AT&T Merlin II Feature Module 2 Use and care manual

AT&T
MERLIN
®
II
COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM
Feature Module 2
Data Communications Guide

©1988 AT&T
All Rights Reserved
Printed in USA
Issue 2
May, 1988
NOTICE
The information in this document is subject to change without notice. AT&T assumes no responsibility
for any errors that may appear in this document.
MERLIN is a registered trademark of AT&T
To order copies of this document, call the AT&T Customer Information Center, 1-800-432-6600 and
include the document number 518-600-039 with your order.

Contents
Section 1: Introduction
What’s in This Guide
1-1
How to Use This Guide
1-2
Data Communications with the MERLIN II System
1-3
Section 2: Planning Data Options
Planning Overview
Components of the MERLIN II System
Identifying Line and Station Modules
Reserving Line Jacks
Reserving Station Jacks for Voice and Data Workstations
Reserving Jacks for Computer Access and Modem Pools
Planning Data Hunt Groups
Master Planning Form
Incoming Modem Pool Form
Data Hunt Group Form
2-1
2-3
2-5
2-8
2-9
2-14
2-20
2-21
2-25
2-27
Section 3: Connecting Hardware and Setting Options
Installation Overview
3-1
Simultaneous Voice and Data at Digital Stations
3-2
Digital Stations for Data Communications Only
3-6
Simultaneous Voice and Data at Analog Stations
3-7
Local Host Computer Access
3-9
Modem Pools
3-12
Section 4: Administering Data Options
Administration Overview
4-1
Basic Administration for Analog Station Jacks
4.3
Modem Pools
4-4
Data Hunt Groups
4-6
The Local Host Interface Feature
4-8
Data Status Buttons for Digital Voice Terminals
4-9
Simultaneous Voice and Data at Analog Voice Terminals 4-10
Section 5: Using Data Equipment for Calls
Overview
5-1
Data Calls with Digital Voice and Data Equipment
5-3
Data Calls with an Analog Voice Terminal
5-10
Data Calls to Digital Stations from Other Locations
5-12
Special Information for Placing Data Calls
5-13
Voice Calls Dialed from a Computer or Data Terminal
5-15
Index

What’s in This Guide
SECTION 1:
INTRODUCTION
SECTION 2: PLANNING
DATA OPTIONS
SECTION 3: CONNECTING
HARDWARE AND SETTING
OPTIONS
The information in this guide is divided into five sections, as described below.
This section tells what’s in the guide and how
to use it. It also gives an
overview of data communications with the MERLIN®II Communications
System. In addition, it defines basic terms.
This section helps system administrators make basic decisions about how to
use the data options that the MERLIN II system provides. It includes forms
for recording those decisions.
This section explains how to connect data hardware to the control unit and to
other equipment in the MERLIN II system. It also provides information on
setting option switches for data stands, data modules, and modems.
SECTION 4: This section shows administrators how to use the information on the planning
ADMINISTERING DATA forms to customize the system to meet specific data communications needs,
OPTIONS
SECTION 5: USING DATA
This section explains how to handle internal and outside data calls and how
EQUIPMENT FOR CALLS
to place voice calls from a computer or data terminal. It contains separate
instructions for people with digitaI and analog ‘voice terminals.
What’s in This Guide 1-1

How to Use This Guide
SETTlNG UP DATA
OPTIONS FOR THE FIRST
TIME?
MAKING CHANGES TO A
SYSTEM WITH DIGITAL
DATA CAPABILITY?
MAKING A DATA CALL
FOR THE FIRST TIME?
This guide to data options is intended as a supplement to the MERLIN II
System Manual
that you received with your system. How you should use the
guide at any particular time depends on what you want to do.
Use the information in Section 2, “Planning Data Options” to decide which
options you want for your system and complete the appropriate forms. If
your data equipment hasn’t been installed, follow the instructions in
Section 3, “Connecting Data Hardware and Setting Options.” (If you aren’t
experienced in hardware installation, have someone else perform this step.)
After the equipment is installed, perform the procedures in Section 4,
“Administering Data Options” that apply to your system.
Update your pl
anning forms to reflect the changes you want to make. Then
perform the appropriate procedure(s) in Section 4, “Administering Data
Options.” If the change requires changing hardware or hardware option
settings, see Section 3,
“Connecting Hardware and Setting Options.”
See the relevant entries in Section 5, “Using Data Equipment for Calls."
How to Use This Guide 1-2

Data Communications with the MERLIN II System
The MERLIN II system provides for simultaneous voice and data
communications using internal or outside telephone lines. A person with a
data terminal or personal computer can make a data call to a host computer,
for example, then place or receive voice calls without affecting the data
connection.
SYSTEM COMPONENTS
Figure 1-1 shows how data and voice equipment is connected in the
MERLIN II system. As this illustration shows, the system can accommodate
several different types of voice and data workstations. Two special features
of the MERLIN II system, data hunt groups for local host computer access
and modem pools, allow users to share the data communications equipment
needed for internal and outside data calls.
NOTE: Compatibility with the PC/PBX Connection and other data
products will be discussed in the documentation for those products.
Definitions of the terms used in Figure 1-1 and elsewhere in this guide are
found in “Definitions of Basic Terms. ”
Section 2 provides a detailed
description of the basic components of the MERLIN II system.
Data Communications with the MERLIN II System 1-3

FIGURE 1-1 Connectivity diagram for system components.
Two ports to Analog Voice Data
single 4 - pair Terminal
wiring point
Analog
station
module
General
Purpose
adapter
Modem
ANALOG
VOICE AND
DATA
Modem
pool #2
Basic
telephone
module
Digital
station
Outside Line
Outside Line
MPDM
MPDM
Host
computer
MPDM
7406 with
data stand Data
terminal
Data Hunt
Group
PT 510D
DIGITAL
VOICE
AND
DATA
Data
Terminal
PC/PBX Connection
DIGITAL
DATA
ONLY
Control Unit
1-4 Data Communications with the MERLIN II System

DEFINITIONS OF BASIC
Analog
TERMS
Basic Telephone
and Modem
Interface (BTMI)
Call Progress
Messages
Control Unit
Data
Communications
Equipment (DCE)
Data Hunt Group
Data Metering
Data Module
Data Rate or Speed
Data Stand
Data Terminal
Equipment (DTE)
Digital
Designed to transmit signals as continuous electrical
waves. Analog voice terminals such as the 10-button
and 34-button deluxe models can be directly connected
only to analog jacks at the control unit.
Connects basic telephones and data communications
devices, such as modems, to analog station jacks at
the MERLIN II control unit.
Messages sent to a computer or data terminal from the
control unit, data module, modem, or data stand.
These messages tell the user how calls are proceeding.
If a call can’t go through, an explanatory message
such as Incompatible Far End appears.
The master component in the MERLIN II system. It
manages all call traffic for the system and controls all
system responses.
A device used to transmit binary data to and/or from a
communication channel.
A group of digital station jacks that are assigned a
common access number. When a call is placed to a
data hunt group, the system checks the jacks in
round-robin fashion and connects the call to the first
one available.
A feature of a data stand that allows it to
communicate with another DCE or DTE (see Data
Terminal Equipment below) device at a rate lower
than the rate set for the terminal to which the data
stand is connected.
A general term used in this guide to refer to the
Modular Processor Data Module (MPDM) and the
Modular Trunk Data Module (MTDM).
The rate at which digital data signals are sent between
data communications equipment and/or data terminal
equipment. For example, the data rate of a modem
that transmits at 1200 bits per second (bps) is 1200.
A device that provides a DCE interface when
connected to a 7406 voice terminal for a data terminal
or personal computer.
A device used to convert character information to
and/or from binary data.
Designed to transmit signals as a sequence of separate
electrical pulses. Digital voice terminals such as the
7406 model and digital personal terminals such as the
PT51OO can be directly connected only to digital jacks
at the control unit.
Data Communications with the MERLIN II System 1-5

Digital Data Data communications equipment that receives and
Endpoint
transmits digital data signals to the control unit. The
7406 data stand, the Personal Terminal [PT) 51OD, the
MPDM, and the MTDM are digital data endpoints.
Line Jack
A jack that connects an outside line to the control
unit.
Local Host
A method of connecting digital station jacks to an on-
Computer Access
site computer for data only calls by MPDMs. Some or
all of these digital station jacks may be put in a data
hunt group.
Modem The equipment that comprises a member of a modem
Configuration pool. A modem configuration is made up of a
MTDM, a modem, and all required cables and cords.
If it is connected to an analog station jack, it also
includes a BTMI.
Modem Pool
A group of modems and associated equipment used to
convert digital data to analog data or vice versa.
Pooling makes it possible for users to share a limited
number of modems. Calls come into incoming
modem pools at the analog end of the modem
configuration; calls come into outgoing modem pools
at the digital end of the modem configuration.
Modular Processor A DCE device that converts digital data signals from
Data Module the control unit switching facilities to EIA RS-232-C
(MPDM) data
signals for a computer or data terminal and vice
versa. MPDMs are used with data terminals or
computers for data only at digital stations and for local
host computer access.
Modular Trunk
Data Module
(MTDM)
Outside Line
Station
Station Jack
A DTE device that serves as the interface between the
control unit and a modem. Together with a modem,
it changes digital data signals from the switching
facilities to analog signals that can be transmitted over
standard telephone lines or vice versa. MTDMs are
used in modem pools.
The telephone lines that come from your local
telephone company central office (CO) to your
building. These lines may be connected to your
MERLIN II control unit or to a modem for use in
modem pools on dedicated outside lines.
Any location in the MERLIN 11 system where wires
from the control unit end at a voice terminal and/or
data device.
A jack that connects the wires from a voice terminal
and/or a data device to the control unit.
1-6 Data Communications with the MERLIN II System

DATA CONNECTIVITY FOR Figure 1-2 shows how one department of a typical business makes use of the
A TYPICAL BUSINESS data capabilities the MERLIN II system provides. At the brokerage firm of
Bye, Loew, and Zelli, the staff of the commodities group use two types of
digital workstations connected to the MERLIN II system. This arrangement
allows them to:
• Communicate with others in the firm via electronic mail.
• Work with files from the firm’s minicomputer at their own terminals.
• Access the minicomputer or their own terminals from outside the office.
The consultants, research assistant and group secretary use a data hunt group
to access the firm’s minicomputer. The consultants and the research assistant
use an outgoing modem pool to place calls to the Porknbeans Line and other
subscription information services for commodities traders.
Data Communications with the MERLIN II System 1-7

FIGURE 1-2 Data connectivity for the commodities group at Bye, Loew, and Zelli.
Mini
computer
Data hunt group
for in - house computer
MPDM
MPDM
MPDM
FINANCIAL
CONSULTANT
Control
unit
PT 51OD
Modem pool for
outgoing calls
Data hunt group
for modem pool
7406 with Data
7406 with
GROUP SECRETARY
Data
FINANCIAL
CONSULTANT
1-8 Data Communications with the MERLIN II System

Planning Overview
You can set up your MERLIN II system to provide:
• Simultaneous voice and data, voice only, or data only communications at
digital and analog workstations
• Local host computer access
• Modem pools for incoming and outgoing data calls
• Data hunt groups for local host computer access and outgoing modem
pools
The planning required to integrate data communications into your system
includes: -
●
●
●
●
The Planning Forms
Making sure you have (or
data options you want
Reserving the appropriate
have ordered) the components needed for the
station lacks on analog, digital, or basic
telephone modules to connect the
control unit
Reserving the appropriate outside
lines
components to the MERLIN II system
lines for modem pools on dedicated
Making sure you have enough AC power outlets (one for each modem or
data module if you use stand-alone mountings, fewer if you use multiple
mountings)
As you plan data options, you record your decisions on the Master Planning
Form and the appropriate forms for the particular data options you select.
The Master Planning Form is provided in both. the MERLIN 11 System Planning
Guide and the MERLIN 11 System Manual. You may record information about
data options on:
• The Data Hunt Group Form and Incoming Modem Pool Form provided
with this guide
• Various forms provided with your MERLIN System Manual such as the
Call Restriction and AIlowed Lists Forms and the System Speed Dial Form
You use the Master Planning Form to reserve the jacks needed to connect
both voice and data components to your control unit. To insure that you’ll
have a fully integrated voice and data communications system, this section of
the guide shows how to fill out the Master Planning Form for
all the stations
in your system, not just those with data capability.
Planning Overview 2-1

How to Use this Section of the Guide
IF YOU’RE FILLING OUT
FORMS FOR A NEW
SYSTEM
This section provides:
• General information to help you decide how your system should operate
• Boxed instructions for recording your decisions on planning forms
How you use this section depends on whether you’re planning data options
for a new MERLIN II system or for a system that has already been
administered.
If you’re planning data options for a system that hasn’t been administered
yet, you need photocopies of the MERLIN II system planning forms. Make
copies of the Data Hunt Group Form and the Incoming Modem Pool Form
provided at the end of this section.
If you don’t have copies of the forms provided in either the
MERLIN II System
Planning Guide or Section 2 of the MERLIN II System Installation and
Administration Manual, remove the originals and copy them. Make sure to
copy both sides of all two-sided forms and return the originals to their proper
place. You won’t need all these forms for recording data options, but you’ll
probably use them when you plan voice features for your system.
Read the explanations in this section of the guide, then follow the boxed
instructions to record information on data options on your Master Planning
Form and other forms. When you’ve finished, you can go to your
MERLIN II
System Planning Guide
or MERLIN II System Manual to finish planning your
MERLIN II system.
IF YOU'RE UPDATING THE If you’re adding data capability t O a MERLIN II system that has already been
FORMS FOR A RUNNING
administered, get the existing forms for your system. Make copies of the
SYSTEM Data Hunt Group Form and the Incoming Modem Pool Form provided at the
end of this section.
Follow the boxed instructions under “Identifying Line and Station Modules”
to identify the modules being added to your system. To select data options,
follow the boxed instructions in:

Reserving Station Jacks for Voice and Data Workstations"
• "Reserving Jacks for Computer Access and Modem Pools"
• "Planning Data Hunt Groups"
When you’ve finished planning data options, go on to Section 3 of this guide,
"Connecting Hardware and Setting Options."
2-2 Planning Overview

Components of the MERLIN II System
FIGURE 2-1 Basic MERLIN II System Components.
Control unit
Power
Line jacks
Station jacks
1!
Power failure
telephone
Analog station
Digital station
(voice terminal)
(voice terminal)
To network interface
Basic
telephone
If you aren’t familiar with the MERLIN II system, study Figure 2-1. Then
read the definitions of basic terms that follow,
• Control Unit: When the system is installed, modules containing a power
source; a processor; and jack connection for outside lines, MERLIN II
system telephones, and other devices are mounted on a carrier. The
resulting assembly is called the control unit.
• Line Jacks: The line jacks on the control unit modules connect outside lines
or optional
paging or music equipment to the system. The system can
accommodate up to 56 outside lines.
• Voice Terminal: A voice terminal is a programmable MERLIN II system
telephone.
Components of the MERLIN II System 2-3

• Station: A station is the endpoint of any connection within the MERLIN II
system. It can be a voice terminal, a basic telephone, a General Purpose
Adapter (GPA), a modem, a data terminal, or a personal computer.
– Analog Station: An analog station is one with an analog voice terminal,
data device, and/or accessory. Analog voice terminals such as the 10-
button, 22-button, and 34-button models can be directly connected
only to analog station jacks on the control unit.
—
Digital Station: A digital station is one with a digital voice terminal or
data device, Digital stations such as the 7406 voice terminal and the
Personal Terminal (PT) 510D can be directly connected only to digital
station jacks on the control unit.
—
Basic Telephone: A basic telephone is a standard Touch-Tone or rotary
telephone. Basic telephones in regular use are connected to basic
telephone jacks on the control unit. Basic telephones used exclusively
as Power Failure Telephones are connected to power failure jacks on
line modules on the control unit.
• Station Jacks: The station jacks are those jacks on the modules in the
control unit that connect stations to the system. The system can
accommodate up to 72 responding stations.
2-4 Components of the MERLIN II System

Identifying Line and Station Modules
During this first phase of planning you’ll be deciding how you want voice
and data components connected to jacks on the MERLIN II system control
unit and recording your decisions on the. Master Planning Form.
The jacks on the control unit modules provide points of connection for the
system’s outside lines and stations.
The system’s outside telephone lines connect to line jacks, as do
loudspeaker paging equipment and the music source for Music-on-Hold,
if your system has these options.
Data devices, voice terminals, and basic telephones connect to station
jacks.
TYPES OF MODULES
The first step in planning your system is to decide what line and station
modules will appear in each slot in your control unit. The various types of
modules are described below and shown in Figure 2-2. An explanation of
how the MERLIN II system assigns numbers to lines and station jacks on
modules is found under “Automatic Numbering of Jacks on Line and Station
Modules. ”
The 4-Line/8-Analog Voice Terminal (408) Module has four line jacks near
the top of the module and eight station jacks on the bottom portion of the
module.
The 8-Analog Voice Terminal (008) Module has eight station jacks at the
bottom.
The 4-Line with Touch-Tone Receivers (400 w/HTR) and &Line (800)
modules have line jacks on their top portions.
The 12-Basic Telephone (012) Module has 12 station jacks— four at the
top and eight at the bottom.
The digital Station (O08D) Module has four station jacks at the top and
four near the bottom.
—
There is a power failure jack for every four outside line jacks on a module.
Identifying Line and Station Modules 2-5

FIGURE 2-2 The MERLIN II system modules and their jack positions.
408
—1
—2
—3
J
400 W/TTR
800
1
—2
—2
—1
012
4
4
008D
LINE AND STATION JACK
The numbers in Figure 2-2 correspond to the following list of jack functions:
FUNCTIONS
1
2
3
4
5
Power failure jacks: These jacks are used with basic telephones only. In
case of a power outage, basic telephones plugged into these jacks become
operational. Do
not use MERLIN II system voice terminals as power
failure telephones.
Outside line jacks: These jacks are for the outside lines provided by the
telephone company. YOU can also connect an optional-loudspeaker paging
system and/or a music source to a line jack.
Analog station jacks: These jacks are for MERLIN II system analog voice
terminals, analog data devices, or accessories only.
Basic telephone jacks: These jacks are for basic telephones only.
Digital Station jacks: These jacks are for digital voice terminals or data
devices only.
Line and station modules must be installed in slots on the control unit
sequentially, from left to right, with no empty slots left between modules.
(Slots to the right of the last module can be left empty.) Figure 2-1 shows a
typical module installation.
On the drawing labeled "Module Location” on the Master Planning Form,
identify the type of module in each slot on your control unit by writing in
the module type (such as 008D) above the slot number. Keep in mind that
the module in slot 1 of the basic unit must be a 4-Line/8-Analog Voice
Terminal (408) Module or an 8-Analog Voice Terminal (008) Module.
2-6 Identifying Line and Station Modules

AUTOMATIC NUMBERING
When you turn the power on at the power supply module, the system scans
OF JACKSON LINE AND
the modules from left to right and from bottom to top. As it does so, it
STATION MODULES identifies the type of module installed in each slot in the control unit.
Beginning with line 01 and station 01, the system numbers the line jacks and
station jacks from the bottom to the top of each module, and from left to right
Labels for the control unit jacks are provided with the system. The station
jack labels are numbered 01 through 88. The line jack labels are numbered 01
through 56. Once the control unit is assembled and these labels affixed to the
modules, you can teIl at a glance which jacks are for outside lines and which
NOTE: The administrator can assign different numbers to lines and
stations. See “Flexible Numbering” in the
MERLIN II 5ystem
If you later replace a module with one of a different type, the system
continues to operate as though the original module were still in place. You
must perform a speciaI administration procedure to change your system’s line
and/or station numbers and relabel the jacks accordingly. Refer to Section 3
ldentifying Line and Station Modules 2-7

Reserving Line Jacks
OUTSIDE LINE
CONNECTIONS
EQUIPMENT
CONNECTIONS
You use the Master Planning Form to reserve line jacks for:
• Outside lines
• Music-on-Hold, if you use this feature
• Loudspeaker Page, if you use this feature
The “Line Jacks” section of the Master Planning Form has six columns. The
first and fourth columns, headed “Line Jack, ” list all the possible line jack
numbers (01 through 56). In the columns headed “Telephone No. or
Equipment, ” you identify the outside telephone line or piece of equipment
connected to each line jack on your control unit.
To simplify system administration, you should plan to connect your outside
telephone lines to an unbroken sequence of line jacks, beginning with line
jack 01. You should also plan to group your lines together according to type.
Reserve the line jacks at the beginning of the sequence for your local lines,
and reserve jacks later in the sequence for special-purpose lines such as
WATS and foreign exchange (FX) lines.
If you know the telephone numbers for your system’s outside lines, do the
following:
1 Match each outside line with a line jack on the control unit.
2 Under "Telephone No. or Equipment," enter the telephone number for
each outside line next to the number for its line jack.
If you don’t yet know the telephone numbers for your system’s outside
lines, do the following:
1 Enter the type of line (local, WATS, etc.) you plan to connect to each
line jack next to the number for that line jack.
2 When you find out the telephone numbers for your outside lines, enter
them next to the appropriate line jack numbers.
Now that you’ve reserved enough line jacks on the control unit for your
outside telephone lines, you can reserve a line jack for any optional
equipment that requires one.
If you use the Music-on-Hold feature, you need
to reserve a line jack for a music source such as a radio, tape player, or stereo
system. If your business has a loudspeaker paging system, you need to
reserve a line jack for the paging equipment.
To make it easy to add outside lines in the future, use the last line jack(s) on
your control unit for the Music-on-Hold and/or Loudspeaker Page connection.
If your system has Music-on-Hold, write “music source” on the line next to
the number of the line jack used to connect the music source to the system.
2-8 Reserving Line Jacks
If your system has loudspeaker paging, write "paging system" next to the
number of the line jack used to connect paging equipment to the system.

Reserving Statio n Jacks for Voice and Data Workstations
STATION JACK TYPE
You must reserve station jacks on the Master Planning Form for:
• Analog voice terminals
• Basic telephones
• Digital workstations used for voice and data or for data
only
communications
NOTE: You also reserve station jacks for any devices such as data
modules, modems, and BTMIs that are used for local host computer
access and outgoing and incoming modem pools. “Reserving Jacks
for Computer Access and Modem Pools, ” which follows, explains
how to plan for these data options.
The"Station Jacks" section of the Master Planning Form lists the numbers (01
through 88] for all possible station jacks on the control unit. You record the
jack type for each station jack on the modules in your control unit: "A" for
analog, "D" for digital, or "B” for basic telephone. Next you identify by
person, location (such as "mail room"), or function (such as "incoming
modem pool") the station connected to each station jack on your control unit.
The first step in filling out the "Station Jacks" section of the Master Planning
Form is to identify the type of jack that each station number represents. The
Module Location drawing shows the order in which modules containing
analog, digital, and/or basic telephone station jacks are installed in your
control unit. Keep in mind that station jacks on these modules are numbered
from the bottom to the top of each module and from left to right across the
control unit.
You’ll note that the first eight jacks are already identified with an "A" on the
form. This is because the module in slot 1 must be a 4-Line/8-Analog Voice
Terminal (408) module or an 8-Analog Voice Terminal (008) Module.
In the "Jack Type" column, record the jack type for each station jack o
your control unit: "A" for analog, "D" for digital, or "B" for basic
telephone.
Reserving Station Jacks for Voice and Data Workstations 2-9