Zoltrix Rockwell ACF based Modem Q&A (Models FM-VSP56i/FM-VSP56i2/FM-VSP56e)
Zoltrix Rockwell ACF based Modem Q&A (Models FM-VSP56i/FM-VSP56i2/FM-VSP56e)
Visit Conexant's web site (Formerly Rockwell)
Table of contents Modem Q & A's (Miscellaneous)
Modem Q & A's (Windows 95)
You can read Controlling your Modem with AT Commands.
Where can I obtain the Voice AT command set for the Zoltrix Voice modems based on a Rockwell Voice chip set.
Click here for a
version compiled by Zoltrix.
What is the default INITialization string for my Zoltrix modem?
The default INITialization string for the Zoltrix modems is as follows:
For more information on INITialization Strings read:
"Every thing you wanted to know about INITialization String, but were afraid to ask!"
What are the jumper settings for the Zoltrix Internal models?
The dip switches or jumper settings for Zoltrix Internal Modems can
be located on the internal modem board. For more info click
here.
My modem responds that it is connected at 28,800 instead of 115,200bps so I don't get full compression. What can I do about this?
Most modems can be set (with an AT command) to respond with the true carrier rate or the rate the software is set to. High speed modems allow the software to be set higher than the carrier rate to allow for the compression that may be achieved by the modem when using MNP5 or V.42bis compression protocols. To achieve the V.42bis top compression of 4 to 1, you need to set the software rate 4 times higher than the top carrier rate. If you are using the Rockwell high speed drivers you can even set the the software rate to 230,400bps to achieve the highest throughput possible.
If the modem is set to respond with the carrier rate, (the W2 command will force this), compression is still enabled and the top virtual speed (speed with compression) will still be the rate the software is set to. The modem does not need to respond with the software rate for the compression to operate.
For more information on what AT commands to use to setup the modem to respond with the carrier rate (DCE) or the software rate (DTE), read the AT command manual.
Note: Make sure the software is set higher than the top carrier rate
of the modem (i.e. 57,600 or 115,200 or 230,400). You must also ensure
that the communication software locks the DTE rate and does not lower the
speed to match the carrier rate. Most all new software, (including Win95)
locks the DTE rate when a high speed modem is selected, but, if you cannot
force your software to lock the DTE rate, you should change the INIT string
so the modem responds with the DTE rate.
Does Zoltrix support Windows NT or OS/2 with drivers and Tech Support?
Zoltrix does not provide technical support for Windows NT or OS/2. The
Win95 modem driver will operate for Windows NT 4.0. You may use Zoltrix
modems in OS/2 with a compatible driver. Since over 70% of all modems use
a Rockwell chip set, you should be able to find a compatible driver from
another manufacture.
I installed my internal modem but my communications software will not INITialize the modem. What's going on?
The most common reason is a hardware conflict with your I/O ports. You can use the DOS based method to trouble shoot or use the Windows 95 instructions click here.
If you do not have MSD.EXE you may also use the DOS
DEBUG program to determine what ports are in the system before installing
the modem.
When ever I try to dial with the modem, it report's "NO DIALTONE", what's the problem?
First of all, a improper INIT string can NOT cause a modem to respond with NO DIALTONE. But with some phone systems you may need to raise the value contained in S register 6. S6 contains the a value that represents the amount of time the modem will wait to detect a valid DIAL Tone. If you use the local phone company's Answer Phone service instead of an answering machine, when messages are stored, you can hear the dial-tone beep 4 times when the line is picked up. Modems sees this as NO DIALTONE. To correct this problem change S6 from the default 2 second wait to whatever is required on your system. This may vary. To change S6 use the following:
ATS6=n
n= the number of seconds to wait for a valid DIAL TONE.
To set the time to 6 seconds use:
ATS6=6
To manually verify that you don't have a INIT string problem, use a terminal program and INITialize the modem with the following:
AT&F&C1&D2
Then type:
ATDT a phone number <ENTER>
i.e. ATDT555-5555 <ENTER>
If the modem responds NO DIALTONE, you have verified that the modem is defective.
If the phone connected to the phone jack on the modem does not have
a dial tone, the problem could be with the phone line from the wall jack
to the modem or the line may be disconnected. Verify this by connecting
a phone to the wall jack. If the phone now operates, try using a new phone
line from the wall to the modem. If the modem still reports NO DIALTONE,
the modem is defective.
My modem speaker volume is too loud or too soft when using communication programs, How do I control it?
Use the AT command to lower the volume.
Following are the commands:
Just add the command the the INIT string of the software you are using.
My modem keeps locking up after I get off bulletin boards, internet, etc. I do instruct the modem to hang up, but the modem still won't respond to any commands. The only way I can get a dial tone is to press reset or turn off the computer and then turn it back on to reboot. How can I fix this?
How can I tell what UART chip is used in my internal modem or by the I/O port my external modem is connected to?
The internal models using the Rockwell ACF chip set uses the 16C550
UART. If you have the MSD.EXE program, you can
use this program to detect the UART used. If you have an external
model, your serial port needs the 16C550 UART.
Can I upgrade to the ITU 56K standard?
Yes. The V.90 upgrade was first released on 4/14/1998. Download it from
the modem drivers page.
Why won't my modem detect a BUSY signal?
Zoltrix modems sold in the United States and Canada are designed for
use with the United States and Canadian phone systems. If the frequency
of the BUSY signal is the same as that found in the United States and Canada,
the modem will detect the BUSY signal and function properly. Zoltrix modems
will function properly in many areas of Europe where the signals are similar
to those used in the United States and Canada. It has been reported that
a modem will detect the BUSY signal at one location, but if the computer
is moved to a location a few miles away, the modem will NOT detect the
BUSY signal.
How can I connect two modems without using a outside phone line so I can transfer files from one computer to the other?
This is really very simple.
Yes., but to determine for yourself if your modem supports Caller ID, send the following command from the terminal mode of a communications program.
AT#CID=1Some modems may respond OK to the command even if the modem does not support Caller ID.
You must have paid for Caller ID service on the phone line to determine if the feature is working.
Then have someone call the phone number the modem is using. As long as the phone line you are using has Caller ID service you should see something similar to the following:
RINGDATE = 0826
TIME = 1551
NMBR=5106575737RING
If the calling modem has caller ID blocked, you will receive Date and Time info, but the Phone number will be missing
You will see something similar to the following:
DATE = 0826
TIME = 1551
NMBR=PRING
Does my Zoltrix modem support distinctive rings?
Yes.
Will the default INITialization string work with games like DOOM?
Yes, the majority of the time, for most users, the Zoltrix Default INITialization string! will work with most all online game programs.
If the modem you are trying to connect to requires that you send a special command to your modem before attempting the call, the INITialization string will not work! There is NOT one INITialization string that will work for all modems and all users all the time.
Following are a few examples of why you would need to change the INIT strings:
Why can I connect faster using the old K56Flex Flash ROM version V1.200 or lower than I can using the new V2.012 or V2.013?
This is probably because the ISP is using the oldest K56Plus firmware.
In this case, he should keep using the old firmware until his ISP is upgraded.
To further explain:
56K ACF Firmware Version
Supported 56K mode
K56flex 1.0 K56Flex 1.1
V.90
Ver 1.200 and before
Yes
Yes
No
Ver 2.012/2.013
No
Yes
No
Ver 2.065/2.076/2.083
No
No
Yes
Rockwell and other K56Flex supporting companies have already dropped support of K56Flex Ver 1.0. However, there are still some ISP's that haven't upgraded their central site modem to Ver 1.1. From our engineers testing, K56flex Ver 1.1 has a better connection speed (usually 50K) over the K56flex Ver 1.0 (42K - 46K).
There is one way to tell whether your ISP is using the K56Flex 1.0 or 1.1.
Please also note that with V.90 firmware versions 2.065 and 2.076, if
the modem is connected to a USR V.90 modem, the AT&V1 will also show
"K56Flex Failed".
Why can't I connect at 33,600 bps with my 56K modem?
There are a number of factors that can limit the top connection speed of your modem.
Connection rates are mainly determined by your line conditions. The farther you are from the telephone central office, the longer your local loop will be, which will cause slower connection rates. If you had a 28,800 modem that connected at 26,400 bps, a 33,600 modem will usually also connect at 26,400 to the same modem from the same location. But there is good news for K56Flex owners. If your conditions are poor causing a slow 26,400 connection, you may still be able to achieve a connection of 40,000 bps to 44,000 bps. This may not be the top rated speed, but it is still a big improvement that you can actually see while cruising the web or downloading large files.
When I connect to a BBS or online service using the Zoltrix 56K modem, I see gibberish or the connection drops. What could be happening?
Click here, for more information on Line
noise and how to measure it.
My modem disconnects me after ?? minutes and I don't have call waiting, what's going on?
There are many reasons why this could happen, but line noise is the main problem. You may be connecting faster than the line conditions can really handle for a long time. When first connecting the line noise may have been minimal, therefore the modems connected at a high rate, but then the line conditions got worse and the modems could no longer stay connected.
You can try to solve this with a couple of methods:
As one of the most important jobs of the modem is to attempt to hold onto the connection and not drop the connection if there is suddenly a lot of line noise, these methods may not work but you may try them. The loss of carrier that occurs when the call waiting signal comes in will disconnect the modem if the duration is long enough. You may need to run the modem using software Xon/Xoff flow control with the error correction turned off to allow the call waiting signal to interrupt the modem connection. Of course this is NOT the desired operating modem of the modem. You may first want to try changing the value contained in the S register that controls the modems Lost Carrier to Hang-up Delay, with the following:
Raise the default value in S10 from a default of 14 to a value of 16 or greater.
If the current INIT string is:
AT&F&C1&D2
Add S10=16
This gives you:
AT&F&C1&D2S10=16
If this method does not work, try turning using software flow control and if this still does not work try turning error correction off.
Lower the default value in S10 from a default of 14 to a lower value. It must be greater than the value in S9, which has a default value of 6. Try lowering S10 to 12,10, or 8 or as low as 7, to see if the call waiting signal will force the modem to disconnect.
Add the command to the INIT string of the communication software that you are using.
If the current INIT string is:
AT&F&C1&D2
Add S10=12
This gives you:
AT&F&C1&D2S10=12
Both of these methods may not work because the modems job is to attempt
to keep the connection, not drop it. If this method does not work,
it is suggested that you get a separate phone line for the modem.
Why does my modems ATi3 response indicate that it is a RPI modem?
Your modem will not reply with the RPI in the ATi3 response unless you have the WinRPI driver installed on your computer. The Rockwell based 56K modems can use the WinRPI driver for error correction and data compression or it can use the modems hardware to perform these functions. Most people prefer the hardware to perform the task or error correction and compression so the CPU does not have to work as hard and for compatibility reasons. Rockwell claims, and we have verified with testing, that if you have a fast computer, the WinRPI driver will out-perform the hardware data compression. But the choice is yours. If you do not want your modem to be a RPI modem, just remove the WinRPI driver.
If your Zoltrix modem responds with ATF instead of ACF in the ATi3 response,
either the Rockwell chip or the onboard ram chip is defective. If this
is the case, you must return the board to be repaired/replaced.
How do I use the AudioSpan feature?
Click here for information on how to use the
AudioSpan feature.
How do I connect the voice modem to the sound card to share speakers?
Use an audio cable with a 1/8 inch stereo connector at each end. Then plug one end into the modems speaker out jack and the other to the sound cards Line-in jack. You can then control the volume with the sound cards software volume control. You can use this method for both the internal and external models. Since the speaker output is amplified, you should keep the line-in software volume at a very low level to start, otherwise you may do permanent damage to the speakers, the sound card or your ears.
The internal model FMVSP56i2 also allows you to turn off the modems
internal amplifier so the sound card will not be overdriven. The external
model does not have this feature, so you should keep the line-in software
volume at a very low level to start, otherwise you may do permanent damage
to the speakers, the sound card or your ears. If using an internal model
FMVSP56i2, you can also use the method shown on the Quick Reference and
here.
This method uses the sound cards CD-ROM input.
How can I tell if I have the Speaker Phone model?
The only 56K modem models released have speaker phone capabilities.
You will find a microphone and speaker jack on the modem.
When trying to connect using dialup connection or HyperTerminal, Windows reports it cannotModem Q & A's (Windows 95)
As of 11-4-1997, Zoltrix is the only modem manufacture that provides a Win95 driver that allows the software bps rate to be set at 230,400. Windows 95 is normally limited to 115,200. If you find another modem that can be set to 230,400 bps, drop us a note so we can update this page.
When installing the modem driver, if you choose not to let a file be copied because Windows reported that the file was older than what you had, the correct highspeed drivers that operates at 230,400 bps will not be copied.
If the dial-up networking connection or HyperTerminal has the modems speed set to 230,400bps, try lowering it to 115,200 bps.
If this fixes the problem, you may be able to get 230,400 bps by doing one of the following:
or
Why won't Windows 95 startup completely after installing my internal modem?
The most common reason is a hardware conflict with your I/O ports. You can use the DOS based method to trouble shoot or use the Windows 95 instructions click here.
If you do not have MSD.EXE you may also use the DOS
DEBUG program to determine what ports are in the system before installing
the modem.
Windows 95 setup didn't detect my modem, how do I install it?
Microsoft Windows 95 contains a text file, FAQ.TXT, containing Frequently
Asked Questions. Click here to read the portion
related to modems setup.
My Zoltrix modem is not auto detected as a Zoltrix modem in Win95. What's the problem?
These Zoltrix modem models will not be automatically detected. If Windows
95 detects the modem as a "Standard Modem", it should work fine. Click
here for setup instructions.
Where can I locate Windows 95 drivers for my Zoltrix modem?
Click here to go to
the driver page.
Why does dial-up networking report, "I should turn my modem on"? (How to create a modemlog.txt file)
How to trouble shoot your dial-up networking problem.
This can occur if a unsupported command is being sent to the modem. To verify if this is the case, follow the directions below:
You should now try connecting using the dial-up networking. After you receive the error message, close down the connection.
When selecting Record a log file a file is created that contains useful information to help determine what the cause of the problem is. The file name of the text file created is modemlog.txt. It should be located in your Windows directory.
You can either read the information in the file to locate the trouble
yourself or e-mail the contents of the modemlog.txt file to techzol@zoltrix.com.hk
A very handy tool for monitoring download and upload speed is the Windows
95 SYSMON.EXE that comes on the Win95 CD-ROM. If not installed (check under
Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools), you can install it by selecting
Add/Remove hardware in the Control Panel. Click on the Windows Setup Tab.
Then double click on Accessories and scroll down the list and put a check
mark next to System Monitor. In will then install from the Win 95
CD ROM.
Online Support
I cannot find the information on the problem that I'm having with the modem. What should I do now?
You can contact online support to
answer your modem questions.
My modem is
defective, where do I return it?
If you purchased your modem in Canada, refer your RMA requests to 3D Microcomputers.
If you purchased your modem anywhere else in the World, refer your RMA
requests to your local dealer.
