FW: FW: flexfax: Old modem list

["Ken Cornetet" <kcornet@kimball.com>]

I have my modems connected to an HP E35 unix system with 8 built-in (sorta)
serial ports.

You will loose your external serial ports anyway. Even if you set your
external ports to COM1 and COM2 and set you internal modems to COM3 and
COM4, COM1 & COM3 will be trying to share IRQ4, and COM2 & COM4 will be
trying to share IRQ 3. You will not be able to use COM1 & COM3 at the same
time. Likewise COM2 & COM4. Although there is nothing in the design of the
IBM PC ISA bus preventing boards from sharing interrupts, the boards would
*have* to be designed with this in mind. Also, the OS and serial port
drivers would have to understand shared interrupts.

Some serial port boards let you choose IRQs other than 3 and 4, but not
many. If you have one of these, you can set your modems to COM1 and COM2
(IRQ 4 & 3) and set your serial port board to COM3 and COM4 *but* with IRQs,
say, 5 & 9. Or perhaps you could find internal modems that allow IRQs other
than 3 or 4.

I have never seen any ISA serial boards designed to share interrupts with
another board. Likewise motherboards with built in serial ports. Likewise
internal modems. Keep in mind that I am talking about sharing interrupts
between ISA boards. There are several serial port boards with multiple UARTS
that share an IRQ - but only on the one board.

-----Original Message-----
From: Matt Kaminer [mailto:matt@mmc.net]
Sent: Monday, March 22, 1999 4:38 PM
To: Ken Cornetet
Cc: flexfax@sgi.com
Subject: Re: FW: flexfax: Old modem list


You suggest the Supra fax modem?..  I wanted an external since I will have
two modems.  I didnt want to use up both serial ports for the external
modems.

Are you using a serial port expander?

I agree with your assment of the internal modems!

-matt

On Mon, 22 Mar 1999, Ken Cornetet wrote:

> This may not be what you want, but in my opinion, internal modems just
don't
> seem to work as well as external units. I suspect that modem manufacturers
> undergo considerable cost trimming measures on their internal units
knowing
> that the end user will almost certainly be a wintel person who already has
> been beaten into expecting mediocre operational reliability.
>
> External modems, on the other hand, tend to be used in applications where
> the user has a much higher expectation level.
>
> Then again, maybe the inside of PCs are just full of bad karma...
>
> In any case, I use a Multitech 1432BA and a Supra FAX 288 (upgraded to 336
> via latest firmware patch). The pair of these send almost 2000 pages of
> faxes per week. They both work exceptionaly well. Almost zero problems.
The
> Multitech does seem to lock up about once every couple of months. I've not
> tried to troubleshoot since it happens so infrequently.
>
> Two caveats:
> These are send only - I don't receive faxes with Hylafax.
> I am currently running version 3 of Hylafax.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-flexfax@celestial.com [mailto:owner-flexfax@celestial.com]
> On Behalf Of Matt Kaminer
> Sent: Monday, March 22, 1999 11:56 AM
> To: flexfax@sgi.com
> Subject: flexfax: Old modem list
>
>
> I just bought a new computer to run Hylafax for two lines.
> I must now buy internal modems.  Which ones work the best for fax and data
> (56k preferably)
>
> In support of my question, I submit the following statements:
> 1) I checked the FAQ, does contian modem list, but rather old
> 2) I searched on the archives, found modem information here and there, but
> no good list of modems that work 100% easily.
> 3) A response like "I have a Blah Blah modem, and it works perfect" would
> suffice
> 4) I hope #1 and #2 are enough so that people on this list that get upset
> when you ask a question are calmed.  and dont respond... read the faq..
> 5) SMILE!
>
> regards,
>
> matt
>
>