This manual covers installation and operating instructions for the following U.S. Robotics modems: · Sportster 56K* faxmodem for Macintosh computers Sportster, U.S. Robotics, and the U.S. Robotics logo are registered trademarks and Connections, x2, and the x2 logo are trademarks of U.S. Robotics. Macintosh is a registered trademark and Mac is a trademark of Apple Computer, Inc. MacComCenter is a trademark of Smith Micro Software, Inc. America Online is a registered trademark of America Online Inc. CompuServe is a registered trademark of CompuServe Inc. Other trademarks, trade names, and service marks owned or registered by any other company and used in this manual are the property of their respective companies. © 1997 U.S. Robotics 7770 North Frontage Road Skokie, IL 60077-2690 All Rights Reserved * IMPORTANT! This modem is 56Kbps capable. However, current FCC rules limit download speeds to 53Kbps. See page 3 for details. Table of Contents U.S. Robotics: The Intelligent Choice in Information AccessTM Welcome to x2TM Information Access Features Installation Software and Registration U.S. Robotics Online for MacTM Users Troubleshooting Glossary Technical Quick Reference Front Panel Lights Command Summary S-Registers Regulatory Information Limited Warranty 1 3 5 7 11 13 17 23 35 36 37 50 59 69 U.S. Robotics: The Intelligent Choice in Information AccessTM AccessTM Congratulations! You have just purchased the Sportster® 56K faxmodem for Macintosh® computers. Since 1976, U.S. Robotics has grown to become a key manufacturer and developer of information access technology. U.S. Robotics' advanced technology allows you to use your faxmodem to open up a new world of information access. And now you can take advantage of the highest transfer rates available today with our new x2 technology! As an innovator in the data communications field, U.S. Robotics has a history of bringing the latest technology to market at an affordable price. U.S. Robotics owns the core technology, known as the data pump, that works in its access products. This allows U.S. Robotics to bring new technologies and features to 1 market faster and at a lower cost while passing the savings on to you. Be sure to read the following section to learn more about the latest U.S. Robotics breakthrough, x2 technology. Your new Sportster takes advantage of this technology to make connecting over analog lines faster than ever before. For more information on U.S. Robotics, visit the U.S. Robotics Web Server at: http://www.usr.com. Welcome to x2TM Information Access x2TM which restrict power output of your service provider's modems, current download speeds are limited to 53Kbps. This modem is software upgradable, allowing easy upgrades to new features and enhancements when they become available. An integrated end-to-end solution from the leader U.S. Robotics is well positioned to bring you x2 technology. Our Sportster® modems are the world's number one seller, and our Total ControlTM and CourierTM product lines are favored by many Internet service providers. This widespread acceptance allows U.S. Robotics to offer x2 technology to virtually anyone. The latest breakthrough in online communications Until now, 33.6 Kbps was thought to be the practical limit for speed over standard phone lines. Now, U.S. Robotics shatters that barrier, to bring you download speeds of up to 56 Kbps. However, due to FCC rules 3 Taking advantage of the modern telephone network x2 technology uses the increasingly digital telephone network to bring you faster downloads by eliminating the analog-todigital conversion in the downstream path. x2 takes advantage of the typical network configuration found when an analog subscriber connects to a digitally connected server. x2 bypasses the analog-to-digital conversion in the downstream path to use nearly all of the available 64K network bandwidth. (Upstream data, typically less speed sensitive, travels at the standard V.34 rate.) The result is a completely new kind of transmission technique. Based on "encoding" rather than "modulation," it can give you download speeds that you never thought possible. What's more, with 4 standard V.42 bis compression, x2 can download at speeds up to a blistering 115.2 Kbps. The new standard for online speed U.S. Robotics has already submitted x2 technology to the ITU-T standards committee for acceptance as the next online standard. For more information on U.S. Robotics' x2 technology, see our World Wide Web page at http://x2.usr.com. Features Data Communications Your new modem will transmit at speeds up to 33.6Kbps. And with x2 technology, you can download at speeds up to 56Kbps. This will save you money in online service charges and long distance bills. Not only is your modem fast, it is compatible with internationally accepted standards which allow you to connect to other modems across the globe. These standards include: V.34+, V.32 bis, V.32, V.22 bis, Bell 212A/V.22, V.23, V.25, and Bell 103/V.21 modems. To send data faster and more efficiently, your modem uses hardware-based 5 V.42/MNP 2-4 error control and V.42 bis/MNP 5 data compression. Fax Capability Your modem is compatible with Class 1 or Class 2.0 fax software included in your package to exchange faxes with Group III fax machines worldwide at speeds up to 14.4 kbps. Current FCC rules limit download speeds to 53Kbps. Installation Getting Started Before you begin, make sure that the following items are at hand: 1. This package: modem, RJ11 (standard) phone cord, power adapter, serial connecting cable, this guide. 2. Not with this package: analog (standard) phone jack. Install your modem: 1. Turn off your computer. 2. Firmly attach the enclosed serial connecting cable to both the modem and the port on the back of your computer marked with a telephone icon. 7 3. Connect the power adapter to your modem and plug it into the wall. 4. Plug one end of the phone cord into the telephone jack of the modem (labeled with a wall plug icon on the bottom of the case) and the other end into the telephone jack. If you wish to use your modem and phone with the same telephone wall jack, plug your phone's cord into the other available port on the back of your modem. Once your modem is connected, you'll need to install the MacComCenter software included with your modem. This allows you to send and receive faxes, surf the Internet, call an online service to access e-mail, or call a local bulletin board (BBS). For more information on installing the communications software and other applications included with your modem, see the Software and Registration chapter. 8 The Serial Interface Macintosh computers require an 8-pin mini-DIN hardware handshaking cable for high-speed communications. This cable is included in your Sportster for Macintosh package. Hardware Handshaking Cable Pin Assignments Mini DIN-8 Connector Handshake Output HSKo Handshake Input Transmit Data+ Ground Receive Data+ Receive DataTransmit Data+ HSKi TXDGND RXD1 2 3 4 5 7 DB-25 4 20 5 2 7 7 3 RTS DTR CTS TXD GND GND RXD RXD+ 8 TXD+ 6 not connected not connected Gen. Purpose Input GPI Note: The Handshake Output pin is connected to both pins 4 (RTS) and 20 (DTR) on the DB-25 connector. 9 Software and Registration MacComCenterTM MacComCenterTM Software MacComCenter, a software application designed by Smith Micro Software, Inc., is included with your new Sportster modem. Follow these instructions to install the software. Please refer to the electronic MacComCenter user's guide on your ConnectionsTM CD for details about operating the software. NOTE: ARA scripts install along with MacComCenter. Follow these steps to install MacComCenter: 1. Quit all other applications. 2. Insert the Connections CD-ROM into your CD-ROM drive. 3. Double-click on the U.S. Robotics Connections icon. 4. Follow the on-screen directions to install the Connections software onto your computer. 11 Registration We recommend you fill out the enclosed registration card and send it back to us. Registering your modem allows you to automatically receive priority notification of new product releases, product upgrades, and other special services for registered users. 12 U.S. Robotics Online for MacTM Users MacTM Downloading Enhanced Graphics Software U.S. Robotics has a MacTM specific BBS. Please follow these instructions to view the Mac BBS with enhanced graphics capabilities. 1. Start your communications software and enter Terminal (sometimes called Command) mode. The software settings for the BBS are as follows: ANSI terminal emulation Data Bits: 8 Parity: None Stop Bits: 1 2. Enter the following command: ATDT 1-847-676-1598 (If you get a busy signal, use the A/ command to redial the number.) 3. Once you are connected, type MMM. 4. Next, select the Download TeleFinder/User for Macintosh option from the menu. This downloads special software used when logging onto the Macintosh BBS at U.S. Robotics. Using TeleFinder to access the Macintosh BBS at U.S. Robotics Follow these steps to run the TeleFinder software and log onto the Macintosh BBS at U.S. Robotics: 1. Double-click on the TeleFinder/User 4.0.sea icon in your hard drive. This will install the TeleFinder application onto your hard drive. 13 2. Double-click on the new TeleFinder/User 4.0 icon. 3. Enter your name and choose a password. Next, select Modem from the same screen. You will now be asked to select/double-click on the modem you purchased. Click on the U.S. Robotics Sportster model you purchased. 4. Type 1-847-676-1598 in the Telephone Number box. 5. Click the OK box, followed by the Connect box. The modem should now connect to our site at U.S. Robotics. Congratulations! You have successfully logged onto the Macintosh BBS at U.S. Robotics. From here you can download technical reference manuals or learn more about U.S. Robotics by clicking on the various icons. Other U.S. Robotics Support Sites and Services Internet FTP Provides a free library containing the same files as the BBS site. FTP to ftp.usr.com. Internet On Demand Provides automatic technical support through a library containing product information, quick reference cards, and installation help. To obtain an index of available documents, send blank e-mail to support@usr.com. To have a document e-mailed to you, send the document's multi-digit number as the subject. 14 World Wide Web A U.S. Robotics Home Page containing much of the same information as the Internet on Demand listing as well as information about U.S. Robotics. Log on to http://www.usr.com. Fax on Demand Provides automatic technical support via fax with immediate response. This service provides documents on product information, quick reference cards and installation help. Call (800) 762-6163 toll free in the U.S. and Canada. International callers dial (847) 6768536. CompuServe Connect through the Modem Vendor Forum or e-mail us through CompuServe Mail for a response within 24 hours. Modem vendor forum address is GO USROBOTICS, Modem Vendor Section #4. Address message to 76711,707. Send messages directly to us through CompuServe Mail at 76711,707. America Online Connect to U.S. Robotics through America Online. Go to the Keyword field and type USROBOTICS to participate in the various online message forums or to download files from the library. 15 Fax and Technical Support Hotline Technical questions about U.S. Robotics modems can also be answered via fax or by live technical support representatives. Fax (847) 676-7323 (The fax machine can receive faxes 24 hours a day.) Technical Support (847) 982-5151 (8:00 a.m.--6:00 p.m., Mon.­Fri., Central time) Priority "No Hold" Service (900) 555-USR1 (8:00 a.m.--6:00 p.m., Mon.­Fri., Central time) 16 Troubleshooting Before the modems connect... If your modem doesn't respond to any AT commands, · Make sure the modem is on. · Make sure the computer is in Terminal mode. · Type in all upper (AT) or lower (at) case. · Check that the bit rate is not 14,400 or 28,800. If your modem displays double characters on your monitor (example: AATT), · You can turn the local echo off on the modem by typing ATEO in your software's terminal mode. To turn the local echo off in the software, refer to your software's documentation. If your modem doesn't dial a number or doesn't answer the phone, · · Make sure the phone cord is connected to the jack on the modem labeled TELCO and to a phone jack. Review your software documentation to see what DTR operations are required. For MacComCenter and most other Mac applications, dip switch 1 should be down and &D0 should be in the init string. Check that the bit rate is not 14,400 or 28,800. Also, try dialing with ATX3DT as the dial string. For answering, make sure that your software has auto answer enabled. · · · 17 If both modems exchange carrier signals but fail to establish a communications link, · · · Place the call again. The telephone company routes all calls, even local calls ...