Hi! Kevin,

On 20 Mar 97  05:58:19, Kevin Donoghoe whispered to All:

 KD> I have a bit of a problem with one of my users.  He has an old 386
 KD> with Windows 3.1 and recently installed an internal 33k6 modem with the
 KD> following specs.
 KD> Interlan - model No. NI 5210/8-10BT Rev .AB - made in Singapore.
[ ...trim... ]
 KD> ATI7 = 255

If your user was me, I wouldn't be trying high speed modeming, in Windows, on
an old _386_.  No way.  DOS maybe, but not through Windows.  Don't get me
wrong, I'm a Windows freak from way back.

There's a lot of "ifs, buts and maybes" without knowing a bit
more about his
software setup... and hardware for that matter.  Is he running an SX16, or
something along the lines of a DX33 or even a DX40?  How much _real_ RAM?  Is
he running a large-ish swap file... on an old RLL/MFM HD?  Does he use
DoubleSpace on the HD?  Is he using a DOS-based comms proggie or a Windows
type?

 KD> He's using the default com port (1?) and IRQ (3) settings.

Generally, PCs come with built-in ports COM1 and COM2 preset to the following
values:

  Port       Address       IRQ
  ----------------------------
  COM1        03F8          4
  COM2        02F8          3

In most cases, the default values for COM ports 1 and 2 should work for any
system. You can view your COM port settings by using Windows Control Panel.

Most PCs do _not_ have built-in ports for COM3 and COM4. The default settings
for these additional ports are listed here:

  Port              Address        IRQ
  ------------------------------------
  COM3               03E8           4
  COM3 (PS/2)        3220           3
  COM4               02E8           3

Because COM1 and COM3 both use IRQ4 as the default, and COM2 and COM4 both use
IRQ3, you may need to reassign the IRQ if you use serial devices (such as a
fax card or modem) on COM ports 3 or 4.  You can reassign IRQs by using the
Control Panel to _match_ what you have set the hardware for.

Important: don't leave COM port settings showing as "Default" in
the Control
Panel; set them for the above values.  "Hardware" flow control
should also be
set in the Control Panel, for the port that the modem is set to.

Now, in his case, he's probably already running a mouse on COM1 which means
that the internal modem needs to be setup for COM2, but, most PCs come armed
with a COM2 so =it= could cause problems.  If he's lucky, and has the
know-how, he ought to be able to re-jumper the in-built COM2 as either
"COM4"
or "disable" it, and, then set the internal modem as COM2.

 KD> The problem is that he keeps pausing for longish amounts of time (data
 KD> over run - retrain?) and eventually dropping carrier. I suspect he has
 KD> the older xx450 UART.

That would be unusual.  Most new internals come equipped with a 16550.

Again, this depends on the software he's using.  Windows 3.1 supports the
high-speed 16550AFN UART buffer OK, but, it's supported for Windows-based
applications _only_.  If he's running DOS-based stuff, then he'll either have
to quit Windows whenever he wants to use his shiny-new modem, or, will need to
replace the Win 3.1 Comm.Drv (comms driver) with something else that don't
come cheap/easy-to-find.  :(

It might be possible to transplant a copy of the Workgroups 3.11 Comm.Drv into
a 3.1 setup - if so, it opens up a lot of other possibilities.  =:)

 KD> I went down by train to see if I could sort it out but my lack of
 KD> familiarity with the Windows environment and his hardware precluded me
 KD> from doing more than modifying his modem startup/user profiles.

Your basic init string for any Austel-approved modem would be
AT&C1&D2&K3 and
would probably be a good starting point.  (Hopefully &K3 specifies RTS/CTS
[hardware] flow control in his modem too. :)

 KD> There was an improvement in the connect speed to my Maestro 28k8 v.fc
 KD> but it still seemed to stack commands/react slowly.  I've suggested
 KD> that he invest in a motherboard upgrade. :-)

Could either be Windows having a hard time on the 386, or, a flow-control
problem?  Is he setting a faster port speed (i.e. 57600) to allow for data
compression?  Could also be time to drop the "trigger" level on the FIFO
buffer... if he had access to it, like in a later version of Windows, or, in a
good DOS-based comms prog?

 KD> I got him to print out his autoexec.bat and it's;
 KD> C:\WINDOWS\SMARTDRV.EXE
[ ...trim... ]
 KD> WIN

Not a lot there.  That SmartDrive statement =might= be enabling write-behind
caching, which can and does sometimes screw modem sessions.  You should tell
him to put the "/X" after it, just like the other line had -
that'll disable
the write-behind caching, but still allows read caching.

 KD> Any help appreciated as I don't want to make another 80 minute round
 KD> trip again.

Hehe.  You should try it on a beat up ol' Honda CB400 over country roads,
mate.  =:)

Cheers,
Paul.


... EchoMail (ek-o-mael), n: A tagline distribution system within FidoNet.
--- FMail 1.22