Xref: utzoo comp.dcom.modems:3622 comp.protocols.appletalk:1701 comp.sys.mac:28941
Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!pasteur!ames!ll-xn!adelie!atexnet!cvman!gdelong
From: gdelong@cvman.UUCP (Gary Delong)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.modems,comp.protocols.appletalk,comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: Liason network bridges vs. Telebit TrailBlazer Plus modems
Summary: why mess with firmware?
Message-ID: <531@cvman.UUCP>
Date: 22 Mar 89 19:14:10 GMT
References: <22320@coherent.com> <1422@ccnysci.UUCP>
Organization: Computervision, Manchester, NH
Lines: 49

In article <1422@ccnysci.UUCP>, alexis@ccnysci.UUCP (Alexis Rosen) writes:
> In article <22320@coherent.com> dplatt@coherent.com (Dave Platt) writes:
. >
. >It seems that the software periodically sends a modem-configuration
. >command string to the modem.  According to the article, this occurs once
. >per minute [etc.]   This
. >configuration command includes an "&W" sequence, which instructs the
. >modem to write the configuration information into its nonvolatile
. >memory.
. >
> 
> THIS RUMOR IS ENTIRELY FALSE.
> 
> To Summarize: your Telebits are not at risk.
> 
> The detail: That command string is necessary to make the modem remember to
> autobaud. Telebits are shipped so that they default to high-speed mode, which
> is not what you generally want for a bridge. The write-to-prom command is
> given ONLY on reset, which generally happens when you reboot your mac. If
> you reboot five times a day (my gateway, with a telebit, gets rebooted maybe
> once a week) you won't have to start worrying for about seven years. Long
> before then Telebit will change their setup. (But before that, you'll likely
> be on ISDN or some other faster technology [Telebit T5000?].)
> 
> Alexis Rosen
> alexis@ccnysci.uucp


Well, I wouldn't want any s/w product running on any of my systems that
thought it was ok to rewrite firmware.  

It should be sufficient to inform s/w users that such and such parameters
are required for the s/w product to function, and maybe additionally some
other parameters would make for most efficient operation.

I don't like the idea that some s/w vendor might think that my hardware
resources are 'expendable' at his pleasure!  I would class a program that,
unknown to me, rewrote data in any EEPROM in my system, or in any attached
device, as a virus.

Does anyone know of any other s/w that issues an AT&W command?



-- 
  _____ 
 /  \    /   Gary A. Delong, N1BIP   "I am the NRA."  gdelong@cvman.prime.com
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 \____\/     Prime Computer, Inc.                     (603) 622-1260 x 261