Yeah, I'm reasonably sure I'm dealing with a software problem, not a
hardware problem.

I need to be able to exercise more control in the software settings of
the modem and the log-in sequence, but Networking settings in Ubie
don't give me that much options.

I wouldn't think an external serial-port modem would NOT give any
problems. You don't need to set anything except use the default
switches on the back of the modem. The same switches are used on my
Windoze box.

I think I need to be able to go into a "control panel' in Ubie and
look at modem properties, similar to what you can do in Windoze to try
and track the problem down.