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· Telecommunications
#OnLine! software
15 messages in this thread
John, I am using Online! software with a US Robotics 2400 modem and I
cannot redial either. The current issue (Nov/Dec) of "AmigaWorld" has an
article on telecommunications and they mention this problem (page 27). It
seems that the 1488 Transmit Line Driver chip doesn't disconnect properly
in some Amigas. You need to check the length of time the voltage stays
down on pin 20 when you send a disconnect signal. It's supposed to stay
low for over a second, and if not, the 1488 IC needs to be replaced. The
article says this procedure has been approved by the Commodore Amiga
Service Department. I'm going to check mine this weekend and see if that's
the case. This particular IC has a reputation for being unreliable. If
your Amiga is not under warranty, the IC is pretty cheap. I'm pretty sure
they sell for under a buck (not positive tho). Hope this helps. George
Glines 74206,2624
Noticed your message and thought I'd offer a suggestion. Make sure that
your DIP switches for DTR and CD are positioned such that they do not force
Data Terminal Ready or Carrier Detect. I believe that for the USR 2400
modem that DIP's 1 and 6 are in the UP or "ON" position. Let me know if
you have any further problems.
If I put DIP 6 up (carrier detect pin), the hang-up function won't work and
it still won't redial. Do you know of people using Online! with US
Robotics? This modem is the best piece of computer equipment I have ever
bought, works flawlessly with many IBM terminal packages. This is why I
suspect the 1488 IC in this case. I have seen messages on various BBS with
others having the same problem with Online! (and various modems). I gave
finding the cure, until I saw the article in AmigaWorld. George Glines
You have to have both CD set to follow actual connect and DTR set to
respond to the computer. OnLine! doesn't send a "command" to hang up, it
merely drops DTR for a second or so. It works fine if your modem is set up
ok and you don't have a faulty 1488 chip. I have seen the same
information, if so, you can have it checked. See page 27 of the latest
issue (Nov/Dec) of Amiga World. I have used OnLine! (in fact am using it
now) with both a Novation 103/212 Smart-Cat (non-Hayes compatible) and a
CTS2424ADH (Hayes compatible) modem and the hangup and re-dial functions
work fine, so the problem isn't with OnLine! Don
If I set CD to follow actual connect, I can't hangup or redial. I checked
the voltage on pin 20 and the voltage did drop for over a second-so my 1488
must be okay. I'm going to find another terminal program that supports
re-dialing and see if it will re-dial for me. If there is anybody out there
using Online! with a US Robotics 2400 and you are able to redial, I would
appreciate hearing from you. George
CD is what tells OnLine! that it has connected and can start the script.
You also have to set the modem so it follows DTR. DTR is set by the Amiga
and the modem will stay online (or attempt to) as long as DTR is held
high. If your modem responds properly to DTR (as it DTR is properly being
dropped according to your test) it should hang up. The re-dial is on a
timed basis, and it is a fairly long time out (I belive it is set to 30
seconds) so if no connect in 30 seconds, OnLine! will drop DTR which should
hang the modem up, and then re-dial the number (prime #) for the number of
times you set for re-tries. It will then switch to the secondary number
(if any and try the same number of times). If the US Robotics is Hayes
compatible, check register S21. Bit # 3 and 4 control DTR response. If
bits 3 and 4 are both 0, then the modem will not respond to DTR dropping.
If bit 3 is 1 and bit 4 is 0, the modem will go back into command mode, but
not hangup on DTR drop. If bit 4 is set, and bit 3 isn't, the modem will
hangup but not autoanswer. If both bits 3 & 4 are set, the modem will
hangup and re-initialize at loss of DTR. This is the prefered setting. To
figure out which bit is set, read the register and get the decimal value.
If you have a conversion from decimal to binary, look it up with bit 7
being the left value and bit 0 being the right value. If you don't have a
look up table, take the value and try to subtract 128 from it. If it will
subtract, put a 1 down for bit 7, otherwise put a 0 down. Then from the
remainder of the subtraction, subtract 64 …. again, if you can do the
subtraction, put a 1 down for bit 6. Keep attempting to subtract using 32,
16,8,4,2 and finally 1 from the remainder of the previous operation. The
ability to subtract the 32 and the 16 will give you whether bit 4 and bit 3
is set. I had the same problem until I set up my modem properly. You may
also have a DIP switch setting that does the same thing.
CD is what tells OnLine! that it has connected and can start the script.
You also have to set the modem so it follows DTR. DTR is set by the Amiga
and the modem will stay online (or attempt to) as long as DTR is held
high. If your modem responds properly to DTR (as it DTR is properly being
dropped according to your test) it should hang up. The re-dial is on a
timed basis, and it is a fairly long time out (I belive it is set to 30
seconds) so if no connect in 30 seconds, OnLine! will drop DTR which should
hang the modem up, and then re-dial the number (prime #) for the number of
times you set for re-tries. It will then switch to the secondary number
(if any and try the same number of times). If the US Robotics is Hayes
compatible, check register S21. Bit # 3 and 4 control DTR response. If
bits 3 and 4 are both 0, then the modem will not respond to DTR dropping.
If bit 3 is 1 and bit 4 is 0, the modem will go back into command mode, but
not hangup on DTR drop. If bit 4 is set, and bit 3 isn't, the modem will
hangup but not autoanswer. If both bits 3 & 4 are set, the modem will
hangup and re-initialize at loss of DTR. This is the prefered setting. To
figure out which bit is set, read the register and get the decimal value.
If you have a conversion from decimal to binary, look it up with bit 7
being the left value and bit 0 being the right value. If you don't have a
look up table, take the value and try to subtract 128 from it. If it will
subtract, put a 1 down for bit 7, otherwise put a 0 down. Then from the
remainder of the subtraction, subtract 64 …. again, if you can do the
subtraction, put a 1 down for bit 6. Keep attempting to subtract using 32,
16,8,4,2 and finally 1 from the remainder of the previous operation. The
ability to subtract the 32 and the 16 will give you whether bit 4 and bit 3
is set. I had the same problem until I set up my modem properly. You may
also have a DIP switch setting that does the same thing.
If I set CD to follow actual connect, I can't hangup or redial. I checked
the voltage on pin 20 and the voltage did drop for over a second-so my 1488
must be okay. I'm going to find another terminal program that supports
re-dialing and see if it will re-dial for me. If there is anybody out there
using Online! with a US Robotics 2400 and you are able to redial, I would
appreciate hearing from you. George
You have to have both CD set to follow actual connect and DTR set to
respond to the computer. OnLine! doesn't send a "command" to hang up, it
merely drops DTR for a second or so. It works fine if your modem is set up
ok and you don't have a faulty 1488 chip. I have seen the same
information, if so, you can have it checked. See page 27 of the latest
issue (Nov/Dec) of Amiga World. I have used OnLine! (in fact am using it
now) with both a Novation 103/212 Smart-Cat (non-Hayes compatible) and a
CTS2424ADH (Hayes compatible) modem and the hangup and re-dial functions
work fine, so the problem isn't with OnLine! Don
Both DTR and CD need to be set so they are not forced by the modem. DTR is
used to terminate a connection before re-dialing. If DTR is not seen to be
lowered, no re-dial.
Both DTR and CD need to be set so they are not forced by the modem. DTR is
used to terminate a connection before re-dialing. If DTR is not seen to be
lowered, no re-dial.
If I put DIP 6 up (carrier detect pin), the hang-up function won't work and
it still won't redial. Do you know of people using Online! with US
Robotics? This modem is the best piece of computer equipment I have ever
bought, works flawlessly with many IBM terminal packages. This is why I
suspect the 1488 IC in this case. I have seen messages on various BBS with
others having the same problem with Online! (and various modems). I gave
finding the cure, until I saw the article in AmigaWorld. George Glines
Noticed your message and thought I'd offer a suggestion. Make sure that
your DIP switches for DTR and CD are positioned such that they do not force
Data Terminal Ready or Carrier Detect. I believe that for the USR 2400
modem that DIP's 1 and 6 are in the UP or "ON" position. Let me know if
you have any further problems.
I really question this tidbit from AmigaWorld. The 1488 is nothing more
than a line driver, but the AM comment makes it sound like it's involved in
the timing of the DTR pin. If the 1488 were bad, you'd get no change in
state, not a shortened pulse (unless it were a nanosecond-wide glitch on
the edge). We work with 1488s and 1489s all the time and no one here is
willing to say that they are "unreliable".
Remember, these are the same people who said that the Amiga could not use
analog joysticks, and that you could pause an Amiga listing by hitting any
key and resume the listing by hitting "any other key". I would strongly
recommend considering the source before tearing into your helpless Amiga.
I really question this tidbit from AmigaWorld. The 1488 is nothing more
than a line driver, but the AM comment makes it sound like it's involved in
the timing of the DTR pin. If the 1488 were bad, you'd get no change in
state, not a shortened pulse (unless it were a nanosecond-wide glitch on
the edge). We work with 1488s and 1489s all the time and no one here is
willing to say that they are "unreliable".
Remember, these are the same people who said that the Amiga could not use
analog joysticks, and that you could pause an Amiga listing by hitting any
key and resume the listing by hitting "any other key". I would strongly
recommend considering the source before tearing into your helpless Amiga.