___- Cross-Post from Fido_Communications ----------------------------
  Subj: Multiple Re-dials, Original to Craig Ford
After ten years of good experience with Hayes modem products, I am 
very disappointed with the behavior of the current FaxModem 28.8..
There is *BOUND* to be some workaround if my present symptoms are 
at all common, else I ought to have cause to exchange the critter.
About four years ago, I bought a Hayes Accura FaxModem 14.4 that I 
never had a single complaint about.  It replaced an off-breed type 
that hadn't been much of a bargain whatever I'd paid for it -- it 
was Japanese or Korean -- can't recall whose.  Before whatever it 
was, there'd been a couple of old Hayes Smart-Modems, too expensive, 
but dependable, solid, & trouble-free.
Using Mustang's Qmodem Pro (DOS) with the Accura 14.4 worked fine 
with a 386, and the 486 that replaced it (DX-100, 16 MB, 16550 for 
both UARTs).  With that software, there are two BBS's with whom it 
may require anywhere from four to six re-dials to connect.  When 
using Zmodem for downloads, CRC errors can run to **ASTRONOMICAL** 
counts.  There were 50-something of them a few days ago on a 1.5 MB 
file!  I am using QM's configuration for an Optima 28.8 V.FC, as 
Mustang hasn't updated their PDF file for the software in a year.
I have two Accura FaxModem 28.8's.  The internal isn't used for a 
regular telecomm connection, and I have less experience with it..
The number of re-dials required has remained fairly consistent all 
along since replacing the Accura 14.4.  There are quite a few BBS's 
with whom first-call connects continue to be the norm, of course.
The CRC error problem in Zmodem is not constant; fairly often the 
downloads of mail run smoothly.  And these repeats of the same 
block of data weren't required any more frequently when the 28.8 
first went into use than had been possible to blame on phone line 
problems with the prior modem.  Since mid-September (I got these 
Accura modems in May of 1996), the CRC's have become endemic!
I can think of nothing that has been done with or to the system to
affect the operation of a transfer protocol!
With one particular BBS (the local 1:387 NC), downloads would hang 
on a block and Zmodem would keep requesting repeats until I gave 
up on the download, almost always at about the 90% complete mark.
A change to Xmodem-1K helped some, but even that protocol lost one 
download in mid-stream, had to be aborted & started over.
At this point, neither I nor QMPro are using anything other than 
the default ("ATM"?) to wake up the modem.. BUT it does seem that 
part of the trouble is the software.  I don't like ProCommWin much 
at all, yet on a couple of experimental calls, it *can* manage a 
connect at either "problem" BBS with one call, and *its* version of 
Zmodem seemed to be devoid of the CRC's.
Any ideas??
Bill Dawson
... I'm tired of choosing taglines.  Why not put one of yours in here...
___ Blue Wave/386 v2.21
--- Maximus/2 3.01
---------------