Modem Parameters - (Shift-F1)

When selecting “Modem Parameters”, you get a choice between the default configuration or a node-specific configuration. The default configuration is used whenever there is no node-specific configuration defined.

You do not need to change these parameters when using ProBoard with a front-end mailer, since it is in the mailer's setup where you would define your modem(s) parameters.

Hardware Setup

COM port

Enter the port that your modem is configured to use. For example, enter a 1 here to specify COM1, etc.

Locked Speed

Set to “Yes” if your modem's bps rate is fixed (see below)

Max. Bps Rate

Maximum baud rate your modem can handle. If you are locking your COM port with the fossil driver, this setting is ignored.

Modem Delay

Number of 1/10 seconds to pause between each character that is sent to the modem (some modems can't handle fast input).

Answer Delay

Number of 1/10 seconds to wait before the answer command (see below) is sent to the modem after a ring is detected (only when “Manual Answer” is enabled)

Command Strings

You can insert special codes in the modem command strings:

^ Set DTR high.
` or v Set DTR low.
| Sends a <CR> to the modem.
$ Sends a break to the modem.
~ Pauses for 1/2 second.

Make sure you add a '|' to send a return for all modem commands. The modem result messages also need a '|' if the modem sends a CR/LF after the message. (i.e. “ATA|” or “RING|”)

Init Command 1-3

Modem initialization commmands. These are strings that have to be sent to the modem to initialize it and to have it ready to answer the phone. It is possible to have up to 3 init commands. The second one won't be sent until the first one results in “OK”, and the third one won't be sent until the second one returns “OK”. Every 5 minutes, the modem will be re-initialized (some modems fall asleep after a while)

Ok Message

What the modem sends back when a command was accepted (“OK”)

Off Hook Command

Command to be sent to the modem when the SysOp is logging in locally.

Down Command

Command to be sent to the modem when the SysOp presses <Esc>

Manual Answer

Set to “Yes” if ProBoard should send the answer command when a ring is received. Do NOT set your modem in auto-answer mode when using this option.

Ring Message

What the modem sends when the phone rings.

Answer Command

What ProBoard should send to answer the phone.

External/Fax Msg

ProBoard will exit immediately when this message is received from the modem. This can be used to receive faxes when running ProBoard in a standalone environment (for some modems this string should be set to “CONNECT FAX”). ProBoard will then IMMEDIATELY exit with the given errorlevel.

External Errorlevel

The errorlevel ProBoard will exit with when the above message is received from the modem. Connect Strings

<xxx> Bps Call

String returned by the modem upon an <xxx> bps call. This is a 'partial' string. So if the modem sends 'CONNECT 2400/ARQ', the string 'CONNECT 2400' will match. A '|' can be used to specify a CR/LF. It HAS to be used for the 300 bps connect string, because “CONNECT” without a '|' would match “CONNECT 2400” or “CONNECT 9600”. So the correct string is: “CONNECT|”.

You can define up to 6 user-defined connect strings. For each one you can specify the bps rate and the connect message that goes with it.

LOCKING BAUD RATES

Note: If you use an error-correcting modem (MNP/V42), you may have to lock your serial port speed using the fossil driver.

A “locked” baud rate refers to the transfer rate between the computer and modem. When locked, the baud rate will remain constant regardless of what the application program, such as ProBoard, requests the baud rate to be. The modem MUST support a constant computer to modem speed, otherwise any baud rate change requested by an application will be ignored, resulting in an incorrect setting between your system and your users. The result will be garbled input and output.

Most high speed modems do support a fixed baud rate, and by locking the baud rate you will obtain higher throughput. A fossil program like X00 or BNU will handle this for you and is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED (see the respective fossil doc file for command syntax).

Note: Experience shows that a faster locking baud rate than actual phone line baud rate will yield the best results.

Examples: X00 B,0,9600
BNU /L0=9600

See your FOSSIL documentation for details. If possible, install your fossil for “quiet” or “no commercial” mode so the screen display from the fossil does not bleed onto the ProBoard main screen (stand-alone systems with no mailers in particular).