Using an IBM Internal Modem with Robot Alert

 

Before You Begin

The following sections describe how to set up an IBM internal modem to work with Robot Alert. Before you set up an internal modem in Robot Alert, you must determine the resource name associated with the communication port type you'll be using. You'll use this resource name, CMNxx, in step 4 of the "Setting Up The Modem" procedure below.

To determine the resource name for the communication port, enter the following command from an IBM i command line:

WRKHDWRSC *CMN

Checking Your IOP Configuration

In V5R3, IBM moved to non-IOP cards (called IOP-less) for the Model 2993 and 2771 internal modems. To determine if your modem has an IOP, execute the WRKHDWRSC *CMN command, and check if your modem—2793 or 2771—is listed under an IOP on the Work with Communication Resources panel. If there's no IOP, you have an IOP-less configuration.

• If the 2793 or 2771 is not listed under an IOP (IOP-less configuration):

  • You can only use port 0 and port 1 for asynchronous point-to-point protocol (PPP) communication.
  • Asynchronous non-PPP dial-up communication will not work on either port in an IOP-less configuration.

• If the 2793 or 2771 is listed under an IOP (IOP configuration):

  • You can use port 0 for asynchronous PPP communication.
  • You can use port 1 for asynchronous non-PPP dial-up communication.

Setting Up the Modem

Use the following procedure to set up your internal modem with Robot Alert:

1. In Robot Alert, create a new modem-type communication job by selecting option 6, System Setup Menu, option 2, Maintain Communication Jobs, and pressing function key F6.

   When you create this job, Robot Alert creates a line (RBALxx), a controller (RBACxx), and a device (RBADxx). Make a note of their actual names.

2. From the Maintain Communication Jobs panel, enter option 2 to hold the new communication job.

3. From a command prompt, use the following command to verify that the new line description (RBALxx) is varied off:

   WRKCFGSTS CFGTYPE(*LIN) CFGD(RBALxx)

4. Delete the line description (RBALxx) and recreate it using the following command:

   CRTLINASC LIND(RBALxx) RSRCNAME(CMNxx) ONLINE(*NO) INTERFACE(*INTMODEM) CNN(*SWTPP) VRYWAIT(60) SWTCNN(*DIAL) AUTOANS(*NO) AUTODIAL(*YES) DIALCMD(*OTHER) INACTTMR(*NOMAX) TEXT('ALERTLINE') AUT(*ALL)

   Note: You may be able to cut and paste this command into your online session.

5. Use the following command to verify that the controller (RBACxx) is varied off:\

   WRKCFGSTS CFGTYPE(*CTL) CFGD(RBACxx)

6. Use the following command to point the controller to the recreated communication line:

   CHGCTLASC CTLD(RBACxx) SWTLINLST(RBALxx)

7. From the Maintain Communication Jobs panel, enter option 3 to release the new communication job.

Modem Compatibility Considerations

Some internal modems start at a faster transmission speed. Because your vendor may be using a slower modem, it can take time to determine the correct speed to use to communicate with your vendor's modem. In addition, some slower modems cannot handle the error correction feature that's used as a default by some internal modems.

If it's taking too long (more than 40 seconds) to connect to your vendor, do the following:

1. Use the following command to end the communication job (RBACxxM):

   WRKACTJOB SBS(RBTSLEEPER)

2. Display the communication job setup in Robot Alert by selecting option 6, System Setup Menu, option 2, Maintain Communication Jobs, and option 1 to select the communication job's setup.

3. Enter the following in the Modem Initialization String field on the Communication Job panel:

   ATS37=6-C0\N0

   where: S37=6 starts the modem at a slower speed, C0 turns off the data calling tone, and N0 turns off the error correction feature.

4. Answer YES to the Start Communication Job prompt and send a test page.