The

User's Manual

Release 0.8.0, (C) 1999

kisdn (general information)

9. What does kisdn do?

kisdn is the actual dialer (the client) of kISDN. Using kisdn the user can choose one of the predefined accounts and use it to connect to the ISP. Depending on the configuration, kisdn can also monitor incoming calls, play sounds on certain events or enable access via Dial-on-Demand; this feature allows kisdn to establish a network link whenever a network package can not be resolved locally.


10. What does kisdn not do?

kisdn can not be used to create new accounts or to modify existing ones (a common beginner's problem). These tasks are exclusively available through kcmkisdn.


11. Dialing up a provider

We will now look at the most thrilling moment of using kISDN: the establishment of the first connection. The Spartians among KDE enthusiasts may do so using the popup menu of the docked kISDN (users of KDE 1.1 may even use a key combination). Right-click on the icon in the panel and point to 'Connect to...'. You should now see a submenu with all available accounts; please left-click on the one of your choice.
Those who enjoy kisdn in its whole beauty must first choose an account from the list and may then press the Connect button.

Connect-Button

An upwards pointing arrow indicates that a button-press will dial out. As soon as kISDN dials out, this arrow turns upside down to indicate that another click will disconnect you.
No matter if you used the monitor, a key combination or the connect button, the yellow LED should now light up, (upper left, see chapter kISDN's display ); this means that kISDN is dialing out. If the green LED lights up shortly after (establishing connection), this tells us that the phone connection to the ISP was successful (if not this usually indicates that the line is busy. In that case the yellow LED will blank and nothing else will happen).
From now on two outcomes are possible: either the green LED blanks (leaving the whole display dark) or both red LEDs flicker shortly and the green LED stays lit. The first case is - you might have guessed - a failure; the second one is a success - you are connected to your ISP and may run a couple of tests with your browser - Congratulations !
In case of a failure either the account or the HiSax driver are not configured correctly. Since the hardware and account configuration is done by kcmkisdn it is up to the system administrator to rerun it and look for the problem(s); the most common ones are listed here.
To disconnect, simply repress the button you used to dial out (its arrow now points downward). kISDN will disconnect by itself when the link has been idle for a certain period of time. The length of the timespan can be modified with kcmkisdn.


12. Dial on demand

This long awaited feature finally found its way into kISDN. Before using it, the ISDN novice might ask:

What does 'Dial on demand' do?

'Dial on demand' does exactly what its name implies - it establishes a connection whenever one is needed. Simply picture kISDN waiting for data to be transmitted; now if you are trying to open a URL with your browser or check your mail without previously dialing out with kISDN, it will make a connection to your ISP automatically!

DoD Button

Usage of this feature is as easy as it can get, simply press the button 'Dial on demand', the blue LED should light up. Consider this LED as a warning light, it is to remind you that any network request might cause kISDN to dial out automatically (costing you money) ! That is the reason why many people dislike 'Dial on Demand'; many others don't want to miss this service!
Note that the 'Dial on Demand' button was programmed intelligently, its state will be remembered even if the ISP is changed.


13. Channel bundling

Starting with version 0.6 kISDN can do channel bundling, that is you can add the B channel on sufficiently fast connections and thus increase the maximum throughput to 128 kbit/s. To be able to make use of this feature, channel bundling must be enabled with kcmkisdn and the kernel must support MPPP (see Appendix D ). The second channel can then be added - by clicking the 'bundle' - button

DoD Button

as soon as the first connection is active - in reality a second connection to the ISP is made. That also is the drawback of channel bundling: from the point of view of your telecommunications company, this is not one (data) connection, but two costing twice the money you would pay for one.
For ISDN connections that are not made over the public network this feature really makes sense, since bandwith is often very low.

Back to the overview


T. Westheider, Ch. Demmer, Ch. Zander / January 8 1999 - kISDN Release 0.8.0