With the upgrades to the ASX equipment, many of our customers have experienced modem issues with the new equipment. This is especially true with some Macintosh users and various WinModems.

This document will try to give a brief overview of how to fix these problems.

Remember:

Our equipment is v.90 compatible for 56k.

For more info, check out the following web sites:

There are two possible solutions to the problems some of our MacOS Customers have been having connecting to our ASX equipment. These should fix the authentication problems and 52 second disconnects that are not otherwise explainable.

Make sure the customer is using only one PPP dialing method. They should only have one of the folowing in their control panel:

• PPP (Open Transport)
• ConfigPPP (MacPPP)
• Remote Access
• FreePPP

In Remote Access, you must specify the PPP protocol. To do this, open the Remote Access Control Panel (Apple Menu à Control Panels à Remote Access)

Then press the "Options" button at the bottom and then click on the "Protocol" tab.

Where it says "Use Protocol:" Make sure PPP is chosen. This control panel looks almost identical to the PPP Control Panel, but this option is added.

Here’s a screenshot:

The Minimum Firmware Ver. Column shows certain modems where a firmware upgrade has shown to solve the connection problems. These upgrades can be obtained from the modem manufacturer. You can find out the current firmware version by following the directions above for figuring out the chipset. The firmware version is usually on ati3 or ati7.

If the customer actually has a manual for their modem (Oh, rarity of rarities!), then you can probably find the appropriate strings in there. Here’s what to have them look for:

Force v.90

Disable Kflex and X2

If for some odd reason, they need to connect to the net to get the v.90 upgrade, look to completely disable 56k and force a 28.8k connection for that connection. If you do this, make sure you remove that setting after they get the upgrade, or else the whole upgrade process will be useless.

Some V.34 and earlier modems get confused by the V.90 "bee-boop" v.8 bis tone
at the beginning of the answer sequence. Add 4 commas to the end of the
telephone number. This causes the modem to "pause" past the v.8 bis tone.

This is not always the easiest solution to suggest, or for the user to implement, especially if the user can’t connect to the Internet to get a new driver. Always suggest that users keep their modem firmware versions as up-to-date as possible. Virtually all, current modem manufacturers have web sites where you can download updated drivers and instructions for their modems.

Hardware Upgrades

Some customers may ask if they should just go out and buy a new modem. Though I can not condone spending money they don’t need to spend, there are a couple suggestions I have for people who insist on getting a new modem. First, know what you are getting. Know the brand and model number. Also, if you can, try to find out the chipset. Also, external modems are usually easier to troubleshoot, and to replace if they break.

Use a terminal communications program such as

Microsoft Windows "Hyperterminal" to start a log file :

On Windows 95

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Go to the "Start" menu...

Accessories...

Hyperterminal...

Double-click on "Hypertrm"

Give the connection a name - AAT

At the phone number window, type in 555-1212

For "Connect using" - select your modem

Click "ok"

Your modem will immediately start to dial - click "cancel"

Click File...

Properties...

Configure...

Use the pull down menu on "Maximum Speed" to set it to 115200...

click "Ok"...

then click "Ok" again...

On the Hyperterminal menu - go to "Transfer" then "Capture text"

For file name, enter c:\aatcap.txt

Run all of the AT commands below.

On the Hyperterminal menu - go to "Transfer" then "Capture text" then "Stop Capture"

Email the file c:\aatcap.txt to your help desk.

On Windows 98

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Go to the "Start" menu...

Go to Programs, Accessories, Communication...

Click on Hyperterminal folder...

Double-click on "Hypertrm.exe"

Give the connection a name - (example - AAT)

At the phone number window, type in 555-1212 (remove the area code field so it is blank)

In "Connect using" field - select your modem

Click "ok" button

Click "cancel" button

>From Hyperterminal menu bar, click "File" then "Properties"

Your modem will immediately start to dial - click "cancel"

Next, click on "Configure" button...

Use the pull down menu on "Maximum Speed" to set it to 115200...

click "Ok"...

then click "Ok" again...

On the Hyperterminal menu bar- go to "Transfer" then "Capture text"

For file name, enter c:\aatcap.txt

Run all of the AT commands outlined below.

When complete, on the Hyperterminal menu bar, go to "Transfer" then "Capture text" then "Stop Capture"

Email the file aatcap.txt file located on the root of c: to the help desk.

Then :

Please provide all of the following :

Using Hyperterminal or some other third party communications software, connect to your modem and capture

the output from all "ATI" commands :

(Don't worry if some commands report "ERROR")

AT&B1

ATI0

ATI1

ATI2

ATI3

ATI4

ATI5

ATI6

ATI7

ATI8

ATI9

ATI10

ATI11

ATI12

Client modem brand name and model

Client modem software version number

Using Hyperterminal or some other third party communications software, capture output from 10 test calls :

1) dial the number to the AAT equipment eg :ATDT18003535112

2) observe the login screen

3) wait one second, then type "+++" to return to modem command line and wait one second

4) type AT&V1 ¹

5) type AT&V2 ¹

6) type ATH

7) return to step 1

¹ For Lucent or USR client modems, replace steps 4) and 5) with :

4) ATI11I6

5) ATY11

Also, The manufacturer of our equipment has requested that users with unresolved issues also turn on logging for both the dialler and modem. Here’s how: