SCO Modem dial in 1

[jollyroger]

Please help!!!!
I am having so much trouble over a dialin modem on a SCO unix box.
It sounds simple but we have spent 2 days now with the same problem.
Until last week we had a modem set-up on our SCO unix box which accepted incoming calls, and allowed the operator to access our system.
Now however when ever we connect it comes up with garbled characters, e.g. ; $#'c$ ;`d$<$$`;
G;l$`ó$ÄI''$[nÄc2[llL6oF{[n@
We have checked the configuration files, /etc/inittab, line for our modem is:
Se1A:234:respawn:/etc/getty -t60 tty1A o
and our /usr/lib/uucp/Devices is:
Direct tty1A - 38400 direct
and our /etc/gettydefs file has an entry in for the above:
o # B38400 HUPCL # B38400 CS8 SANE HUPCL TAB3 #\r\nlogin: # o
The settings on our Dial in Software (I am using HyperTerm) are set to:
Port Speed: 38400
Data bits: 8
Parity: None
Stop Bits: 1
and Emulation: vt100.

What can I try to fix this any ideas appreciated.
With regards
Ben

 

[edfair]

Only thing missing to duplicate my setups is an ACU line in Devices to allow the modem to be configured.
I have also changed stuff in the modem pointed to by the dialer in the ACU line to force a floor and a ceiling speed to eliminate this too.
The problem is the speeds that are in both setups are the port speeds talking to the modem, not neccessarily the speed the modem wants to talk. Ed Fair
efair@atlnet.com

Any advice I give is my best judgement based on my interpretation of the facts you supply.

Help increase my knowledge by providing some feedback, good or bad, on any advice I have given.

 

[jollyroger]

Thank you for answering so quickly
I do have a line in the Devices file which allow me to configure the modem it is:
ACU tty1A - 38400 MultiModem_MT2834ZD
I did not realise that the port speed and modem speed would be different, which would explain why the orginal set up, before it went wrong was for a connection speed of 9600.
I have tried this aswell, (on my long and drawn out testing), but it did not seem to make any difference.
Please let me know what you think.
With regards
Ben

 

[edfair]

Are you using a MT modem of that issue? Are you able to cu to it? Befor you can have anybody talk to it from outside, you need to be able to talk to it locally.
And you might want to put an additional line in the Devices to allow you to talk to it in non-modem language. as in Dir tty1a - 38400 direct.
Don't remember the reasons from many years ago, but it impressed me. think it was a problem with DTR.
Then you should be able to cu -l tty1a dir and talk to it.
And some of the stuff in the other thread goes into it.
I also do some other stuff. My gettydefs file entries for 1,2,&3 point back to themselves rather than rolling and I modify the baud rates there so all modems use number entries. But that is just for a reality check for me. A number token is a modem, a letter token is a terminal.
And is there a command to the MT to lock it into fixed rate communications? Ed Fair
efair@atlnet.com

Any advice I give is my best judgement based on my interpretation of the facts you supply.

Help increase my knowledge by providing some feedback, good or bad, on any advice I have given.

 

[jollyroger]

Thanks again
I can communicate with the modem using cu -l /dev/tty1A DIR, but I then just end on the &quot;Connected&quot; line. I cannot seem to type in any other commands.
The keyboard seems to be locked?
With regards
Ben

 

[jollyroger]

Hello again
I try the line again using -x9 for debugging, not that I know much about debugging. I found that the LCK file was present, probaly from one of my previous tries today. I removed the file and tested again and it seemed to work.

Where can we find the file that the Modem Manager access to read configuration information on the modems.

Thanks and with regards
Ben

 

[edfair]

Once you are connected you normally talk to the modem with at commands. Like with USR the command ati4 will give you the setup of the modem showing all commands and registers. However the echo may be turned off and the modem in quiet mode. ate1 gives echo and atq0 turns off quiet. At this point at should return ok.
To exit from the screen lock up you need to exit cu, by typing a ~. (tilde followed by period then enter. should take you back to command line.
once you have control of the modem you can try connecting to a phone line. atdt and a phone number should dial out.
Next is to try dialin. Must have DTR up on the modem for dial in to work. If you don't have it that is your next step. Let us know how it goes.
Do you have a modem manual?
Ed Fair
efair@atlnet.com

Any advice I give is my best judgement based on my interpretation of the facts you supply.

Help increase my knowledge by providing some feedback, good or bad, on any advice I have given.

 

[jollyroger]

Thanks for your help on this. To check it is not the modem, we are sending over another modem to connect and see what happens.
This modem we know works, and should be no trouble. This has been going on for a while and people are getting impatient.
Thank you for your help, I will let you know on Monday how it has gone.
With regards
Ben

 

[EastTexasUser]

I know this is an old thread, but I'm having the exact same problem as jollyroger.

How did it end? Were you able to fix the problem? I can cu to my modem, get a dial tone. But I still get the garbage when I try to dial in.

 

[edfair]

Generally a modem speed issue. What kind of modem, what port, what getty token, what in Devices and Dialers for the modem? Ed Fair
unixstuff@juno.com
Any advice I give is my best judgement based on my interpretation of the facts you supply. Help increase my knowledge by providing some feedback, good or bad, on any advice I have given.

 

[EastTexasUser]

OS: SCO 5.0.4c
Server: Compaq ML350 1.0Gz
Modem: 14.4 Zoom External

&quot;/usr/lib/uucp/Devices&quot; file
Direct tty1a - 9600 direct

Entry from &quot;gettydefs&quot; file
m # B9600 HUPCL # B9600 CS8 SANE HUPCL TAB3 ECHOE #\r\nlogin: # m

Entry in &quot;inittab&quot; file
Se1A:234:respawn:/etc/getty tty1A m

Thanks very much for the reply.

I had this modem working on my old server through a 16 port Digiboard. When I got the new server, I was not able to use the Digiboard, so I'm trying to get the dial-in to work on tty1A. It worked at 19200 on the Digiboard.

All I get is garbage when it connects. I'm using PowerTerm on the Win side. The settings are:
8-N-1
Hardware Flow
9600 Baud

I've tried several things. Any ideas???

 

[Megabitman]

This is a post I made this am on a similar situation. See if this helps.

There is one other thing that I had forgotten about until this am. Check your files under /etc/conf/init.d to ensure that the settings in the files there match what you have set up in /etc/inittab. I had forgotten that when you manually edit inittab, the files that call the initialization processes here do not get updated. For example, you may set tty1A to 38400 in inittab eg # o but the &quot;sio&quot; file under /etc/conf/init.d is not altered. When the port is reset after a logout ( and I've never bothered to find out why this happens ), the port will fall back to the speed specified in this directory. The default for tty1A is 3 so the login will be offered at 2400. Each serial manufacturer ( I believe...) delivers a different file into this directory. I use primarily Computone so the ports are delivered in a file called ncxa. When you disable and then re-enable your ports, a second line will be listed as being updated. That will be the file in this directory. See if this helps your serial communications (this is true for ANY serial logins being offered!)

HTH,

Ken

 

[EastTexasUser]

Thanks very much for the reply. I found the the entry was not the same in the /etc/conf/init.d file. I changed them to be the same. Unfortunately, I still get garbage when I connect.

Any ideas?

 

[apeasecpc]

FYI EastTexasUser and Megabitman, the /etc/conf/init.d files do not have anything to do with the current port settings. Basically they are a backup of port configurations which are used to reconstruct the inittab file whenever the kernel is relinked. Although it is definitely important that both the init.d files and inittab match, their not matching is not really related to this problem. I think the real problem is because you are not initializing your modem for the 9600 baud rate.

Try making the following configuration changes:

Before starting, type the following commands from the root command prompt (don't worry if you get any error messages):

disable tty1a
disable tty1A

Update or add to the /usr/lib/uucp/Dialers file

zoom9600   =,-, "" \r\pAT&FS0=0S2=128S37=9N0 OK\r \dATDT\T CONNECT
&zoom9600  =,-, "" \r\p AT&FS0=1S2=128S37=9N0\r\pAT&W0\r
#Explanation of above listed zoom modem AT commands:
#&F     load factory defaults
#S0=0   set auto answer off (used when dialing out)
#S0=1   set auto answer on (used when dialing in)
#S2=128 disable break
#S37=9  force 9600 connection (when with N0)
#N0     follow S37 setting
#&W0    write settings to dram profile 0 (default ATZ settings)

Update or add to the /usr/lib/uucp/Devices file

ACU tty1A - 9600 zoom9600
Direct tty1A - 9600 direct

Update or add to the /etc/inittab file

Se1a:2:off:/etc/getty tty1a m
Se1A:2:off:/etc/getty -t60 tty1A m

Update or add to the /etc/conf/init.d/sio file

Se1a:2:off:/etc/getty tty1a m
Se1A:2:off:/etc/getty -t60 tty1A m

Update or add to the /etc/gettydefs file

m # B9600  HUPCL # B9600  CS8 SANE HUPCL TAB3 RTSFLOW CTSFLOW IXANY #\r\nlogin: # m

After you have made each of the above changes, type the following command from the root command prompt:

enable tty1A

Now try dialing in and see if it works any better.

 

[apeasecpc]

Sorry, small typo. The &zoom9600 above that reads:

&zoom9600  =,-, "" \r\p AT&FS0=1S2=128S37=9N0\r\pAT&W0\r[\code]

should read:
[code]&zoom9600  =,-, "" \r\pAT&FS0=1S2=128S37=9N0\r\pAT&W0\r[\code]
That is no space between the "\p" and the "AT".  Removing the extra space is important.

 

[EastTexasUser]

Boy oh boy! It still doesn't work. When I dial-in I get garbage. If I press <enter> I get a new line of garbage. I wonder why the modem worked so well on the Digiboard, but not the server serial port.

The only other issue I can think of that is different is I have to use a 9-pin adapter when connecting the modem to the port on the back of the server. Could this be the culprit????

Thanks!

 

[fmiller]

Usually, if you connect and get garbage, it's a parity issue, not speed. When the speed is wrong, you get nothing at all.

 

[apeasecpc]

Did you double check your files to make sure they match my previously listed recommendations, including the correction?

Your 9 pin adapter probably isn't the problem. The fact that you are getting garbage to repeat when you press enter is a good indication that the line between the modem and the server is good.

Are you certain that the serial port you are hooking the modem to is COM1 and not COM2? When you disable and re-enable the modem port, do the send and receive lights on the modem flash?

You said that on the old server your settings were for 19,200 baud. Is it possible your modem is hard configured for the wrong speed (i.e. dip switches).

From the server, cu directly to the modem and give it the following AT command:
AT&FS0=1S2=128S37=9N0&W0
If you get any error responses or no response, try each command separately:
AT&F
ATS0=1
ATS2=128
ATS37=9
ATN0
AT&W0

Is the powerterm software you are using in windows the same as you used to connect to the old server? Does this terminal program allow you to talk directly to the modem (AT commands), or does it handle all of that behind the scenes?

Can you use the modem for dial out and get a good connection?

 

[Megabitman]

As a little test project, humor me and disable the serial port you are connecting i.e. disable tty1A. Then I'd like you to connect to your serial port via the cu command i.e.
cu -ltty1a Next i'd like you to reset the modem to the factory defaults AT&F
Then I'd like you to dial into that port with your pc or terminal. Observe the connection on the UNIX side. You should see the RING response being issued and then the modem should answer and connect. Type anything you want on either screen. You should see the corresponding characters displaying on the other screen. This will eliminate everything other than the login process being offered by your system. Do this and then post back with the results.

Ken

 

[EastTexasUser]

Hello, Ken. Thanks for taking the time to give me a hand.

I performed the test you described in your last post. But, I had some trouble. When I disabled tty1A and cu'ed to tty1a, the AA (auto answer) lignt on my modem went out, thus when I dialed in, it didn't answer my call. I guess I need to issue the AT command to tell it to answer the call. I'm not sure what that is.

However, when I dialed in, it did show &quot;RING&quot;, &quot;RING&quot; on the unix side.

Just a note to the post above, when I disable and enable tty1A, the modem lights flicker and change.

I'll try anything!!