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__________________________________________________ T H E M O D E M D O C T O R Version 6.0S / 6.0R Hank Volpe copyr. 1989,1990,1991,1992,1993,1994 P.O. Box 43214 Baltimore MD 21236 __________________________________________________ Thank you for using the Modem Doctor. This file offers you a brief introduction into how the program works, and how you can use the Modem Doctor to solve your communication problems. Why would you need the Modem Doctor? Well, have you ever tried to install a serial card or a modem to find out that you have the IRQ lines set wrong, or the modem cable wired wrong, or some silly jumper set incorrectly? What about when you have had trouble connecting to a BBS? Is it the phone line, your setup, or your modem? Could it be the uart, settings on your serial card, or an incorrect assignment of the base port address? The Modem Doctor was written to assist you with all of these problems and some of the pitfalls involved in Personal Computer communications. The Modem Doctor checks every serial port chip (uart) register, checks cables and modems for proper handshaking signals, and will inform you if it runs across something that isn't set properly. Modems are also rigorously tested, including handshaking tests and modem self-connect tests which simulate an on-line connection. IRQ assignment errors, base port addressing errors, and a host of other settings are checked. The Modem Doctor also will inform you of the type of uart and modem you have installed, and will print a copy of the test results to a printer or a file. I feel the Modem Doctor is very easy to use, in fact all you need to do is move the cursor around with your arrow keys and press return to run a feature or press the escape key to get out. You can get help at any time by pressing ALT-H. You can change the baud rate of the port you are working with at any time by pressing ALT-B. ALT-F is used to by-pass the microprocessor tests (which is discussed more in the technical reference manual). These special keys are called "Hot-Keys", and can be short-cuts at times during testing. Remember a left or a right arrow is used to move around the main menu. Pressing enter will activate a pulldown window. Use the up or down arrows to make a selection. Press enter to start a test or escape to abort. Use any of the "hot-keys" at any time you wish. It's that simple! Modem Doctor 6.0 User's Manual (c) 1994 Hank Volpe Starting Modem Doctor --------------------- Here is a list of all the Modem Doctor files. Make sure you are logged onto the disk drive that has all of these files. Hard disk users should be logged into a directory that contains these files; MDR.EXE The Modem Doctor program executable file. MDR.CFG A file that contains your custom color selections (optional, created by the user). MDR6.DRV A reserved file name for future external modem drivers. (there are currently no files with this name). MDR.DAT A file that contains user created setup instructions for running MDR in the /S mode (this will be explained later). MDR.MNU A mouse driver file that can be loaded with any Microsoft-compatible menu load program (such as menu.com). The program MDR.EXE can be run out of a dos path command without you being logged into the proper directory or disk, however the user selected configuration (MDR.CFG) and external driver files will not be used. Also included with the Modem Doctor are the following text files that are a good source of technical information about testing, and the history of the Modem Doctor program. Included is an order form, for the Modem Doctor is distributed in two versions. The shareware version (5.0S) allows you to take a look at the Modem Doctor before you buy it. The Registered Version (6.0R) includes more features, comm port selections, higher baud rates and some extra test information. I feel quite certain you will agree that the Registered Version is worth the price of $19.95 (which includes shipping in the U.S.). Here is a list of these support files; MDR6DOC.TXT The Technical reference Manual that explains in detail the operation and testing of your modem and uart. MDR6FST.TXT This file. MDR6ORDR.TXT The form for you to use to order the registered version of the Modem Doctor. VENDOR.DOC Info for shareware distributors on how to place Modem Doctor in their library. Page 2 Modem Doctor 6.0 User's Manual (c) 1994 Hank Volpe There are eight modes that the Modem Doctor operates in; normal, bios writes (/b), bypass ATI video board ports (/e), use Digiboard Intelligent Serial ports (/d), use FOSSIL drivers (/f),setup (/s), bypass IRQ tests (/q), and exchange (/x). Normal mode is simply starting the Modem Doctor from the dos prompt by typing; MDR. This is the mode 99% of you will use. The other modes allow Modem Doctor to work with either special hardware or under special conditions Bios write mode is a feature that you might use if you have a totally incompatible display adapter. If you are visually impaired, this feature allows the text of the Modem Doctor to be echoed to your speech synthesizer system. Bios writes use the ROM-Bios of your computer instead of working to the display adapter. This method is very slow compared to screen writes, so if you have no need for it, I would suggest that you refrain from using it. Starting the Modem Doctor in this bios write mode is done from the dos prompt by typing ; MDR /b Bypass of ATI video boards is a new switch in version 6.0. Some ATI Mach 32 graphics boards use the same address as reserved for Com4. The /e switch tells Modem Doctor not to use the Com4 address (02E8 Hex) in its diagnostic routines. Starting the Modem Doctor in this mode is done from the dos prompt by typing ; MDR /e Intelligent Serial Ports are becoming increasingly popular due to the popularity of Windows and other multi-tasking environments. Modem Doctor supports the Hayes ESP directly, however other boards use special setups and drivers. Modem Doctor 6 now supports the Digiboard Com/Xi series of Intelligent ports. In this mode, Modem Doctor will test up to 4 separate boards, each containing up to 16 comm ports. You need to be using the Digiboard X series drivers with Modem Doctor. Starting the Modem Doctor in this mode is done from the dos prompt by typing ; MDR /d Fossil drivers are also becoming popular interfaces to serial ports. A FOSSIL (Fido/Opus Standard Serial Interface Layer) is a small TSR program that controls input and output to serial ports. Many new BBS programs use Fossil drivers to make programming easier. Modem Doctor can test and report these interfaces. Starting the Modem Doctor in this mode is done from the dos prompt by typing ; MDR /f Setup mode is a very useful feature and gives you the ability to use the Modem Doctor every day. Setup mode is used to send setup strings (initialization strings) to your modem. In this mode, the Modem Doctor looks for a file called MDR.DAT, which you make with a simple ASCII text editor. This file contains the port, the baud rate, and the setup string you want to send to the modem. If the modem received this information properly, a message is printed to the screen, and an errorlevel of 0 is returned. If there is a problem, a message is Page 3 Modem Doctor 6.0 User's Manual (c) 1994 Hank Volpe printed and an errorlevel of 99 is returned. You can use this feature inside batch files, and these errorlevels can be used to trigger different actions. This mode is explained in great detail, with example batch files and MDR.DAT files. Starting the Modem Doctor in this setup mode is done from the dos prompt by typing ; MDR /s (Note, the setup mode is a registered feature). Modem Doctor includes routines that verify the actual occurance of interrupts associated with Comm ports. In this mode, Modem Doctor will verify assignments and also report if they are associated with a mouse driver. However, self-testing of IRQ's may not be desirable in all environments. Additionally, some environments may "freeze" when running Modem Doctor in the IRQ test mode. Bypassing these tests is accomplished by typing ; MDR /q at the dos prompt. Finally, the exchange mode is used to swap Comm pointers in memory. This makes Com1 act like Com2. The main reason for this feature is so you can access a serial device that is not interrupt driven (like a printer) from some high level languages that do not allow access to Com2. Some programs do not work with two Comm ports. Running the program does not permanently alter anything, all changes can be restored by running the Modem Doctor in exchange mode again, or by warmbooting your computer. Starting the Modem Doctor in this exchange mode is done from the dos prompt by typing; MDR /x. You can use MDR /x to swap any of the 4 Dos comm port pointers besides the defaults of Com1 and Com2. To do this just type the numbers of the two ports you wish to switch..ie MDR /x 1 4 will swap Com1 and Com4. MDR /x 2 3 will swap Com2 and Com3. The following pages show you operating instructions that you receive when the Modem Doctor runs in the normal or bios write modes. Page 4 Modem Doctor 6.0 User's Manual (c) 1994 Hank Volpe After the Modem Doctor starts, you are presented with the following screen; ┌─────────────────────── The Modem Doctor───────────────────────────┐ │ Welcome to the Modem Doctor │ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ ╒[ Modem / Uart Hardware Detection]══════════════════════════════════╕ │ Port assignments Base(hex) Irq Special Port Usage │ │ Com port 1 [ ] 3f8 4 │ │ Com port 2 [ ] 2f8 3 IRQ assigned to a mouse driver │ │ Com port 3 [ ] 3e8 4 │ │ Com port 4 [ ] 2e8 3 IRQ assigned to a mouse driver │ │ Com port 5 [ ] │ │ Com port 6 [ ] │ │ Com port 7 [ ] │ │ Com port 8 [ ] │ │ Bus type: AT Bus Interrupt Levels: 15 HD uses DMA Ch3?: NO │ │ Interrupt Status : 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 │ └────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ ╔[ Serial Port Detection ]══════════════════════════════════════════╗ ║ Serial port detection ║ ║ Searching for other standard active Comm ports ║ ║ ║ ║ Total Comm ports =2 ║ ║ PRESS ANY KEY TO START TESTING ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ When you start Modem Doctor for the first time, two windows are displayed on screen. The first window, (Modem/Uart Hardware detection) gives you a snapshot of your computer/serial port hardware. In the example above, it found 2 Comm ports (or serial ports). The registered version also looks for custom Comm ports (those defined by a user in a section called Log-in). Modem Doctor will also attempt to verify which IRQ line your comm port is using. Modem Doctor traps IRQ's and then creates a situation that should cause an interrupt. When the interrupt happens, Modem Doctor notes the IRQ line, and displays it under the IRQ heading. If no interrupt occurs, a 0 is displayed, which means you may have an IRQ problem,or you need to use a FOSSIL driver for support. (See the tech reference manual under FOSSILS and TIMER routines). If a serial port is being used by a mouse driver, Modem Doctor will flag this usage. This is done by requesting this info from the mouse driver. Note, this feature only works with Microsoft compatible mouse drivers. Page 5 Modem Doctor 6.0 User's Manual (c) 1994 Hank Volpe At the bottom of the display, Modem Doctor summarizes the initial state of your system hardware. All system interrupts are displayed. Those that are active are white, those not active are gray. These interrupts and information are critical to some communication programs. More on this is explained in the technical reference manual. Meanwhile, the Serial Port Detection window displays what Modem Doctor is doing. This window maintains a dialogue between you and the program, and if problems or special instructions need to be displayed, they are shown in this window. Finally, at the bottom of the screen, the copyright notice is displayed along with either "shareware version" or your personal serial number. As a registered user, you need your serial number for support and for updates. At this point, pressing any key will bring up a series of windows, whose function is explained below; ╔[ Ports ]═╗ ╔[ IRQ's ]═╗ ╔[ Baud ]══╗ ║ Use COM 1 ║ ║ Use IRQ 2 ║ ║ 300 BPS ║ ║ Use COM 2 ║ ║ Use IRQ 3 ║ ║ 1200 BPS ║ ║ Use COM 3 ║ ║ Use IRQ 4 ║ ║ 2400 BPS ║ ║ Use COM 4 ║ ║ Use IRQ 5 ║ ║ 4800 BPS ║ * ╚════════════╝ ║ Use IRQ 7 ║ ║ 9600 BPS ║ * ║ Use IRQ 9 ║ ║ 19200 BPS ║ * ║ Use IRQ10 ║ ║ 38400 BPS ║ *Registered Versions ║ Use IRQ11 ║ ║ 57600 BPS ║ *only ║ Use IRQ12 ║ ║115200 BPS ║ * ║ Use IRQ15 ║ ╚════════════╝ ╚════════════╝ If you have a PC-XT compatible machine, you only have 1 Priority Interrupt controller. In this case, only IRQ's 2-7 are displayed. The Ports window will only display valid comm ports that you can work with. The IRQ window automatically selects what it believes is the correct IRQ (based on its tests), however you are free to select any IRQ line you wish. Note- selecting the wrong IRQ is a great way to get all kinds of useless error messages, so unless you think Modem Doctor made a mistake, use the choice that Modem Doctor has made for you. Finally, you can pick a baud rate. Although any computer, even an old XT will work at the highest rates, you should realize that only fast machines can really use faster speeds. Make sure you read the sections in the Technical Reference Manuals regarding high speed modems and Interrupt Latency testing.Use up or down arrow keys to move the highlighted bar to your selection. If you are using a mouse, and if you have the custom Modem Doctor mouse driver loaded, , moving the mouse up or down on your pad will do the same thing. Press return or the left mouse key to complete your selection. Page 6 Modem Doctor 6.0 User's Manual (c) 1994 Hank Volpe Please take care when selecting a baud rate, for you should not select a speed faster than the modem you wish to test can support. If you are just testing the serial port without a modem, you can set the speed anywhere. In the example above, say we decided to use port 2 and use 2400 bps as the speed. After selecting the speed, you will get the next window; ╒[ Select an Option ]═══════════════╕ │ Test Modem / Port 2 to 2400 BPS │ │ Test the Uart Hardware Only │ │ Don't set up modem, return to Menu │ └─────────────────────────────────────┘ Testing the Modem and the Port starts a series of tests which communicate to the comm port, talk to the microprocessor in the modem, run a few tests of the modem in what is called the "command mode" and then it displays of all Uart status and control and the first 16 Modem S-registers. If you decide to test the uart only, then only the comm port section of the tests are run. You should use this test if you are just testing the comm port, or if you want to determine if the problem you are having is with the modem or the comm port. The last option gives you the ability to change your mind in case you made an error in any of the port or baud rate choices, or simply hit the escape key to get out of this testing. The Modem Doctor requires that you have logged in at least 1 comm port so that it can execute tests. So, if this is your first time through and you did not select, you will be "beeped" and warned to setup a port in order to access any of the other tests with the exception of auto-login and manual log-in (for registered users). If you have selected at least 1 comm port, then if you escape, the last settings you used will still be in force. Page 7 Modem Doctor 6.0 User's Manual (c) 1994 Hank Volpe Assuming you made a selection to start testing, the Modem Doctor now begins testing. If you selected to test the modem and the port, you will get the following displayed to you in most instances; ╒[ Modem / Uart System Diagnostics ]════════════════════════════════╕ │ Comm port /IRQ in use [ ] Port = 3 Address = 3E8 IRQ = 4 │ │ Int 14 interface [ ] Inactive │ │ Uart type [ ] 16550AN/AF/AFN buffered Uart detected │ │ Baud rate selected [ ] 2400 │ │ Baud Rate reg test [ ] Confirmed correct baud rate │ │ Modem Microprocessor [ ] Diagnostics passed │ │ Modem ID Type [ ] 16800+ bps modem │ │ Modem Fax Ability [ ] G3 EIA Class 2 Fax Capable │ │ Modem Memory/Rom [ ] Memory /Rom test passed │ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ [ Diagnostic Dialog ]═══════════════════════════════════════════════╕ │ Modem microprocessor command bus active │ │ Modem ID reports a 16800 ZyXel U-1496 Series &T1 modem installed │ │ Modem uses EIA Fax Commands │ │ Modem microprocessor memory tests OK │ │ Modem microprocessor accepts setup commands │ │ Modem microprocessor ON-LINE │ │ Modem - uart status appears correct │ │ Press any key to continue │ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ What did the Modem Doctor do? Well, first, the Modem Doctor looked for the type of uart so that it could figure out what tests to run. It next checked a very important register in the uart that holds the baud rate divisor. It programmed it for a certain speed and then made sure that speed was indeed held properly in the uart register. These same tests are run if you had decided only to run the uart tests and not the modem tests (or visa versa). Next, the Modem Doctor established communications with the modem microprocessor. There are dozens of ways in which this could happen, but for starters, it figures you are using an "AT" compatible instruction set. There are ways to test modems of any kind with the Modem Doctor. This information is available in the technical reference manual that comes with the Modem Doctor, so for now just assume this is a standard PC-type modem. When the Modem Doctor makes contact, it tells you that the modem is in the command mode. it then asks the modem for its ID number. Theoretically, this should indicate the maximum speed your modem can work at, however, there are some manufacturers that do not follow this convention, so don't be alarmed if you have a 9600 bps modem and it says you have a 2400 bps installed, for the Modem Doctor is only working with information provided by the manufacturer and stored in its ROM. Next, a quick test of the RAM and ROM memory is run. Some modems do both, others only do one or the other. Finally, a setup Page 8 Modem Doctor 6.0 User's Manual (c) 1994 Hank Volpe string is sent to the modem, which should respond back properly. If you decided to run the uart tests alone, then none of these modem tests are run. Finally, the screen is filled with displays that show you the internal settings of the Uart registers and the first 16 S-registers. Many modems have more than 16 S-registers, however these first 16 are the only universally agreed-upon registers. If a problem turns up, you will get a diagnostic message that points out the error gives you an idea of what the problem can be. A normal Uart test sequence looks like this; ╒[ Line Control Register ]══════════╕ │ DLB STB STP EPS PEN STB WS1 WS0 │ *These will alternate color └───────────────────────────────────┘ Dim -logic low, Bright for a ╒[ Line Status Register ]═══════════╕ logic high. If all is ok │ TSE THE BI FE PE OE DR │ you get the diagnostic window └───────────────────────────────────┘ message displayed below. ╒[ Modem Control Register ]═════════╕ │ LP OT2 OT1 RTS DTR │ └───────────────────────────────────┘ ╒[ Diagnostics ]══════════╕ ╒[ Modem Status Register ]══════════╕ │ Hardware tests OK │ │ RLS RI DSR CTS DRD TER DDR DCS │ │Press any key to continue│ └───────────────────────────────────┘ │ │ ╒[ Interrupt ID Register ]══════════╕ └─────────────────────────┘ │ ID1 ID0 ITP │ └───────────────────────────────────┘ ╒[ Interrupt Enable Register ]══════╕ │ ESI ELI ETI ERI │ └───────────────────────────────────┘ ╒[ Interrupt Mask Register ]════════╕ │ IQ7 IQ6 IQ5 IQ4 IQ3 IQ2 IQ1 IQ0 │ └───────────────────────────────────┘ Page 9 Modem Doctor 6.0 User's Manual (c) 1994 Hank Volpe If however something is wrong, you will get this display; ╒[ Line Control Register ]══════════╕ │ DLB STB STP EPS PEN STB WS1 WS0 │* The register name is displayed └───────────────────────────────────┘ as the first item and what was wrong. ╒[ Line Status Register ]═══════════╕ │ TSE THE BI FE PE OE DR │╒[Diagnostics]══════════════════╕ └───────────────────────────────────┘│ Line Control Register readings│ ╒[ Modem Control Register ]═════════╕│ show that the word length │ │ LP OT2 OT1 RTS DTR ││ selected is incorrect or you │ └───────────────────────────────────┘│ have a parity error. WS1 and │ ╒[ Modem Status Register ]══════════╕│ WSO should both be on for 8 │ │ RLS RI DSR CTS DRD TER DDR DCS ││ bit characters. All others │ └───────────────────────────────────┘│ should be low. Parity errors │ ╒[ Interrupt ID Register ]══════════╕│ could happen once but not │ │ ID1 ID0 ITP ││ Every time.If either persists,│ └───────────────────────────────────┘│ then the Uart is defective │ ╒[ Interrupt Enable Register ]══════╕│ or communications to Uart are │ │ ESI ELI ETI ERI ││ suspect. │ └───────────────────────────────────┘│ PRESS ANY KEY TO CONTINUE │ ╒[ Interrupt Mask Register ]════════╕│ │ │ IQ7 IQ6 IQ5 IQ4 IQ3 IQ2 IQ1 IQ0 ││ │ └───────────────────────────────────┘└───────────────────────────────┘ There are many diagnostic messages you could get, and all of these are detailed in the technical reference manual. If you are running the modem test, you will get this display plus the first 16 S-registers, however if there was an error detected, you will get the example listed above and no S-register display. The reason for this is simple, because the uart might have a problem there is no way to know if the data coming from the modem is totally correct. After you have logged in at least 1 comm port, the Modem Doctor will enter the main menu section. Use the main menu bar by operating your left and right arrow keys. Complete a selection with the enter key, or escape with the escape key. The menu system is very straight forward, so you will only see here a list of all the possible menus you might run into. For detailed explanations on the tests that are conducted, refer to the Modem Doctor technical reference file (MDR6DOC.TXT). Page 10 Modem Doctor 6.0 User's Manual (c) 1994 Hank Volpe Main Menu Bar: ┌────────────────────── The Modem Doctor────────────────────────────┐ │Log-in Regs Carrier Loopback Options Setup End Program │ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ For example, if you wanted to display the registers again, chose the Regs selection and press return. Next you will get a pulldown of various register tests. Just use the down or up arrows to slide the bar to the selection you wish to make, and press return to activate it. Pulldowns ------------ Pulldowns are easy to use. Each pulldown system follows the same ground rules; First, you can escape any pulldown by pressing Escape, or skip to the next pulldown by using the left or right arrow keys. Second, each pulldown includes a detailed help menu that you can access by moving the sliding bar to help or by pressing the hot-key combination ALT-H. Press any key to escape help and return to your selection. As you move from pulldown to pulldown, the Modem Doctor will remember your last selection and move the sliding bar to that choice for you. Detailed Menus and what each does for you; * Select these from the Login menu ┌────────────────────── The Modem Doctor────────────────────────────┐ │Log-in Regs Carrier Loopback Options Setup End Program │ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ ╔[ Comm Port Login ]═══════════╗ ║ Let me Auto Detect COMM Ports ║ <- Searches for all Comm ports ║ You Manually Enter COMM Ports ║ <- You enter port addresses ║ Help with Auto login Commands ║ <- Detailed help or ALT-H ║ Return To Main Menu ║ ╚════════════════════════════════╝ Most BIOS's only accommodate two serial ports in CMOS memory. This means that unless you specifically remind your computer each time you turn it on, it will forget about Com3 and Com4. The Auto Detect feature (also performed when Modem Doctor starts) shows you all the available hardware. This information is then stored in the DOS Communication area for any other program to use until you warmboot your computer again. Some serial boards do not use standard addresses or IRQ's. Most notable are BBS "specialty" serial ports. You can test these by using the Manual Entry mode. Its simple, and all you need is the comm port hardware address. Page 11 Modem Doctor 6.0 User's Manual (c) 1994 Hank Volpe ┌────────────────────── The Modem Doctor────────────────────────────┐ │Log-in Regs Carrier Loopback Options Setup End Program │ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ ╔[ Register Tests ]══════════════╗ ║ Quick uart register diagnostics ║ <- Displays all registers ║ DTR/DSR RTS/CTS echo test ║ <- Tests handshake lines ║ DTR Continuous Pulse test ║ <- New, pulses DTR on/off ║ RTS Continuous Pulse test ║ <- New, pulses RTS on/off ║ Dynamic RTS/CTS handshake test ║ +<-|Handshakes under simulated ║ Dynamic Xon/Xoff handshake test ║ +<-|on-line conditions. ║ Display any 10 S-registers ║ <- Display S-registers ║ Help and info on these tests ║ <- Help or ALT-H ║ Return to main menu ║ ╚══════════════════════════════════╝ + registered version only These tests help you check out your system. The Quick Uart Register diagnostics show you the settings of all uart and PIC hardware, and verify that the system is running properly. The Echo tests raise and lower control lines that are commonly used for flow control handshaking. With a loopback plug installed, you should see DTR and DSR follow each other, as well as RTS and CTS. Without a plug, your modem or serial device may or may not follow, depending on your setup. These echo tests are very helpful in troubleshooting bad cables. Other handy cable-related test are the DTR and RTS continuous pulse tests. Each test raises or lowers a control line every 2 seconds. With a simple meter or logic probe, you can troubleshoot any cable or connector problem. The Dynamic tests in the registered version allow you to test flow- control under connection conditions with most modems. A control line is dropped and a burst of 20 characters is sent shortly afterwards. If handshaking worked, no characters should have been received. This test is by no means conclusive in itself, but serves as a quick test of your system's ability to handle handshaking. Page 12 Modem Doctor 6.0 User's Manual (c) 1994 Hank Volpe * Select these from Carrier menu ┌────────────────────── The Modem Doctor────────────────────────────┐ │Log-in Regs Carrier Loopback Options Setup End Program │ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ ╔[ Modem Tests ]═══════╗ ║ Carrier Self-tests ║ <- Simulate on-line tests ║ Burst Mode Self-Test ║ <- New, burst mode tests ║ Burst Signature Test ║ <- that stress modulation ║ Burst Alt Data Test ║ <- techniques ║ Select modem drivers ║ <- Pick a modem driver ║ Help with carrier test ║ <- Help ║ Return to main menu ║ ╚════════════════════════╝ Carrier test simulate an actual on-line connection. The three different tests are targeted to specific areas. The Carrier test checks the ability of the modem to connect and demodulate characters on the originate and answer frequencies and at different baud rates. The first Burst mode test sends these characters in a burst of data and checks the round trip time. This can help you determine the actual throughput of your system, and also tells you if you do or do not need flow control at different baud rates. The second and third burst tests additionally create modulation patterns that can help spot problems that sometimes appear as "line noise". * Select from Loopback ┌────────────────────── The Modem Doctor────────────────────────────┐ │Log-in Regs Carrier Loopback Options Setup End Program │ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ ╔[ Loopback Tests ]═══════════╗ ║ Analog Loopback using a PLUG ║ +<- test Uart & Cables ║ Digital Loopback 8250 UARTS ║ +<- Uart test only ║ Burst Mode Self-Test ║ +<- New, burst data ║ Burst Signature Test ║ +<- New, Burst signature ║ Burst Alt Data Test ║ +<- New, Alt Burst data ║ Loopback Plug Technical Data ║ +<- How to build a ║ Help with Loopback Tests ║ loopback plug ║ Return To Main Menu ║ ╚═══════════════════════════════╝ +registered version only The Loopback tests are designed to test your uart, your motherboard data path, and cables. These are all part of the registered package of Modem Doctor and can be quite helpful in locating system problems. Modems are only 1/2 of the system. These tests can give you confidence that your system hardware is properly working under all conditions. The Analog and Burst tests use a uart and cables to and from serial devices, so you can also test serial printers and other devices. The Digital test requires no special plugs and self-tests the uart, thus eliminating a cable or connector as part of any problem. Page 13 Modem Doctor 6.0 User's Manual (c) 1994 Hank Volpe * Select from Options ┌────────────────────── The Modem Doctor────────────────────────────┐ │Log-in Regs Carrier Loopback Options Setup End Program │ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ ╔[ User Options Selection ]╗ A Built-in mini-terminal -> ║ Interactive Terminal Mode ║ New, List Current Fax settings-> ║ View FAX Mode Settings ║ Status of all tests -> ║ View Current Statistics ║ Reset all tests to 0 -> ║ Reset Current Statistics ║ Send results to printer -> ║ Print Current Statistics ║ ║ Help with these options ║ ║ Return to main menu ║ ╚════════════════════════════╝ Under Options, you will find some useful tools. The Interactive Mode is a fully-functional TTY terminal with a 16k communications buffer. Although you can use it to communicate with other systems, its primary purpose is to allow you to send your own commands to your modem in an easy fashion. Also, the Interactive mode has a subjective test for "Interrupt Latency" that you can use to determine if some of your communication problems are being caused by a slow VGA adapter. The FAX mode is new with version 6.0. Using T.30 Fax commands, the Modem Doctor will tell you information about your Fax modem. Some commands may return errors. This is due to the fact that manufacturers do not always implement the full T.30 diagnostic set. In any case, the critical info on Group, Class and DTE manufacturer is normally supported. The rest of the Options menu allows you to see or print the results of the testing that Modem Doctor has performed on your modem. * Setup selections ┌────────────────────── The Modem Doctor────────────────────────────┐ │Log-in Regs Carrier Loopback Options Setup End Program │ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ ╔[ Setup ]═════════════╗ Pick the Comm port and Baud rate -> ║ Setup Command Section ║ Customize your choice of colors -> ║ Choose System Colors ║ ║ Return to Main Menu ║ ╚════════════════════════╝ The setup section allows you to select different Comm ports and IRQ settings so that you can test (or re-test) modems during one Modem Doctor session. You can also change system colors to your liking, or just use a black and white mode. Page 14 Modem Doctor 6.0 User's Manual (c) 1994 Hank Volpe * End options ┌────────────────────── The Modem Doctor────────────────────────────┐ │Log-in Regs Carrier Loopback Options Setup End Program │ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ ╔[ Exit Options]═╗ Quit and display results -> ║ Exit the Program║ Don't quit, stay in program -> ║ Don't Exit ║ ╚═════════════════╝ This menu is used to properly exit Modem Doctor. Please use it after testing a modem, because Modem Doctor does program uart registers and system IRQ hooks. These have to be restored upon exit. Pressing Control-C from allowed locations will also clean up properly. Mouse support ---------------- Modem Doctor does not support a mouse directly. This is due to the fact that Modem Doctor may test a serial port that the mouse attaches to. If you have a mouse and you do not plan to test the serial port attached to the mouse, you can easily construct a custom mouse driver that will replace all of your motions. Modem Doctor works with any program such as Microsoft's Mouse.com and Menu.com. An example driver is included with the files on disk (MDR.MNU). Basically, you use the mouse motion left to right and up and down to replace the arrow keys, a key for escape and a key for enter or return. Page 15 Modem Doctor 6.0 User's Manual (c) 1994 Hank Volpe Test report generator: ----------------------- Whenever you quit the Modem Doctor you will get a statistical summary ofall the tests and results that were run. You can also access this report anytime, and print it or reset it to zero from the options menu pulldown system. The results of these tests look like this; --------------------------------------------------------------------- THE MODEM DOCTOR Ver. 6.0 Copyr.1994 Hank Volpe has tested this modem --------------------------------------------------------------------- Diagnostics were run on your modem with the following results Results of COM2 Testing Test Name # of Tests # of Char Sent # of Errors --------------- ---------- -------------- ----------- CARRIER ORIGINATE 0 0 0 CARRIER ANSWER 0 0 0 ANALOG LOOP 0 0 0 DIGITAL LOOP 0 0 0 MICROPROCESSOR 0 n/a 0 REGISTER TESTS 24 n/a 2 INTERRUPT TESTS 1 n/a 0 Speeds Modem/Uart were tested at -------------------------------- Tested Baud Rate : 2400 Results will be displayed in order for each comm port you tested. If there was an error detected, this line will be highlighted on the screen. You can reset these tests at any time, print and reset, or whatever you like. The Status Bar --------------- Com1 | 2400bps | Micro:ON | TxINT: ON | Cfg: Generic Compatible The status bar is displayed at the bottom of the screen. It shows you The Port you are using and the speed your port is operating at. Additionally it shows you if the Modem Doctor has successfully communicated to the modem microprocessor. MICRO : ON means it has, MICRO : OFF means that it has not. Normally, if you run the Modem / Uart test from the setup mode, this display will say MICRO : ON. If you only ran the Uart test, then it will say MICRO : OFF. You can toggle between states using a short-cut Hot-Key ALT-F, but I wouldn't recommend it your first time out. Page 16 Modem Doctor 6.0 User's Manual (c) 1994 Hank Volpe The ALT-F really can help if you have a modem problem to force testing, which is why it was included as a feature. See the technical reference manual for a detailed description of this feature. TxINT :ON indicates that Modem Doctor is using "transmit interrupts" to determine when to send characters to your uart. ALT-T toggles this feature on or off. Older 8250 Uarts running on slow systems had serious problems using transmit interrupts. If you have such a machine, I would recommend you turn this feature off if you have any problems. Refer to the Technical Reference Manual for further information. Finally, the name of the Modem Driver you are currently using is displayed on the right. Alert Bars: ----------- Alert bars are warnings that the Modem Doctor found something that it thinks should be set another way to insure good communications. The warning is displayed with a red bar and a "beep". That is called a fatal error, which means that it is doubtful that your modem or serial port will operate with these settings. Other alert bar displays that do not have a audible "beep" are considered setup warnings, and are suggestions of what you should do to make your communications better. External Modem Drivers (MDR6.DRV) The Modem Doctor uses a software module to communicate with most brands of modems. These "modem drivers" are built into the Modem Doctor. When you start up the Modem Doctor, it will make a choice of the correct driver to use depending on what kind of modem it finds. You can always override this choice by going to the Carrier tests and selecting the pulldown "Select Modem Commands". Page 17 Modem Doctor 6.0 User's Manual (c) 1994 Hank Volpe To keep your registered version of Modem Doctor as state-of-the-art as possible, Version 4.0 and higher have the ability to read external modem driver files. Like printer drivers, these files can be loaded to extend the ability of the Modem Doctor to communicate with any type of modem. This means you should never need to update for the sake of incorporating a new modem selection into the Modem Doctor. ALL FUTURE MODEM DRIVER FILES WILL BE DISTRIBUTED FREE OF CHARGE. You can always download the latest version of Modem Doctor and Modem Drivers from the Modem Doctor BBS (410-256-3631). Questions about the Modem Doctor -------------------------------- Q: Will the Modem Doctor "fix" a problem? A: If the problem is software based, or if it is a problem with port conflicts or incorrect assignments, the Modem Doctor will straightened it out for testing purposes only. It will advise you though what it found and suggest what you can do to correct the problem later. You can always print this information by using the Print Screen command from your keyboard. Q: I've run Modem Doctor, now my modem will not work A: Shut off your modem and reboot your computer. Modem Doctor does not write *ANYTHING* to your modem or your serial port. If you fail to exit the program properly after testing your modem, it will not reset properly. Q: Will Modem Doctor test High Speed Modems? A: Yes, however the shareware version is limited to 2400 bps. The registered version supports DTE speeds to 115,200bps. Although shareware testing is at a lower speed, all of Modem Doctor tests are enabled for both shareware and registered versions. Q: I start Modem Doctor, but it freezes at the main menu. What's wrong? A: Modem Doctor 6 performs a self-test IRQ generation and verification routine that might not be compatible with your computer environment, especially if it runs with a network interface. To bypass these tests, run Modem Doctor with the /Q switch. In this mode, no IRQ verification is performed. Q: I run Modem Doctor under Windows or on a Network. In either case, the system halts or crashes. A: Modem Doctor needs direct control of all hardware. Windows and other pre-emptive multi-taskers take control of the hardware. If you must run Modem Doctor under Windows, start it with the /Q switch. Also via Window's Control Panel, tell the Port option not to warn of a system use conflict.If you run Modem Doctor on a network, start it with the /Q switch. Page 18 Modem Doctor 6.0 User's Manual (c) 1994 Hank Volpe Q: I have a LCD display, and the colors the modem doctor uses do not give me good contrast. A: Go to setup, select custom colors, and pick the shades you like, or better still, use monochrome shades. This information will be saved in a file in the same directory you are in currently for the next time you load the Modem Doctor. Q: I tell the Modem Doctor to test my Modem, but it says it is not compatible. A: This could be due to several things; 1) You must make sure you use a baud rate equal to or lower than the maximum baud rate of your modem. If you try for example to talk to the modem at 19.2K bps but your modem is only a 2400 bps, then the Modem Doctor will report falsely about your modem. 2) You do not have a modem attached to that port. In this case run the Uart diagnostics. 3) Your modem is off or disconnected. 4) You have a defective Uart. Many 16450's and 8250's were manufactured with a defect that does not allow transmit interrupts to work properly. Many programs do not operate with these uarts. Modem Doctor has the ability to work around this problem with the ALT-T command. See the tech reference manual for more details. Q: I would like to use a mouse, but the Modem Doctor doesn't recognize it. A: The Modem Doctor does not have internal mouse support, but it will work with programs such as Microsoft's Menu.com and special mouse drivers that you create. A sample driver is included with the Modem Doctor. Q: If a new modem comes on the market that is not compatible, can the Modem Doctor work with it? A: You can use the Modem Doctor in what is called the "Dumb Modem" mode to test any modem than has external switches to generate carrier tests. Furthermore, this release of the Modem Doctor will work with externally created modules for incompatible modems. If a modem is manufactured at a later time that creates a new set of rules, these external modules will be distributed at no cost to all users. Also, custom modules can be created for any registered user for a small fee. Page 19 Modem Doctor 6.0 User's Manual (c) 1994 Hank Volpe Q: The Analog loop tests do not run. A: This feature only works in the registered version. If you have a registered version and have a problem, you also need to have a loop-back plug attached either to the back of your PC, or to the end of a cable that you are testing. You can run these tests usually through most modem command modes, however you might get errors that are not valid. The Analog loopback was meant to be a help in spotting a bad cable or connector. Q: Do I need to worry if my modem does not pass any of the Dynamic tests? A: Only if you have a high speed modem. Most 9600 bps modems need these handshaking signals to work properly, but at 2400 and lower, they are seldom used. If the Modem Doctor reports that all the uart handshaking signals are present, then all you need to do is set your modem up according to the manufacturers handbook. You can do this from the Interactive terminal mode without even exiting the Modem Doctor, and then use the Modem Doctor to test that your settings are correct. All material in this document is Copyrighted 1994 by Hank Volpe and cannot be reprinted without permission. For detailed explanations on all tests, please read the Modem Doctor Technical Reference Manual included with this copy of Modem Doctor. Page 20