Courier Gets V.90 Connect Only 1 in 10 Tries

[486dx2]

I recently bought two used Courier V.Everything V.90 external modems, model 00280600, on eBay. Both have difficulty establishing V.90 connections. I have tested them on calls to several local ISPs with the same disappointing results. I might suspect my phone lines except I have three other non-Courier V.90 modems which use these same lines. They all connect at V.90 speeds every time. One other mystery is the single time when one of these Courier modems was able to get 10 V.90 connects out of 12 tries. That happened only once.

Is this a known problem with Courier modems or did I just happen to get two that have this exact same defect?

Are there Courier configuration commands that would improve my V.90 connection ratio? I would like to make these modems work if possible.

Your help will be appreciated.


Best wishes,
486dx2
Coronado, CA

 

[InnoTech]

from what i've seen in the courier is that they are X2 and V.90 fallback. try disabling X2 with "s58=1"

try going to

http://www.usr.com/support/s-main-menu.asp

and they will have drivers (good to get the updated ones) DOCS and command refference. good to learn everything about your modem.

"Jack of all trades. Master of none."

 

[486dx2]

My problem turned out to be related to the quality of my phone line. In response to an email US Robotics support mailed me a very helpful message. I extract the most significant part here.

***** Begin extract from US Robitics message *****

"EVALUATING LINE CONDITIONS FROM ATY11 AND ATI11 RESULTS:

The results of the ATY11 command indicate noise levels. In reviewing the results, the optimal connection will show

· below 25 for all frequencies from 150 to 3300,

· below 50 for the 3750 frequency, and the

· difference between the values at 3300 and 3750 should be less than 25.

In addition, the SNR value from the ATI11 test should be

· greater than 45.

V.90 connections can often be achieved with poorer line conditions, but the further the results are from the above, the more difficult it is to achieve and maintain V.90 connections.

***** End extract from US Robotics message *****

My phone line would usually show a SNR(signal to noise ratio) of about 38db. On those rare occasions when a modem did connect at V.90 speeds, the SNR was always over 40db.

I took the modems to a friends house and found that the SNR shot up to the high 40s.

The question remains why my three other V.90 modems were able to use this same line to form reliable V.90 connects. Based on this experience I would blame the design of the Courier modem. Perhaps since it is a high end commercial modem, the designers assumed a high quality phone line. But that leaves a large hole in the spectrum of speeds these modems acheive. These two modems never were able to connect at any of the speeds between the fastest V.34+ speed of 33.6K and 40K, which was the V.90 speed I got on those rare occasions when the modem would connect using V.90.

Though these modems are essentially useless to me at the moment, I am hoping that when the V.92 firmware upgrade becomes available this defect will have been addressed.


Best wishes,
486dx2
Coronado, CA