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rhkramer
Tl Posts:
3

USA
Posted - 2/11/2008 10:02:58 AM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Edit Message
I've got what is to me, a strange modem--iiuc, it is both PnP and has jumpers, either of which, I think, should be able to set the com port.

I haven't yet found the proper (diagnostic) software to let me change the PnP settings, nor do the jumpers work atm. My guess is that a previous owner (I got it used) used the software to set the modem to com2, and I'm assuming that was not the factory configuration, and therefore the hardware jumpers do not properly change the com settings.

If I take all the jumpers off the card (in the com port setting area), the modem works fine on com2. If I add the jumpers to work on any other port, the modem does not respond. Using tools like a locate.exe program that came with a Compaq Netelligent modem (I downloaded that hoping it was the right modem), with the jumpers set for com4 I saw evidence of something ("unknown") at com2, but no indication it was using IRQ3. So I took the jumpers off and it found a modem at com2, using IRQ3.

I've downloaded several packages of drivers hoping to find the right tool to change the PnP settings. So far, no luck.

Of course, I can (and will) use the modem without jumpers on com2, but I'm very curious about this card. If anybody can shed more light on how this card really should work, and/or point me to the right diagnostic/setting software, I'd be very interested.

Other identifying information includes:

FCC ID: G9TPC56 which, per this website, identifies it as an E-Tech modem
Rockwell Chipset RCVDL56ACF/SVD
Firmware: --- P56RKVP V 7.22
ETT0002 shows up when I run pnpdump (in Linux)

I have tried a lot of things I haven't mentioned here--I did run pnpdump (> to a file) to get the available settings, then edited that file and ran isapnp to try to change the settings. No luck, and no helpful indications of any problem. (I did uncomment the ACT line.)

Randy Kramer

v.Richard
Tl Posts:
6222

USA
Posted - 2/11/2008 9:04:52 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Edit Message  v.Richards Homepage
Well, you have a really old modem.... it's a full-hardware-controller based modem meaning it doesn't need a driver to be a modem, and interfaces to the computer with a "real" COM port.

My guess would be that you'd need to do something in the PC's BIOS to disable PnP for the card for the jumper settings to work - I don't think there's anything that can be done at the modem.

Aloha! Richard.

rhkramer
Tl Posts:
3

USA
Posted - 2/12/2008 6:05:49 AM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Edit Message
Richard,

Thanks for your response!

quote:
Well, you have a really old modem.... it's a full-hardware-controller based modem meaning it doesn't need a driver to be a modem, and interfaces to the computer with a "real" COM port.

Well, not that old--I bought it used in 1997 ;-)

quote:
My guess would be that you'd need to do something in the PC's BIOS to disable PnP for the card for the jumper settings to work - I don't think there's anything that can be done at the modem.

I hadn't thought about that, and, to me, it didn't/doesn't seem too likely, but I went into the BIOS on this old machine and experimented a little. I did change IRQ3 from PCI/ISA PnP to Legacy ISA, but that seemed to have no effect. I put the jumper back on for com4 (cua3), then tried minicom on com4 and com2--the modem still works fine on com2 but not on com4. (On com4 minicom seems to hang.)

Since I was playing with jumpers again, I'll note a few more things: There is a block of 6 jumpers labeled sw1 and it is the block where (according to the silk screened legend on the card) the com port is set, but it only utilizes jumpers 1 through 4. There is another block of 3 jumpers (almost at the other end of the card) labeled 1, 2, and 3, with positions labeled JMP1, JMP2, and JMP3.

I wonder if some of these other jumpers enable/disable the on board setting of the com port? (I don't think I want to experiment, for fear of damaging something.)

Thanks!
Randy Kramer

v.Richard
Tl Posts:
6222

USA
Posted - 2/12/2008 10:10:18 AM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Edit Message  v.Richards Homepage
Well - generally a modem that has jumpers for COM port selection will be changing the I/O address and the IRQ.
Try to remember back to pre-Windows DOS and older PCs - there were only 16 IRQs. Com1 & 3 shared IRQ as did COM 2 & 4, and generally you could not use COM1&3 or 2&4 simultaneously.

I think if you keep searching you might find something that defines those jumpers - and you may be correct that one or more of the jumpers must be used to switch between PnP and non-Pnp..... See, for example -
http://powerjoe.tripod.com/coms.html
http://www.zoltrix.com/support_html/modem/DIP-SW.HTM#56,000%20bps%20PnP%20(9%20IRQ%20jumpers,%202%20Com%20port%20jumpers)

Aloha! Richard.

rhkramer
Tl Posts:
3

USA
Posted - 2/12/2008 1:26:42 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Edit Message
Richard,

Thanks again!

Those two files were interesting--so I don't have the only modem that can be configured either by PnP or jumpers!

I was hoping maybe my jumpers would turn out to match, for example, the Zoltrix modem, but no such luck. ;-)

Oh well, maybe someone who actually has (or has used) my modem will come along with some more information--in the meantime I'll just use it on com2.

Randy Kramer

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