspberry Pi will just be telling your computer what it wants to hear, and is actually the one providing access to the Internet using your pre-existing Internet connection.
 The [[.:virtual_modem:script|Virtual Modem script]] will not only allow you to connect your old computer to the Internet, it will allow you to use the serial connection to login to the console of the Raspberry Pi or fake [[wp>Bulletin board system|BBS]] phone calls for example. The VModem script was designed to be modular, and allows you to assign your own Linux scripts to specific phone numbers, accessed with standard Hayes "ATD12345"-style commands, and the scripts will be able to do whatever you would like them to do. I will be writing more specific tutorials about these functions at a later time, so stay tuned!
+{{ :guides:pics:win95-dialup-setup-11-nomark.png?nolink |}}
 My goal is to have a Raspberry Pi simulate a Standard 56K modem. Your client computer will be able to communicate with it over serial, and through the Raspberry, connect to the Internet. The baud rate can be changed to your liking. I've tested the virtual modem at the following symbol rates: 9600, 19200, 38400 and 57600 baud.
-This guide is useful for anyone who would like to do PPP networking experimentation or have a computer connect to the Internet without a network card. It could also be useful for anyone who would like to experiment with a Virtual Modem. Since pretty much every IBM compatible computer has a RS-232 serial port, technically you could connect any computer to the Internet, as long as there is a way to use PPP. Windows 3.1 will need an extra program called Trumpet Winsock, but Windows 95 and later operating systems have Dial-up networking built-in!
+{{ :guides:pics:netscape-navigator-4-0-header-2.png?nolink |}}
-<WRAP center round info 70%>
+This guide is useful for anyone who would like to do PPP networking experimentation or have a computer connect to the Internet without a network card. It could also be useful for anyone who would like to experiment with a Virtual Modem. Since pretty much every IBM compatible computer has a RS-232 serial port, technically you could connect any computer to the Internet, or any other network, as long as there is a way to use dial-up PPP. Windows 3.0, 3.1 and 3.11 will need an extra program called Trumpet Winsock, but Windows 95 and later operating systems have built-in Dial-up networking.
-==== Before we start ====
-There may be better ways to accomplish these tasks. This process has worked for me, however there are probably a plethora of ways this software could be improved. That's why I welcome improvement ideas and fixes to the guide and scripts provided. Also, obviously, I do not take any responsibility direct or otherwise for any damages that may be caused using the material provided in this site. This being said, I've taken every reasonable step to make sure everything works as intended.
+<WRAP center round info 60%>
+==== Insert title here ====
+There are probably better ways to accomplish some tasks. If you have any improvement suggestions, I'd love to hear from you! Especially if you have ideas how to improve the documentation, or the Virtual Modem scriptlet itself. Also a little disclaimer: I do not take any responsibility direct or otherwise for any damages that may could be caused using the material provided in this site. That being said, I've taken reasonable steps to ensure everything works as intended.
 </WRAP>
-On to the next chapter!
+**On to the next chapter!**
 | [[Guides:Virtual Modem|This Page]] | [[Guides:Virtual Modem:Section 2|2 - Shopping list >>]] |
@@ Line 29: / Line 33: @@
 ===== Index =====
-  * [[Guides:Virtual Modem|Section 1 - Introduction]] << You are on this page
+  * [[Guides:Virtual Modem|Section 1 - Introduction]] << You are here
   * [[Guides:Virtual Modem:Section 2|Section 2 - Shopping list]]
   * [[Guides:Virtual Modem:Section 3|Section 3 - Setting up Raspbian]]
   * [[Guides:Virtual Modem:Section 4|Section 4 - Setting up Virtual Modem]]
+===== System specific topics =====
   * [[Guides:Connecting Windows 3.1 to the Internet]]
-  * [[Guides:Connecting Windows 95/98 to the Internet]] COMING SOON
+  * [[Guides:Connecting Windows 9x to the Internet]]
-  * [[Guides:Connecting a Digital VT100 compatible terminal to the Internet]] COMING SOON
+  * [[Guides:Connecting a Macintosh Classic to the Internet]] | COMING SOON
-  * [[Guides:List of Compatible Websites]] List of classic websites that work with pre-2000 legacy web browsers.
+  * [[Guides:Connecting a Dumb/Smart Terminal to the Internet]] | COMING SOON
-  * [[Guides:Virtual Modem:Script|Source code and Coding Examples]]
+===== Related topics =====
+  * [[Guides:List of Compatible Websites|Classic website list]] | List of classic websites that work with classic web browsers.
+  * [[Guides:Virtual Modem:Script|Virtual Modem Source code and Coding Examples]]
+  * [[Guides:Web Archive Proxy|Steptail Wayback Proxy Server]] | Connect your retro computer to a mirrored copy of the Internet as it was in 1996!
 ----
+===== Screenshots =====
+| {{:guides:pics:netscape_cern.gif?420|}} | {{:guides:pics:netscape-navigator-4-0-epic.png?420|}} |
+| {{:guides:pics:netscape-navigator-4-0.png?420|}} | {{ :guides:pics:netscape_google.gif?420 |}} |
 ===== Questions? Comments? =====
@@ Line 52: / Line 67: @@
 //Resources on this site are provided as-is. I cannot guarantee that the information is accurate and/or that the software will work as expected in your case. As such, I cannot be held responsible or liable for any damage(s) caused either directly or indirectly by using any of the resources on this site, or by relying on other information I have provided. That said, I've made every effort to make sure the information and resources provided on this site are as accurate as possible. //
-{{tag>Guides Guides:Hardware}}
+{{tag>Guides Guides:Hardware Guides:Networking}}

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