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Setup: Multi-Tech MT5634ZBA User's Guide

SafetyPlacing the ModemChanging the JumpersConnecting the Modem to Your SystemInstalling the Modem in WindowsConfiguring the Modem for Your CountryConfiguring Communication Programs


Safety


Placing the Modem

Place the modem close to your computer. If you wish to use the included self-adhesive plastic feet, simply peel them off the backing strip and press them into the recesses on the bottom of the modem.

Figure 1. Mounting the feet


Changing the Jumpers

This step is required only if you intend to use the modem on a leased line. It requires you to open the modem and move one or more jumpers on the modem's printed circuit board.

NOTE: The following procedure must be performed by authorized service personnel.
CAUTION: The circuit board can be harmed by static electricity. Before you open the case, touch a grounded object, such as the metal chassis of your computer, to discharge any static electricity in your body, then touch the metal shell of the modem's RS232 connector to ensure that there is no voltage difference between you and the modem.

Opening the Modem

  1. If the modem is connected, turn it off and remove all connecting cables, including power and line cables.
  2. Turn the modem upside down.
  3. On the bottom of the modem are two screws that hold the case together. Remove both screws and set them aside.
  4. Turn the modem right side up.
  5. Remove the top part of the modem case.
  6. To close the modem, reverse steps 1–5.

Figure 2. Internal jumpers

Changing the Dial-Up/Leased-Line Jumpers

As shipped from the factory, your modem is configured for normal dial-up operation. That is, the modem must dial a phone number to connect to another modem. To use the modem on a leased line, you must change jumper J10 to select leased line operation, and J11 to select whether it will be the originating or the answering modem. (If dial-up operation is selected, J11 has no effect.) See Figure 2 for jumper locations and positions.


Connecting the Modem to Your System

Connect the modem to your computer's serial port, to the telephone line, to AC power, and, optionally, to your telephone.

Figure 3. Modem connections

RS232 Connection

Plug one end of the serial cable into the RS232 connector on the modem, and the other end into a serial port connector on your computer, such as COM1 or COM2.

Line Connection

Plug one end of the phone cable into the modem's LINE jack, and the other end into a phone line wall jack.

NOTE: The LINE jack is not interchangeable with the PHONE jack. Do not plug the phone into the LINE jack or the line cable into the PHONE jack.

Phone Connection

If you wish to connect a telephone to the same line as the modem, plug it into the modem's PHONE jack.

NOTE: The PHONE jack is not interchangeable with the LINE jack. Do not plug the phone into the LINE jack or the line cable into the PHONE jack.

Power Connection

Make sure the power switch is set to OFF. Plug the power adapter into into the PWR jack on the modem, and then plug one end of the power cord into the power adapter and the other end into an AC power outlet or power strip.

CAUTION: Use only the power adapter supplied with the modem. Use of any other power adapter will void the warranty and could damage the modem.

Power-On Test

Test the modem by turning it on (a power switch is located on the right side). When you apply power, the modem performs a diagnostic self-test, indicated by several indicators flashing for a second or two, after which the 56 indicator should light. If this does not happen, check that the power switch is on, the power supply is solidly connected, and the AC outlet is live. If these measures do not work, see Troubleshooting.

Surge Protectors and Lightning

Your modem has automatic lightning protection to protect it from electrical spikes on the telephone line. Nonetheless, power surges and other transient voltages on power lines, such as those caused by lightning strikes, can damage or destroy your modem. Therefore, we recommend that you plug the modem into a surge protector rather than directly into a wall outlet, preferably a surge protector that provides protection against electrical spikes on the telephone line as well as on the power line.

NOTE: Not even a surge protector can guard against damage from a nearby lightning strike. During an electrical storm, your safest course is to unplug your computer equipment from both the power outlet and the telephone line.


Installing the Modem in Windows

If you are using Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT 4.0, or Windows 2000, you must install the modem in the operating system.

Adding the Modem to Windows

  1. Make sure your modem is connected properly, and then turn on your computer. Windows should detect your new modem and open the Install New Modem wizard.
  2. If Windows cannot detect your modem or if it identifies your modem as a "Standard Modem," click the Start button, point to Settings, and click Control Panel.
  3. Double-click the Modems icon. If no modem is currently installed, the Install New Modem wizard appears. If a modem is already installed, the Modems Properties dialog box appears; click Add to go to the Install New Modem wizard.
NOTE: If Windows cannot detect your modem, your modem may be turned off, it may be unplugged, it may be plugged into the wrong connector on your computer, or the serial cable may be faulty. See None of the Indicators Light and The Modem Does Not Respond to Commands.
  1. In the Install New Modem wizard, select "Don't detect my modem; I will select it from a list," and then click Next. A dialog box with a list of manufacturers and a list of modem models appears.
  2. Insert the MT5634ZBA compact disc into the computer's CD-ROM drive, and then click Have Disk.
  3. In the Install from Disk dialog box, select the drive the installation disk is in, and then click OK.
  4. Your modem is listed in the Install New Modem dialog box. Click Next.
  5. Select the port you want to use with the modem, and click Next.
  6. Wait while Windows installs and configures the modem.
  7. Click Finish to exit.

Removing Your Old Modem from Windows

When your new modem replaces another modem, the old modem installation remains in Windows after you install the new modem, and the old modem is still selected in HyperTerminal and other Windows applications. Though you can change the application connection descriptions one at a time, it is easier to force Windows applications to use the new modem by removing the old modem from Windows.

  1. Click the Start button, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
  2. Double-click the Modems icon to open the Modems Properties dialog box.
  3. In the list box, select the old modem.
  4. Click Remove, then click Close.
  5. The next time you dial a HyperTerminal connection, it will select your new modem and ask you to confirm the selection.

Configuring the Modem for Your Country

Different countries have different requirements for how modems must function. Therefore, before you use the modem, you must configure it to match the defaults of the country in which you are using it. You can use one of two configuration methods:

Global Wizard Configuration Utility. This configuration utility is recommended for computers running Windows 95 and 98, Windows NT 3.51 and 4.0, and Windows 2000. Using Global Wizard, you can configure your modem for a specific country with just a few mouse clicks.

AT Commands. If you are comfortable using AT commands, or wish to fine-tune the operation of your modem, you can do this using firmware-based AT commands and S-Registers. You must enter these commands in your communication program's terminal window and must have a broad understanding of the impact reconfiguring AT commands will have on your application.

Global Wizard

  1. Insert the MT5634ZBA compact disk into the CD-ROM drive. The Autorun dialog box appears.
  2. Click Initial Setup and Country Selection. The Global Wizard dialog box appears.
  3. Click Next. Global Wizard searches for your modem and identifies it.
  4. Click Next.
  5. Select the country in which the modem will be used, and then click Next.
  6. Review your choice of country. If it is correct, click Next to configure the modem.
  7. When Global Wizard announces that the parameters have been set, click Finish to exit.

Configuring Communication Programs

Communication programs designed for Windows 95/98 and Windows NT normally do not need to be manually configured, since they use the configuration in the Windows modem driver. Communication programs designed for DOS and other operating systems, however, may need to be manually configured to work with your modem. Though each communication program is different, the following generic procedure should apply to most of them.

  1. Install and run your communication software.
  2. Find the dialog box or menu that lets you select your modem. (In Windows Terminal select Settings> | Modem Commands, and in HyperTerminal select File | Properties | Phone Number.)
  3. Choose your modem from the software's modem list. If it isn't listed, choose a generic modem and modify the settings as necessary.
  4. Change the modem initialization string, if necessary. The factory default configuration works well for most purposes. To load the factory default configuration, use AT&F. To load a custom configuration that was saved using the &W command, use ATZ. Note that the Z command must be in a command string by itself. If you do not want the modem to always answer the phone, add S0=0 to the string. To use Caller ID with the modem, add S0=2 to the string (Caller ID information is sent between the first and second rings, so the phone must ring at least twice before the modem picks up the line). Depending on the software, you might have to end the string with a carriage return character (^M).
NOTE: To change the modem's default configuration, type new commands in the software's terminal window, adding the &W command to store them in the modem's nonvolatile memory. For instance, to create a default configuration that turns off autoanswer, type AT&FS0=0&W. The new configuration loads automatically whenever the modem is turned on or receives the ATZ command.
  1. Select the port the modem is connected to (normally COM1 or COM2).
  2. Select your serial port speed. This can be labeled "maximum speed," "DTE bps," or "baud rate." Ideally, if you use data compression, you should set your serial port baud rate to four times the modem's maximum transmission speed or faster; however, few files can be compressed enough to require speeds that high, and not all serial ports can handle speeds that high. Set the serial port baud rate to the highest speed your computer and operating system can handle.
  3. If the software has an autobaud selection, make sure it is disabled. Autobaud applies only to older modems, and can cause problems if enabled.
  4. If the software allows you to edit the no-connect messages (NO CARRIER, BUSY, NO ANSWER, NO DIALTONE), make sure there is no space between DIAL and TONE in NO DIALTONE.
  5. Refer to the software manual or online help for other configuration choices; in most cases you can accept the default values.

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