Accessing the Modem Pool

The ECE computing facilities currently include a pool of 15 old 28.8Kbps and 33.6Kbps modems. Simply dial 847-491-8155, and you will reach the next non-busy modem, if any.

All modems are USR Courier 28.8 or 33.6Kbps "V.Everything" modems, and support V.34, V.FC, V.32 terbo, and V.32bis. In its heyday (circa 1997) that meant the modems supported all modem protocols. Nowadays, of course, we have 56Kbps modems. Unfortunately, the phone lines these modems are attached to are noisy, so can not support speeds in excess of 33.6Kbps. It is for that reason, primarily, that the modems were never upgraded.

All modem lines support full hardware flow control, eliminating the need for in-band/software flow control (control-s/XON and control-q/XOFF).

The terminal server to which the modems are attached will automatically disconnect any line which has been in use for four hours. This policy was implemented because in its absence certain users were tying up the dial-in lines for literally days. At the time of this writing (circa 10/2003), the department modem pool gets very little usage.

Using the Pool

Because of the age and obsolescence of the modems and their supporting hardware and software, the pool's use is discouraged. The CFS instead encourages users to make use of NU IT's 56Kbps modems before they are retired in August of 2005.

In addition to having obsolete hardware, using the pool with Microsoft Windows requires a special login script (download ). Please contact the CFS for help if you don't know how do use the script.

2145 Sheridan Road . Evanston / IL . 60208
Phone: 847-491-8140 . FAX: 847-491-4455
webmaster@ece.northwestern.edu

Tue Oct 21 16:47:50 CDT 2003