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General Modem Q&A's Windows Modem Drivers and AT Command manuals Table of contents Modem Q & A's (Miscellaneous)
Modem Q & A's (Windows 95)
Modem Q & A's (28,800 & 33,600)
Modem Q & A's (RPI modems)
Online Support
Modem Q & A's (Miscellaneous) How can I tell which modem model I own? The most accurate method is to query the modems "Firmware version". Click here for more information on obtaining the "Firmware version". Where can I obtain the AT command manual for my modem? After querying the modems "Firmware version", use the modems response to download the manual from the Modem Windows drivers & AT Command manuals web page. Where can I locate information on using Modem AT commands? You can read Controlling your Modem with AT Commands. How can I determine what chip set my modem is using? You can usually determine what chip set is used by your modem by sending all of the ATi
commands to the modem. You should send all of the following commands: ATi0, ATi1,
ATi2, ATi3, ATi4, ATi5, ATi6, ATi7, ATi8 &
ATi9. Zoltrix has used a number of different chip sets in the past including the following:
Rockwell You can usually determine if your modem is using a chip set of Rockwell's with a couple of methods, (depending upon the chip set response).
If the response contains Rockwell, you guessed it, it IS USING A ROCKWELL CHIP SET. Send the ATi6 command to the modem and read the response.
This command will instruct Rockwell based modem to report the Rockwell Data Pump used in the Modem. A V.34 modem will respond RC288DPi Rev 05BA. A V.32bis modem may respond with RC144DPi Rev CA. Your Rockwell based modem may respond slightly differently, but, if the ATi6 response begins with RC you can assume that is it using a Rockwell chip set. You can also determine if your Rockwell chip set uses the Voice chip set from the ATi6 response. If the next letter after the RC is V, (i.e. RCV144DPi Rev CA), your modem uses one of Rockwell's chip sets that supports voice features. Because of availability of chip sets, it is possible that you have a modem sold as a non voice modem, (i.e. without speaker and microphone jacks), that will operate as a voice modem. You would not have the capability of recording with the modems microphone or using the modems external speakers, but you could still use the phone handset to accomplish both functions. UMC You can usually determine if your modem is using a chip set of UMC's by reading the response of the ATi3 or ATi4 command. If the response contains UMC, you guessed it, it IS USING A UMC CHIP SET. SIERRA You can usually determine if your modem is using a chip set of Sierra's by reading the response of the ATi3 or ATi4 command. If the response contains SSC or Sierra Semiconductor or SC followed by some numbers, you guessed it, it IS USING A SIERRA SEMICONDUCTOR CHIP SET. All Sierra Semiconductor chip sets used were 2400 bps modems, until the release of the FMSE336VSP in May 1997. If you have a SendFax Modem that only has Fax Sending capabilities and cannot receive faxes, you have a modem USING A SIERRA SEMICONDUCTOR CHIP SET. EXAR There is not easy way to determine if your model uses a EXAR chip set. The ATi
responses do not give you a clue unless you are familiar with the common responses. All
EXAR chip sets used by Zoltrix were 2400bps modems and Zoltrix has not sold them since
1992. Following are a few common responses: PCTel You can determine if your modem is using a chip set of PCTel's by reading the response of the ATi3 command. If the response PCtel, you guessed it, it IS USING a PCTel CHIP SET. Where can I obtain the Voice AT command set for the Zoltrix Voice modems based on Rockwell's chip set. Click here for a version compiled by Zoltrix, from the Rockwell Reference Manual.. What is the default INITialization string for my Zoltrix modem? The default INITialization string for the Zoltrix modems is as follows: AT &F &C1 &D2 For more information on INITialization Strings read: "Every thing you wanted to know about INITialization Strings, but were afraid to ask!" When ever I try to dial with the modem, it report's "NO DIALTONE", what's the problem? First of all, a improper INIT string can NOT cause a modem to respond with NO DIALTONE. You may be able to overcome this by disabling dialtone detect by adding the X3 command to the INIT string, more on this later. I. Using Special phone line services with non standard dial tone With some special phone systems you may need to raise the value contained in S register 6. S6 contains the a value that represents the amount of time the modem will wait to detect a valid Dial Tone. If you use the local phone company's Answer Phone service instead of an answering machine, when messages are stored, you can hear the dial-tone beep 4 times when the line is picked up. Verify if this is the problem by picking up the phone and listen for a valid dial tone. If you hear a standard dial tone, skip to the Standard phone line with normal dial tone section. If you hear the dial-tone beep 4 times when the line is picked up, you will need to modify the INIT string. Modems sees the dial-tone beeping 4 times as NO DIALTONE. To correct this problem change S6 from the default 2 second wait to whatever is required on your system to have a solid dial tone for the modem to listen for. This may vary. To change S6 use the following: ATS6=n n= the number of seconds to wait for a valid DIAL TONE. To set the time to 6 seconds use: ATS6=6 II. Standard phone line with normal dial tone Phone connected to modem has dial tone If you do hear a standard dial tone when picking up the phone connected to the modems phone jack, but the modem responds NO DIALTONE whenever you attempt to dial, read below to check to see if the dial tone is a standard frequency. Phone connected to modem does not have dial tone If the phone connected to the phone jack on the modem does not have a dial tone, the problem could be with the phone line from the wall jack to the modem or the line may be disconnected. Verify if the line is working by connecting a phone to the wall jack. If the phone now operates, try using a new phone line cord from the wall to the modem and plug the phone back into the modems phone jack. If the phone still does not operate and the phone line cord is working, you have verified that at least the phone jack on the modem is defective. If the phone now works and the modem still reports NO DIALTONE, read below to check to see if the dial tone is a standard frequency. Checking for standard frequency To check to see if the dial tone is not being detected because of the frequency of the tone, add the X3 command to the INIT string or dial string. It is not important if you first INIT the modem with the X3 command or add the command before the Dial string as long as the command is sent before the dial command and is not over ridden with other commands like the &F or Z commands. Following is an example INIT string including the X3 command with the corresponding dial string. INIT String & Dial String: AT&F&C1&D2X3 ATDT555-5555 Following is an example of a dial string including the X3 command: Dial String: ATX3DT555-5555 Using this method the modem will pick up the line (if the modem is not defective) and then dial the numbers without looking for a valid dial tone. Because of this you may want to add a comma character before the dialing of the numbers to allow the line to be picked up completely before dialing (this can help ensure the first digit or two are dialed). You can add more than one comma to wait longer. Each comma waits 2 seconds by default. Following is an example of a dial string including the comma and X3 command: ATX3DT,555-5555 If the modem still does not dial at this point, a component or components on the modem are defective and needs to be repaired. My modem speaker volume is too loud or too soft, How do I control it? Use the AT command to lower the volume. Following are the commands: L0 Lowest level L1 Lowest Level (Same as L0) L2 Mid L3 High You may also use the M0 command to turn the speaker off. Just add the command to the INIT string of the software you are using. Hint: Many communications programs have speaker volume settings on a setup screen. When you use them, the software will issue the correct L command to the modem. If using Programs in Win95/98 that uses the TAPI driver like dial-up networking, you can also control the volume using the volume control slider in the modem properties. Some modems have a higher volume level then others. This can be caused by component tolerances. If the modem is too loud, you may want to put some scotch tape over the hole in the middle of the speaker. This muffles the sound nicely. Also, if the volume is low, verify that no labels or covers are on the modems speaker. Some speakers are covered with a label marked Remove after washing. If using a Voice Mail model with a speaker jack, connect the modems speaker jack to the sound cards line-in jack using an audio cable with a 1/8 inch stereo plug at both ends. You will then have full software volume control of the modem using the Windows Volume Control and/or the volume control on the speakers the sound card is using. What are the dip switch or jumper settings for the Zoltrix Internal modems? The dip switches or jumper settings for Zoltrix Internal Modems can be located on the internal modem board. For more info click here. My modem responds that it is connected at 14,400 instead of 57,600bps so I don't get full compression. What can I do about this? Most modems can be set (with an AT command) to respond with the true carrier rate or the rate the software is set to. High speed modems allow the software to be set higher than the carrier rate to allow for the compression that may be achieved by the modem when using MNP5 or V.42bis compression protocols. To achieve the V.42bis top compression of 4 to 1, you need to set the software rate 4 times higher than the top carrier rate. If the modem is set to respond with the carrier rate, compression is still enabled and the top virtual speed (speed with compression) will still be the rate the software is set to. The modem does not need to respond with the software rate for the compression to operate. For more information on what AT commands to use to setup the modem to respond with the carrier rate (DCE) or the software rate (DTE), download and read the correct manual for your modem located on the drivers page. Note: Make sure the software is set higher than the top carrier rate of the modem (i.e. 38,400 or 57,600 or 115,200). You must also ensure that the communication software locks the DTE rate and does not lower the speed to match the carrier rate. Most all new software locks the DTE rate when a high speed modem is selected, but, if you cannot force your software to lock the DTE rate, you should change the INIT string so the modem responds with the DTE rate. Does Zoltrix support Windows NT or OS/2 with drivers and Tech Support? Zoltrix does supply Windows NT drivers for many models but does not provide support for either operating Systems. You may use Zoltrix hardware modems in Windows NT or OS/2 with a compatible driver. Users of Rockwell based modems may find driver files that operate from Conexant's web site (Formerly Rockwell). Where can I find a Windows NT 3.51 ras file for Zoltrix modems? There is not a driver written specifically by Zoltrix. We do have one written by Rockwell for modems based on the Rockwell chip sets. If using Windows NT 4.0, use the Win95/98 driver for you model found on the drivers page. Whenever I connect to my Internet carrier, with my High Speed Modem, I connect at 2400 baud. Why is this? Many users have reported that if they remove the ATZ command from the Winsock script and replace it with the default INITialization string that it works correctly. Try replacing the ATZ command with: AT&F&C1&D2 I installed my internal hardware modem but my communications software will not initialize the modem. What's going on? The most common reason is a hardware conflict with your I/O ports. For trouble shooting instructions click here. Why does my modem fail to auto answer? You can test if the modem is the cause of the problem by getting in the terminal mode of a program like the HyperTerminal program. You can use the following instructions for getting into terminal mode in the Win95/98 Hyperterminal program..From "Terminal mode" type the ATS0=2 command and press enter. The modem should respond with OK. Then call the line the modem is connected to to see if you see the RING response. If you do not see a RING on the terminal screen, the modem does not detect the ring. This could mean that a working phone line is not connected to the modems line or wall jack or could indicate a defective modem. If you do see the RING response but the modem does not answer on the second ring detected, the modem is not auto answering. Either S0 was not set correctly or the modem is defective. Ensure S0 is set to 0 by typing the following command that will cause the modem to report the value of S0. ATS0? If the modem responds as follows, the modem was set correctly. 002 If the modem responds as follows, the modems S0 register was not set to auto answer a incoming call. 000 If the modem does answer the line after 2 rings and tries to connect (sends the answer tones), then the modem is operating and the auto answer problem is with the software being used. Check the software you are using to ensure that the software is set to answer an incoming call. USING WINDOWS 95/98's HYPER TERMINAL To use the Windows 95/98 Hyper Terminal to manually send commands to control the modem or query the modems "firmware" version, follow the directions below:
My modem keeps locking up after I get off bulletin boards, internet, etc. I do instruct the modem to hang up, but the modem still won't respond to any commands. The only way I can get a dial tone is to press reset or turn off the computer and then turn it back on to reboot. How can I fix this? The most common reason is a hardware conflict with your I/O ports. For trouble shooting instructions click here The modem is either inserted incorrectly into the slot or the slot is defective. If you have a motherboard that is PCI or especially PnP motherboards, you must use your systems BIOS setup program to assign the IRQ's that the modem is using to the ISA bus, otherwise the modem may not function correctly. The method to do this varies from motherboard to motherboard. See your motherboard documentation for more info. Is there another program besides MSD.EXE to check to see what Com ports are installed on my computer? Yes, you may use the DOS DEBUG program. My modem does not support the Non Volatile Ram. What problems can arise and how can I fix it? Click here for a detailed explanation. How can I tell what UART chip is used in my internal modem or by the I/O port my external modem is connected to? If you have a software WinModem, the UART detected by Windows will be a 16450 or 8250.
A software WinModem does not have an actual UART. All the functions of the UART are
controlled by the modem chipset and drivers. Can I upgrade my Modem to another model? Zoltrix does not have an general upgrade plan available. A 56K UPTrade plan has expired. If you have a software upgradable modem, you can obtain the software upgrade on the Modem Windows Drivers & AT Command manuals web page Why won't my modem detect a BUSY signal in the UK? Zoltrix modems sold in the United States and Canada are designed for use with the United States and Canadian phone systems. If the frequency of the BUSY signal is the same as that found in the United States and Canada, the modem will function properly. Zoltrix modems will function properly in many areas of Europe where the signals are similar to those used in the United States and Canada. It has been reported that a modem will detect the BUSY signal at one location, but if the computer is moved to a location a few miles away, the modem will NOT detect the BUSY signal. How can I connect two modems without using a outside phone line so I can transfer files from one computer to the other? This is really very simple.
Now one modem needs to dial and the other needs to answer. Since there is no dial tone, you must turn off dialtone detect on the modem that is dialing.
ATX3DT The other modem will not detect a ring, so it cannot auto answer. Instead send the following command to cause the modem to pick up the line and try to connect to the calling modem: ATA You should hear the handshaking and then get the connect message. You can then transfer files from one system to the other via the communications software's file transfer protocols (i.e. ZMODEM, YMODEM,XMODEM etc...). Does my Zoltrix modem support Caller ID? To determine if your modem supports Caller ID, try sending the following commands from the terminal mode of a communications program. AT#CID=1 or AT+VCID=1 Some modems may respond OK to the command even if the modem does not support Caller ID. You must have paid for Caller ID service on the phone line to determine if the feature is working. Then have someone call the phone number the modem is using. RING DATE = 0826 RING If the calling modem has caller ID blocked, you will receive Date and Time info, but
the Phone number will be missing. DATE = 0826 RING Does my Zoltrix modem support distinctive rings? Newer models using Rockwell's chip sets support distinctive rings. If your phone line has distinctive rings, you can test to see if the feature works by issuing the correct -SDR=n command in terminal mode, and then call the number to see the modems response. If the modem responds ERROR to the -SDR=n command or the modem only responds with RING (instead of RING1, RING2 or RING3), when calling the numbers assigned to the phone line, either distinctive rings are not setup on the phone line or you have an older model that does not support distinctive rings.
The Win95 driver for the FMHSP336i model claims to supports distinctive rings, but this is a minor flaw in the driver. It will be corrected in the next version. Where can I get a Windows 3.1x driver for my Zoltrix modem? Hardware modems do not require a special driver like is needed in Windows 95. The standard Windows COMM.DRV is replaced by the BitWare software by a high speed communications driver RHSICOMM.DRV that will function well for all modems. When using Windows 3.1x communication programs, you must setup each program for your modem. If you can't find a Zoltrix modem on the list, choose Hayes compatible or a custom selection and then change the INIT string to the Zoltrix default string with any modifications you wish to make. To install an internal hardware modem in a Win 3.1x, first determine what ports are already on the system and install the modem to an unused Port/IRQ. Then start Windows and start the Control Panel. Double Click on Modems and then click on the Port you installed the modem on. Select the advanced button and enter the correct address and IRQ that the modem was set to. (Com 1 = 03F8, Com 2 = 02F8, Com 3 = 03E8, Com 4 = 02E8). Restart Windows and then install your software selecting the same port the modem was set to If you have an RPI modem, you need to install the WinRPI driver to allow Win 3.1x communications programs to enable the software error correction and data compression features of the RPI modem. Click here for information on obtaining the driver. What is V.34, V.32bis, V.90 etc...? Refer to the ITU-T V. telephone network standards page for more information on all the ITU modem standards. Modem Q & A's (Windows 95) Why won't Windows 95 startup completely after installing my internal hardware modem? The most common reason is a hardware conflict with your I/O ports. You can use the DOS based method to trouble shoot or use the Windows 95 instructions click here. Windows 95 setup didn't detect my modem, how do I install it? Microsoft Windows 95 contains a text file, FAQ.TXT, containing Frequently Asked Questions. Click here to read the portion related to modems setup. My Zoltrix modem is not auto detected as a Zoltrix modem in Win95. What's the problem? Zoltrix non PnP modems will not be automatically detected. If Windows 95 detects the non PnP modem as a "Standard Modem", it should work fine. Click here for setup instructions. Where can I locate Windows 95/98 drivers for my Zoltrix modem? There are drivers built into Windows 95 for Zoltrix modems. You can use them or install the new drivers. Click here for more information. Why does dial-up networking report, "I should turn my modem on"? How to trouble shoot your dial-up networking problem. This can occur if a unsupported command is being sent to the modem. To verify if this is the case, follow the directions below:
You should now try connecting using the dial-up networking. After you receive the error message, close down the connection. When selecting Record a log file a file is created that contains useful information to help determine what the cause of the problem is. The file name of the text file created is Modemlog.txt. It should be located in your Windows directory. You can either read the information in the file to locate the trouble yourself or
e-mail the contents of the Modemlog.txt file to techzol@zoltrix.com.hk How do I monitor the bps download and upload rate? A very handy tool for monitoring download and upload speed is the Windows 95/98 SYSMON.EXE that comes on the Win95/98 CD-ROM. If not installed (check under Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools), you can install it by selecting Add/Remove hardware in the Control Panel. Click on the Windows Setup Tab. Then double click on Accessories and scroll down the list and put a check mark next to System Monitor. In will then install from the Win 95/98 CD ROM. I have a voice modem but the Wave device for modem is not installed or is installed with a conflict. How do fix this? In order for the voice functions of the modem to work properly under 32-bit Telephony API (TAPI) applications, you need to install the unimodem V components of Win95. If you have Windows 95 OEM Service Release 2; Version 4.00.950B; you should not need to download this file as it is already built into the operating system.
Modem Q & A's (28,800 & 33,600) Why can't I connect at 28,800 bps with my V.34 modem? There are a number of factors that can limit the top connection speed of your modem. The modem you are connecting to does not support 33,600 bps. The line conditions will not support it. click here, for more information on Line noise. For information on controlling the connection speed (carrier rate) with your V.34 Rockwell based modem read Using the +MS Command to Your Advantage Why can't I connect at 33,600 bps with my V.34+ modem? There are a number of factors that can limit the top connection speed of your modem.
Connection rates are mainly determined by your line conditions. The farther you are from the telephone central office, the longer your local loop will be, which will cause slower connection rates. If you had a 28,800 modem that connected at 26,400 bps, a 33,600 modem will usually also connect at 26,400 to the same modem from the same location. But there is good news for K56Flex and V.90 owners. If your conditions are poor causing a slow 26,400 connection, you may still be able to achieve a connection of 40,000bps to 44,000bps. This may not be the top rated speed, but it is still a big improvement that you can actually see while cruising the web or downloading large files. For information on controlling the connection speed (carrier rate) with your V.34+ Rockwell based modem read Using the +MS Command to Your Advantage When I connect to a BBS or online service using the Zoltrix V.34 modem, I see gibberish or the connection drops. What could be happening? If you have a Rockwell based V.34 modem, click here, for more information on Line noise. My modem disconnects me after ?? minutes and I don't have call waiting, what's going on? There are many reasons why this could happen, but line noise is the main problem. You may be connecting faster than the line conditions can really handle for a long time. When first connecting the line noise may have been minimal, therefore the modems connected at a high rate, but then the line conditions got worse and the modems could no longer stay connected. You can try to solve this with a couple of methods:
I have call waiting, and I want my modem to disconnect when another call comes in. How can I do this? As one of the most important jobs of the modem is to attempt to hold onto the connection and not drop the connection if there is suddenly a lot of line noise or a call waiting signal, these methods may not work, but you may try them. The loss of carrier that occurs when the call waiting signal comes in will disconnect the modem if the duration is long enough. You may need to run the modem using software Xon/Xoff flow control with the error correction turned off to allow the call waiting signal to interrupt the modem connection. Of course this is NOT the desired operating modem of the modem. You may first want to try changing the value contained in the S register that controls the modems Lost Carrier to Hang-up Delay, with the following: Lower the default value in S10 from a default of 14 to a lower value. It must be greater than the value in S9, which has a default value of 6. Try lowering S10 to 12,10, or 8 or as low as 7, to see if the call waiting signal will force the modem to disconnect. On some models you need to actually increase the value of S10 to 16 or more for the modem to detect the call waiting signal and hang-up. Add the command to the INIT string of the communication software that you are using. If the current INIT string is: AT&F&C1&D2 Add S10=12 This gives you: AT&F&C1&D2S10=12 If this method does not work, try turning using software flow control and if this still does not work try turning error correction off. Note: If you turn off error correction, the data you receive may be garbled and therefore useless. Why can't my 28,800 V.FC modem connect higher than 14,400 to some 28,800 modems? Not all 28,800 bps V.34 modems support the V.FC protocol! If the 28,800 modem you are connecting to uses a Rockwell chip set, you should be able to connect above 14,400bps. But chip sets from other manufactures like ATT & Sierra DO NOT SUPPORT V.FC. The fastest connection you can achieve to a 28,800 modem that does not support V.FC is a V.32bis 14,400 bps. Can I upgrade my V.FC Modem to a V.34? Zoltrix does not have an general upgrade program available. The Zoltrix V.FC modem had a "limited time" UPGRADE ORDER FORM included in some packages with the offer posted on the outside of the box. This offer was valid only if the directions on the UPGRADE ORDER FORM were followed. This offer officially expired on June 31, 1995 as stated on the UPGRADE ORDER FORM. Why does my V.34 or V.34+ modems ATi3 response indicate that it is a RPI modem? Your modem will not reply with the RPI in the ATi3 response unless you have the WinRPI driver installed on your computer or the modems ram chip is defective. The Rockwell based V.34 and V.34+ modems can use the WinRPI driver for error correction and data compression or it can use the modems hardware to perform these functions. Most people prefer the hardware to perform the task so the CPU does not have to work as hard. Rockwell claims, and we have verified with testing, that if you have a fast computer, the WinRPI driver will out-perform the hardware data compression. But the choice is yours. If you do not want your modem to be a RPI modem, just remove the WinRPI driver. How do I use the AudioSpan feature? Click here for information on how to use the AudioSpan feature found on some Rockwell based modem models. Modem Q & A's (RPI modems) RPI stands for Rockwell Protocol Interface. For more information and FAQ's on RPI modems, click here, to link to Rockwell's RPI FAQ's. Why don't I get error correction or compression with my RPI modem? RPI modems require a RPI driver to enable the error-correction and compression features of the modem. Rockwell International, (the maker of the chip set used in the Zoltrix 14,400 RPI modems), as developed a Windows comm driver shell which allows your Windows based communication applications to run modems based on Rockwell's ATi/ATf chip sets (RPI chip sets) as if they had error correction built into the hardware. This will eliminate the problems experienced by some users when error correction is not enabled. Where can I obtain an RPI driver for Windows 3.1 or Windows 95? If you wish to download the WinRPI driver for Windows 3.1 or Windows 95, just point your browser to the following: What modem do I select when installing the WinRPI driver for Windows 95? If you have a Zoltrix 14,400 RPI modem, when installing the WinRPI driver for Windows 95 select the following modem: V.32bis FAX C1 RPI Why can't I send attached files with e-mail messages when using online services such as AOL or CompuServe? This occurs with RPI modems when the WinRPI driver is not installed or the correct WinRPI INIT string is not used in AOL or CompuServe. Following are a couple of solutions:
Note: READ THE SETUP INSTRUCTIONS included with the WinRPI driver! This can also occur when error correction has been disabled (via an INIT string) on models that support hardware error correction. The solution is to turn on error correction. You can use the default INIT string to turn on error correction on models that support it. Varies chip sets use different commands to enable and disable error correction, but the &F command will restore the factory defaults. The factory defaults of all models that support error correction, has both error correction and compression enabled. That is why the following simple string will work for all models: AT&F&C1&D2 Where can I get the best support for my RPI modem? For answers to the most difficult RPI questions read Rockwell's RPI FAQ. Online Support I cannot find the information on the problem that I'm having with the modem. What should I do now? You can contact online support to answer your modem questions. My modem is defective, where do I return it? If you purchased your modem in the United States, read the warranty for information on obtaining a RMA number and return instructions. If you purchased your modem in Canada, refer your RMA requests to 3D Microcomputers. If you purchased your modem anywhere else in the World, refer your RMA requests to your local dealer or Zoltrix (International). [_index/copyright.htm]
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