Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!rutgers!lll-crg!seismo!rochester!ciaraldi From: ciaraldi@rochester.ARPA (Mike Ciaraldi) Newsgroups: comp.dcom.modems Subject: Re: An interesting modem problem Message-ID: <22449@rochester.ARPA> Date: Fri, 14-Nov-86 17:09:42 EST Article-I.D.: rocheste.22449 Posted: Fri Nov 14 17:09:42 1986 Date-Received: Sat, 15-Nov-86 04:54:43 EST References: <128@gaia.UUCP> <1660@mulga.OZ> <2499@phri.UUCP> <334@pttesac.UUCP> Reply-To: ciaraldi@rochester.UUCP (Mike Ciaraldi) Organization: U of Rochester, CS Dept, Rochester, NY Lines: 34 In article <334@pttesac.UUCP> vanam@pttesac.UUCP (Marnix van Ammers) writes: >The "}~r" problems on 212A type modems is due to time division >multiplexing on telephone company trunks. It is not the fault >of the modem. It is the fault of the digital carrier equipment. >-- Great, now what can we do about it? I had/have a similar problem on by home phone. When I call the University of Rochester I get lots of line noise, but when I call other parts of town it is OK. Similarly, other neighborhoods can call the University with no problem. It seems to be something in the connection between these two particular local offices. I called Rochester Telephone, and they admitted that the trunk line between those two offices was one of the oldest still in use (30 years). Also, the problem is much worse in wet weather. How I got around it: I borrowed several different 1200 bps modems and compared them for noise rejection. Of the consumer-oriented ones, Hayes was best, Qubie was worst (kept losing the carrier), and US Robotics was in the middle but still quite bad (I hear they have issued an update which fixes some of this). I wound up buying a Microcom industrial modem, model RX/1200, which is much more solid but also more expensive. As it is, I still get some line noise, but it is not too bad. So, the question is: What can the average person do about this sort of problem? Does complaining to the local telephone company help? In my case I was finally able to track down the right person, but it took over a year (part time). They are going to be looking into it for me. Mike Ciaraldi seismo!rochester!ciaraldi