MNP5 & Unix

[David Rector]

In <kherron.666583988 at s.ms.uky.edu> kherron at ms.uky.edu (Kenneth Herron) writes:


>erast1 at unix.cis.pitt.edu (Evan R Aussenberg) writes:

>>What's the deal with MNP5 modems and Unix?  I hear conflicting
>>reports that they won't work.  With the proper handshaking, I
>>don't see why an external MNP5 modem wouldn't work.

>I just configured one for a BSD system the other day; it works fine.
>I have a Tbit T1000 for my Sysv/386 system, and though I don't use it's
>(outdated) MNP capabilities, I don't think I would have any trouble
>doing so if I wanted.  I do use in PEP mode.

>MNP modems have the advantage that, since they have to buffer data 
>between the phone line and the serial port anyway, you can set the
>modem to speak to the computer at a fixed rate, and forget all
>about having to make getty sync with the modem.

>BTW, internal PC-bus modems also work fine with 386 unix, provided you
>can configure the kernal to recognize the additional serial port.
>I've set up two internal modems this way.
>-- 
>Kenneth Herron                                            kherron at ms.uky.edu
>University of Kentucky                                        (606) 257-2975
>Department of Mathematics 
>                                "Never trust gimmicky gadgets" -- the Doctor

There is an additional problem.  ISC Unix does not provide the "proper
handshaking."  To use hardware handshaking you must install the public
domain FAS device drivers (see this newsgroup).  I am using a 2400baud
MNP5 modem with the ISC distribution drivers and 9600 baud connection
to the modem (with kermit).  It works fine as long as the display
is fast enough--such as, with a console terminal or external VT100
terminal.  With X, I must confine myself to small windows when
running kermit; otherwise I loose characters.  I have not tried the
modem with XON/XOFF handshaking--which might cure the problem--since
I use emacs extensively.

-- 
David L. Rector				drector at orion.oac.uci.edu
Dept. of Math.				U. C. Irvine, Irvine CA 92717