BR>AL>BR>I am unable to establish a reliable connection to a particular local
  >BBS
  >AL>BR>that I call a lot. This is a one phone line board using a 28800 USR
BR>AL>BR>1. Sometimes the d/l starts normally-blocks transferring smoothly 
nd
  >cps
  >AL>BR>increasing steadily-then suddenly with no warning, no errors
  >indicated and
  >AL>BR>nothing unusual on the Status line, the transfer stops for a few
  >seconds!
  >AL>BR>It then resumes at a much lower cps with cps again increasing, 
tops,
  >AL>BR>resumes at a lower cps, etc., until I'm disconnected.
BR>AL>I can't be at all certain, however it sounds to me that you are
  >AL>experiencing a phenomenon discussed a few months back in the various
  >AL>U.S. Robotics echo mail conferences.  It was called Spiral Death
  >AL>Syndrome. The BBS operator will have to have his/her modem updated or
  >AL>replaced.  Good luck.
BR>Thanks for the reply, Alan.
BR>I don't think this SDS is the problem. I've talked with the sysop, and he
  >says that I'm the only one experiencing this problem. Plus, I've posted on
  >the board, asking anyone else with a similar problem to let me know. No 
ne
  >responded.
BR>The USR 28800 modem is the same one that the board has been using for over
  >a year. My problem didn't surface until the BBS upgraded from a 286 to a
  >faster 486 computer and locked the speed at 57600. The board used to be
  >locked at 19200, and I had no d/l problems then, using the same modem I'm
  >using now.?!
BR>The sysop says that the d/les are overloading my 16550AFN UART chip and
  >thus causing the cps to drop and the eventual disconnect. He says it's a
  >problem with my computer setup (although Windows 95 indicates no device
  >conflicts), or modem setup!
The phone company could have made some changes in equipment, causing you
line noise that you are not hearing or seeing when you transfer. The
continued resending of the packet causes the BPS rate to go down as the
modems negotiate a reliable speed. The obvious things are to make sure
you have error correction turned on and compression turned off in your
modem, and have the inactivity-to-hang-up timer set at a higher value
to attempt to stay online longer.
Try a transfer and see if you get knocked off, then go back and turn
error correction OFF and see what happens. You can then at least isolate
the problem.
As a side note, check your outside phone line box, where the phone
company line comes to your house jack. Many times cobwebs are formed in
there, and when the weather is damp, static electricity forms causing
line noise. Clean that out every now and then, and spray it with a
silicone lube for added protection. I know, I know, sounds strange, but
it IS true.
Enjoy!
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