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Latest revision to this page: 2/23/98

I've saved hundreds of newsgroup postings and e-mail relating to 56k problems, and present some of them here. (NOTE: When I use '56k' in my comments here, I am referring to any x2 or Kflex rate, ie 29333 or higher for x2, or 32000 or higher for Flex. This is a very old page - I'm leaving it here only for historical reference of early 56k troubles.))

I've added quick-links to the messages on this page below:

You thought 56k was supposed to be fast? Think again.
X2 Today - Gone Tomorrow
X2 Today - Gone Tomorrow #2
X2 Today - Gone Tomorrow #3
Have a modem that's reporting an x2/flex connection? - It may lose it as soon as data starts flowing:
56k connection can be slower than 28.8 v.34!
Certain combinations of Telco facilities prevent 56k on local calls only
Can't get a 56k connect so far
Funny... I got good connections for about 3 weeks in October - then, the speed dropped; disconnections...
Some users get 56k connection - then speed drop and disconnection
Even if your modem is only v.34, calling an ISP using 56k modems can cause big problems
IBM is x2-capable at all its POPS, but has disabled it in various places including several major cities
Where x2 is enabled, some callers will be unable to get consistent connections
USR's crack engineers release new Courier firmware...
3Com/USR releases new buggy Sportster x2 code
Well, maybe some of us can laugh about it all
US Robotics support is clueless
You thought 56k was supposed to be fast? Think again.

Path: prodigy.com!prodigy.com!prodigy.com!not-for-mail
From: Dean <dd123@prodigy.net>
Newsgroups: prodigynet.help.tech
Subject: 53333 connection slow
Date: Sun, 22 Feb 1998 08:38:06 -0600
Organization:   
Lines: 4
Message-ID: <34F0384E.3CAE@prodigy.net>
Reply-To: dd123@prodigy.net
NNTP-Posting-Host: 209.156.60.45
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
X-Post-Time: 22 Feb 1998 14:41:09 GMT
X-Auth-User: 001957827/8002554d34cee5d6
X-Problems-To: abuse@prodigy.com
X-Mailer: Mozilla 3.04Gold (Win95; I)
Xref: prodigy.com prodigynet.help.tech:49545

whenever I connect to PI with DUN using USR Sportster 56k internal
faxmodem It is slow like a 2k/sec dl.I thought 533333 is suppose to be
fast.I always connect at this speed is something wrong with my modem or
what its brand new?.I use AT&F1M0 for my extra string settings
           

X2 Today - Gone Tomorrow: (You don't change anything, but the TELCO can 'upgrade' its network, or the ISP might install new firmware that will screw you up!)
Path: tempest.nsd.usr.com!not-for-mail
From: "Doug Haire" <dhaire@gate.net>
Newsgroups: 3com.totalservice.support
Subject: Unspecified negotiation failure
Date: Fri, 5 Dec 1997 07:01:46 -0500
Organization: 3Com Corporation
Lines: 21
Message-ID: <668q8a$a6q$1@tempest.nsd.usr.com>
NNTP-Posting-Host: wpbfl2-45.gate.net
X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 4.71.1712.3
X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V4.71.1712.3
Xref: tempest.nsd.usr.com 3com.totalservice.support:81

On or about July 17th of this year, my otherwise great X2 connects to my ISP
went down the tubes. Prior to that date, I was getting 48000/31200 sustained
connections., day in/day out. throughput was consistent with these
connections and regular checks during shell account access showed decent
Bler levels and rare retrains. As of the date mentioned above, I have rarely
connected at X2 and, in those cases, the rates were low (42666 or lower) and
unstable.

The ati11 shows the "unspecified negotiation failure" for a reason.

Is this a problem with digital padding? I cannot get a rational answer out
of my local telco, although I have talked directly with one of their
facility engineers.

My LD calls to the same ISP (they have POPs all over the state) still get
great X2 connects, as do any connections made from my office downtown. This
only affects the calls to the local POP made from my home. Home and office
do not share an exchange (the office is some 20 miles away)              
 
X2 Today - Gone Tomorrow: (If the phone company doesn't have enough spare pairs to provide you with service, and you add a second line, they may give you "pair gain" - 2 lines on one pair of wires. Too bad for your modem!)
From - Sat Aug 02 18:15:22 1997             
From: "Adam Russell" <adamr@wired2.net>
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.modems
Subject: add a line and go twice as slow
Date: Fri, 1 Aug 1997 12:37:17 -0700
Organization: West Coast Online's News Server - Not responsible for content
Lines: 6
Message-ID: <5rtdqg$nou$1@news.wco.com>
NNTP-Posting-Host: 19.usr3.wired2.net
X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 4.71.1008.3
X-MimeOle: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE Engine V4.71.1008.3
X-Mozilla-Status: 2000

 I just added a second phone line to my apartment.  Now my sportster slowed
down from 56k to 24k.  Is this expected or can I complain to the phone
company that they didn't do it right?             
X2 Today, Gone Tomorrow (Client and server modems use different firmware. There have been many releases of firmware for ISPs. They put it in, and you can get messed up.)
From: "RAdler" <ncom1@hotmail.com>
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.modems
Subject: x2 problems - at the ISP end....
Date: Tue, 30 Dec 1997 07:34:32 -1000
Lines: 57
X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 4.72.2106.4
X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V4.72.2106.4

More pieces of the puzzle unravel....

at usr's totalsupport site, check the documentation available... much of it
is locked - you need a service contract to access it [for the isp
equipment - totalcontrolracks]; however...

Note that there are MANY MANY MANY releases/revs for the ISP products....
channelized T1 on the TCR has revs 3.1 3.2 4.0 4.1.... The QuadModem has
3.0, 3.1 3.5 4.0 5.0 5.5 5.57; documentation for some of the older releases
posted after later; all posted in november... There is ONE public version of
doc for the 5.57 release.

Check this out, it's from Release Notes for Quad Modem 5.5.7/5.6.7 published
in .pdf format:

If any new version of x2 client code is released, the existing version of
the Quad Modem
cannot identify the new version of x2 client and will train to V.34 speeds.
Quad Modem
5.5.7/5.6.7 checks the client's x2 version number and will train to the x2
version currently
implemented in the Quad Modem instead of falling back to V.34.

Because the possibility always exists that calls can be labeled incorrectly
by the
telephone company's equipment, the Quad modem monitors and compares the call
set-up messages and the activity on the line.
By default, In-band Monitoring is active during every connection attempt the
Quad
modem makes. You can, however, disable parts of the monitoring process.

358 Digital fax Class 2.0 problem with Quad 5.0.1 - 5.1.6
359 Digital fax Class 1 problem with Quad 5.0.1 - 5.1.6
360 Quad 5.0.1 modem fails to receive low speed fax with V.17
361 Anomalies with fax code Quad 5.x.x
373 QUAD x2 Digital (Vermon) Ring Indicate inactive
382 During Class 2.0 analog fax testing Quad 5.x.6 modem was locked up
389 DTE Ring No Ans.
406 A-law Low speed connections
410 MODEM CODE 5.x.x FAILED ANALOG SYNCHRONOUS TEST.
413 Problem with Call stastics in Performance Monitor
415 Call statistics, Frequency & probe level problems
460 x2 connections running with lots of errors at Westboro Office
467 Problems With Modem Codes 5.0.5 and 5.1.5, and X2-SYSTEM TEST.
529 QUAD x2 International - Watchdog
530 QUAD x2 International Management Bus Failure
535 x2 issues
540 QUAD x2 - Netherlands V.34 connect rate low
546 Modem locks up
570 Force Link Settings
572 Force Link Low Thruput
643 Can't call analog destination set to auto-detect in Europe
618 Incompatibility with Multitech V.34+ zdx(i) 2834             
 
Have a modem that's reporting an x2/flex connection? -
It may lose it as soon as data starts flowing:
From - Sat Aug 02 18:21:44 1997
From: Kevin Su <sysu@mitec.net>
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.modems
Subject: Re: Slow D/L on 56k
Date: Sat, 02 Aug 1997 11:34:07 -0500
Organization: Mitec Internet Services
Lines: 17
Message-ID: <33E3617F.36249E12@mitec.net>
References: <01bc9ee5$b397ca20$10818bcd@home>
NNTP-Posting-Host: dyn26.mitec.net
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.01 [en] (Win95; I)
To: Mark Christiansen <mcsquared@netstarcomm.net>
X-Priority: 3 (Normal)
X-Mozilla-Status: 8010

Mark Christiansen wrote:

> I usually connect to my X2 provider at 44k to 52k, but my download
> speed is
> no better than with my old 28.8, 3k bytes per second or less.  Do I
> need
> twisted pair between my modem and the phone box outside my house?  How
> can
> I get the best phone line connection?

   I am experiencing the same problem as you are. My Sportster Voice X2
is able to connect to the server at  50666 BPS, but the download speed
can drop significantly from 50K to 30K or even less. I think the new
code contains some problems.             
56k connection can be slower than 28.8 v.34! (If your modem connects at 56k rate, but experiences a high bler rate and goes into frequent retrains and speedshifts your throughput can go down to 2400bps!)
From: pmalone@ipass.net
Subject: X2 is slower than 28.8!
Date: Sat, 06 Dec 1997 20:42:06 -0600
Message-ID: <881462247.8379@dejanews.com>
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.modems
Organization: Deja News Posting Service
X-Article-Creation-Date: Sun Dec 07 02:37:27 1997 GMT
X-Authenticated-Sender: pmalone@ipass.net
X-Http-User-Agent: Mozilla/2.0 (compatible; MSIE 3.01; Windows 95)
X-Originating-IP-Addr: 207.120.205.5 (customs44.ipass.net)
Lines: 14


I have a USR Sportster Internal X2 modem and I always connect to my
provider at 48-53 kbps. When I download off the net the transfer rate
seems to be real fast, then hangs for a while, and then gets fast again.
MTUSpeed made the hangs less frequent, but I when I force my modem to
connect at 28.8 (through Win 95 Modem properties), the downloads are
faster than X2. I did update the flash on my modem as well. Is there
anything I can do to make the hangs  go away? My ISP says there are no
problems at his end.

Thanks,
Patrick

-------------------==== Posted via Deja News ====-----------------------
      http://www.dejanews.com/     Search, Read, Post to Usenet             
Certain combinations of Telco facilities prevent 56k on local calls only:
From: "Robert Holloman, Jr." <holloman@pobox.com>
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.modems
Subject: Re: Low or no X2  to ISP
Date: Wed, 03 Dec 1997 01:10:06 -0500
Organization: MindSpring Enterprises
Lines: 16
Message-ID: <3484F7BE.73DB@pobox.com>
References: <01bcff04$27f12b40$06076818@djs>
Reply-To: holloman@pobox.com
NNTP-Posting-Host: user-37kboiv.dialup.mindspring.com
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
X-Server-Date: 3 Dec 1997 06:10:14 GMT
X-Mailer: Mozilla 3.01 (Win16; I)


D. Sharwarko wrote:
> 
> I have a USR Sportster 56k winmodem. I can connect to the USR bbs and
> download files at 48.0 but when I connect to my x2 enabled ISP's the
> highest connect rate I can get is 33.6 and mostly connect at 28.8 and 31.2.
> I have also had  33.3 connects and these seem strange because they are the
> only ones that show the 0's and 1's in the status line after issuing the at
>  i11 command after disconnect through a terminal program. Is this an
> indication of x2 activity?  I have been getting throughputs of 3.5 to 5.0

33.3 is a minimum x2 speed.  You're likely suffering from the DMS-100
padding bug, which USR is working to fix.  What city are you in?  

-- 
Fight Spam! Join CAUCE at http://www.cauce.org/
Coalition Against Unsolicited Commercial Email             
Can't get a 56k connect so far (In a situation like the following, much more experimentation is necessary: call other local 56k-enabled numbers, cal toll access numbers to see if 56k can be achieved at all)
From: John Gartley <jog@kiski.net>
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.modems
Subject: Re: 56K connecting at 26.4
Date: Wed, 11 Feb 1998 16:44:53 -0600
Organization: Alcoa Technical Center
Lines: 36
Message-ID: <34E229CE.4596@kiski.net>
References: <6bol90$mid$1@usenet76.supernews.com>
NNTP-Posting-Host: jogaux-amct.atc.alcoa.com
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
X-Mailer: Mozilla 3.01Gold (Macintosh; I; PPC)
Xref: prodigy.com comp.dcom.modems:177001

Donna Wyman wrote:
> 
> Hi, I just installed a Zoom model 2819 in my machine and only can connect at
> 26.400!  I checked with the ISP, they support 56K Flex, so campatability
> should not be an issue.  I have the most current version of firmware (1.2)
> and I am totally at a loss.  I was connecting at a consist 28.8 with my old
> modem (Accura).  I am within 2 miles of the telephone switching station that
> houses my ISP's nodes.  Any suggestions for a string to add to my Win95
> config would be appreciated...or any other suggestions...I am at witts end.
> BTW, how do you tell how fast you're downloading at?  I will admit that web
> pages seem to download faster, files too.  Sorry for all the questions, but
> I need help.
> Thanks,
> Donna


I have a similar problem... my isp is running 56kflex with livingston
portmaster 3.   all i get is 26.4 also..  but what i have found is 2
fold...  

1...my isp is running version 1.1 of the code on equipment and you must
have a current driver on your system.. also using rev 1.1 ( this was as
recent as jan-98 time frame.. any driver before that is probably not up
to spec...)  

2nd..I have found my telephone company is very limited on copper in my
area even though I am 1.8 miles from CO..  they use a digital line
spliter on the wires and from what I am told this limits your spped to
26.4  

If anyone can help in this area please let me know... I even had a
second line put in my house and I told the telephone company I needed it
for computer connection and the line needs to be "Clean".

Please Help,
John Gartley             
 
Funny... I got good connections for about 3 weeks in October - then, the speed dropped; disconnections...etc. - in Hawaii - funny, the same thing happened with another ISP, in another city - at the same time! (Server firmware 'upgrades'?)
Path: prodigy.com!prodigy.com!prodigy.com!not-for-mail
From: "DENNIS M LENCIONI" <MENACES@prodigy.net>
Newsgroups: prodigynet.help.tech
Subject: 56k Access Fiasco
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 1998 21:55:50 -0600
Organization: Prodigy Services Corp
Lines: 34
Message-ID: <6civ15$tbq$1@newssvr07-int.news.prodigy.com>
NNTP-Posting-Host: 209.156.41.173
X-Post-Time: 20 Feb 1998 03:58:29 GMT
X-Auth-User: 000166649/d2058428a9570506
X-Problems-To: abuse@prodigy.com
X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 4.71.1712.3
X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V4.71.1712.3
Xref: prodigy.com prodigynet.help.tech:49254

Prodigy Internet ("PI")Tech Support is useless if you are trying to get help
connecting at 56k.  I bought a Phoebe 56k x2 modem in October through PI and
spent over $100 on it.  It worked fine for about 3 weeks after which I could
only gain access at 28.8 k.  For weeks the PI tech support folks said that
there must be something wrong with my connection and I should try again
later.  In mid-December they finally confessed that the problems may be
related to the PI system upgrade but should be fixed in a couple of days.
The PI tech support staff appear to be as much in the dark as I am regarding
details of how long it will take to correct these problems.

There currently is no mention of the problems on the 56k information page.
If you visit the site located at: http://help.prodigy.net/56kinfo   All you
get is a lot of hype about how great 56k access is.  PI needs to be honest
with its customers and provide updates on its 56k website.  I feel jipped
because the modem I bought four months ago at a premium price costs just $49
at my local COMP USA store.

I have read a lot of the messages in this newsgroup and it appears that the
tech support people keep feeding us a bunch of garbage informations like,
"Are you sure your not using a 56K flex modem?", and "Maybe your not really
using a 56K modem!".

If you would provide a website that we could view that provides periodic
updates of sites as they become available it would be most helpful.

I like the content and features of PI, but no one there is prepared to deal
with this problem.  I got some relief by talking to the billing department
and they were willing to give me a month's free service.  The month is just
about up.  I guess I will have to call them again and ask for another month
free.  I would hope that anyone in the same situation will do the same.              
 
Some users get 56k connection - then speed drop and disconnection (Note- this message is from an ISP posting message on USR mailing list for TotalControl products. Anyone can receive all messages for this group via e-mail by sending a message to majordomo@xmission.com with the following text: subscribe usr-tc)
Date: Mon, 23 Feb 1998 18:22:34 -0600 (CST)
From: Brent Jay <bjay@ionet.net>
To: USR TC <usr-tc@lists.xmission.com>
Subject: Re: (usr-tc) Dwindling Connections
In-Reply-To: <Pine.LNX.3.96.980223121251.17597A-100000@mercury.shreve.net>
Message-Id: <Pine.SOL.3.95.980223181933.362D-100000@ion1.ionet.net>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
Sender: owner-usr-tc@lists.xmission.com
Precedence: bulk
Reply-To: usr-tc@lists.xmission.com

On Mon, 23 Feb 1998, Brian wrote:

> On Mon, 23 Feb 1998, Jose de Leon wrote:
> 
> > I'm having a strange problem with X2 connections.  Since I'm new to this
> > list, maybe it has already been solved.
> > 
> > I have several customers, (not all), who connect at respectable X2 speeds
> > and within a period of two minutes there is a continuous downgrade in speed
> > until eventually the link is considered dead the modem hangs up.
> > 
> > I've tried the simple things like verifying hardware flow control on client
> > side is set and port bps is correct on client side.
> > 
> > I'm using 5.8.6 on the quads, 3.7.24 on the netserver, 5.2.2 on the NMC.
> > 
> > Any ideas?
> 
> 
> Sounds like typical "spiral death syndrom".  Make sure the client code is
> the latest x2 code.  It probably isn't.

Actually, I have seen this a few times lately.  I have seen it most often
on the HDM's, but thought it was a client issue or just a temporary thing.
I have seen it once on netserver 3.7.24 with 5.8.6 quad code, and 3 or 4
times on HDM 1.0.7 with Arc 4.0.95.  The thing is, the clients have varied
from Courier v.everything w/X2, to Sportster 33.6.  


::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
::                                ::
::        bjay@ionet.net          ::
::    ioNET network specialist    ::
::   break out the blender and    ::
::    mix me a spam margarita!    ::
::  1-800-360-5183 405-270-0999   ::
::                                ::
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


-
 To unsubscribe to usr-tc, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com"
 with "unsubscribe usr-tc" in the body of the message.
 For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send
 "help" to the same address.  Do not use quotes in your message.             
Another Commercial user message (see above for source of message usr-tc)
To: usr-tc@lists.xmission.com
Subject: (usr-tc) Version 3.02 - slow speeds?
In-Reply-To: <Pine.LNX.3.96.980221090145.29710B-100000@mercury.shreve.net>
Message-Id: <Pine.LNX.3.95.980221134726.11239B-100000@cosmo.mitec.net>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
Sender: owner-usr-tc@lists.xmission.com
Precedence: bulk
Reply-To: usr-tc@lists.xmission.com


Ever since we upgraded to Version 3.02 for the TCH (we have the 2059
bundle, quad digital modem cards, etc.), we have had a number of customers
complain about slow connection speeds through the TC.  Has anyone else had
this problem?



-
 To unsubscribe to usr-tc, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com"
 with "unsubscribe usr-tc" in the body of the message.
 For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send
 "help" to the same address.  Do not use quotes in your message.           

 

Even if your modem is only v.34, calling an ISP using 56k modems can cause big problems:

From: dbotkin@elwood.probe.net (Dale Botkin)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.modems,comp.modems
Subject: Re: USR Sportster 33.6 EXT Unexpected Hangups?
Followup-To: comp.dcom.modems,comp.modems
Date: 7 Dec 1997 06:59:37 GMT
Organization: Probe Technology Inc.
Lines: 22
Message-ID: <66dhgp$q8n$1@jake.probe.net>
References: <3484e6b4.1298771@news.citynet.net>
NNTP-Posting-Host: elwood.probe.net
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.2 PL2]


Matt Jenkins (matt.jenkins~@~northnap.citynet.net) wrote:
: I am running a USR Sportster 33.6 EXT under Win95.  I am connecting to my ISP using the Win95 DUN v1.2 with
: the PPP protocol.  Before I was getting high numbers of CRC errors and then was being disconnected.  I have
: resolved the CRC problem, however am being dropped unexpectdly.  I have tried everything in my knowledge to
: resolve this problem, and my ISP is proving no help.  They keep blaming it on quote "line conditions" yet it
: seems that in the same house I can use a USR Sportster 56K modem to connect to AOL's USR modems and connect at
: 44.Kbs and keep the connection with absoutly no problem.  They refuse to help me out and I am one step away
: from not paying this months bill <GRIN>.

: 11-15-1997 14:48:52.55 - Recv: <cr><lf>CONNECT 33600/ARQ/V34/LAPM/V42BIS<cr><lf>
--

Try S15=128 to disable V.42bis, which is known broken in many Sportsters.
If your ISP is running Ascend Maxen with K56felx cards, updating to
software release 5.0Ap36 includes a workaround from Rockwell to fix it on
their end, since USR doesn't seem to care if their modems work properly or
not.
		Dale
--------------------------------------------------------------
Dale Botkin, President            | Voice: (402) 593-9800
Probe Technology Inc.             | FAX:   (402) 593-8748
Omaha, NE                         | Email: dbotkin@probe.net             

IBM is x2-capable at all its POPS, but has disabled it in various places including several major cities:

From: postmaster@127.0.0.1 (David Blair )
Newsgroups: ibmnet.general
Subject: X2 in St. Louis (and elsehwere)
Date: Wed, 03 Dec 1997 19:34:32 GMT
Message-ID: <3485b1d1.14143757@news1.ibm.net>
X-Newsreader: Forte Agent 1.5/32.451
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
NNTP-Posting-Host: 129.37.111.96
Organization: IBM.NET
Lines: 63
Path: news2.ibm.net!news1.ibm.net!129.37.111.96

After sending an e-mail to IBM's Lou Gerstner's home page, I received
a call from a rep for IGN about why we have no service with X2 in St.
Louis. She followed up the chain of command at IGN, and reported back
that because they were on a switch which couldn't handle an X2 site,
they wouldn't be upgrading the dialup to X2 capability anytime in the
foreseeable future. She added that IGN had not said *all* sites would
be upgraded.

*THIS IS ABSOLUTELY BOGUS.*

The IBM.NET x2 page clearly staes ALL dial site will be updated to use
x2, and that they would have issues with the phone company resolved in
those places where the issues arose. This is a flat statement of 100%
coverage, and is unqualified.

I urge you, if you have a local dialup number not supporting x2, to
contact IGN and remind them that they stated unequivocally that x2
would be supported on ALL numbers.



From the website at http://www.ibm.net/x2.html :

"IBM Internet Connection x2 Enabled Cities 

IBM Global Services was one of the first ISP's to enable 33.6Kb and
again leads the way with US Robotics' x2 technology at all of its dial
cities in the U.S. and Canada, and soon worldwide. Please click here
for a complete listing of more than 500 enabled cities. "

Note that it says "at all of its dial cities"- not just some.


From the website at http://www.cahelpdesk.advantis.com/nethelp/x2.html

which is the x2 FAQ site:

"All of the modems in the U.S. and Canada have been upgraded to x2,
but some gateways are not taking x2 calls because there are Telephone
Network issues causing problems (this is maintained by the local phone
companies) Please go to the web page:
http://www.ibm.net/x2_cities.html to see if your local dial number is
on the list of x2 functioning gateways. 

If your gateway is on the list it means x2 is functioning on our side,
and there is nothing more we can do as an ISP, see the
trouble-shooting. 
If your gateway is not on the list it means we are aware of potential
problems and we are working with local telephone companies to resolve
the problem (many times this means circuits must be upgraded so it may
take a long time to be completed by the local telephone companies). "

Note the last sentence indicates IGN will work with the phone
companies to correct the problems. I was told in my conversation that
IGN would not be doing so locally.

The indication to me here is that IGN is satisfied being a second-tier
provider of service.             
 
Where x2 is enabled, some callers will be unable to get consistent connections:
Newsgroups: ibmnet.services
Subject: Re: Connect fails 159 times/month
From: bjblackbear@ibm.met (B.J. Major)
Date: Thu, 4 Dec 1997 08:59:28 -0800
Message-ID: <199712040859283022696@slip129-37-106-110.wa.us.ibm.net>
References: <34860643.39E3@ibm.net>
Organization: Big Red Toybox, Inc.
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Lines: 21
Path: news2.ibm.net!bjblackbear

Frank Grace <grace@ibm.net> wrote:

> The Poughkeepsie dialin 431-1281 flushed me 159 times in 1 month. 
> Sometimes it connects and returns garbage to the modem.  Other times it
> connects and doesn't keep the connect tone going long enough to complete
> login.  Other times it hangs after connecting.  The connects cost 10
> cents each and have added up to more than the monthly cost of the
> service.  NO, IT'S NOT MY END... each time a repeat call or two does get
> me logged on.  A class act on IBM's part would refund a month's charge
> after such a poor show.  I'm not anti-IBM.  I'm anti
> Microsoft.  So please FIX IT.

You'd be surprised how much *everything* you describe above is happening
with local ibm.net dial-in numbers in various places across the U.S.  It
all happens to me and I'm in Tacoma, WA.  I too am tiring of calling the
pay number just to get a decent connection!

-- 
--bj   Auto reply doesn't work; remove "black" to reply.  
Proud owner/user of Apple Computers since 1984.   
Religion:  anti-Microsoft             
USR's crack engineers release new Courier firmware dated 6/97 which is pulled from their site after less than a week with no explanation:
From - Sat Aug 02 18:18:57 1997
From: jdeloach@worldnet.att.net (James R. DeLoach)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.modems
Subject: Re: USR Courier 6/97 Firmware Recalled ?
Date: Fri, 01 Aug 1997 22:46:17 GMT
Organization: AT&T WorldNet Services
Lines: 23
Message-ID: <33e2661b.1408251@netnews.worldnet.att.net>
References: <33e23e28.3432024@news.mcs.net>
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Why was it recalled?  I have it installed on my USR Courier
and have not had any problems.  It works great.  I don't
plan to uninstall it anytime soon.  As long as it is not broke
why fix it.



Regards,


James (jdeloach@worldnet.att.net)


On Fri, 01 Aug 1997 19:52:39 GMT, _schmidtj@mcs.net (James Schmidt)
wrote:

>I downloaded and installed the 6/97 USR Courier Firmware last week and
>now I see it's no longer on the WWW or FTP site. The USRSDL dated 4/97
>is back. Was their problem with the 6/97 build?
>James             
3Com/USR releases new buggy Sportster x2 code:
From: "Esquire" <nospam@ibm.net>
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.modems
Subject: Buggy Sportster x2 code - PCWeek 1/8/98
Date: Tue, 20 Jan 1998 06:27:47 -1000
Lines: 49
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see http://www.zdnet.com/pcweek/news/0105/08e3com.html

Buggy upgrade still dogs some 3Com 56K modems
 By Carmen Nobel, PC Week Online
01.08.98 6:18 pm ET

As PC Week reported last month, some users of 3Com Corp.'s 56K-bps internal
and external modems have had problems with certain code dates on a software
upgrade posted on the company's Web site. It turns out the potentially buggy
code dates are still there, and 3Com has no plans to remove them
The upgrade is designed to help bring the throughput speeds of the modems
closer to 56K bps.

"The code dates are still up there because only a minimal number of people
have been affected," said a 3Com spokesman who could not say how many modems
had been disabled.

The problem lies with two of the latest code dates for the modems formerly
known as Sportser - specifically those dated October 3 and October 6, 1997.

Instead of improving the modems, the problematic upgrade blocks users from
gaining access to Internet service providers that support 3Com's x2 56K-bps
format.

"The update had the undocumented feature of turning my modem into a
paperweight," said Jeff Mintun, a network systems analyst at Six Flags Over
Texas in Grand Prairie, Texas, who downloaded the upgrade last week.

3Com officials noted that not everyone who downloads the upgrade experiences
problems. Engineers at the Skokie, Ill., company have speculated that part
of the problem may be related to users' phone lines.

3Com has no plans to post a corrected update until February, at which time
the company expects to revamp its upgrade wizard anyway to support the
forthcoming 56K standard.

In the meantime, customers who download the buggy upgrade can call 3Com
customer service at (847) 982-5151 and ask for a file that enables them to
downgrade their modems back to the previous state version, company officials
said.

Some users have said it takes up to 10 days to receive the downgrade,
although 3Com officials said users should be able to receive the downgrade
immediately if they have E-mail access.

3Com can be reached at www.3com.com.             
 
Well, maybe some of us can laugh about it all:
From: "Head Hunter" <hunt4bill@microsoft.com>
Newsgroups: 3com.totalservice.support
Subject: HEADHUNTER wants 3COM/USR Engineers
Date: Tue, 30 Dec 1997 19:20:04 -1000
Lines: 19
X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 4.72.2106.4
X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V4.72.2106.4

    Attention 3COM/USR Engineers:

    Feeling pressure from new owners that want you to write software that
works?

    Uncle Bill wants to give you relief. Tremendous opportunity to work for
the top software company in the industry - one that will sell you out. Our
company is seeking software engineers to incorporate bugs in our software.
We know how to show our appreciation [$$$$] for talent that is able to add
creative bugs that will not be detected by our quality control division, and
Uncle Bill told me he thinks you guys are the best. If you'd like to
consider working for a company that appreciates what you do best, reply via
e-mail to set up a confidential interview at once!

    Yours truly,
    Head Hunter
    (hunt4bill@microsoft.com)             
US Robotics support is clueless:
From: Timothy J Kniveton kniveton@yahoo.com
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.modems
Subject: USR Clueless?
Date: Mon, 09 Feb 1998 12:58:05 -0800
Organization: Oracle Corporation. Redwood Shores, CA
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Message-ID: <34DF6DDD.A0709F96@yahoo.com>
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X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.04 [en] (X11; U; SunOS 5.5.1 sun4m)

After exchanging E-mail with 6 or 7 different people at USR's support
E-mail, it seems that no one there has a clue.  Is this a false
impression, or actually true?             

 

Yes, they are clueless, and they are not even 3Com/USR employees. It appears
a company called "CGS International" is providing 3Com support.

I called support, reached a location in Florida (where the support people
can't make a local call and get x2 to work), and was e-mailed this (no lie -
I couldn't believe it) with attachment:

From - Thu Oct 30 16:46:09 1997
Received: from shark.oasistech.com [207.49.135.11] by in4.ibm.net id
878239411.91638-1 ; Thu, 30 Oct 1997 19:23:31 +0000
Received: from workstation_12 (tpa-md29.oasistech.com [208.139.229.29])
          by shark.OasisTech.com (Post.Office MTA v3.1 release PO205e
          ID# 0-33242U500L100S10000) with ESMTP id AAA345
          for <macnuts@ibm.net>; Thu, 30 Oct 1997 14:13:19 -0500
From: mbrown@oasistech.com (CGS International)
To: (me)
Subject: Flash code
Date: Thu, 30 Oct 1997 14:14:15 -0500
X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
X-Priority: 3
X-Mailer: Microsoft Internet Mail 4.70.1161
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: multipart/mixed;
boundary="----=_NextPart_000_01BCE53E.1A780EA0"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Message-ID: <19971030191318965.AAA345@tpa-md29.oasistech.com>
X-Mozilla-Status: 8001

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

------=_NextPart_000_01BCE53E.1A780EA0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Mr Gamberg,
                   Here is the 2/25/97 flash code for your modem.  I am
sending this to you on behalf of Sidney, whom you spoke with earlier.
Sidney was attacked and killed by a roving band of angry, out of work
telemarketing commandos* shortly after speaking with you.  Before he died,
he managed to slip me a little piece of paper with your email address and
asked me to send you this file.  Please, join me in a moment of silence as
we honor our fallen warrior. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . .. Thankyou.  If you have any questions about flashing your
modem, please give us a call.  Any of us here, including Sidney's ghost,
will be happy to assist you in any way we can.

Thankyou

Marlon at 3COM


*Actually, his computer just crashed, but that story sure did sound more
interesting didn't it?             

 

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