[comp.dcom.telecom] Telephone Diverters

djcl@uunet.uu.net> (08/08/90)

[The following was taken from IMEX's TELECOM echo area, which I
started up for discussing Telephone/Telecommunications in the
Toronto area - inquiries about IMEX or the TELECOM echo may be
made to djcl@contact.uucp]
 
  From: Mark Foster
  Subj: Telephone diverters
 
I recently purchased a ASAP TF 505 telephone diverter for under
$200.00 this device allows for up t5 different devices to be hooked up
to one incoming line.  As an example you can hook up a FAX, Modem,
answering machine, and two telephones to the diverter.  When you call
into the diverter it answers and gives the caller a false ringing,
while its looks for a FAX CNG signal or a reverse modem detection (I
have not tried these yet).  If it detects these it then diverts the
call to the modem or the fax.
 
While it is giving the false ring, the caller (or computer) can enter
up to a four digit access code and connect to one of two telephone
output ports (the diverter actually regenerates a ring signal which
will ring a standard 2500 tel set!!).  Finally the fifth output port
can have an answering machine which can give the caller instructions
as to what is happening and how to enter access codes to get different
connew3ctions to the five ports.  In the final scenario the caller
gets the beep from the t(answering machine and can leave a message.
 
I have connected several phone to the ports and found the device to be
quite acceptable.  Note, if you pick up any device on any of the five
ports, the rest of the ports are disabled.  If anyone has one of these
devices I would be interested in thier applications.
 
Also I believe this device is available form Hello Direct under the trad
name Autoswitcher.
 

 * Origin: The Super Continental (Opus 89:480/126)

dave%westmark@uunet.uu.net (Dave Levenson) (08/11/90)

In article <10671@accuvax.nwu.edu>, contact!djcl@uunet.uu.net (woody)
writes:

> I recently purchased a ASAP TF 505 telephone diverter for under
> $200.00 this device allows for up t5 different devices to be hooked up
> to one incoming line.  As an example you can hook up a FAX, Modem,
> answering machine, and two telephones to the diverter.  When you call
> into the diverter it answers and gives the caller a false ringing,
> while its looks for a FAX CNG signal or a reverse modem detection (I
> have not tried these yet).  If it detects these it then diverts the
> call to the modem or the fax.

What in the world is "reverse modem detection"?  The originating modem
remains silent, expecting answer-tone from the answering modem?  Does
this box route silent callers to its modem port?  Or does it only work
with some non-standard modems that make noise while awaiting answer?

As far as I know, some fax machines, in some originating modes,
generate the CNG tone when they're awaiting answer.  I know of no
non-fax modems that would work with the device described above.  Could
somebody enlighten me?


Dave Levenson		Voice: 908 647 0900  Fax: 908 647 6857
Westmark, Inc.		UUCP: {uunet | rutgers | att}!westmark!dave
Warren, NJ, USA		AT&T Mail: !westmark!dave

segal@uunet.uu.net> (08/13/90)

dave%westmark@uunet.uu.net (Dave Levenson) writes:

>What in the world is "reverse modem detection"?  The originating modem
>remains silent, expecting answer-tone from the answering modem?

Here is a guess ... The device is looking for V.25 calling tone.  V.25
is the CCITT's version of a modem command set (like the "AT" set we
all know and love), but it also includes a provision for calling tone
similar to what Fax machines use.  It is supposed to be used on all
automaticly dialed calls by modems (i.e. whenever the equivalent of
"ATD..."  is sent).

For those who want more details, V.25 describes the tone as a "1300 Hz
or any tone corresponding to binary 1 of the DCE in use."  It is on
for 0.5 to 0.7 seconds, and then off for 1.5 to 2 seconds.  Fax
calling tone, on the other hand, is an 1100 Hz tone, on for 0.5
seconds and off for 3 seconds.

>As far as I know, some fax machines, in some originating modes,
>generate the CNG tone when they're awaiting answer.  I know of no
>non-fax modems that would work with the device described above.

All fax machines are supposed to generate calling tone when the
machine dials.  If an autodialing fax machine doesn't generate calling
tone (CNG), it is in violation of the T.30 recommendation for fax
machines.

Since there are some data modems that are V.25bis or V.25 compliant,
there is a small chance that the "telephone diverter" in question is
designed to use both Fax CNG and modem CNG as a means to route calls.
However, the device in question would probably not work to well if it
is looking for modem calling tone, as very few modems in the U.S.
have the ability to generate it.


Gary Segal	...!uunet!motcid!segal		+1-708-632-2354
Motorola INC., 1501 W. Shure Drive, Arlington Heights IL, 60004
The opinions expressed above are those of the author, and do not consititue
the opinions of Motorola INC.

AMillar@cup.portal.com (08/13/90)

dave%westmark@uunet.uu.net <10707@accuvax.nwu.edu>, Dave Levenson 
writes:

>What in the world is "reverse modem detection"?  

In normal modem operation, the originating modem dials the phone and
is silent until it sees a carrier presented by the answering modem.
The answering modem detects a ring, goes off-hook, and sends a carrier
to the originating modem.  Then they go through their "connection"
business to figure out if the other end is Bell 103 or 212A or
whatever.

An alternative mode of operation is available in my Micom-brand US$99
Hayes-clone modems.  As part of the dialing command, there is a
specifier to make the _originating_ modem produce a carrier after it
dials, as if it were answering a call.  The modem that is being called
must pick up the phone as if it were making a call, and it will hear
the carrier given by the calling modem.

Reverse connections are no big deal in a manually-dialed call, because
manual modems just have an originate/answer switch, and you flip it on
both ends.  In an automated Hayes-command environment, you have to
change the way your software interacts with your modem.  On my Micoms,
the calling modem requires pause commas after the phone number in the
"ATD" dialing command to wait for the call to go through.  A letter
"R" as the last part of the dialing string tells the modem to produce
carrier instead of looking for it.

On the answering end, I have not figured out any way to do
auto-answering in originate mode with these modems.  So, the software
waits for the "RING" message from the modem, and then does a dial
(ATD) command with no phone number.  The answering modem thinks it is
dialing a call, picks up the ringing phone line, and then detects the
carrier produced by the calling modem.  They do their "connect" thing
and everybody is happy.  There may be other modems that will
auto-answer in originate mode, and mine may even do it (I just haven't
bothered to pursue it).

So ... Why would anybody want to do this?  The first situation is the
fax/modem switch-box, where the switch-box looks for modem carrier
produced by the calling modem and transfers it to the answering modem.
I use it for a modem on my company's PBX with Octel Aspen "automated
attendant" call direction.

There are no DID lines to people's desks at work.  To reach an
extension without going through a human operator, you call a main
number that is answered by Aspen.  You give it a touch-tone extension
number, and it transfers you to that extension.  The problem is that
when the person picks up their phone, they get a message from Aspen
saying "Transfer... Transfer..." and it takes fifteen seconds or so
for you to get put through.  It's no big deal on the voice side, but
when you are a modem calling, and the answering modem picks up the
line, it presents its carrier to the "Transfer..."  message and by the
time you get through, it's too late.  With the reverse-originate
setup, I can put in a delay which waits long enough for the real
end-to-end connection before doing carrier.  (You may ask why I didn't
go for a direct-line to the outside.  This way, the modem can be
called from any internal extension and take advantage of tie-lines
between sites.  Besides, it's one less trunk to pay for... :-)

The whole thing sounds like a pain, I know, but it takes longer to
explain it than to set it up (as long as you can customize your
software on each end).  It works here!


- Alan Millar    AMillar@cup.portal.com

Dave Levenson <dave%westmark@uunet.uu.net> (08/13/90)

In article <10763@accuvax.nwu.edu>, motcid!segal@uunet.uu.net (Gary
Segal) writes:

> I wrote (in an earlier posting):
> >What in the world is "reverse modem detection"?  The originating modem
> >remains silent, expecting answer-tone from the answering modem?

and Gary responds, in part:

> Here is a guess ... The device is looking for V.25 calling tone.  V.25

and to my statement:

> >As far as I know, some fax machines, in some originating modes,
> >generate the CNG tone when they're awaiting answer.  I know of no
> >non-fax modems that would work with the device described above.

Gary responds:

> All fax machines are supposed to generate calling tone when the
> machine dials.  If an autodialing fax machine doesn't generate calling
> tone (CNG), it is in violation of the T.30 recommendation for fax
> machines.

Our FAX machine (Brother 200) only generates CNG tones when it is in
autodial mode.  The trouble is, in autodial mode, if it gets a busy
signal or a ring-no-answer, it just reports ERROR and drops the call.
Therefore, I generally use it in manual-dial mode, where I can hear
the call-progress tones from its speaker.  I wait until I hear
answer-tone from the far-end FAX machine, and then I press the START
button.  At that point, the speaker is cut off, and the machine sends
CNG tones, followed by the actual data carrier.  If I got a silent
answer, I guess I'd have to assume its a diverter, and press the START
button and hope...

Doesn't sound very practical, does it?


Dave Levenson			Voice: 908 647 0900  Fax: 908 647 6857
Westmark, Inc.			UUCP: {uunet | rutgers | att}!westmark!dave
Warren, NJ, USA			AT&T Mail: !westmark!dave