Can't get anything from mode2

[<sou...@ha...>]

The problem:  No output from mode2

The system:  PCLinuxOS with kernel 2.6.16.27.
             lirc-0.8.1-0.20060628.1.pclo2005.mde installed using Synaptic.
             Homebrew ir receiver.

I'm doing everything logged in as root.

Running statserial I can see DCD toggle, so the hardware seems to be working.

I setup lirc with the following sequence

  modprobe lirc_dev
  ln -s /dev/lirc/0 /dev/lirc0
  setserial /dev/ttyS0 uart none
  modprobe lirc_serial irq=4 io=0x3f8

No errors are reported, dmesg shows

  lirc_dev: IR Remote Control driver registered, at major 61
  lirc_serial: auto-detected active high receiver
  lirc_dev: lirc_register_plugin: sample_rate: 0

Then I run

  mode2 -d /dev/lirc0

which sits silently, returning nothing.

I've been going over and over this, but I'm stumped as to the next
troubleshooting step.

Any ideas?

Hal