TECHNICAL BULLETIN #123 - Rev 1.10 (8/30/96)
==============================================================================
TITLE : Operating PC Card / PCMCIA Modems
PRODUCT : Procomm Plus
==============================================================================
This document describes general setup procedures and answers some common
questions related to use of PC Card modems with Procomm Plus.
CONFIGURING A PC CARD MODEM TO WORK WITH THE COMPUTER
To use your PC Card modem with Procomm Plus, make sure the modem is configured
and initialized to work with your laptop or desktop computer. Your computer or
modem manual should indicate the modem supports PC Card Services and Socket
Services, or that it conforms to the PCMCIA 2.1 specification. Older PCMCIA
2.0 specification modems do not require installation utilities but they do
require software that allows a communications application to talk to the
PCMCIA hardware.
After plugging the PC Card modem in its slot, run the configuration software
that comes with the modem. The Socket Services provide a software interface
to the hardware and controls the sockets for the PC Card. The PC Card
Services software determines the communications port a PC Card is using and
usually changes the computer's system configuration files to provide the modem
a base port address (BPA), a system interrupt (IRQ), a memory address, and
possibly power management. Communications software such as Procomm Plus use
the Card Services layer to access a PC Card modem.
Most PC Cards use the area of memory between D000 and DFFF, and the Card
Services will generally write to your system configuration files to reserve
this memory area. Some PC Card documentation recommends you manually add a
line to the CONFIG.SYS file to reserve an area of upper memory for the modem,
such as C:\DOS\EMM386 /X=D000-DFFF. You must reboot the computer for the
change to take place. Without reserving this memory area, you may have some
problems installing the PC Card modem driver.
Windows usually recognizes exclusions of memory areas from expanded memory for
the use of specific devices. However, if Windows has trouble recognizing the
PC Card modem and does not avoid using the modem's memory area, you can use
the EMMExclude setting to address this problem. Adding an
EMMExclude=D000-DFFF setting to the [386Enh] section of the SYSTEM.INI file
causes Windows to exclude this area of memory for a PC Card modem.
When the PC Card modem driver is loaded, a line is usually added to the
AUTOEXEC.BAT file similar to
C:\PCCARD\DRIVER.EXE /x3 /i5 /c1
where /x3 indicates that the modem is addressed to the COM3 serial port, /i5
indicates the hardware interrupt (IRQ5) has been assigned to this modem, and
/c1 indicates that the PC Card is physically seated in card slot number 1.
Most PC Card modems are shipped with an Installation Utilities disk. If you
did not receive a configuration disk, check to see if your computer supplier
loaded the installation utility files on your hard drive. Consult your PC
Card modem manual for the names of the modem utility files and the name of
their default directory location. You must make sure that your modem is
installed and that your PC Card slot is configured for modem operation before
using PROCOMM PLUS.
CONFIGURING A PC CARD MODEM TO WORK WITH PROCOMM PLUS
Once you have configured your PC Card Modem for operation, you are now ready
to install Procomm Plus or add a new modem connection to the program. Like any
other modem, PC Card modems are installed from the Setup | System | Modem
Connection window by clicking on Add New Modem/Connection (in PROCOMM PLUS
you should go to Setup | System | System Connection | Port and click on Install
New Modem or Connection.)
Many PC Card 14.4 and 28.8 modems offer a 16550 UART (just as most internal
modems do) to allow your serial port to reliably operate at the modem's
maximum PC to modem speeds of 57600 bps and 115200 bps respectively. Some PC
Card 14.4 modems, such as the Toshiba Noteworthy T144NW, do not have a high
speed UART, however. If data overruns occur, reduce the default modem baud
rate in Procomm Plus to 19200 bps.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: When attempting to make an outside line connection from a hotel
telephone, I receive an error message informing me that I am using a
digital telephone line. I don't get a dial tone, and I cannot dial out.
Why?
A: Digital line detection is a feature of some PC Card modems to protect them
from high levels of current. Digital PBX systems normally provide more
than 90 mA of current on a phone line, versus the less than 60 mA of
current used by the older analog lines. The amount of current on digital
lines can destroy PC Card modems, as they are not large enough to have an
electromechanical relay needed to withstand the current.
Q: I lose characters when typing commands to the modem or initializing the
fax modem in PROCOMM PLUS; however, the modem works fine with the comm
software that came with it. What's wrong?
A: Some communication software installs its own replacement comm driver.
PROCOMM PLUS may not work with replacement drivers. You may restore
the default Windows communications driver by adding a semi-colon to the
beginning of the comm.drv=xxxxxxx.drv line (under the [boot] section of
SYSTEM.INI) and adding comm.drv=comm.drv in its place.
Q: Procomm Plus is loaded on my laptop with a PC Card modem. When I leave
Procomm Plus at the Terminal screen in Auto Answer, the screen freezes up
and Procomm Plus won't answer the phone. What is the cause for this?
A: Your laptop has a sleep mode feature designed to conserve battery power.
Energy conservation is activated on some laptops by putting the lid down,
or by keyboard or comm port inactivity.
==============================================================================
To ensure that you have the latest version of this document, compare its
revision number to that of the same document on any of our support sites.
This technical bulletin may be copied and distributed freely as long as it
is distributed in its entirety and it is not distributed for profit.
Copyright (c) 1996 Quarterdeck All rights reserved.
==============================================================================
|