modem woes

[Sandipan Panigrahi <pani@frontiernet.net>]

I recently got this PCMCIA combo ethernet-modem for my
laptop. It cost me $10.0 (14.4Modem and 10Bt ethernet)

It gets configured properly but I am unable to connect
to my current ISP. I tried using minicom to dial in.
It gets as far as showing me the 
"Username: " prompt  and then doesnot do a thing. 

After a while the modem hangs up with a "connection terminated" message
and I also get the "password:" 
prompt if I had hit the enter key at the username at 
the same time.

I tried different line speeds in minicom from 9600
to 38.8.  I can get the prompt only for 19.2 for the
other speeds it dials, connects and I donot even get
the prompts for username.

I can connect to different ISP without any trouble.

I can use my external modem on my laptop and connect without any
problems.

The ISP is of help with linux.

The "chat" program just hangs too so I am not sure it is anything to do
with minicom.

The ISP I can connect to is still at 33.6kbps while this one is X2 or
Kflex or something like that.

So is it some kind of modem negotiation problem ? I 
donot have a clue on how these these communication 
thingies work.

Any ideas ?

Thanks.
sandipan