Interesting anomaly for dialup guru's

[Bovon]

Something kinda weird has come up here...and I am looking for something to try (that I have not already).

I have a USR 56K Internal V Everything Courier modem

This modem has performed flawlessly ever since this machine was built.

Since dialup modems are cheap at eBay now...sometimes for 1 or 2 bucks + shipping (which is high..always).. I decided to get an external USR or two. I wound up buying 5 externals (all 5 for less than the cost of one USR 56K hardware modem!!).

As each modem arrived, I connected it to the machine, installed them and ran tests...all worked flawlessly.

1) External V everything 56 K Courier.
2) Sportster 56 K externals
2) Sportster 33.6 externals

Now, yesterday I put all of the externals in a box for future use (me or family as needed), and went back to my internal V Everything 56K.

The modem connects 1st try to my server..but as soon as I attempt to open a browser, Outlook Express or Mail Washer (seems like just anything at this point), and the remote modem hangs up. Why?...I have tried removing the modem, rebooting and reinstalling it...even removing the INF file and a reboot etc.

I have tried to get into Win98SE in safe mode to remove all modems, but have been unsuccessful to get to 98 in safe mode so far. (dual boot, Win98SE and Win2K Pro.. F8 only will give me the option to go to Win2K in safe mode...another weird one).

Here is the (partial) log file from (1st) the internal modem and (2nd) one of the external 33.6 K Sportsters, and (3rd) one of the 56K external Sportsters.

All externals work good (which is what I am using now because the internal is disconnecting every time).

12-07-2003 13:12:52.40 - Interpreted response: Connect
12-07-2003 13:12:52.40 - Connection established at 49333bps.
12-07-2003 13:12:52.40 - Error-control on.
12-07-2003 13:12:52.40 - Data compression on.
12-07-2003 13:13:17.55 - Remote modem hung up.
12-07-2003 13:13:19.56 - Recv: <no response>
12-07-2003 13:13:19.56 - WARNING: Unrecognized response. Retrying...
12-07-2003 13:13:19.56 - Hanging up the modem.
12-07-2003 13:13:19.56 - Send: ATH<cr>
12-07-2003 13:13:19.56 - Recv: ATH<cr>
12-07-2003 13:13:19.72 - Recv: <cr><lf>OK<cr><lf>
12-07-2003 13:13:19.72 - Interpreted response: Ok
12-07-2003 13:13:19.72 - 115200,N,8,1
12-07-2003 13:13:19.72 - Session Statistics:
12-07-2003 13:13:19.72 - Reads : 1055 bytes
12-07-2003 13:13:19.72 - Writes: 681 bytes

Notice the above where the remote (servers) modem hung up. This was the beginning of the end for that session...the WARNING only came after the servers modem quit.)

12-06-2003 12:36:51.31 - Interpreted response: Connect
12-06-2003 12:36:51.31 - Connection established at 33600bps.
12-06-2003 12:36:51.31 - Error-control on.
12-06-2003 12:36:51.31 - Data compression on.
12-06-2003 14:50:05.66 - Hanging up the modem.
12-06-2003 14:50:05.66 - Hardware hangup by lowering DTR.
12-06-2003 14:50:05.92 - Recv: <cr><lf>NO CARRIER<cr><lf>
12-06-2003 14:50:05.92 - Interpreted response: No Carrier
12-06-2003 14:50:05.92 - Send: ATH<cr>
12-06-2003 14:50:06.05 - Recv: <cr><lf>OK<cr><lf>
12-06-2003 14:50:06.05 - Interpreted response: Ok
12-06-2003 14:50:06.05 - 115200,N,8,1
12-06-2003 14:50:06.05 - Session Statistics:
12-06-2003 14:50:06.05 - Reads : 5566750 bytes
12-06-2003 14:50:06.05 - Writes: 1549350 bytes
12-06-2003 14:50:06.05 - Sportster 33600 Fax PC Plug and Play closed.

12-02-2003 20:59:17.96 - Interpreted response: Connect
12-02-2003 20:59:17.96 - Connection established at 49333bps.
12-02-2003 20:59:17.96 - Error-control off or unknown.
12-02-2003 20:59:17.96 - Data compression off or unknown.
12-02-2003 22:56:08.24 - Hanging up the modem.
12-02-2003 22:56:08.24 - Hardware hangup by lowering DTR.
12-02-2003 22:56:08.49 - Recv: <cr><lf>NO CARRIER<cr><lf>
12-02-2003 22:56:08.49 - Interpreted response: No Carrier
12-02-2003 22:56:08.49 - Send: ATH<cr>
12-02-2003 22:56:08.62 - Recv: <cr><lf>OK<cr><lf>
12-02-2003 22:56:08.62 - Interpreted response: Ok
12-02-2003 22:56:08.62 - 115200,N,8,1
12-02-2003 22:56:08.62 - Session Statistics:
12-02-2003 22:56:08.62 - Reads : 5417955 bytes
12-02-2003 22:56:08.62 - Writes: 1248017 bytes
12-02-2003 22:56:08.62 - Sportster 56k Data Fax PnP closed.

The last two logs show a normal disconnect when I closed the connection.

It certainly could be that my internal modem just chose this time to go belly up...but if so, it is a strange way to die..it works..it will connect (and stay connected as long as I want it connected) until... I attempt to open anything or click on an email link which will open one IE.

Any thoughts or input I have not tried will be appreciated.

I even thought about uninstalling DUN...as an effort..but if DUN was flaky, why is any of the external modems still working..this is just affecting the internal modem, and only began during the time I was testing these external modems.

The internal modem is on Com 3, IRQ-9 by itself..no conflicts anywhere, and modem tests from Control Panel > Modems > More Info look normal to me. The externals are on (when used) Serial (COM) port 1, IRQ-4.

[Xtreeme]

Problems

"12-02-2003 20:59:17.96 - Error-control off or unknown.
12-02-2003 20:59:17.96 - Data compression off or unknown"

"Interpreted response: No Carrier"

Ive had this. Its like your modem is speaking foreign tounge to the server. Ie TCP/IP and yer modem got confused. Its usally as easy as reinstalling modem drivers. GO to control panel-remove then refresh and point to driver local. Now go to modem test page and tell us what that says. If its O.K. there Id suggest reinstalling TCP/IP protocalls. Oh-and are you on a ethernet network? Cause thats a whole diff can of worms (had problems there myself but fixed most). Also any Firewalls? Any uneeded protocalls bound to network like IPX?

[Bovon]

Thank you... I "think" I have narrowed it down to the modem itself...(or something in the machine) I am running a dual boot Win98se and Win2K.. I had not tried the modem from 2K..it had worked properly the last time I was in 2K a week or so ago, so I tried that, and the same thing happened. Connect to the ISP..the handshake is good, and it remains connected to the ISP until I attempt to open a browser, Outlook Express or Mail Washer. The connection immediately closes..but there is nothing in the log concerning why that happened.

That part about Error-control off or unknown, and Data compression off or unknown was from an external modem I was using to test with...it was working ok despite that part you pointed out. It is still doing that, but I have been online now for 3 hours and the log is still showing the same thing. It could be in the small switches somewhere.. I need a manual on these external modems to see just what all those 8 switches do.

No, I am not on any eithernet. I do run Zone Alarm, but up until I setup several of these external modems, my internal modem and ZA got along just fine.

I have the same modem in another machine...so, to prove if the problem is with the modem or something else, I will swap modems soon for a test to see what happens.

[Xtreeme]

"It could be in the small switches somewhere.. I need a manual on these external modems to see just what all those 8 switches do."
They do ALOT. LOL. I have a external USR sportster 56k here. On it now. The lable tore off yours? Mine has the description for each switch. One or two of them will make it so I cant even connect.


Heres the settings
Switch #1 DTR (data terminal ready) Up is off down is on....
Switch #2 result codes UP is verbal-DOWN is numeric
Switch #3 result codes -Up is surppress Down is display
Switch #4 Up echo offline Down is no echo (want no)
Switch #5 Up auto answer first ring Down is off
Switch #6 Up carrier detect NORMAL Down Carrier detect override
(Think this is your one problem listed above set to normal)
Switch #7 UP Load Nvram defaults (think reset bios) down load factory defaults (use factory)
Switch #8 Up Dumb mode Down smart (you want smart mode-so it can connect at 56k or lower speeds with COMPRESION.)

Try those settings once. Also have you checked the external power pack. Mine was week and the modem would test o.k. but when it tried to connect it would fail or go at 1.2k LOL. I replaced and she was connecting 56k again. Seems to take more juice to communicate then just power on I guess. Keep us updated.

[Bovon]

Thanks again...actually, I went to USR awhile ago and D/L the pdf for installation, which has the dip switch settings.

But, remember..all 6 of the external modems work great (even with that Error-control and Data compression off or unknown)... I donno whats up with that, and it is not in the computer settings, and the dip switches are set correctly.

My internal USR 56K Courier V everything is the one that has gone flaky on me. It was working great, until I started in testing these externals as they came in, installed and tested each one. Now, after I have all of the ones I bought here and tested.. I went back to the internal..only to find it now is disconnected by the server somehow..

I'm getting ready to shut down, remove the int. modem in both machines, and put the one from my backup in here. That should tell me if I have a modem problem..or if it a software problem somewhere.

I'll let you know.

[Bovon]

Well, I am on the other USR internal now, and no problems so far...so, the problem is either the internal modem...or maybe dirty contacts. I will put the old one back for another test before I chunk it.

[Xtreeme]

Yea, try the ole alch. wipe process on the terminals. They might just be dirty....did you try that modem (Internal that is acting strange)in your other pc? If its flakey there too Id say its bad. Maybe its time was just up?

[Bovon]

Thats the final test (when I have time) is to install it in the backup machine. Last night.. I swapped back and forth 2 times...cleaned the contacts good. Both times, this internal modem (from the backup machine) worked good. The original internal failed both times. I am sure now that something has happened to it..exactly what.. I don't know (yet).

I have an idea that will take some doing to prove..but I would like to prove it if possible.

Both of these V Everything internal modems came from an eBay auction.. I bought 5 at one time for $2 bucks each about 2 years ago. They were originally V34 28.8 modems, upgraded to 56K V90. Both worked just fine... I kept 2 and gave my kids one each.

I have a hunch, that while testing those 5 external modems (2 are 33.6 K) that in someway...the firmware was damaged in the internal modem that was still in my machine during the tests. I think if I can locate the firmware..I will attempt to reflash this modem. The modem is not dead..it completes the handshake everytime without a problem..it will stay connected to my ISPs server forever...only when I open IE, OE or MailWasher does it disconnect. The disconnect comes from the remote modem...that tells me that my modem sent a request to disconnect because there is nothing in the log that indicates retraining..which is the only thing that will cause a disconnect other than a request to disconnect from my modem/machine.

Last night.. I closed everything except Systray and Explorer...Connected to the server and opened OE.. only when I attempted to check mail, did I get the disconnect. This has to be commands from the modem. If so, it must be corrupt firmware.