Stopping the modem DTR from Dropping back after download begins

Ok guys and gals,
Win98se was so much easier to tweak , but this XP Home is a real pain . I am unfortunatly one of those poor sob's stuck out in the country and subject to the limitations of Dial-up . I have just started using XP Home and my download rates are worse than ever . My phone lines are in good shape with very little noise and the only thing that has changed is the OS and the puter/modem. I start out downloading a file at quite good speeds---19.2 kbs, then it drops back wicth is understandable . Problem is I used to know how to tweak the registry in 98SE to get my 56k modem to hold a stable 8.4 kbs download rate , but cannot for the life of me seem to figure out how to do it with this OS. I do not like to depend on accelerator software . I would much rather do a reg tweek or mess with the AT commands of my modem and have some control over things . Here are my Modem specs if this helps:

Name Agere Systems PCI Soft Modem
Description Agere Systems PCI Soft Modem
Device ID PCI\VEN_11C1&DEV_048C&SUBSYS_044C11C1&REV_03\3&61AAA01&0&40
Device Type Internal Modem
Attached To COM3
Answer Mode Not Available
PNP Device ID PCI\VEN_11C1&DEV_048C&SUBSYS_044C11C1&REV_03\3&61AAA01&0&40
Provider Name Agere
Modem INF Path oem5.inf
Modem INF Section MONTBLANC_Modem
Blind Off X4
Blind On X3
Compression Off %C0
Compression On %C1
Error Control Forced \N4
Error Control Off \N1
Error Control On \N3
Flow Control Hard &K3
Flow Control Off &K0
Flow Control Soft &K4
DCB 
Default <
Inactivity Timeout 0
Modulation Bell B1B16B2
Modulation CCITT B0B15B2
Prefix AT
Pulse P
Reset AT&F<cr>
Responses Key Name Agere Systems PCI Soft Modem::Agere::Agere
Speaker Mode Dial M1
Speaker Mode Off M0
Speaker Mode On M2
Speaker Mode Setup M3
Speaker Volume High L3
Speaker Volume Low L0
Speaker Volume Med L2
String Format Not Available
Terminator <cr>
Tone T
Memory Address 0xEA000000-0xEA0000FF
I/O Port 0x0000A000-0x0000A007
I/O Port 0x0000A400-0x0000A4FF
IRQ Channel IRQ 16
I would be eternally greatful to the guru who could possible set me in the right direction for an XP reg tweek or maybe even a for sure modem tweek with the commands and not software. I even used to know how to force my modem to connect at 115200 every time with 98SE , but that too is eluding me with XP Any help would be appreciated and if more specs are needed from somewhere in this system , I'll be more than happy to get them for you . Thanks , Dusty

 

Hey Dusty,
Thats the same modem (Agere V92 Internal Soft Modem) I tried to get to work in my system .. with no luck. I don't know if the problem is the modem or my computer but I could not get it to work at all. Please keep me posted if you have good luck with it and maybe I'll give it another try.

Good Luck
Rockit

 

If you had access to your 98 config, you could just use portmon or a com port log to see what your end result was.

Hows your hyperterm kungfu? Have you tried disabling v.90? v.92? Whats the diagnostics say about why it retrained?

Is that a DSP/winmodem/softmodem whatever you want to call it? Have you downloaded the latest drivers from the manufacturer?

 

A couple of things... The latest Lucent chip Win modem driver from Agere is v8.30. http://www.agere.com/entnet/modem_driver2.html

8.4 kbs sustained download is impossible from a 56K modem. A 56K modem has a maximum connect speed usually around 53K on an "ideal" line close to the exchange. Usual excellent connection is anyware from 48000-52000, which aquates to 4.8-5.2 kbs download. Allowing for compression, you may get slightly higher than this, but not 8.4 kps. 5.5 kps would be fantastic. Some will connect a little above 52000, but this is the exception, not the norm.

115200 has nothing to do with you modem connect speed. It is the port speed of your com port. A later driver may get rid if this useless number and give you a true initial negotiated connect speed. putting w2 in the extras setting for your modem may give you that true connect speed as well, if a driver update doesn't.

 

Ok-----The way I look at it is ---this is a computer and its only as smart as the person who programs it . 8.4 kbs sustained download rate IS NOT impossible on a 56k modem , been there done that with a Viking 56k Voice Data Fax modem and win98se. Reg tweaks and modem tweaks . Granted , it took at of time and patience , along with some very in debth research on my part ---a few registry screwups and hair pulling sessions , but with the MTU, Globalsettings and a few other well guided entry's , it WAS accomplished . I am always willing to try what others say cannot be done .Anyway yes I have downloaded the latest drivers for my modem , and as far as retraining itself , I'm not sure how to disable it . I did add AT&FX to the extra commands line in my modem setting , and yes I am very aware of port speed . This setting will chnges the port speed ---which by the way DOES effect your modems capability to recieve and send Data. However it does not stop the DTR Fallback---which is what I'm trying to accomplish . I have as of yet found the proper reistry settings for the MTU /TTL/ Global Settings to add to the registry tho , and little to nothing on the Modem AT commands that is in plain english . I have noticed a slight increase in DL Rates when I switch from software to hardware controlled in the modem settings , but still cannot maintain anything above 2.6 kbs for very long . The AT&FX command , basicaly FORCES your modem port to connect at that speed , and it will show that effect in your dial-up in the system tray , but there are still other factors in the modem settings and the registry settings that I need to get to to further adjust the data flow and FORCE my modem not to drop back . I have found a few tho. http://support.microsoft.com/?id=314053
This is the address specificaly for tweaking the Windows XP TCP/IP and NBT configuration parameters. Be forwarned tho , careful attention must be paid when dealing with these tweaks ans some of the information givin , assumes that you are already familiar with the registry and its structure . I will post back after a few hair pullers and let you guys know what I have accomplished . Thanks for the imput and keep it comming ---I'll get this and when I do ---I'll post all settings to show what My SDR is and how I got it . Thanks again ----Dusty

 

Keeping the discussion on the board:

If you click on the link, you can see a screenshot of it. It just watches the data.

When you say DTR Fallback i am confused. DTR in modem lingo means 'Data Transmit Ready', a voltage on pin 4 that is 'hardware flow control'. By your description, i would expect the term retrain or renegotiation to describe a drop in the data rate from 56k or whatever to 28.8.

I am not familiar with your modem chipset, i cut my teeth on enterprise class modems from USR.
You may want to investigate %C0-V90=14 (up to 21, youll need to play with it) and setting S38=same number Alternitively, you could try disabling v90 with =0 for both


Twiddling with MTUs and such isnt going to buy you a lot. You can squeak a little out here and there, but its not the home run play.

8.4 is possible with some of the compression routines, you can get that on a PDF or a graphic. I'd like to see that rate sustained with a ZIP file. You figure that out and you could make some cash.

 

XP -----Trials and tribulations !!!!

Cool -------I've had a few small increases to date from my last entry, but , as you said , nothing much. Ive got my DTR( Data Transmission Rate ) to maintain 6.1kbs for about 8 mins , but then I suffer a drastic fallsback to about 2.3kbs and thats where it stays for the durration of the download. Unless hwoever , its a smaller Download. Most of mine are anywhere from 5 to 12 megs tho . I will try your suggestions and post back any results. Thanks again