-> KNOPPIX is very good at auto-detecting hardware compared to
-> other Linux 'installs'. You should be able to find someone who
-> can assist you if you have a hardware modem. For the printer
-> problem I really can't say why it would not work for you. 

I don't understand this either unless he lacks a hardware modem.
Just setting up the dialer takes 2 minutes.

As I've the modem on COM 1 on my RS-232 serial port  I select ttyS0,
name a user account ( Verizon), provide the number for the ISP,
plug in user name and password and I'm surfing.
--- Platinum Xpress/Win/WINServer v3.0pr5