They will be software upgradable to V.PCM when it is ready.
As for modem issues. The day there were 2 modem vendors the compatibility
issues started, and they will be with us as long as there are modems.
ComOS 3.7.2 is a definite improvement over 3.7 or 3.7.1, and I fully
expect a '3.7.3' or '3.8' to be another improvement. We learn from real-
world feedback and go back through engineering. Most of the issues right
now are in Europe or Japan, which is a newer codebase than North America.
Some modem issues are outside of our control. USR had a V.42 bug in
several modems which causes problems. We can't fix that. There is an
upgrade for Couriers and Telepaths that is reported to fix the trouble.
---cut---
Try this:
ftp://ftp.usr.com/pub/usr/dl07/setup.exe
It is an update wizard for USR Sportsters and Couriers which runs in
Windows and detects the USR modem(s) on your system then dials into USR's
bbs and downloads any upgrades that are available.
The latest flash for the Courier is dated 7/31/97 and works flawlessly
with the Livingston PM3.
I also found an update for USR TelePath modems in Gateway 2000 systems
which should fix it (it is dated from this month on Gateway's site):
http://www.gateway2000.com
Click on "Hardware" under "Software Library" on the left
Click on "Desktop/Tower Systems"
Click on "Windows 95"
Click on "Modem upgrades"
Then download 7502149.exe which is ~1mb long at the top of the list.
---cut---
Another issue we can't do a lot about is V.8bis. V.8 is part of V.34,
and V.8bis is an updated version for K56flex. This is a tone at the start
of modem negotiation. A standard compliant modem should be able to handle
it, and most can. However, some older modems (especially 14.4K units) and
lower end current modems choke on it. The usual result is a lower connect
speed. The 'fix' for that is 3 or 4 commas at the end of the dial string.
That makes the mode pause after connection and before starting negotiation,
and it misses the V.8bis tone.
There are things you can do to mediate things. Use PRI if you can. If
you can't get PRI and are using CT1 makesure you have TRUNKSIDE T1, and
NOT lineside. Use ESF/B8ZS signalling on the line, and E&M Wink start.
That appears to work well. If not Wink, then use Immediate start. And
if a client modem has a problem make sure it is running the latest NVRAM
image before wasting a lot of time on troubleshooting.
-MZ
-- Lucent Remote Access Division - Chair, Department of Interstitial Affairs Phone: 800-458-9966 510-737-2100 FAX: 510-737-2110 megazone@livingston.com For support requests: support@livingston.com <http://www.livingston.com/> Snail mail: 4464 Willow Road, Pleasanton, CA 94588 - To unsubscribe, email 'majordomo@livingston.com' with 'unsubscribe portmaster-users' in the body of the message.