Can't type anything into the console

[Travis959]

First off, I'm a huge newbie to this system and I know very little about the technical side of things.

I recently joined this company as a network administrator and part of my responsibilities fall under the phone system, which has worked fine up until a week ago.

Now when I attempt to connect to the phone system, I am unable to type anything into the system. I still receive TTY messages, mostly just: AUD000 or DTC103, but I am unable to type anything. The phone system, and meridian voicemail, still work fine otherwise, but the date and time are set to Apr 09 5:12am currently.

Sometimes I will get a lot of strange letters and characters, but this seems entirely random and I'm not sure how to reproduce it.

I am using Procomm to connect, and I have also tried hyperterminal. I've used an ungodly different amount of settings in an attempt to get it to work. The only way I can get anything to type is if I change the Data Duplex to "half".

The old network administrator suggested "moving the cable to another port as they are the same", but I'm not sure what this even means?

If it helps, we have an "Option 11" nortel system.

 

[trvlr1]

It sounds like your terminal emulation may be incorrect. The most common I have seen is 8N1 at 9600baud, but it could be many different variations.
If you take the front cover off the option 11 do you see an SSC card? If so, you should see dip switches, one of which will be toggled opposite to all the others. That would be your baud rate (1200, 9600 etc....) The rest is just try and see.

 

[Travis959]

If you are talking about the System Core slot, then yes it is set to 2400 baud.

However the light on the card is not on, is this a problem? I'm not sure if it the led was ever lit. Also, there is a Man INT button on the card; what does this button do?

 

[KCFLHRC]

The light on the core card should not be on and the man init button is for a warm boot. The dip switches are only for tty 0, is that the cable you are plugged into? Typically you can use vt 100 emulation with 8 bits, 1 stop bit and no parity. And set your baud to 2400 if you are connected to port 0. The baud rate for the other ports is set in software.

 

[Travis959]

I am connecting to the same cable as always and I am using vt100 with N-8-1.

However, I notice when I go to connect to it, the words "Direct Connect" in the bottom left of Procomm flash 3 times and then stop flashing.

Is that normal as well?

 

[KCFLHRC]

Never seen "direct connect" flash in Procomm. What is your baud rate set to? I have seen ports in these Opt. 11's die. You may have to do an INI to get it back if you are sure of your settings.

 

[Travis959]

Default on procomm was set at 9600, but I've tried everything I can from 1200 - 19200 and it always flashes.

I am still connected though as I am still receiving AUD000 messages every now and then.

What is "do an INI" and how do I do such a thing?

 

[KCFLHRC]

An "INI" is like a warm boot. It's the button on the front of the SSC card. I would do it after hours. However, it shouldn't drop calls in progress but during the INI there will be no inbound or outbound calls either internal or external during the INI.

 

[KCFLHRC]

You really need to verify what port you are plugged into. There is an octopus cable that comes out of the cabinet. It has 3 DB 25 connectors marked 0,1 and 2. The dip switches in the SSC card are for tty 0 only. If you aren't connected to tty 0 or port 0 then I would suggest you move your laptop to that port and set it up for 2400 baud and see if it works.

 

[Travis959]

Ok by default I hook in using port 1. Port 0 cable wasn't connected to anything. I connected the Port 0 cable to the back of my laptop, and installed the Com3 port into procomm as a modem.

I attempted to connect doing this, and I still get the 3 flashing direct connect words, but I also get a software beep 3 times. I'm going to assume it's not connecting this way as I can type now, but not working except AT which says OK, which I think is just a modem command.

I tried using the PORT 1 cable and same thing. Tried different baud settings as well.

 

[KCFLHRC]

You should be using a direct connect with procomm to com 1 if you serial port is com 1. You shouldn't be using a modem connection.

 

[minicompbx]

Sometime, it's happen that your system is freeze but the telephone continues working. It's happen one time with our system, simply restart the system or call provider for further assistance.

Cause : the system is up to date.

 

[Travis959]

I've rebooted the system numerous times and it's still the same. I've tried hooking up various lines, but cannot get connected to it on my laptop(s).

The board has 2 serial connectors (one male/one female) that I assume is used for the console. The Male has the octopus connector coming out of it, with PORT 0/1/2 on it's parallel connectors.

I've tried hooking up the laptop to these and connecting, but it will not connect. I've also tried to connect to the female connector on the board, but still nothing.

I tried pressing the MAN INT button and nothing seemed to happen, do you have to hold it for a certain amount of time? I held it for about 10 seconds and nothing seemed to reboot or do anything.

 

[bhassell2000]

are you using a Null modem connector between your laptop and the PBX?

Thanks,

Buddy

Linked in Profile

http://www.linkedin.com/in/buddyhassell

 

[Travis959]

Yes, I've tried with and without one of those.

 

[KCFLHRC]

If this is an Opt. 11 there will be a single octopus cable coming out of the switched that is plugged in to the SDI connector in the bottom of the switch. These DB 25 serial connectors are labeled Port 0,1, and 2. The dip switches for baud rate on the ssc card are for only Port 0. These are all male DB 25 serial connections, not parallel. You will need a null modem plugged into port 0 and then a DB 25 to 9 pin to connect to your laptops com serial port. Is this what you have?

 

[Travis959]

Yes, I have that exact setup, however I still can not type anything even when plugged into PORT 0, nor am I sure it is connected. Everytime I attempt to connect the direct connect blinks and beeps at me 3 times. The CD and CTS lights are lit up in procomm, so I assume that means it is connected?

 

[KCFLHRC]

The only thing I can think of is your com port may not be functioning properly. Go into device manager and check it. At the bottom of your Procomm screen does it show Direct Connect to com 1? VT 220 emulation and x-modem?

 

[Travis959]

The port is appearing to work fine, I even used another laptop to verify the same issues. I've noticed however that sometimes I can type, however nothing appears and it only lets me type modem commands such as "AT" and when I press enter, OK appears.

But like I said, nothing I type actually displays on the screen, and other times even typing AT does nothing.

 

[KCFLHRC]

You got something else going on. You definitely aren't talking to the PBX if your using AT commands and seeing things like "OK". The Nortel switch never says "OK".