AlphaStation 200 4/### Internal Modem Configuration Preface and Background The AlphaStation 200 4/### can be configured with an internal modem for telecommunications purposes. Most modems today are sold for installation in PC hardware and come with instructions for configuring the hardware assuming it is running software from that outfit in Redmond, WA. While this software and PC hardware may be pervasive, it does not mean that these modems should be relegated to a life only within these systems. The following will describe the configuration steps which have been used time and time again to successfully configure the Digital AlphaStation 200 4/{100/166/233} with an internal modem. Modem Hardware, Setup and Configuration The adoption of the V.90 56K modem standard/protocol prompted this page's author to seek out and purchase such a compliant modem. After visiting several commodity hardware computer retailers, it became evident that finding an external modem compliant with this new V.90 standard was going to be like a Quest for the Holy Grail. Fortunately, one retailer offered me an OEM 3com (US Robotics) model #5687 to test out and, if it didn't work for me, I was encouraged to return it. This is not an endorsement for the 3com model #5687 V.90 56K modem; however, it is known to work in the AlphaStation 200 4/### using the configuration instructions on this page. Other modem manufacturer modems may also work, just be forewarned that these instructions were developed for and using the 3com model #5687. All further references to the configuration and setup of the hardware are made with the assumption that the modem being installed is a 3com modem #5687. Please, if you follow these instructions and find another manufacturer's modem will work for you, do send an eMail to VAXman@TMESIS.COM with information on the manufacturer, model #, and any specific alterations to the console configuration which may be necessary. Your input will be included here for the altruistic benefit of others. The 3com model #5687 V.90 56K modem must be jumpered to set its IRQ and address. To function with the AlphaStation configuration setup described subsequent, the modem must be set to IRQ = 5 and the address set to 02E8(16). The IRQ is set on this card by placing a jumper on one of the 5 IRQ jumper posts numbered {2,3,4,5,7}. The address is set by placing a jumper on another set of posts which are designated in the manual as the selectors for {COM1,COM2,COM3,COM4}. [Image] Address 02E8(16) is the COM4 designation. On the 3com model #5687 V.90 56K modem, this cooresponds to placing the jumper across the pins which are marked as SEL on the card. There will be three sets of pins marked {1,2,SEL}. Pins {1,2} should have any jumpers, which may have been placed on them at the factory, removed. Insert the modem card into any available/convenient ISA slot on the AlphaStation's riser and secure it into place. Be careful and observe all static precautions when working inside the system. One last note before closing the system. If you require support from 3com, you will be asked for the serial number of your modem card. The serial number is on a small bar coded label which will be affixed to the card. I would suggest the careful removal of the tag and the reaffixing to the metal plate which maintains the RJ-11 phone jacks. Thus, if you do need to contact the manufacturer for support, you will not need to open the AlphaStation simply to obtain the serial number. AlphaStation 200 4/### Console Setup and Configuration To insure that your console is in a known state before you start this procedure, it may be a good idea to initialize the system's ISA configuration table with the isacfg -init command. Here is an example of the console output when issuing the command: >>>isacfg -init Initializing table to defaults type >>>init to use these changes >>> Confirm that the console ISA configuration table has been initialized to the default using the show config command: >>>show config Firmware SRM Console: V6.6-1 ARC Console: 4.53 PALcode: VMS PALcode V5.56-2, OSF PALcode X1.46-2 Serial Rom: V4.6 Diag Rom: V1.6 Processor DECchip (tm) 21064-3 166Mhz 512KB Cache MEMORY 64 Meg of System Memory Bank 0 = 32 Mbytes(16 MB Per Simm) Starting at 0x0 Bank 1 = 32 Mbytes(16 MB Per Simm) Starting at 0x2000000 Bank 2 = No Memory Detected Flash ROM0 Mfr - AMD Flash ROM1 Mfr - AMD Flash ROM2 Mfr - AMD Flash ROM3 Mfr - AMD PCI Bus Bus 00 Slot 06: NCR 810 Scsi Controller pka0.7.0.6.0 SCSI Bus ID 7 dka0.0.0.6.0 RZ26F dka100.1.0.6.0 RZ28M dka400.4.0.6.0 RRD45 Bus 00 Slot 07: Intel SIO 82378 Bus 00 Slot 11: DECchip 21040 Network Controller ewa0.0.0.11.0 08-00-2B-E7-AD-CE Bus 00 Slot 13: Digital ZLXp Graphics Controller ISA Slot Device Name Type Enabled BaseAddr IRQ DMA 0 0 MOUSE Embedded Yes 60 12 1 KBD Embedded Yes 60 1 2 COM1 Embedded Yes 3f8 4 3 COM2 Embedded Yes 2f8 3 4 LPT1 Embedded Yes 3bc 7 5 FLOPPY Embedded Yes 3f0 6 2 >>> If you are satisfied that your configuration is now at the default and you wish to configure the sound card into the system, issue the built-in macro command add_sound. Here is an example of the console output when issuing the command: >>>add_sound type >>>init to use these changes >>> Confirm that the console ISA configuration table has been configured with the sound card (PCXBJ) using the show config command: >>>show config Firmware SRM Console: V6.6-1 ARC Console: 4.53 PALcode: VMS PALcode V5.56-2, OSF PALcode X1.46-2 Serial Rom: V4.6 Diag Rom: V1.6 Processor DECchip (tm) 21064-3 166Mhz 512KB Cache MEMORY 64 Meg of System Memory Bank 0 = 32 Mbytes(16 MB Per Simm) Starting at 0x0 Bank 1 = 32 Mbytes(16 MB Per Simm) Starting at 0x2000000 Bank 2 = No Memory Detected Flash ROM0 Mfr - AMD Flash ROM1 Mfr - AMD Flash ROM2 Mfr - AMD Flash ROM3 Mfr - AMD PCI Bus Bus 00 Slot 06: NCR 810 Scsi Controller pka0.7.0.6.0 SCSI Bus ID 7 dka0.0.0.6.0 RZ26F dka100.1.0.6.0 RZ28M dka400.4.0.6.0 RRD45 Bus 00 Slot 07: Intel SIO 82378 Bus 00 Slot 11: DECchip 21040 Network Controller ewa0.0.0.11.0 08-00-2B-E7-AD-CE Bus 00 Slot 13: Digital ZLXp Graphics Controller ISA Slot Device Name Type Enabled BaseAddr IRQ DMA 0 0 MOUSE Embedded Yes 60 12 1 KBD Embedded Yes 60 1 2 COM1 Embedded Yes 3f8 4 3 COM2 Embedded Yes 2f8 3 4 LPT1 Embedded Yes 3bc 7 5 FLOPPY Embedded Yes 3f0 6 2 2 0 PCXBJ Singleport Yes 530 9 0 388 1 >>> The system is now ready for the magic incantation which will define the modem card. This command assumes that the card has been jumpered as described in the "Modem Hardware Setup and Configuration" section. The modem card may be inserted into any one of the ISA slots on the riser card in the AlphaStation 200 4/###. The position and/or numbering of the slot is not important. Insert the card into any slot which will make the access to the RJ-11 phone jacks convenient in your configuration/system. The command for configuring the modem is: >>>isacfg -mk -dev 0 -slot 4 -handle TTA -irq0 5 -iobase0 2E8 -etyp 1 -enadev 1 type >>>init to use these changes >>> Confirm that the console ISA configuration table has been configured with the modem card using the show config command: >>>show config Firmware SRM Console: V6.6-1 ARC Console: 4.53 PALcode: VMS PALcode V5.56-2, OSF PALcode X1.46-2 Serial Rom: V4.6 Diag Rom: V1.6 Processor DECchip (tm) 21064-3 166Mhz 512KB Cache MEMORY 64 Meg of System Memory Bank 0 = 32 Mbytes(16 MB Per Simm) Starting at 0x0 Bank 1 = 32 Mbytes(16 MB Per Simm) Starting at 0x2000000 Bank 2 = No Memory Detected Flash ROM0 Mfr - AMD Flash ROM1 Mfr - AMD Flash ROM2 Mfr - AMD Flash ROM3 Mfr - AMD PCI Bus Bus 00 Slot 06: NCR 810 Scsi Controller pka0.7.0.6.0 SCSI Bus ID 7 dka0.0.0.6.0 RZ26F dka100.1.0.6.0 RZ28M dka400.4.0.6.0 RRD45 Bus 00 Slot 07: Intel SIO 82378 Bus 00 Slot 11: DECchip 21040 Network Controller ewa0.0.0.11.0 08-00-2B-E7-AD-CE Bus 00 Slot 13: Digital ZLXp Graphics Controller ISA Slot Device Name Type Enabled BaseAddr IRQ DMA 0 0 MOUSE Embedded Yes 60 12 1 KBD Embedded Yes 60 1 2 COM1 Embedded Yes 3f8 4 3 COM2 Embedded Yes 2f8 3 4 LPT1 Embedded Yes 3bc 7 5 FLOPPY Embedded Yes 3f0 6 2 2 0 PCXBJ Singleport Yes 530 9 0 388 1 4 0 TTA Singleport Yes 2e8 5 >>> The init command which has been requested at each step of this configuration may now be issued: >>>init ff.fe.fd.fc.fb.fa.f9.f8.f7.f6.f5. ef.df.ee.ed.ec.f4.eb.....ea.e9.e8.e7.e6.e5. V6.6-1, built on Aug 26 1997 at 14:28:09 ... It's now time to boot the system. OpenVMS Setup and Configuration The ISA devices do not "announce" themselves such that OpenVMS can auto-configure them and load the appropriate device driver. Therefore, Digital has provided a special mechanism for ISA devices. These instructions are for OpenVMS V7.n. If you are running V6.2, there is a similar feature in OpenVMS for accomplishing the same task which the subsequent sections will describe. I have not included instructions here for V6.2 simply because I myself have not configured my available AlphaStations under V6.2. If you follow these instructions and get your modem functioning under OpenVMS V6.2, please, forward you're observations via eMail to VAXman@TMESIS.COM. Your feedback will be included here, again, for the altruistic benefit of others. OpenVMS V7.n maintains a file in SYS$SYSTEM: called SYS$USER_CONFIG.DAT. This file is used to add the definitions of ISA devices so that they will be configured into the system when the machine is booted. Edit this file and add the following: device = "56K V.90 Modem" name = TT driver = SYS$YSDRIVER adapter = ISA id = TTA end_device That's it. Quite simple. You now need to reboot the system and your modem should appear as device TTA0:. The terminal characteristics for TTA0: can be modified in the system startup and should, at a minimum, contain: $ SET TERMINAL/PERMANENT/MODEM/SPEED=57600/ALTYPEAHD/TYPE_AHEAD TTA0: Once the modem has been configured, you will want to communicate with the modem and establish certain modem configuration parameters. You can communication with your modem using: $ SET HOST/DTE TTA0: The modem should be configured, at a minimum, using the following "Hayes" commands: AT&C1&D2&S1&W If you've purchased and installed a 3com model #5687 V.90 56K modem, you can view the status of the modem's configuration with the following command: ATI4 The 3com model #5687 V.90 56K modem also maintains an on-line AT help feature which is accessible via the command: AT$ and AT&$ Conclusion Enjoy! Frequently Asked Questions Since the initial publication of this page, some questions have been asked and therefore, this section has been added. Hopefully, these will assist you and answer any similar questions. *Are the choice of IRQ 5 and address 2E8 mandated by the AlphaStation firmware? ...by the modem? PC/ISA hardware mentality/limitation. The IRQ for a terminal can be 3,4,5 and 7. In the default configuration, COM1 consumes IRQ 4, COM2 consumes IRQ 3 and the LPT consumes IRQ 7. These are hard-wired on the board so, you're not left with too much choice. IRQ 5 seems to be it! If you look too at the available address space, there's also little choice. Traditionally, the COM designations are: COM1: 03F8(16) -- This is already consumed by COM1 COM2: 02F8(16) -- This is already consumed by COM2 COM3: 03E8(16) -- not used in default configuration COM4: 02E8(16) -- not used in default configuration I suppose you could configure the modem as COM3: 03E8(16). I don't really see a great deal of flexibility though in the other aspects of the configuration. It's the damn PC I/O scheme that is limiting; not the AlphaServer firmware. *With the modem installed, do the normal serial ports shift controller letters or anything like that? Yes! The SYS$USER_CONFIG.DAT is called to configure devices first so, the modem will become TTA0:. The others, depending on whether or not you have the console set serial or graphics, will become TTB0: and TTC0:. (No TTC0: if you have a serial console -- that becomes OPA0:. *In the magic incantation is -slot 4 related to the physical slot it's installed in? No. It is a conceptual or virtual slot; not physical "slot". Just keep it at -slot 4 and you'll be ok. As for the actual slots, you can place the card in any convenient slot. *In the magic incantation is -handle TTA a fixed requirement, or could you use something like TTB or TTC? As near as I can figure, it's merely an identifier for use in the SYS$USER_CONFIG.DAT file. I suppose if you wanted, you could call it DOG as long as the id = TTA was changed to id = DOG. This is a cooperative venture between the console and the VMS I/O sub-system. ISA devices don't announce or identify themselves so, the console has this "kludge" to assist the VMS I/O device configuration. Copyright © 1998 Brian Schenkenberger and TMESIS. All Rights Reserved. Digital, the digital logo, OpenVMS, VAX and Alpha are trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation 3com and US Robotics are trademarks of the 3com Corporation This is the 176th time this page has been accessed. This document was last modified Tuesday, August 11, 1998 07:20:55 PM