Faxes, Modems and Broadband Cable

[goretsky]

Hello,Sometimes it is nice to look at the manual for a device to learn how it works, access diagnostics as well as become more familiar with the equipment manufacturer's jargon.Regards,Aryeh Goretsky

Why should he go to that trouble when he has already solved the problem by fixing his computer's modem?

[goretsky]

Hello,When you mentioned plugging the phone line for the fax modem into the cable company's digital box, I assumed you meant a set top digital box. The ARRIS TM502G/CT Cable Telephony Modem is, in fact, a cable modem with two ATA ports for connecting analog telephones and fax modems, which is what provides the Internet connection for your computer(s) and the VoIP connection for your fax modem. What Bresnan has probably done is assigned a dedicated data channel of 64kbps for telephone calls which is logically separated from (and prioritized over) the Internet connection on the cable plugged into the modem. Given the fraction of a percent of the total bandwidth required for this, it is no wonder that your telephone service sounds so good--it has been engineered to provide about the same level of audio quality that one receives from their regional telephone company.Regards,Aryeh Goretsky

One of you claims I have DSL, while the other says VoIP. Are they now the same? I'm not interested in a pissing contest, so if there's something to learn, that's fine.Here's the problem as a user (and problem communicator) I face: Bresnan and Comcast are widely known as broadband cable providers. Specifically, Comcast calls their phone service, "Comcast Digital Voice," while Bresnan calls theirs, "Bresnan Digital Phone." So that and the generally used terminology in marketing, popular review articles and everyday discussion is where my use of "broadband digital cable" comes from. My understanding is that DSL is (or was) a different technology, where the issue of how close one's location is to the phone company's central office determines the quality of service. That's something that hasn't been an issue with the broadband cable companies, such as Comcast or Bresnan. Moreover, typical DSL service has been much slower than 'broadband cable.' For instance, TV ads for Qwest have presented its DSL service as providing the same "high speed internet" as Comcast's, tho their standard transfer rates have been vastly different. As a reference, I also refer you back to Scot's Newsletters themselves, where over the years in his search for good internet connections he repeatedly discussed the differences between DSL and broadband cable (and other) technologies and his experiences with them. Perhaps these technologies have changed or even converged to some extent, but I find that though "digital" is part of DSL, you won't find the term on Qwest's site or in its ads at all (some or all of their modems are DSL). Aryeh asks about VoIP. Just for clarity, I didn't mention a TV top digital box because it's not relevant. The TV box can be unplugged and only the number of cable channels changes. Bresnan's and Comcast's phone and internet (and basic cable TV?) services currently provide a separate "cable modem" installed close to the computer. Mine is an Arris TM502G/CT. Arris' site says the TM502G is used for VoIP and high-speed data access (checking on the CT). In terms of audio quality, my phone quality is far superior to the third-party VoIP phone services I'm familiar with. Maybe that's the source of the confusion; I was not aware that cable companies were using VoIP technology, mainly because they (Bresnan, Comcast) aren't saying anything about it on their sites or in their instructional literature. From a practical point, does it make a difference?

[genegold]

Hello,When you mentioned plugging the phone line for the fax modem into the cable company's digital box, I assumed you meant a set top digital box. The ARRIS TM502G/CT Cable Telephony Modem is, in fact, a cable modem with two ATA ports for connecting analog telephones and fax modems, which is what provides the Internet connection for your computer(s) and the VoIP connection for your fax modem. What Bresnan has probably done is assigned a dedicated data channel of 64kbps for telephone calls which is logically separated from (and prioritized over) the Internet connection on the cable plugged into the modem. Given the fraction of a percent of the total bandwidth required for this, it is no wonder that your telephone service sounds so good--it has been engineered to provide about the same level of audio quality that one receives from their regional telephone company.

Things have moved beyond that TV top box in much of the country. In 2003, when I started in St. Paul with AT&T cable, which was later taken over by Comcast, a TV box was the center of the show and a cable modem was required to hook to it for the internet service. For that I had a Motorola Surfboard and my SM56 internal modem worked fine through the wall phone jacks. This was pre-VoIP, as I recall. Then in June 2007, when I moved across to Minneapolis, Comcast said they were no longer using the same system, but were providing the (Arris) modem and a separate "digital" TV box for the more expensive service (which I didn't use), and the whole thing was now called "digital cable." They told me that if I wanted multiple phones, the old separate wall jacks would no longer do, but I'd have to buy phones with a base unit that would work off one of the jacks. They also said no internal modem without another line, so I never checked. I'm now in Montana where Bresnan has the same service and tells the same phone story, except for the fax hookup (no second line needed). I never bought handsets, so just run the phone(s) off the single Arris modem jack. That's where I entered this thread, setup and terminology included. Edited August 22, 2008 by genegold

[b2cm]

Glad you've solved the problem. It was obvious from the beginning when you said that 'Motorola's sm56hlpr.exe loading at startup, but XP is saying modem is not functional.'

[genegold]

Glad you've solved the problem. It was obvious from the beginning when you said that 'Motorola's sm56hlpr.exe loading at startup, but XP is saying modem is not functional.'

In hindsight, I'd like to agree with you. It would have saved a lot of discussion. But wouldn't a connection problem have shown the same message?

[b2cm]

But wouldn't a connection problem have shown the same message?

I don't think so. It indicates a malfunctioning modem, bad drivers or some hardware conflict. A bad connection would probably be indicated by a 'no dialtone' error (although a bad modem or drivers can also produce this error).Anyway, to verify that the internal modem is not the problem, see to it:1. That it appears as a 'communication device' in the POST summary (otherwise, try the PCI card in another slot);2. That it appears in the Device Manager, and its status is 'this device is working properly' (otherwise, try updated drivers or resolve IRQ/COM port issues or trying it on another PCI slot);3. Click Start, Control Panel, Phone and Modem Options, and on the Modems tab, select the modem to test. Click Properties, Diagnostics, Query Modem. 4. If you don't get an error, test modem dialing (ie How to test modem dialing with Hyperterminal). Edited August 22, 2008 by b2cm

[genegold]

I don't think so. It indicates a malfunctioning modem, bad drivers or some hardware conflict. A bad connection would probably be indicated by a 'no dialtone' error (although a bad modem or drivers can also produce this error).Anyway, to verify that the internal modem is not the problem, see to it:1. That it appears as a 'communication device' in the POST summary (otherwise, try the PCI card in another slot);2. That it appears in the Device Manager, and its status is 'this device is working properly' (otherwise, try updated drivers or resolve IRQ/COM port issues or trying it on another PCI slot);3. Click Start, Control Panel, Phone and Modem Options, and on the Modems tab, select the modem to test. Click Properties, Diagnostics, Query Modem. 4. If you don't get an error, test modem dialing (ie How to test modem dialing with Hyperterminal).

I had already checked 2, 3 & in effect 4 (via opening WinFax) before starting a thread here. What is the POST summary?

[b2cm]

What is the POST summary?

Power-On-Self-Test is the program that runs when you start the computer and checks all components. It usually displays, for a second or two, a summary of the ISA or PCI devices detected (just before it boots an operating system on the hard or optical drive). In this summary, internal modems are listed as 'Communication Device'. If you don't see one listed, that means your modem has not been detected, maybe because it is dead, is in conflict with another PCI device, or not just seated properly. Edited August 22, 2008 by b2cm