LH> I have an External Netcomm Smart Modem 28.8 and whenever I
 LH> use ATZ it does not work!

It all depends on what options are set to come up with ATZ, ie what
settings were last programmed into it with AT&W.

Turn on capture in your comms program and type:

ATZ
AT&V

and let's see how it's setup.  Also, what comms software are you using?

 LH> Whenever I log onto one of the local BBS's it just connects
 LH> and then bout 5 - 10 seconds later it just brings up tonnes
 LH> of beeps and all of this computer language.  And no ANSI!![..]

Mismatched baud rates, looks like.  What's your locked computer-to-modem rate?

 LH> I am now using another string but that turns off error correction
 LH> and all of that!

You shouldn't need to do that.

 LH> I also believe it is the string which does not let my modem
 LH> Autodetect ansi when someone logs onto my board.

Probably.  But we can't guess what init / answer strings you're using ..

Ian

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