Prior to DR2.1 Update 5, serial support didn't work in MkLinux. You may think it did, since minicom worked, and PPP would go part way (it would hang shortly after you got a connection, if you even got that far), but there apparently were race conditions or DMA bugs in the drivers.

Update 5 says it still doesn't support serial connections, but a number of people have reported success, both with PPP and UUCP. A few have reported difficulties, but it's not apparent if it's the serial support that's the problem or if something else is. All you can do is try it.

If MkLinux doesn't work, you can consider installing a Linux-PMAC kernel (see LinuxPPC for PCI Macs), which works with PCI Macs and has working serial support.

One caution: the first time PPP is started, the kernel will print something to the console screen, causing an X-window session to disappear. You have to select the "refresh screen" option from the X menu (yes, it's really still there) and it will all return.

Originally written by Jon Howell (jonh@cs.dartmouth.edu)
Revised 11/01/97 by Greg Noel (greg@qualcomm.com)

jonh@cs.dartmouth.edu, greg@qualcomm.com