[Coco] Modem ISP Problem (sort of OT)

[Vern Burke]

Mike:
    Your line is probably degraded from the bad weather conditions. 
Since the toll call goes over interoffice trunks that usually have 
different "padding", it's quite possible for a modem to work on a toll 
connection and not local. Of course, you can't judge anything by how 
your neighbor's modem works, different line, different computer, 
different modem.
    My suggestion is to get yourself a more modern 56K. Any modem of 
that vintage is liable not to be the most robust in dealing with line 
impairments. 5 years is a lifetime for most computer stuff (except 
CoCo's of course!).
    Couldn't find a better provider in the Portland area than AO-Smell? :).

Vern


KnudsenMJ at aol.com wrote:
> Since we all have to connect to the Net to use this group, this is not  
> totally OT.
> Anyway, why would a vintage 2000 56KB modem stop working with some dial-up  
> sites and not others?
>  
> My ISP has three phone numbers -- two local (toll free), and one in a  nearby 
> city (Portland, ME) that costs me 15 cents/minute.  About a month  ago (after 
> some storms went thru the area, maybe), the two local sites stopped  working 
> with my modem, but the money-sucking site still works same as  ever.
>  
> The two local sites answer the phone and go thru all the swish-swish and  
> dang-a-dang-bong protocol sounds, but after a minute of this chatter my PC gives  
> up and moves on to the next phone number.  I can't tell which sounds  
> originate at my end versus the ISP end.
>  
> The weird thing is that a neighbor's PC still works just fine on the  local 
> sites!  Maybe her modem is more modern in some way?  Mine is a  US Robotics 
> 0701, external.
>  
> I've reported this to the ISP (AOL), got a form reply that "they're  working 
> on it", but I doubt it.
> I suspect the local sites have been reconfigured to no longer support my  
> modem's protocol, but the Portland site still does. 
>  
> Anyway, maybe there are some modem gurus out there with theories.
> Change some modem internal settings?
> Re-flash the modem's internal ROM (if possible)?
> Buy a new (internal) modem card, and save this one for my Linux box if I  
> ever put it on line?
>  
> Thanks, Mike K.
>  
>