USING THE SERIAL MENU

   "Send Sytek Escape":   This command offers a convenient method for sending the standard <Ctl-A><Ctl-B> character sequence used to escape to the Sytek command level when you are connected to a host over Sytek.

   "XON-XOFF/Hardware handshake":  You can configure the serial port to use two different kinds of handshaking to help guarantee that no data is lost when it is transmitted between the modem and your Macintosh.  

   Hardware handshake is the preferred option, and is compatible with Cornell's EZ-Remote SLIP cabling and modem configuration.  A special cable is required to use hardware handshake, which uses two of the RS-232 lines (CTS and DTR, for output and input flow control respectively) to signal that the modem or Macintosh can't handle more data immediately.  Your modem must also be properly configured for hardware handshake to work:  for Hayes-compatible modems, configuring it with "AT&F&B1&H1&I0&R2&W" should work (this has been tested with USR modems).  Selecting hardware handshake disables the menu items "Hang up phone" and "Hang up on close," which use the DTR line to signal the modem to hang up.  
 
   If you lack a cable which can support hardware flow control, you will use XON-XOFF to help control data transfer.  You can configure a USR Courier to do this correctly using "AT&F&B1&H2&I1&R1&W".

   With these configurations, you should configure your Comet session to use the highest baud rate offered by your modem to maximize performance.  On the USR Courier modem, the switches should be set to the factory default, with switches 3, 5, and 8 ON. 

   "Hang up on Close":  Hangs up the phone line automatically when you Close the session.  Note that when you Quit, Comet always attempts to hang up the phone.  See "Hang up phone" below.

   "Baud":  The items under this heading set the speed at which the port will communicate.  

   "Parity":   The items under this heading set parity checking.

   "Data Bits":   The items under this heading set the number of data bits.

   "Stop Bits":   The items under this heading set the number of stop bits.

   "Hang up phone":  Drops the DTR line on the serial connection to the modem.  This should cause your modem to hang up; if it does not, check your modem and cable configuration.  (For Racal-Vadic modems using the Hayes-AT command set, the commands "AT*D2<Return>AT&W<Return>" should configure this option permanently--but you may need consult your modem documentation, since your modem may differ.)
 
   "Reset Parameter RAM":  The Modem port may be locked up when you try to use it, for (apparently) no reason.  In this case, use this command to fix the Parameter RAM settings, which should free up the Modem port.  

   Notes on using the Printer port:  To use the Printer port, you must first turn off AppleTalk (which is done using the Chooser).  Some versions of AppleShare will lock out access to the Printer Port even if AppleTalk is turned off; if this occurs, you need to remove the AppleShare INIT from your System Folder.