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Checking PC Card ISDN
For technical support and advanced users
V1.42 - DD / COM One - 02/2000

 

We recommend to read FAQ's before to use this check list.

Products concerned

This document applies to these PC Cards :
- MC218 (COM One Communication Card, 3 in 1).
- MC220 (COM One Platinium Card, 4 in 1).
- MC222 (COM One Platinium Card, 2 in 1).

OEM : Most of the information's of this document are true for OEM products too.

Drivers

Patches files are available for ISDN drivers, have a look to the DRV_MC2XX.DOC document.

Note that MC218 is compatible with ISDN drivers from MC220 up to version TECH0359. We recommend to use these.

Pluging the card

When you plug the ISDN adapter under Win95/98, or when you boot for Win95/98/NT4, the leds will switch on for 2 seconds then switch off.

This mean the initialisation between the PC Card and the adapter is OK, else if the 2 leds keeps lighted on, there's a hardware problem.

Orange led : mean the link to ISDN network activated (note: behind some BPX the led is off until you do your first ISDN call, this is normal).
Green led : mean "connected" (remote has answered).

PC Card Firmwares

MC218 : we recommend firmwares from xxxxWW.H45 and nexts.
MC220 : support ISDN from firmwares
xxxxWW.L10.

DUN Error messages

Windows 95 / 98

DUN stands for Dial Up Neworking (named Remote Access Service under WinNT 4).

Error 630 : The computer is not receiving a response from the modem.
Check the modem selected into the DUN is a "SX128 MODEM ..." and not "COMOne Platinium Card".

Error 678 : The computer you are dialing is not answering. Try again.
- Check if you are dialing the right number (ie.: add or remove prefix).
- This error message can appear after an update of ISDN drivers. Go in the properties of the DUN connection, then reselect the "SX128 MODEM ..." driver.

Diagnostic

Installation under Windows 9x

Before to install ISDN drivers, PSTN driver must be installed.

Installation under Windows NT 4

Before to install ISDN drivers, PSTN driver must be installed and dialup networking must have been tested with PSTN (this allow WinNT 4 to manage correctly RAS and network settings).

Note, when you install the PSTN driver (Control Panel / Modem), Windows must detect the PC Card : you must NOT select a COM port in the list.
If Windows do not detect the PC Card, this mean something is wrong into Windows NT 4 or into the BIOS. Windows is not be able to detect any PC Card modem (even from other brands).

Windows NT 4 boot

When you boot the computer, the PC Card and the ISDN adapter *must* be plugged.

ISDN call : Test button

SX128 / Test / call a provider number (example: +33 5 56 69 30 80).

Does the SX128 icon switches to yellow ? (Note: If after the Test, the SX128 icon keeps yellow, this is due to your PBX keeping the link, it's normal).

Analog call trough ISDN

Can you do analog trough ISDN ?
Go under Hyperterminal, select the PC Card driver, type "ati" to check you're using the analog driver and not "SX128 MODEM" then try to dial an analog modem:
at s95=44
atdt 0556788382 (any analog modem number)
If you see the "CONNECT" message, analog trough ISDN is working.

Direct ISDN line or behind an ISDN PBX ?

To know it, do you need to enter a first prefix number before to dial? if yes then you're behind a PBX.

Note for MC220 ISDN : during the boot the 2 leds switch on, and after, the led "orange" keeps lighted, this may mean you're onto an ISDN PBX.

If you're calling from behind a PBX:
- Usually lines are setup for voice only,  is your ISDN line configurated for Data?   (to check with the PBX administrator).
- Try to call from a direct ISDN line (direct ISDN switch the orange led on on first call, then orange led keep switched on, it's normal).
- Some PBX requieres the ISDN device to present it's number before to be allowed an outgoing call (open the SX128 control panel / Tools / Fill the box "local subaddress" with your identifier number / OK / OK / restart Windows).

Using the Diag function

SX128 / Test / call a provider number (example: +33 5 56 69 30 80).
The most common error message returned is : "Local configuration not correct".

SX128 / Tools / Diagnostic / Diag / Save.
- What's the value of CSC ? (0 or 1, 0 mean ISDN driver don't see the PC Card).
- Save the DIAG to a text file and sent it to us by email.

MC220 LAN adapter

If the user also own a MC220 LAN adapter, does it work ?

Does it work under another OS ?

For computer's having a dual boot (ex: WinNT4 + Win95) : Does the ISDN works under the other OS ? (this can be interresting for support peoples).

Is a Windows NT 4 card manager installed ?

Examples :
- SystemSoft's Card Wizard.
- Softex's Phoenix Card Executive 2.x.
- Award CardWare.

The MC220 ISDN/LAN functions can't work under WinNT 4 if some card managers are installed because MC220 ISDN/LAN technology requieres a direct access to PCMCIA controller.

You must uninstall this software in order to install and run the ISDN/LAN functions.
We know this is not a easy solution, we're working to try to find a better one.

Note: PSTN and GSM modes work without any changes.

More about Diag function

CSC (Card Services Connector)
0 = Driver don't see the PC Card.
1 = Driver see the PC Card (don't mean the ISDN interface is plugged to the PC Card).

IIC (the value is coded onto bits)
2047 = See the PC Card without ISDN interface.

0 = ?

Note about IRQ

An IRQ is only used when you open a B channel (Test function doesn't use a B channel but only the D channel).
From about v1.6, our driver use the same IRQ as the modem COM port. Check if the BIOS doesn't reserve it, else disable PnP for this IRQ into the BIOS.

Removing manually ISDN driver

Process made for driver v1.60

Error messages on Windows 95/98 boot : "SX2PORT.VXD file is missing".

Registry :

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\VxD\SX2CARR

Remove these keys :

SX2CARR
SX2CTRL
SX2PORT
SX2PROT
SX2RELAY

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Enum\PCMCIA\PCCARD or product name

INF files to remove under Win95/98

(ex: for reboot problems or uninstallation not successfull)

- Delete the following files from C:\WINDOWS or C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM
mdmsx128.inf
pcom.inf
sx128.inf
com_1.inf
cssind.inf
sx2tapi.inf

- With driver before v1.7 : run RMSXFLS.EXE to delete ISDN driver files.

CAPI

- After CAPI installation (with ISDN driver 2.0), you can see the device into "Control Panel"
/ "Network" / "ACOTEC CAPI20 Protocol v1.1 -> SX128 MAC Driver for CAPI-Subsystem".

- Applications working with CAPI 1.1 should be able to work with CAPI 2.0 too.

- We 've used the following CAPI applications:
T-Online 2.0x - 16 Bit CAPI
ZOC (Terminal-Programm) - 32 Bit CAPI
cFosWin - 16 Bit CAPI
Symantec PC AnyWhere 8

The following applications didn't work correctly :
WinFax PRO 9.0 (fax via CAPI 2.0)
AVM CapiPort

Q: Why can't I fax via CAPI ?
A: It is not possible faxing using CAPI because it would need an additionnal software to create the analog modulation and we don't provide this software.
Theorically this should be possible by adding a software as Acotec or RVS Comm, but we've not tested this solution.
Pratically it is not interresting to use CAPI fax software : this kind of software is big (10 Mb) and slow down the system. The hardware of the MC220 does the same thing !.
Conclusion : To sent faxes, we recommend to use the analog part of the MC220 (select the analog COM port).

Symantec Winfax Pro 9.0 error message known : "The CAPI installed on your system does not support the G3 Fax protocol. You will not be able to fax with this version of CAPI. Contact your ISDN card manufacturer for a CAPI update with fax support".

WinNT 4 : Changing PC Card IRQ

PC Card ISDN under Windows NT 4
Changing PC Card IRQ
COM One technical support 21/10/98

1) Get COM port used by the PC Card
-----------------------------------
Control panel / Modems
select the modem line then click "Properties".
Get the COM Port used by your modem (ex: "Port: COM3").

2) Know free IRQ's
------------------
Start / Programs / Administrative Tools (Common) / Windows NT Diagnostics
Tab: Resources
Write down all the values not used between 01 and 15. These are free IRQ's.

3) Know values used by all Serial COM ports
-------------------------------------------
Click the button "Devices", then double click the choice "Serial".

Now you get a window named "Serial Properties"
containing all the "Interrupt Request" and "Input/Output Range" for each COM
port.

Note: The PCMCIA COM Port values should be the 2 lines of the bottom of the
list.

4) Changing your modem IRQ
--------------------------
Control Panel / Ports
Click the COM port used by your modem, then "Settings" / button "Advanced" now
try changing the IRQ to a free value.

You will have to restart Windows NT 4.

Call Back

Win 95/98

Q : My modem don't see the incoming call (ex: when doing call back).

A : Our ISDN driver (SX128 Control panel) has a default value: the sub adress is set to "01".
This permit to avoid the PC Card ISDN get any incoming ISDN call (ex.: ISDN phone calls).

1) This mean that is you want to receive an ISDN call, others must dial your number + "*01"
Ex: "0556693080*01"
BUT: this service named "local sub adress" is not supported by default by your telecom installation.

2) The second (more simple) solution is to remove the value "01" from the sub adress box, then restart Win95.
Now, the PC Card ISDN will take any incoming ISDN calls !.

Windows NT 4

Control panel / Services / Network / Remove Access Service / Configure the communication device (usually "SX2TAPI (ISDN 1)" ) for "Dial out and Receive calls".

For more information :
For external ISDN devices: call back with "Dial Out only" works. With ISDN (internal) TAPI devices : with "Dial Out only" the computer don't see the call back. You must set "Dial Out and Receive calls".

FAQ

The FAQ from our Web site FAQ include a lot of questions / answers.

Form ISDN

PC Card ISDN : support form
Document v1.1, 01/1999, DD/COM One.

Here are the information the support will need
----------------------------------------------
- Computer FULL name : ...

- Operating system name and version (services packs installed?) : ...

- Was the OS installed by the manufacturer of the PC (OEM OS), or from a
standard CD-Rom ? : ...

- Loader version : ...

- PC Card type (ex: MC218, MC220) : ....

- SX128 driver version: ...
(Double click onto the SX128 icon in the task bar, and get the version number upper the the "Tools" button).

- Direct ISDN line or behind a PBX ? : ...

- Is any PCMCIA manager installed? (ex: System Soft Card Wizard) : ...
Did you installed this software yourself, or the manufacturer did? : ...

- PCMCIA controller name : ...
Win95/98: Control panel / System / PCMCIA socket, then write down all the lines inside.
WinNT 4: Run the Loader 4.xx select the PC Card, and get the name of the controller.

- Don't forget to write your questions with most details possible (ie. Error message). Thank you.
Q : ...