Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!ncar!mephisto!rutgers!mcdchg!heiby
From: heiby@mcdchg.chg.mcd.mot.com (Ron Heiby)
Newsgroups: comp.mail.uucp
Subject: Re: Help with uugetty, please?
Message-ID: <40137@mcdchg.chg.mcd.mot.com>
Date: 27 Jun 90 21:47:00 GMT
References: <331@kurz-ai.UUCP>
Distribution: na
Organization: Motorola Microcomputer, Schaumburg, IL
Lines: 50

Well, your friend certainly has a problem.  You didn't mention what
brand of modem is being used, but you mention AT, so it sounds like
a Hayes of Hayes clone.  You say "AT&T Sys 5.3", which is a version
of UNIX for the AT&T 3B5 computer, so I assume that you mean System
V Release 3.

If your friend had Release 3.1 or later, you could use the feature of
ignoring the modem control signals (or lack thereof) during the dialing
sequence and stop ignoring them after you got the CONNECT message.

That's probably not enough, though.  What you want a modem to do is
the following:
A) Provide DCD signal except for a very brief time when a call is dropped.
B) Provide friendly ASCII messages to tell you what's going on when the
	modem is placing an outgoing call.
C) Provide *NO* friendly ASCII messages while accepting an incoming call.

Point A allows you to talk to the modem to tell it to dial, even with
older UUCP software.  It also provides the drop of DCD to get a SIGHUP
sent to the attached process.  This is an important security consideration.

Point B lets you dial out and know what's happening.  It lets you construct
a Dialer script.

Point C prevents an incoming call from being announced to the uugetty
with the string "RING".  Many modems cheerfully say "RING" to the uugetty,
causing the attached UNIX box to think that a user named "ring" is trying
to log on from an uppercase-only terminal.

You should be using the "-r" option to uugetty, which should help eliminate
the modem/uugetty chatter.  Another thing that may help is to configure
the modem not to echo command input characters.

I've used a lot of different kinds of modems on various UNIX systems.
The closest to ideal true Hayes that I used was the 2400.  However, to
get it to work, I had to configure it with "Q1", send it a "Q0" in my
dialing string, and configure it to reset from saved parameters (restoring
the Q1) when the call drops.  Unfortunately, doing the last caused the
modem to ignore DTR and answer the phone even when the computer was
turned off.  Most of the modems that attempt to be Hayes "compatible"
do much worse.

The absolutely best modems I've used for UNIX systems are made by Telebit.
I've successfully used the T1000, TrailBlazer Plus, and T2500.  Great stuff!
UUNET Communications Services seems to have the best prices around.

Good luck!
-- 
Ron Heiby, heiby@chg.mcd.mot.com	Moderator: comp.newprod
"Mandatory Drug Testing?  Just Say NO!!!"