Mark Miwurdz

Since we moved home to rural Wiltshire, I've not been able to dial-in to my ISP using a bog-standard generic 56K modem. My laptop works fine (although slowly - never about 34Kps) so I can't blame BT for attenuation or noise or anything like that.

I've done pretty much everything my limited skills will allow me to do:
- Removed and re-installed the modem
- Updated the drivers
- In fact, everything the trouble-shooter recommennds you to do.

You don't get any error messages, just some scratchy voice (sometimes) throught the modem speaker which is impossible to decipher.

The only clue I have left is in the log under the 'Diagnostics' tab for the modem properties. I forget the actual wording but it says something like:

'DSR low. Check Modem is switched on'. I checked the ODSR and IDSR settings using the 'Mode com3' command prompt and both are set to 'off'. Switching them to 'on' makes no difference and in any case, they're set to 'off' on my laptop which works OK.

Should I just go and buy a new modem - getting totally pi$$ed off with the whole affair now!

Cheers
Kav

ianmiller999

May sound simple but it could be saying: "the number you have dialled has not been recognised" so if you haven't already compare the number you are dialling with that of the lap top.

Mark Miwurdz

Cheers Ian and good point.

Alas, already checked exhaustively. The settings I have on the laptop (dial-up and modem) match those on the other machine.

Cheers
Kav

Figment

Before doing anything else, I'd ring the number the modem is calling from a normal phone and see what the message is.

Mark Miwurdz

Thanks mate

Tried that and it goes straight through to the 'handshake'.

Cheers
Kav

RichB

Are you using the same cable as the one you use with the laptop?

Are you calling one of the capped ISP numbers? (i/e £15 per month with no additional call charges)

If you are not, I could set you up a dial up to try, it is an 0845 number and calls charged at std rates.. At least it may help elimate your ISP from the problem.

Rich

Mark Miwurdz

Cheers Rich

Tried the same cable on both machines - home machine doesn't work, laptop does.

Thanks for the offer on the dial-up but I know the ISP's not at fault because I can get through on the laptop.

Cheers
Kav

Iain

Check you're prefix and dialing location.

chiark

Like Iain says, it sounds like you're not actually dialling the right number because there's a prefix or something.

You can set dial-up networking to show you the number to be dialled. Check that, as you may find that's your problem. If you've got a 9 or something there as a prefix the message you'll get is "this number is unavailable" or something like that... ?

Mark Miwurdz

Thanks chaps - settings are identical on both machines (the one that works and the one that doesn't) so I reckon it's more likely to be a hardware issue.

Cheers
Kav

ianmiller999

Is it internal or external modem

Mark Miwurdz

Hi mate

It's internal but not sure if it's on a card though. All properties point towards 'Generic 56K' modem.

Cheers
Kav

ianmiller999

Long shot but check to see if there are any conflicts on IRQ for COM3 (I believe you said your modem was running on that)

Mark Miwurdz

It certainly is - I'll take a look. One thing though, would diagnostics pick that up?

Cheers
Kav

stevencotton

It's not one of those "host-assisted" modems running on some OEM hardware is it?

Mark Miwurdz

Not sure mate - how would I check?

Cheers
Kav

stevencotton

It should say something on the box or instructions, "host assisted" or "winmodem" or something like that. Those modems use the computers CPU to do part of the processing instead of doing it all on-board, they can be problematic on some PCs.

Mark Miwurdz

OK - cheers, I'll take a look.

chiark

Use hyperterminal, and try dialling using the old hayes codes to check the lower levels of the stack are working...

Connect hyperterminal to COM3 (or whatever com port the modem is) and type:

ATZ
(this resets and readies the modem for commands IIRC)

ATI
(asks for identification)
ATI4
(returns product code)

If that's all working, try

ATDT phonenumber
(phone number is the number to call )

If it all works, you should get CONNECT xxxx returned.

ATH
(hangs up)

That proves the modem works...

I doubt it will, but at least you know for sure that it's the modem or hardware config and nothing to do with software.

Cheers,
Nick/

Mark Miwurdz

Top man - thanks Nick!

stevencotton

Also set ats0=1 and ring the number your modem is plugged into, it should auto-answer

Mark Miwurdz

Hi Nick

Sorry - couldn't get my head around that at all (IT numpty). I got these messages though. This one is the log from the 'Query modem' option on the modem properties page:

ATQ0V1E0 - OK
AT+GMM - +GMM: SoftK56
AT+FCLASS=? - 0,1,8
AT#CLS=? - COMMAND NOT SUPPORTED
AT+GCI? - +GCI: B4
AT+GCI=? - +GCI: (B5,0A,0F,20,26,2E,31,3C,3D,42,46,50,51,52,53,54,5 7,58,59,00,61,69,6C,73,7B,7E,82,89,8B,9C,9F,A0,A5, A6,FE,A9,B4,09)
ATI1 - 255
ATI2 - OK
ATI3 - SoftK56V_B2.1_V3.05.12.06
ATI4 - Generic SoftK56
ATI5 - 180
ATI6 - SoftK56
CModem Version 11
Rksample Version 341
ATI7 - 255

This one is lifted from the modem log straight after I tried to dial out:

08-12-2003 09:36:11.812 - File: C:\WINDOWS\System32\tapisrv.dll, Version 5.1.2600
08-12-2003 09:36:11.812 - File: C:\WINDOWS\System32\unimdm.tsp, Version 5.1.2600
08-12-2003 09:36:11.827 - File: C:\WINDOWS\System32\unimdmat.dll, Version 5.1.2600
08-12-2003 09:36:11.843 - File: C:\WINDOWS\System32\uniplat.dll, Version 5.1.2600
08-12-2003 09:36:11.843 - File: C:\WINDOWS\System32\drivers\modem.sys, Version 5.1.2600
08-12-2003 09:36:11.843 - File: C:\WINDOWS\System32\modemui.dll, Version 5.1.2600
08-12-2003 09:36:11.858 - File: C:\WINDOWS\System32\mdminst.dll, Version 5.1.2600
08-12-2003 09:36:11.858 - Modem type: Generic SoftK56
08-12-2003 09:36:11.858 - Modem inf path: mdmcxsft.inf
08-12-2003 09:36:11.858 - Modem inf section: ModemX2014
08-12-2003 09:36:11.858 - Matching hardware ID: pci\ven_14f1&dev_2014
08-12-2003 09:36:12.233 - 115200,8,N,1, ctsfl=1, rtsctl=2
08-12-2003 09:36:12.233 - Initializing modem.
08-12-2003 09:36:12.233 - DSR is low while initializing the modem. Verify modem is turned on.
08-12-2003 09:36:12.249 - Send: AT<cr>
08-12-2003 09:36:12.249 - Recv: <cr><lf>OK<cr><lf>
08-12-2003 09:36:12.249 - Interpreted response: OK
08-12-2003 09:36:12.265 - Send: AT&FE0V1S0=0&C1&D2+MR=2;+DR=1;+ER=1;W2<cr>
08-12-2003 09:36:12.405 - Recv: <cr><lf>OK<cr><lf>
08-12-2003 09:36:12.405 - Interpreted response: OK
08-12-2003 09:36:12.421 - Send: ATS7=60M1+ES=3,0,2;+DS=3;+IFC=2,2;X4<cr>
08-12-2003 09:36:12.437 - Recv: <cr><lf>OK<cr><lf>
08-12-2003 09:36:12.437 - Interpreted response: OK
08-12-2003 09:36:12.437 - Waiting for a call.
08-12-2003 09:36:12.452 - Send: at+vcid=1<cr>
08-12-2003 09:36:12.468 - Recv: <cr><lf>OK<cr><lf>
08-12-2003 09:36:12.468 - Interpreted response: OK
08-12-2003 09:36:12.483 - Send: ATS0=0<cr>
08-12-2003 09:36:12.499 - Recv: <cr><lf>OK<cr><lf>
08-12-2003 09:36:12.499 - Interpreted response: OK
08-12-2003 09:36:12.843 - 115200,8,N,1, ctsfl=1, rtsctl=2
08-12-2003 09:36:12.843 - Initializing modem.
08-12-2003 09:36:12.843 - DSR is low while initializing the modem. Verify modem is turned on.
08-12-2003 09:36:12.858 - Send: AT<cr>
08-12-2003 09:36:12.874 - Recv: <cr><lf>OK<cr><lf>
08-12-2003 09:36:12.874 - Interpreted response: OK
08-12-2003 09:36:12.890 - Send: AT&FE0V1S0=0&C1&D2+MR=2;+DR=1;+ER=1;W2<cr>
08-12-2003 09:36:13.046 - Recv: <cr><lf>OK<cr><lf>
08-12-2003 09:36:13.046 - Interpreted response: OK
08-12-2003 09:36:13.062 - Send: ATS7=60M1+ES=3,0,2;+DS=3;+IFC=2,2;X4<cr>
08-12-2003 09:36:13.077 - Recv: <cr><lf>OK<cr><lf>
08-12-2003 09:36:13.077 - Interpreted response: OK
08-12-2003 09:36:13.093 - Passthrough On
08-12-2003 09:36:16.702 - Passthrough Off
08-12-2003 09:36:16.702 - 115200,8,N,1, ctsfl=1, rtsctl=2
08-12-2003 09:36:16.702 - Initializing modem.
08-12-2003 09:36:16.702 - DSR is low while initializing the modem. Verify modem is turned on.
08-12-2003 09:36:16.718 - Send: AT<cr>
08-12-2003 09:36:16.733 - Recv: AT<cr>
08-12-2003 09:36:16.733 - Command Echo
08-12-2003 09:36:16.733 - Recv: <cr><lf>OK<cr><lf>
08-12-2003 09:36:16.733 - Interpreted response: OK
08-12-2003 09:36:16.749 - Send: AT&FE0V1S0=0&C1&D2+MR=2;+DR=1;+ER=1;W2<cr>
08-12-2003 09:36:16.905 - Recv: AT&FE0V1S0=0&C1&D2+MR=2;+DR=1;+ER=1;W2<cr>
08-12-2003 09:36:16.905 - Command Echo
08-12-2003 09:36:16.905 - Recv: <cr><lf>OK<cr><lf>
08-12-2003 09:36:16.905 - Interpreted response: OK
08-12-2003 09:36:16.921 - Send: ATS7=60M1+ES=3,0,2;+DS=3;+IFC=2,2;X4<cr>
08-12-2003 09:36:16.937 - Recv: <cr><lf>OK<cr><lf>
08-12-2003 09:36:16.937 - Interpreted response: OK
08-12-2003 09:36:16.937 - Dialing.
08-12-2003 09:36:16.952 - Send: ATDT,###########,<cr>
08-12-2003 09:37:24.030 - Recv: <cr><lf>NO CARRIER<cr><lf>
08-12-2003 09:37:24.030 - Interpreted response: No Carrier
08-12-2003 09:37:24.030 - Hanging up the modem.
08-12-2003 09:37:24.046 - Send: ATH<cr>
08-12-2003 09:37:24.046 - Recv: <cr><lf>OK<cr><lf>
08-12-2003 09:37:24.046 - Interpreted response: OK
08-12-2003 09:37:24.046 - 115200,8,N,1, ctsfl=1, rtsctl=2
08-12-2003 09:37:24.046 - Initializing modem.
08-12-2003 09:37:24.046 - DSR is low while initializing the modem. Verify modem is turned on.
08-12-2003 09:37:24.062 - Send: AT<cr>
08-12-2003 09:37:24.062 - Recv: <cr><lf>OK<cr><lf>
08-12-2003 09:37:24.062 - Interpreted response: OK
08-12-2003 09:37:24.062 - Send: AT&FE0V1S0=0&C1&D2+MR=2;+DR=1;+ER=1;W2<cr>
08-12-2003 09:37:24.218 - Recv: <cr><lf>OK<cr><lf>
08-12-2003 09:37:24.218 - Interpreted response: OK
08-12-2003 09:37:24.233 - Send: ATS7=60M1+ES=3,0,2;+DS=3;+IFC=2,2;X4<cr>
08-12-2003 09:37:24.249 - Recv: <cr><lf>OK<cr><lf>
08-12-2003 09:37:24.249 - Interpreted response: OK
08-12-2003 09:37:24.249 - Waiting for a call.
08-12-2003 09:37:24.265 - Send: at+vcid=1<cr>
08-12-2003 09:37:24.280 - Recv: <cr><lf>OK<cr><lf>
08-12-2003 09:37:24.280 - Interpreted response: OK
08-12-2003 09:37:24.296 - Send: ATS0=0<cr>
08-12-2003 09:37:24.312 - Recv: <cr><lf>OK<cr><lf>
08-12-2003 09:37:24.312 - Interpreted response: OK
08-12-2003 09:37:24.312 - Session Statistics:
08-12-2003 09:37:24.312 - Reads : 30 bytes
08-12-2003 09:37:24.312 - Writes: 96 bytes

If you let the session terminate in its own time, you get this windows message:

Opening port...

Error 678: The remote computer did not respond
(but we know it's working fine because it responds to the laptop OK)

Cheers
Kav

chiark

No worries, here's step by step how to get hyperterminal.

Click Start menu/programs/accessories/communications/hyperterminal

When hyperterminal's "connection window" box appears, click cancel.

Select file menu/properties and select the modem that you wish to test, then click "ok".

in the main window, type "AT". You may find that nothing appears and it'll take a while to come back, but you should see it say "connecting" then "connected" in the status bar.

Follow the instructions from there.

I take it you blanked out the number in the above script, as it tried to dial ###### ?

Cheers,
Nick.

Mark Miwurdz

Thanks Nick - I'll swap lines and give it a shot.

Cheers
Kav

Mark Miwurdz

Hi Nick

Did as instructed - the 'connected' dialogue box is showing 5 minutes now with no returned message.

Cheers
Kav