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From: johnl@esegue.segue.boston.ma.us (John R. Levine)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.i386
Subject: Re: Will a Trailblazer+ Internal Modem work with 386/ix?
Message-ID: <1990Jan15.183622.2668@esegue.segue.boston.ma.us>
Date: 15 Jan 90 18:36:22 GMT
References: <8@newave.UUCP>
Reply-To: johnl@esegue.segue.boston.ma.us (John R. Levine)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Segue Software, Cambridge MA
Lines: 30

In article <8@newave.UUCP> john@newave.UUCP (John A. Weeks III) writes:
>Does anyone know if a Telebit Trailblazer+ internal
>modem card will work with Interactive 386/ix 2.0.2?

Yes, it does.  I have one installed in my Intel 302; if you see this message
it's because it went out through the Telebit.

It installs like an async card, I have mine configured as com2.  Setting up
/ix for two com ports is slightly tricky but the documentation that comes
with the X5 kernel update explains it pretty well.  Getting the modem's
options set is a pain because it doesn't have a setup EPROM, you have to
set them each time the machine boots, and make sure your dialer scripts
don't have ATZ in them which will set it back to factory defaults.  Again,
the X5 doc is quite helpful.

I only have one enormous complaint -- it's SLOW.  The problem is that the
modem has an old 8250 uart soldered in, and the cruddy 386/ix driver loses
data like crazy at 9600 bps.  Inbound uucp files run about 400 cps, outbound
(where data loss is less of a problem) at 800.  Jim Murray's free driver
is faster, but doesn't have vp/ix hooks.  The inexpensive MCS driver is
supposed to be a lot faster, but again they don't support vp/ix (not their
fault, Interactive hasn't released the specs.)  If I feel extremely brave I
may try desoldering the 8250 and putting in a shiny new 16550, but the chance
of destroying the modem in the process is high.

But for $400, I don't know how to do any better.
-- 
John R. Levine, Segue Software, POB 349, Cambridge MA 02238, +1 617 864 9650
johnl@esegue.segue.boston.ma.us, {ima|lotus|spdcc}!esegue!johnl
"Now, we are all jelly doughnuts."