[comp.dcom.modems] Practical Peripherals Tech Support

kjh@pollux.usc.edu (Kenneth J. Hendrickson) (12/05/90)

I called PPI Tech support about 15 minutes ago.  They were very friendly.

The technician I talked to (Roland) said that the problems I was having
probably indicated that I just "got lucky", and got a bad modem.  This
may be true, as at least one person on this newsgroup has no problems
with his 9600SA.

I only live about 50 miles from PPI.  Roland suggested that if I was
willing to drive up to them, he would swap the modem I had for a good
working one, that he would have tested beforehand.  I asked him if he
would do this any number of times, in case I got more than one bad one.
He said that he would.  They seemed very eager to please.  

Based upon the fact that at least one person has a good modem and has
experienced no problems, and since I live so close to PPI, and since
PPI seems so eager to please, perhaps I will take delivery on the modem
that I ordered from the mail order place.  More on the saga as it
develops ...

-- 
favourite oxymorons:   student athlete, military justice, mercy killing
Ken Hendrickson N8DGN/6       kjh@usc.edu      ...!uunet!usc!pollux!kjh

sysop@mixcom.UUCP (System Operator) (12/05/90)

In article <28617@usc> kjh@pollux.usc.edu (Kenneth J. Hendrickson) writes:
>I called PPI Tech support about 15 minutes ago.  They were very friendly.
>
>The technician I talked to (Roland) said that the problems I was having
>probably indicated that I just "got lucky", and got a bad modem.  This
>may be true, as at least one person on this newsgroup has no problems
>with his 9600SA.
>


I've spoken with Roland several times.  I'm going to ask for a 
refund.  

I'm using the PP 9600 for dial-in service.  It will hold a connection
with some non-error correcting modems.  Some.  Others it
connects and then hangs up the phone line.

The PP 9600 will not even accept a call from a PP 2400!
(connect-hangup-connect-hangup-connect-hangup etc.)

(I have several different brands of 2400 baud modems
to work with.  All of the 2400 work calling out, and
have been used for dial-in service, too, and have never
had a problem connecting with anything.)

The PP 9600 seems to work O.K. at 9600 V.42bis.  So, if 
that is your only use, it may be O.K.

Dean Roth
-- 
    Milwaukee Information eXchange (MIX), public access *NIX/Usenet
        MIX Communications, P.O. Box 17166, Milwaukee, WI 53217

kjh@pollux.usc.edu (Kenneth J. Hendrickson) (12/06/90)

In article <77@mixcom.UUCP> sysop@mixcom.UUCP (System Operator) writes:
>I'm using the PP 9600 for dial-in service.  It will hold a connection
>with some non-error correcting modems.  Some.  Others it
>connects and then hangs up the phone line.
>
>The PP 9600 will not even accept a call from a PP 2400!
>(connect-hangup-connect-hangup-connect-hangup etc.)

This is exactly the problem that I am having.  I can't connect to 2400
baud modems.  However, the PM 9600 SA is the originating modem.

>The PP 9600 seems to work O.K. at 9600 V.42bis.  So, if 
>that is your only use, it may be O.K.

Mine works ok at 9600 bps also.  However, this is NOT enough.  Since
there are many 1200 & 2400 bps modems still out there, and they are
likely to remain for some time, the new 9600 bps modem that I acquire
MUST also be able to support the slower speeds.  V.32, V.22bis, V.22,
and Bell 212A must all be supported reasonably well.  I don't think I
care about Bell 103, because the 300 bps modems should have all
disappeared by now.

I have now flip-flop-flipped back again, and I think I will seek another
brand.  I am willing to pay a lot more for a modem that actually works.

-- 
favourite oxymorons:   student athlete, military justice, mercy killing
Ken Hendrickson N8DGN/6       kjh@usc.edu      ...!uunet!usc!pollux!kjh

al@qiclab.uucp (Al Peterman) (12/07/90)

In article <28644@usc> kjh@pollux.usc.edu (Kenneth J. Hendrickson) writes:
>This is exactly the problem that I am having.  I can't connect to 2400
>baud modems.  However, the PM 9600 SA is the originating modem.

I know this is just one data point, but I'm using a PM 9600SA at 9600,
2400, V.32, v.42bis and some other combinations with NO problems, after
I figured out how to set the software switches for proper buffering,
hardware control, and fallback negotiations...

It DID take quite a few tries to find the proper combinations to connect
to different types of modems, but I know I am sucessfully connecting
to Hayes Ultra 9600's, Trailblazer 2500, PPI 2400, Courier HST Double
Standard, Courier 2400 and some other non-identified modems...

I've even got it to where I only need to switch one parameter (&Q0 or
&Q5) to be able to conect to all these modems, as well as having the
proper baud rate set by the Procom dialing directory.  Actually there
is only one system where I have to defeat the error correction, and 
that's due to it being a remotely called system ( the number I dial
then calls another number for the system).

Sorry to burst this flood of negatives, but I'm quite happy with my
PM 9600SA and recommend it.  Besides with a 5 year warranty, I'm
sure that any problems can be ironed out!


-- 
Alan L. Peterman                                   (503)-684-1984 hm
                       cse.ogi.edu!qiclab!al

eggbert@bucsf.bu.edu (Eugene Wang) (12/07/90)

> I called PPI Tech support about 15 minutes ago.  They were very friendly.

> The technician I talked to (Roland) said that the problems I was having
> probably indicated that I just "got lucky", and got a bad modem.  This
> may be true, as at least one person on this newsgroup has no problems
> with his 9600SA.

  For companies that are interested in the PP9600SA, you can call up
and request FREE evaluation units. The very small company I work for 
was setting up a Novell access server with high speed modems for one of
our customers and PP was very willing to provide us will a couple of
their PP9600SAs. 

  Because of this, I've been steadily using the PP9600SA for the past
two weeks. So far, I've been quite pleased and I am leaning toward
getting one myself. 

  I've had no problems connecting at 2400bd or 9600bd with and without
MNP/V.42bis. I've made successful connections with other non-PP 9600bd
modems such as the Hayes Ultra, USR Dual Standard, and Multitechs at
V.32 and had very fast downloads, consistently above 1100cps.
I haven't tried calling a PP9600SA since I know of no others. Does
anyone know where I could to try this out?

  This is even with the Rev 1.05 firmware. 

  Given the excellent performance I've received so far, it's low
price (even at wholesale, it's about half the price of a USR), I would
recommend the PP9600SA.



--

Eugene Wang
eggbert@bucsf.bu.edu

kjh@pollux.usc.edu (Kenneth J. Hendrickson) (12/08/90)

In article <1990Dec7.082322.12553@qiclab.uucp> al@qiclab.uucp (Al Peterman) writes:
>It DID take quite a few tries to find the proper combinations to connect
>to different types of modems, but I know I am sucessfully connecting
>to Hayes Ultra 9600's, Trailblazer 2500, PPI 2400, Courier HST Double
>Standard, Courier 2400 and some other non-identified modems...

Please post the parameter settings you are using for the Practical
Peripherals PM 9600SA to get it to work.  I will gladly try them and
report my results.

-- 
favourite oxymorons:   student athlete, military justice, mercy killing
Ken Hendrickson N8DGN/6       kjh@usc.edu      ...!uunet!usc!pollux!kjh

sysop@mixcom.UUCP (System Operator) (12/08/90)

In article <EGGBERT.90Dec7103220@bucsf.bu.edu> eggbert@bucsf.bu.edu (Eugene Wang) writes:
>
>I haven't tried calling a PP9600SA since I know of no others. Does
>anyone know where I could to try this out?
>

I am using a PP 9600 for dial-in service on a
UNIX computer used for computer data transfers (email, Usenet).

The problem I see is 2400/1200 non-error correcting modems 
calling, the PP answering, connecting then immediately dropping
the connection.  I have not tried this at plain V.32.
Repeated attempts will usually result in a
connect the PP holds (2 -3 calls).  If you enable error correction on the
same modem used to call, the connection is made and held first
time.  

I was able to reproduce this behavior calling with a
USR Dual Std.   This is particularly evident when the PP 9600 is
connected to a DigiBoard multiport serial board.  It happens
less often when connected to a "com" port, which makes no sense
to me unless the RS232 electrical characterics of the PP 9600 differed
when an error correcting call occurs vs a non-error correcting call.
(If you have another explanation, my email box is open :-)

Some modems, such as a PP 2400 I have, will not talk
with the 9600 at all, but will connect with other modems. 
That might be the fault of the 2400, not the 9600.

After extensive conversations with PP, I am going to put my
USR Dual Std. on the system and see if it behaves the same as the PP
9600.  (Note: there are several 2400s that have been working fine for
months.  The PP 9600 is the first to exhibit unusual behavior.)
I will also perform other tests in an attempt to 
definitively isolate the source of the problem.  

Dean Roth
-- 
    Milwaukee Information eXchange (MIX), public access *NIX/Usenet
        MIX Communications, P.O. Box 17166, Milwaukee, WI 53217

kjh@pollux.usc.edu (Kenneth J. Hendrickson) (12/09/90)

In article <93@mixcom.UUCP> sysop@mixcom.UUCP (System Operator) writes:
>The problem I see is 2400/1200 non-error correcting modems 
>calling, the PP answering, connecting then immediately dropping
>the connection.

The problem also exists when the PP 9600 SA is the originating modem,
and it tries to connect with a non error-correcting 1200 or 2400 bps
modem.  If error correction is disabled on the 9600SA, with "at &q0",
then connection will occur, and everything will work.

This is not acceptable, however.  The 9600SA can't recognize when it is
trying to connect to a non-EC modem, but it SHOULD be able to.  In
addition, there is another bug in the firmware, that prevents an EC
connection from ever being established again, once the "at &q0" command
is given.  This is terribly unacceptable.

-- 
favourite oxymorons:   student athlete, military justice, mercy killing
Ken Hendrickson N8DGN/6       kjh@usc.edu      ...!uunet!usc!pollux!kjh