GENERIC MODEM FAQ

© Eurotech Marketing Srvcs 1999

 

 

 

1 – How to load hyperterminal (for testing)

2 – How to test that the modem is dropping the line properly.

3 - Dial up Networking / i.s.p software says the modem isn't responding

4 - My external modem is not detected in Windows.

5 - When I try to communicate with my modem, I get ‘cannot open port.’

6 - How do I get my PCI modem to do V90?

7 - My system does not detect my PCI modem

8 - Which plug is the microphone, which is the headphone?

9 - Now I have changed my modem, Dial-Up-Networking reports that the

modem is already in use

 

 

1. General modem queries

2. Specific guidance in configuring and troubleshooting a XL PCI modem

 

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1 – How to load HyperTerminal (for testing)           <BACK TO TOP>

 
        load - start ==> programs ==> HyperTerminal ==> hypertrm.exe
        for connection name type TEST, , for telephone number type '123' 
        cancel the final dialogue box
        
        - enter commands as instructed by other documentation

 

2 – How to test that the modem is dropping the line properly. <BACK TO TOP>

     

      Test the modem under HyperTerminal!

            load HyperTerminal

            issue ATDT123 to dial the speaking clock.

            press ENTER to drop the line.

            issue ATDT123 to dial the speaking clock.

 

If you hear the speaking clock a second time, then the modem is dropping the line correctly so you should check if any other applications (fax, outlook..) also want control of the line and exit them.

 

3 - Dial up Networking / i.s.p software says the modem isn't responding <BACK TO TOP>

 

A. To check whether the modem responds or not perform the following:

      1. From Windows 95, select Start ==> Settings ==> Control Panel

      2. Double-click Modems

      3. Check that only one modem is listed and that it matches your

      modem.

      4. Select the diagnostics tab

      5. Select the port the modem is installed on

      6. Click the more info button

A box should appear with a list of ati responses, if so then your modem

is responding corectly.

 

(sc 2/2/99)

 

4 - My external modem is not detected in Windows. <BACK TO TOP>

 

A. The most common cause is a disabled or malfunctioning serial port,

check in the system's BIOS that the port is enabled.  Try substituting

the port used e.g. swop the mouse and modem over, if this cures the

problem then talk to your system supplier about the ports on the

system.

 

(sc 26/3/99)

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5 - When I try to communicate with my external modem, I get a port error

e.g. cannot open port.                          <BACK TO TOP>

 

A. Apart from the basic answers as discussed before, this may be due

to the port driver in Windows being corrupt.  To solve this, start the

system in safe mode (hold shift at the beginning of the system boot

before the clouds appear).  Once in safe mode, enter Control Panel ==>

System ==> Device Manager and remove all COM ports and modems.  Restart

the system and allow the ports to be re-installed by Windows,

re-install the modem in the normal manner.

 

(sc 26/3/99)

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6 -  How do I get my PCI modem to do V90?       <BACK TO TOP>    

 

A. All PCI modems have both K56Flex and V90 built into the chipset so

there is no need to take further action.

 

(sc 2/2/99)

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7 - My system does not detect my PCI modem      <BACK TO TOP>

 

A. Ensure that all existing modem drivers are removed from the system

and restart the machine so that the modem can be detected at startup.

 

NOTE: PCI modems will not be detected by the add modem wizard in

Windows.

 

(sc 2/2/99)

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8 - Which socket is the microphone, which is the headphone? <BACK TO TOP>

Answer: The red plug is the mic, grey is the headphone

 

SC 11/2/99

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9 - Now I have changed my modem, Dial-Up-Networking reports that the

modem is already in use             <BACK TO TOP>

 

Probable cause. The Dial-Up-Networking connection is attempting to

dial using your old modem driver

 

A. Change the modem selection by doing the following:

      My Computer ==> Dial Up Networking ==> Right-click on your

      dial up networking connection ==> click properties ==>

      select your new modem in the "Connect using" box

 

SC 16/2/99

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Q. My PCI modem is detected but when I attempt to install the drivers

Windows says that the drivers do not match the hardware.

 

A. Boot the system in safe mode (press F5 when "Starting Windows 95"

appears at the beginning of the boot cycle) and delete any modem

drivers from Device Manager Control Panel ==> System, take care to

check the other devices section as well.  Restart the system and allow

the modem to be re-detected, if the same problem occurs again then, the

modem should be returned to your dealer for testing.

 

SC 17/2/99

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Q. When I connect to the internet, my connection is reported as 57,600

or 115,200 is this correct?

 

A. No.  this is the speed between your modem and your computer. To

force the driver to declare the true connection speed, add the

following initialisation string: w1  This is added in My Compter ==>

Dial Up Networking ==> Right click on your connection ==> choose

properties ==> select the connection tab ==> advanced ==> extra

settings.  If this solution fails, then you have the incorrect or an

out of date driver installed for the product, please download an update

from the web site.

 

SC 26/3/99

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Q. I can connect to the internet but am unable to surf any web sites,

my browser says it is looking for the site but it never appears

 

A. This problem is related to a network setting called Domain Name

Server (DNS) this allows your modem to locate web sites.  If this

setting for your internet connection is incorrect then the above

problem may be the result.  The DNS address for your provider can be

obtained from your provider's technical support page.  To start using

the setting enter My Computer ==> Dial-Up-Networking ==> [right-click]

on your conection icon and pick properties from the list]  within

server types, add the DNS address in the DNS field.

 

SC 26/3/99

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Q. System hangs when asked to restart windows,

      after installing modem drivers and comms software.

 

A. This is normally caused by either an incorrect driver OR corrupt driver program

      resident in memory that will not let go.

      To remedy the situation..

     

I am assuming you have Internal ISA,

1 - Uninstall supervoice

      controlpanel>addremoveprograms>supervoice.

      restart the computer.

      boot then restart the computer. - does the system shutdown correctly now?

 

if not..

 

2 - Remove the modem from the system (physically)

boot the computer. - does the system shutdown correctly now?

 

If not..

 

3 - uninstall the modem driver..

      controlpanel>modem>remove ALL listed modems.

      reboot the computer. - does the system shutdown correctly now?

 

if not..

 

4 - boot the system in safe mode (without the physical modem in the system)

      when booting the system says 'starting win95/8'

      press function key 'F8' and select SAFE MODE.

      once the system has booted, select start>shutdown>restart.

      reboot the computer. - does the system shutdown correctly now?


 

 

if not..

 

5 - The issue is not modem related but is due to ANOTHER corrupt program being executed on boot. (Customer to investigate themselves)

 

 

 

 

Once the system does shutdown, install the physical modem, check shutdown, install modem driver, check shutdown, install supervoice, check shutdown.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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2.

 

XL PCI modem - guidance and troubleshooting

 

XL 56K PCI

 

Slots into a white socket on the motherboard.

 

Features

 

Rockwell chipset

 

Black LINE IN and TELEPHONE sockets on the back of the card

 

US standard 2 wire telephone cable. This will require a 2 wire to 3

wire converter to use a UK spec domestic telephone in order for it to

ring (available from Tandy or Dixons etc)

 

What's in the box?

 

Modem card

Telephone cable

Manual

Bitware cd rom

 

Installation

 

Full installation details are given on page 3 onwards in the manual.

 

How do I know it is installed correctly?

 

Go to CONTROL PANEL > MODEMS. Check that your modem has only 1 driver

installed, and that the driver describes your modem (Rockwell HCF 56K

Speakerphone PCI Modem). Go to the DIAGNOSTICS tab, highlight the Com

port the modem is using and press the MORE INFO button. If you get a

table of responses, the modem is set up successfully.

 

If you get an error message and then the table of responses appears,

you have either a conflict, more than 1 driver installed or a telephony

application open on the desktop.

 

Problems.

 

PCI devices are plug n play (PnP).

 

When you slot the modem into the P.C. the BIOS (a chip on the

motherboard) will interrogate it and find out what it is, and what

resources it requires to operate. It will then pass this information

to the operating system so that the resources can be allocated.

 

Make sure that the card is detected.

 

When Windows is started it should detect the card. If it does not,

then try the card in a different slot on your motherboard. If this has

no effect, power down the P.C., take out the card, power up the P.C.,

power down again, insert the card and power up once more.

 

Go into SAFE MODE ([F8] when windows says "starting Windows'95/98" and

select option 3). Delete all modem drivers and any modem drivers listed

under "other devices". Shutdown and restart the machine.

 

Windows will then have a memory of being started without the PCI device,

and will think it is a new installation.

 

If your card is not detected, it will need to be returned to your

dealer for testing.

 

 

Ensure that the resources are correct.

 

When you install the card, Windows will decide what Com port

(communications port) and IRQ (interrupt request) the modem will use.

Check that the IRQ is not used by another device and is not IRQ 9.

 

IRQ9 is a very weak IRQ because it is shared with IRQ2. When computers

were in their infancy there were only 8 IRQs. When it was found that

people would need to add more peripheral devices to their P.C.s it was

decided to incorporate another 8 IRQs, and to achieve this, IRQ 9 was

bound to IRQ2.

 

To check for conflicts, go to CONTROL PANEL > SYSTEM > DEVICE MANAGER.

Highlight COMPUTER and press the PROPERTIES button. This will list the

IRQ on the left-hand side, and the device using it on the right-hand

side. The PCI device may have 3 items listed, modem, IRQ holder for PCI

steering, and PCI serial enumerator this is correct. If there are any

other devices listed with the same IRQ number, you probably have a

conflict.

 

You will then need to change the IRQ of the conflicting device.

 

If the device is ISA, follow the guidance below:

 

In DEVICE MANAGER find the device whose IRQ you wish to change,

highlight the item and press the PROPERTIES button. Click the tab

labelled RESOURCES.

 

Highlight the label "interrupt request", and press the CHANGE SETTINGS

button.

If the button is greyed out (not active) then unclick the USE AUTOMATIC

SETTINGS box. Try the CHANGE SETTINGS button again.

 

If you get the message that the resource setting cannot be modified in

this profile, click the arrow to the right of the profile description

(basic configuration ?????), and choose the next profile available.

Highlight the label "interrupt request", and try the CHANGE SETTINGS

button again. Keep trying this with each profile until you find one

that will allow you to change the setting (usually the last one!).

 

When this is allowed, you will see the IRQ and two arrows to the right.

Click the arrow to either raise or lower the IRQ number, and check just

below to make sure that the new number does not conflict with any other

devices.

 

Unable to dial out or receive calls?

 

Ensure that the telephone cable is plugged into the back of the modem

and the wall socket. Do not use a telephone extension cable.

 

Go to START > PROGRAMS > ACCESSORIES >  HYPER TERMINAL. Choose

HYPERTERM.EXE. Type a name (test) and press the [ENTER] key. Ensure

that the modem is to be used to dial, enter number 1 in the telephone

number field and press the [ENTER] key. At the next screen click the

CANCEL button. You should now see a blank screen with a flashing cursor

at the top left.

 

In uppercase, type ATE1 [ENTER]. Next type ATX4 [ENTER]. Do not worry

if the screen does not reflect what you have typed, as this will set up

the terminal so that you can see all responses from your keystrokes and

the modem.

 

Type ATL3. This will increase the speaker volume to maximum. TYPE

ATDT,123 [ENTER]. This will dial the speaking clock. Press [ENTER] to

finish the call.

 

If you heard a voice then you know that your modem has dialled

successfully. If you heard a "click" but no voice, then you need to do

the following.

 

Dial the modem from another telephone line. When the telephone rings,

you should see "ring" appear on the screen. When this happens, type

ATA [ENTER]. The modem should then "screech" down the line.  If this

happened your modem did not recognise the dial tone.

 

This may be caused because of call waiting etc. Use ATX1 as an

initialisation string when dialling out.

 

To make the modem answer calls, type ATS0=2 [ENTER], then type

AT&W0 [ENTER] to save. This will set the modem up to answer the call

after 2 rings.

 

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Q. Can I make my modem pulse dial?

 

A. No. Most of the telephone exchanges in the U.K. are now digital, and

you will find that most modems will not allow pulse dialing.

 

mc 17/3/99

 

 

 

 

© Eurotech Marketing Srvcs 1999 – www.euro-tech.co.uk sales:01189-810011