Hicom 150 E remote access to internal modem issues

[3000gt]

Our Siemens support engineer cannot access a Hicom 150 E remotely anymore, it was working great for a couple of years. She had dialed a phone number which I presume activated an internal modem to answer to administer the system.

I have logged in through Hipath Manager to locate the modem status and have not been able to do so. I have found some modem settings and but they appear to be only for the external V.24 ports.

I tried logging in to the maintenance app, and found only a V.24 status tab. I did error history and event logs and found nothing that even referenced an internal modem.


When we call the phone number for the remote access, we hear garbled modem or error tone constantly, but no modem beeps, and the line will not connect.

1. Is the internal modem connected only to an external ISDN line, or can it be a regular POTS line?
2. Can we chek the status of the external remote access phone line itself?
3. Is there a way t check for errors/faults and reset the status of the internal modem?
4. What card is the internal modem on, the Processor card?
5. Or, is the only way to reset the internal modem by resetting the PBX?

And, if the internal modem is faulty, can it be fixed? If not, does the Processor card need to be replaced?

ANny info would be greatly appreciated.


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[donb01]

You cannot access the internal modem settings thru Manager that I am aware of - you need to go to the display phone/memory phone on the first digital port in the system and login with *95 then 31994/31994. Or go into online mode in the manager software so you have a screen that looks like a phone and then login in the same manner. It has been years, but one of the menus on the phone screen will give you access to what number is assigned to the IMOD and a couple of other things.

Of course it's also possible it's fried, but because it's not directly connected to an outside line that is more difficult to do. It can be replaced. Again, it's been years, but on the main CPU board there are 2 PCMCIA clots. One has the memory card that is the brains of the whole system and the other one is the IMOD...

 

[3000gt]

Thanks for the info Don. SO tell me if I'm incorrect, but the IMOD modem is digital or analog? ANd the incoming service call has to be set up on a DID trunk? So since I know the phone number the tech is calling xxx-5289, I should be able to see that number in the DID trunk list (unless its not DID)?

Can I reset the trunk group the modem line is a part of? Maybe that will reset the line and may it be as simple as that to fix it.





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[donb01]

The IMOD is a weird bird. It functions as a modem therefore it is analog communication, but it does not occupy a "port" in the traditional sense of the word. I'm sure it maps out as some kind of port somewhere in the system, but it is not assigned to one of the station card ports.

If you have DID you take an unassigned number and you assign it to the IMOD in the fashion I described above. If all of your other DID phones and stuff are working then your trunks are probably fine, and resetting them won't make a difference. Whichever DID you assign tot he IMOD will no longer be able to be assigned to a station, but you will not see it show up anywhere in Manager (unless it is somewhere on the cardmap screen) it will just be gone.

If you can get logged in via the phone or online mode you should be able to see what extension you have assigned to the IMOD. If it is a valid DID number in your pool, and any other settings on that screen look normal (like it should be enabled) then I would probably start down the road that something is wrong with the IMOD...

If you defaulted the system for any reason (held down the reset button too long) and then you reloaded the .KDS file, I am not sure if that will put the number back in the IMOD spot, or if you will have to go back in the the phone programming mode to put the number back in. I would look it up, but I moved my 150 to another building and haven't gotten around to cutting it over yet so there is no remote access. If I happen to drive to that site I will try to look it up for you.

 

[cody64]

Hi, The did numbers for the Imod and Isdn access are viewable through Manager E. If you open the transfer screen and click on the second tab, you will see at the bottom the did entries for the remote access. These two methods use different hardware, Imod is a physical card whereas the isdn modem is on board. You can use the isdn did for normal incoming calls as the system receives a data call vs a voice call in the isdn setup. It is possible the Imod has or is failing. My first action would be to restart the system, it may have just had a power spike.


Cody64

 

[3000gt]

Don, thanks again for the detailed info. I might be able to get back to the site late this week, or early next. I will use the phone administration mode and check the Trunk programming for the 5289 ext. number, maybe its part of a trunk group. I will reset the trunk if so, and then know if that fixes the issue.

As to defaulting the system, I don't think anyone at the office did that, and a power outage should not do that either.

I am thinking of moving the CDR call charge port from V.24 port 1 where it is connected now, to port 2. Then assigning V.24 port 1 as the remote modem port, and hooking up a POTS line to an external analog modem so we can log in remotely, and maintain the connection easier.

I figure it would be cheap to do then replace the internal IMOD PCMCIA card.

I will update here when I get new info. And please let me know what you find out if you have a chance to visit the site with the Hicom 150 you are referring to.



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[3000gt]

Cody, thanks for your information. How can you tell if the modem is onboard ISDN? Is it the controller card with the PCMCIA card?
And I assume the IMOD is a card in a slot labeled "IMOD" then?

Will it show that info in the Manager E transfer screen? I will not be able to get to the site till Friday or early next week to check it out.

Thanks again,

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[donb01]

The IMOD is right next to the PCMCIA card for the system memory on the main controller board with the blue flip switches and serial port. If there are 2 PCMCIA cards you have the IMOD - if there is only one, you don't.

The ISDN modem is built-in to the system. I have never used it, but assume if you are using it you would have to call into it from another ISDN modem, or at the very least have it connected to an ISDN line. I suspect that is how Siemens got into it once when I was on vacation and one of my other techs went to reboot the system and ended up defaulted it instead. They managed to get in and put on an earlier .kds file they had, which was enough to get him in so he could reload a backup file onto the system.

 

[cody64]

Hi, you do need an isdn line to use the inbuilt isdn modem. However if you have a 150 or a 3000 system with isdn lines and an hg card you can use this as your isdn modem. There is feature called vcapi which allows a PC running man e to establish isdn maintence calls to other systems that have isdn lines. We use this method daily to remote program customer systems. This feature continues up to the current V9 systems. It allows multiple people at a vendor site to have remote access.

 

[3000gt]

Cody and Don, I was at the sight last week and found out the CBMOD controller card has 2 PCM/CIA cards, which means it has an IMOD. Also, I can see "IMOD" listed in the card/slot screen of Hipath Manager E.

So I am planning on a system reboot.
Then if that doesn't work, are there any other troubleshooting procedures that can be done with the IMOD?

Also, is there a manual that describes the IMOD in detail and/or has troubleshooting procedures? The only Hicom manuals I have that are applicable to use are:

Hicom 150 E Service Manual
Hicom 150 Asistant TC for Hicom 150 H optiset for System Administration
Hicom 150 Programming Guide

Where I can get more manuals, especially with IMOD details/troubleshooting would be great to know!

Thanks,
George




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[donb01]

Please note that when you reboot the 150 you must only FLIP the blue, spring loaded reset switch! Do not hold it down - I think it is only 2 or 3 seconds and you will default the entire system.

If you have the service manual it should have the IMOD stuff in there. I never had anything more than that. The procedure I explained to use a phone to access the programming menu will allow you to set the DID number for the IMOD. I don't remember if there are any more parameters in that screen, but you can for sure set the DID from there.