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rpifacts.txt
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1995-04-11
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16KB
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Note: The following information was released by Zoltrix Inc. in response to
consumer complaints about modems using RPI software error correction and data
compression. This document was intended to ease the public outcry over RPI
and attempts to convince the novice modem user that RPI is a feature that
represents the future of modems.
The facts presented in this document are true of ALL RPI modems, not only
those manufactured and sold by Zoltrix Inc. Many other manufacturers market
modems with the Rockwell Protocol Interface (RPI), but the problems with all
these modems are typical of what is described below.
Look for the inserted comments, preceded by the phrase, WHAT THIS REALLY
MEANS FOR YOU NOW: These comments were added to the file by a sysop who sees
the headaches that RPI modems create for REAL callers to REAL bulletin board
systems EVERY DAY.
==============================================================================
RPI (Software Error-Correction & Data Compression) Modem Information
RPI (Rockwell protocol Interface)
Q) What is the RPI (Rockwell Protocol Interface)?
A) If you purchased your Zoltrix 14,400 after the June 1994, you more than
likely own this type of modem. Modems using the RPI, do NOT have Error
Correction (MNP 4 or V.42), nor do they have data compression (MNP 5 or
V.42bis) built into the hardware. This Model requires that you use
Communication Software that supports the RPI standard. This is a new
standard developed by Rockwell International, therefore your communication
software probably does NOT support RPI modems yet! Rockwell is giving the
RPI driver to all software companies that want to add support for RPI
modems. You should expect to see updated versions of your software sometime
in the near future. If you use software that does NOT support RPI modems,
the modem will be unable to make an error-free connection! If you are
getting excessive "garbage" while on-line, you should use software that
supports RPI(i.e. BitCom for DOS V6.04 or BitCom for Windows V 3.03), or
lower the top speed that the modem attempts. If you do not know how to lower
the top rate the modem attempts, download AT14-ATI.TXT and read the section
titled "LIMITING THE MODEMS TOP SPEED".
==============================================================================
WHAT THIS REALLY MEANS FOR YOU NOW: [RPI] is a new standard means that the
MAJORITY of the communications software and hardware in existence DO NOT
SUPPORT RPI. Read the above paragraph carefully. Your software likely DOES
NOT SUPPORT RPI. You should expect to see updated versions, but nobody
promises that, and they are not available to you NOW!
==============================================================================
Q) How can I tell if I have an RPI Modem?
A) Send the ATI3 command to the modem while in "terminal mode" to determine
your modems FIRMWARE version. If the modem's response contains the word
RPI, you have an RPI model.
You can also try sending the command that would turn on Error-Correction
see what the modem responds with.
Example: Send AT&Q5 to attempt to turn on error-correction.
Modems response Meaning
OK Modem supports Hardware Error-Correction
ERROR NO hardware Error-Correction (RPI software supported)
Note: Download AT14-ATI.TXT for complete AT commands for RPI Modems.
Q) I use BitCom for Windows V3.03 and I still get "garbage" while online.
What is the problem?
A) You must setup BitCom for Windows V3.03 correctly for the software
V.42/V.42bis and MNP4/MNP5 to function. Follow the instructions to set up
BitCom for Windows V3.03 correctly.
1. Click on the Settings pull down menu.
2. Click on System.
3. On the Modem Settings menu select RPI as your Modem (not HAYES).
Note: Click on the arrow to the right of the Modem type to see a list of
the modem types. RPI modems are "Hayes compatible" but you must
select RPI in this field to enable the use of the RPI driver in
the software.
Now BitCom is setup for RPI modems. This adds connection types for RPI
modems. But you must also enable these software connection types. Follow
the instructions to set up the correct connection type.
1. Open the BitCom phone book.
2. Highlight a record you have created and click on Edit or
click on the Add button to add a new record.
3. In this screen (either Edit Record or Add Record), in the Phones
section, is a field titled Type. This is where you instruct BitCom
the type of error-correction/compression you want enabled when
calling this number.
4. Select a type of V.42bis or V.42/MNP. These types are named sightly
different in some versions of BitCom. You may want to read the
online help for complete descriptions of the connection types. Note:
BitCom will have "Default" in this field when adding a new record.
You must change this or NO error-correction/compression will be
used.
When selecting a connection type you should stick with the connection type
that will first try a V.42 connection and then try an MNP connection before
then settling on a normal nor-error-correcting connection. This type of
connection is commonly refered to as the V.42bis Auto-Reliable mode. Most
all V.42bis modems are setup this way by default. This type of connection
is the type specified in #4 above.
==============================================================================
What this REALLY means for you NOW: Even with software set up to handle RPI
modems, do you see how many steps you must go through to ensure proper
handling of your data??? What used to be fully automatic now requires
procedures as described above!
==============================================================================
Q) Can I use the RPI modem with PC Anywhere?
A) The answer to this question is not short and sweet. PCAnywhere and other
remote access programs are not a good choice for the addition of the RPI
driver because of the extra CPU cycles required by the RPI driver to detect
and correct errors and also compress the data. Because of this fact many
software companies are claiming that they will not add RPI support. Zoltrix
is NOT the only modem manufacture that is using Rockwell's chipset that
uses the RPI. Therefore there will be alot of pressure put on all software
companies that do not currently have a RPI driver.
RPI modem's may still work with PC Anywhere, but, and this is a big but,
they won't work RELIABLY! An ERROR-CORRECTION connection (i.e. MNP 4 or
V.42) is required for a reliable connection. Unless the software you are
using supports RPI modems, an RPI modem CANNOT establish a reliable
ERROR-CORRECTION connection.
==============================================================================
WHAT THIS REALLY MEANS FOR YOU NOW: NO, YOU CANNOT USE PCANYWHERE WITH AN RPI
MODEM!!! PCANYWHERE HAS NO PLANS TO INCORPORATE RPI!!!
==============================================================================
Q) Why doesn't my RPI modem work with America On Line?
A) RPI modems do work with America On Line if the line conditions are not too
"noisy". If the line conditions are "noisy" the RPI modem will not work
RELIABLY! An ERROR-CORRECTION connection (i.e. MNP 4 or V.42) is required
for a reliable connection, so until America On Line adds RPI support to
their software, there is no good solution to this problem.
Note: There is no INIT string solution to this problem. America Online
is adding RPI support to there software. They expect it to be
completed by April 1995.
==============================================================================
WHAT THIS REALLY MEANS FOR YOU NOW: NO, YOU CANNOT ACCESS AOL WITH AN RPI
MODEM!!!
==============================================================================
Q) Why doesn't my RPI modem work with Compuserve?
A) RPI modems do work with Compuserve if the line conditions are not too
"noisy". If the line conditions are "noisy" the RPI modem will not work
RELIABLY! An ERROR-CORRECTION connection (i.e. MNP 4 or V.42) is required
for a reliable connection, so until Compuserve adds RPI support to their
software, there is no INIT string solution to this problem.
Note: There is no INIT string solution to this problem.
==============================================================================
What this REALLY means for you NOW: NO, YOU CANNOT USE AN RPI MODEM TO ACCESS
COMPUSERVE!!! There is no fix in development.
==============================================================================
Q) Will RPI modems work with BBS software?
A) RPI modems are not intended for use with Most BBS's because of the fact
that error-correction and compression is not in the hardware. Unless the
BBS software supported the RPI, the callers to the BBS cound not make an
error-correction connection and compression would also not be available to
the callers to the BBS.
==============================================================================
WHAT THIS REALLY MEANS FOR YOU NOW: NO, YOU CANNOT START YOUR OWN BBS IF YOU
HAVE AN RPI MODEM!!! There is no fix in development.
==============================================================================
Q) Will Mustang Software add RPI support to the WildCat BBS program?
A) We don't know for sure yet. We are contacted Mustang Software via there
BBS and they informed us that they do not intend on adding RPI support.
This too may change with the increasing number of RPI based modem's used.
==============================================================================
WHAT THIS REALLY MEANS FOR YOU NOW: NO, WILDCAT HAS NO PLANS TO SUPPORT RPI.
Wildcat has implemented RIPscrip graphics in their latest release, and there
are NO RIP terminals that work with an RPI modem SO DON T LOOK FOR WILDCAT TO
EVER SUPPORT RPI!!!
==============================================================================
Q) Will RPI modems work with Microsoft remote access.
A) RPI modems do work with Microsoft remote access if the line conditions are
not too "noisy". If the line conditions are "noisy" the RPI modem will not
work RELIABLY! An ERROR-CORRECTION connection (i.e. MNP 4 or V.42) is
required for a reliable connection, so until Microsoft remote access adds
RPI support to their software, there is no good solution to this problem.
==============================================================================
WHAT THIS REALLY MEANS FOR YOU NOW: NO, YOU CANNOT USE MICROSOFT REMOTE
ACCESS WITH A RPI MODEM!!! There is no fix in development.
==============================================================================
Q) Is there a good INIT string to help?
A) The modem is already set up at the factory with the following INIT string:
AT&F&C1&D2S95=3
This string is stored in the modems N.V. Ram. This is the default unless
you or your software changes the settings and stores them in the N.V. Ram.
There is NOT an INIT string that will enable error-correction. This model
does NOT support error-correction in the hardware.
==============================================================================
WHAT THIS REALLY MEANS FOR YOU NOW: There is NO modem string that will solve
any problem you may have with an RPI modem that involves either error
correction or data compression. THERE NEVER WILL BE!
==============================================================================
Q) What software supports RPI modems?
A) We do not have a complete listing of all software that supports RPI modems.
Following is the software that we have verified supports RPI modems:
SOFTWARE TITLE CONTACT NUMBER BBS NUMBER
1. BitCom for Windows V 3.03 and above.
2. BitCom for DOS V 6.04.
3. Comit for Windows V 1.37.
4. Comit for DOS V 1.131.
5. QuickLink II for DOS V 3.0.3 (714) 362-5010
6. QuickLink II for Windows V 1.4.3 (714) 362-5010
7. Procomm for Windows V 2.0
8. WinComm Pro V 1.1 (416) 441-2752
==============================================================================
WHAT THIS REALLY MEANS FOR YOU NOW: With the exception of Procomm and
Wincomm, these are all LOW END communications packages! And even in an
attempt to make RPI look good, all they could come up with were EIGHT products
that surely support it!
==============================================================================
Q) I have Procomm for Windows V2.0 and don't see an RPI choice. What's the
problem?
A) Procomm has a unique way of implementing its RPI Driver. Read
RPIREAD.WRI located in your Procomm directory for setup instructions.
==============================================================================
WHAT THIS REALLY MEANS FOR YOU NOW: Once again, in order to implement the RPI
capability, you must go through a complicated series of steps!!
==============================================================================
Q) What is the INIT string used for DOOM?
A) A user of DOOM claims that the following string works for him:
AT&F&C1&D2&Q6&K3&Y0W2^M
Q) Why is my download rate, using the ZMODEM file transfer protocol, less
than 1400 Characters Per Second?
A) You probably don't have the RPI data-compression enabled in the software
or you arn't using software that supports the RPI interface.
==============================================================================
WHAT THIS REALLY MEANS FOR YOU NOW: With RPI, you cannot even achieve an
AVERAGE speed Zmodem download (Average being around 1600 CPS) without special
software.
WHAT ALL OF THIS REALLY MEANS FOR YOU NOW: Don t be fooled by clever
marketing gimmicks! RPI modems are a RIPOFF! A modem, in today s world of
high speed data tranfers, that doesn t have error correction and data
compression BUILT IN TO THE HARDWARE is never going to serve the needs of a
communications or BBS enthusiast.
If you were sold an RPI modem (along with its bill of goods) TAKE IT BACK!
Take a copy of this file with you and make sure that the sales clerk and the
management of the store you bought it from are given copies of it. Distribute
this file freely to your favorite BBSs. If you are a sysop, discourage your
callers from purchasing RPI modems. Remember that your callers headaches will
become your headaches when they come to you for support.
RPI will NEVER be the future of data communications. Think about the trends
that are developing in communications...all the new graphic protocols; RIP,
the DarkStar BBS, and numerous other promising new technologies, as well as
the many software offerings available to provide you with Internet access
that are CLOSED to users of RPI modems. DON'T MISS OUT ON THE FUTURE.
DON'T PURCHASE ANY MODEM THAT RELIES ON RPI!!
==============================================================================