Stac Reachout 7/Stac Reachout 7.iso/STACFAX/8701.TXT

Text File | 1997-01-31 | 18KB | 307 lines

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      STAC NOTE                                               STAC NOTE
                          TROUBLE SHOOTING REACHOUT
                (Applies to Reachout versions 3.X, 4.X, 5.X)
      STAC FAX  [phone])
      -----------------------------------------------------------------

      BACKGROUND

      This document supplements Appendix A, in the ReachOut User's
      Guide. Most issues referred to ReachOut Product Support involve
      installations where the user has done one of the following
      things:
      For ReachOut versions up to, and including 3.3.
         - Installed Reachout to a computer where Windows is using a
           256 color display driver, or 1024x768 resolution.
         - Run Windows Setup over a ReachOut-modified Windows
           SYSTEM.INI file, destroying ReachOut's modifications.
         - Attempted to run GHM.BAT from Windows or a Windows DOS
           shell, or forgotten to run GHM.BAT completely.
         - Selected a COM port that is sharing its IRQ with another COM
           port.

      If you are having difficulty making or maintaining a connection
      with ReachOut check the following:

       1.  For a Host to successfully initiate a connection to a
           Viewer, the Viewer must first choose "Link" and "Wait for
           Any Host to Connect". The Host can then initiate a
           connection to the Viewer. The Host does not need a password
           to connect to a Viewer since the Host cannot control the
           Viewer PC.
           NOTE: When direct connected with a null modem cable a
           connection can be established only by the Viewer calling the
           Host PC. When prompted for a phone number, enter "5" (or any
           single digit number).
       2.  If having difficulty making a connection while the Host is
           in Windows, try the connection with the Host running only
           DOS or running Windows in Standard Mode. If the Host can be
           remotely controlled successfully when running at the DOS
           prompt or running DOS applications and then fails when
           attempting to remotely control Windows, check that the
           SYSTEM.INI file on the Host PC contains your system's
           equivalent of the following lines:
           [boot]
           display.drv=c:\reachout\rchout.drv
           rodisplay.drv=vga.drv
           keyboard.drv=c:\reachout\rchkyb.drv
           rokeyboard.drv=keyboard.drv
           mouse.drv=c:\reachout\rchmse.drv
           romouse.drv=rchmouse.drv

              [386Enh]
              device=c:\reachout\vrchout.386
              device=c:\reachout\vrchsrl.386

      The file RCHMOUSE.DRV referred to on the ROMOUSE.DRV= line is a
      renamed copy of your original Windows mouse driver, usually
      MOUSE.DRV in your WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory. Check that the file
      was created during installation, and that it is the same size as
      your original Windows mouse driver.

      ReachOut version 4.0 does NOT affect Windows *.INI files, but
      does require that no other software has altered them. A typical
      Host SYSTEM.INI should look like this:
           [boot]
           display.drv=vga.drv
           keyboard.drv=keyboard.drv
           mouse.drv=mouse.drv

      When using version 4.0, DISPLAY.DRV can be equal to a display
      driver with a resolution of 1280x1280x16 maximum.

      Ensure that your Windows default EMS page does not conflict with
      the memory address space of your video card or the Host's network
      card. You can use the "emmexclude= " parameter in the [386Enh]
      section of SYSTEM.INI to insure exclusion. As discussed in
      Appendix A, memory conflicts could cause two PCs to abnormally
      disconnect especially when running Windows on a network and in
      Enhanced Mode. If your PC is running on a network, please read
      the files SYSINI3.TXT and NETWORKS.TXT provided with Windows.
      Guidelines for loading networking software are explained in these
      files.

       3.  Abnormal disconnects, in or out of Windows, may also be
           caused by IRQ (Interrupt Request Level) conflicts on your
           system. An example of a conflict is serial port COM2 set for
           IRQ 3 and the networking card also set for IRQ 3. Change the
           IRQ of one of the devices to a unique IRQ. A program such as
           QAPLUS can tell you the IRQ settings of the devices on your
           PC.

      Check the following on both PCs if you are unable to
      successfully establish and maintain a connection using modems:

      1. Make sure the modem is turned on.
      If the modem was not on when ReachOut was loaded, you should
      perform a modem reset using the "Reset Modem" command located
      under "Link" on the ReachOut Menu. Certain commands essential for
      proper ReachOut operation are sent to the modem when ReachOut
      loads and during a reset.

      2. Is the modem properly attached to your communications port?
      If you have an external modem, it needs to be attached to the
      appropriate COM port with a modem cable. Attach one end of the
      cable into your modem. Attach the other end to a Serial (or COM)
      Port. Make sure the connection is secure. The modem cable should
      be a standard RS-232C modem cable, not a null-modem cable. If you
      are using any adapters with the cable they should use the pins a
      modem cable expects. Some adapters made for "mice" do not work
      with modems. If you have a cable that does not have the Carrier
      Detect signal or are connecting through a device that does not
      provide Carrier Detect (a mux or modem pool) you may need to use
      the IGNORECARRIER switch on the RCHSRL command line. See Appendix
      A for more information on the RCHSRL switches.

      3. Is your modem connected or set to the correct COM port?
      For example, if you installed the modem on COM 1 with ReachOut
      Installation or Setup, make sure the modem is really on COM1. If
      you have an external modem you can check that you are connected
      to the correct COM port by looking at the lights on the modem.
      They are usually on the front panel of the modem. You have most
      likely chosen the appropriate COM Port if the lights blink or
      change when you load ReachOut. They should also blink if you
      perform a modem reset with the "Reset Modem" command located
      under Link" on the ReachOut Menu. If the lights do not blink or
      change, use ReachOut Setup to change your COM Port (choose COM2
      if you had chosen COM1, or COM1 if you had chosen COM2.) Turn off
      both your computer and the modem, then turn them both back on.
      Load ReachOut again, once again looking at the modem lights. If
      you have an internal modem verify that it is well-seated inside
      your computer. You may need to assure that the COM ports are
      correctly installed in your PC. The COM port should use the IRQ
      and address normally associated with that COM port. For instance,
      COM1 should use IRQ 4 and address 3F8. Via Setup, you may define
      a unique COM port IRQ and address if you need to .

      If you continue to have problems here, make sure you have set up
      ReachOut with the appropriate Data Rate. Though rare, ReachOut
      may not be able to talk to the modem if it is set at the wrong
      rate.

       4.  Are any other devices, like a printer or a mouse, set up to
           use the same communications port that the modem is using? Is
           any other software besides ReachOut "talking to" this COM
           port?
      Make sure that no other software will try to utilize the COM Port
      you chose for ReachOut, at least while ReachOut is loaded. For
      example, if you are using a mouse, make sure your mouse software
      does not use ReachOut's COM Port. Serial (COM) Ports can NOT be
      shared. Many of the problems with ReachOut is when another
      software utility tries to access the port used by ReachOut. Quite
      often, it is mouse-oriented software which presents a conflict.
      If other software has sent data to the COM port, you should reset
      your modem with the ReachOut reset command. For extra measure,
      you may need to turn off both your computer and the modem, then
      turn them both back on. Load ReachOut again.

       5.  Does the calling modem get a dial tone just after the call
           is initiated? Is the answering modem answering? You may need
           to check that each modem is properly plugged into the phone
           jack.
      The modem needs a wire with a phone jack on each end. One end
      should be plugged into a phone outlet (typically on a wall). The
      other end should be plugged into a jack on your modem usually
      labeled "Line", "To Line", or "Wall". (Check your manual if the
      modem is not labeled.) If the calling modem gets a dial tone
      after it goes "off hook," then it is properly plugged into the
      phone jack. You may need to adjust your modem's speaker volume to
      hear the dial tone. The answering modem may not answer because it
      may not be properly connected to the jack. Have the answering
      modem switch roles, and see if it can initiate the call. If it
      can, you know the underlying problem is due to something other
      than not getting a dial tone.

       6.  Are you set for use with a modem and not for direct connect?
           Are you installed for the correct modem type? If you defined
           your own modem, have you included the proper command
           settings? Using Setup, make sure you are set to use a modem
           (if that is indeed your intention) and that you are set for
           the correct modem type.
      You may need to check the modem description by running MODEMCFG
      as described in Appendix C, especially if you described your own
      modem or made changes to a ReachOut-supplied modem type. A
      connection may not be possible if certain settings are incorrect
      in the modem description. You may need to "cross reference" the
      defaults of each modem to make sure that the modems are able to
      negotiate a common form of communication. For example, one modem
      may be forced to connect only using the V.32 protocol. If the
      other modem is incapable of using V.32, a connection between the
      two will not be possible. In this case, the V.32 modem would have
      to be told to settle for a connection not employing V.32. The
      same situation could arise if one modem were set to connect only
      if able to use protocol MNP 5 and the other modem either did not
      have MNP 5 or was not set up to use it. Refer to Chapter 3 and
      Appendix C to make sure your modem is set up properly.

       7.  In some cases, a user's phone line may have the polarity
           reversed. While the modem may work just fine calling
           CompuServe or a local BBS with other, less demanding
           terminal software, it will not connect properly using ultra-
           high-performance software such as ReachOut. A simple test
           using an inexpensive phone line tester available at Radio
           Shack stores ("Line Tester," Catalog # 43-104, $5.49), can
           eliminate phone-line polarity as a possibility. We must
           emphasize that with a phone line that has the wrong
           polarity, the modem may work OK with other, less demanding
           terminal software, but may not connect using ReachOut.
       8.  Have you tried connecting at a lower baud rate?
      Try reducing the communications speed to your modem. One of the
      computers may not be able to receive data at the speed you have
      specified for communication, which would subsequently cause
      connections to be erratic. This may be especially true of data
      rates at 38.4K.

      NOTE: If running Windows in 386 Enhanced Mode on 16mhz 386
      machines that do not have a serial chip with a FIFO, Windows will
      not be able to receive data at 38.4k. This will cause erratic
      mouse behavior and very sluggish file transfer. Reduce the baud
      rate to 19.2k. Although you would like to connect the PCs at the
      highest possible speed, it may be practical to assure that a
      connection can be established at all. Sometimes this is easier if
      the modems try to connect at, say, 2400 baud instead of 9600
      baud. If they can connect at 2400 and not at 9600 you know that a
      connection is possible but for some reason the modems cannot
      negotiate at 9600. If you are sure each modem has the capability
      to connect at 9600 you should check the commands being sent to
      the modem in each modem's ReachOut description. Try connecting
      the modems at 9600 baud with a program other than ReachOut. This
      way you can determine whether there is a hardware or software
      problem. You can often tell at what speed the modem is
      communicating by the lights on the front panel of an external
      modem. It can be difficult to get modems of different brands or
      even models to connect. You may need to consult MODEMCFG and your
      modem manual for more assistance.

      NOTE: Choose "Modem Diagnostics" under the "LINK" heading of the
      Viewer menu. This will allow you to talk directly with the modem
      to insure proper setup. See Chapters 4 and 5 for further
      information.

       9.  Is the Viewer using the correct password to gain entry into
           the Host PC?
      When a Viewer calls a Host PC, the Viewer PC must use a valid
      password. The default ReachOut password is REACHOUT (not case
      sensitive). But the Host PC may have set up one or more different
      passwords with the Setup program.

       10. If callback security is being used, are you using the
           password associated with the correct callback number?
      If the password typed in by the Viewer has a callback number
      associated with it, the callback number should be that of the
      Viewer. Otherwise the Host will call the wrong number.

       11. Is the caller using the correct phone book entry?
      If the call is being initiated by using the phone book, make the
      caller chooses the correct phone book entry. The entry should
      include the correct phone number and password.

       12. Do the modems have enough time to negotiate a connection?
      Modem negotiation time may need to be altered on one or both of
      your modems depending on the situation. You may want to check the
      defaults of your modem for the following settings: The "duration
      of V.32 answer tones" may need to be lengthened if the remote
      modem begins handshaking at 2400 BPS and then shifts to 9600 BPS.
      You can usually set the time that your modem "waits for a carrier
      after dialing" before hanging up from the remote modem. The
      default time is usually sufficient. But it may need to be set for
      a much longer duration if, for example, the modem is originating
      an international connection or if the two modems require more
      time to negotiate. These settings may be worded differently from
      modem to modem. They are often controlled by using AT commands to
      change the values of your modem's S-registers. You can enter the
      appropriate command in the modem reset string with the ReachOut
      MODEMCFG program. Please proceed with caution before altering
      your modem settings. Read your modem documentation thoroughly.
      You may need to consult your modem manufacturer.

       13. The phone connection may be poor and the modem to which you
           are connected is missing the signals your modem is
           transmitting. You may try calling again. If you still cannot
           maintain a steady connection, either wait awhile, or try
           calling another modem. If the connection lasts with second
           modem, the problem may lie with the first modem you
           attempted to call. (Be sure to see item 7.)
       14. Hardware flow control may not be set on your modem. This may
           happen if the DTE rate (the rate data is transmitted between
           the PC and the modem) is higher than the link rate (the rate
           achieved between the two modems). Use the MODEMCFG program
           to edit the modem's description and make sure that hardware
           flow control is being used.
       15. When a network Viewer cannot connect across a WAN, check
           your network to be sure bridges and routers are not
           filtering out ReachOut.
      On Novell networks, if filtering is not the problem, the server
      name can be changed to help find a Host. Using any text editor,
      edit the GVN.BAT. Change server=<server name> to the name of a
      server closer to the Host.
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      Copyright 1995 Stac Electronics
      Information provided in this document is provided as is without
      warranty of any kind either expressed or implied, including but
      not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability and/or
      fitness for a particular purpose. The user assumes the entire
      risk as to the accuracy and use of this document.