US Robotics Sportster User manual

This manual covers installation and operating instructions for the following U.S. Robotics modems:
Sportster®56 kbps∗internal and external modems
U.S. Robotics, the USRobotics logo, and Sportster are registered trademarks and Connections,
Total Control, Courier, RapidComm, x2, and the x2 logo are trademarks of 3Com Corporation and
its subsidiaries. Windows and Internet Explorer are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corp.
CompuServe is a registered trademark of CompuServe Inc. America Online is a registered trademark
of America Online Inc. Netscape Navigator is a trademark of Netscape Communications Corp. Any
other trademarks, trade names, or service marks used in this manual are the property of their
respective owners.
© 1997 3Com Corporation
7770 North Frontage Road
Skokie, IL 60077-2690
All Rights Reserved
∗∗ IMPORTANT! All x2 products are capable of 56 kbps downloads; however, due to FCC rules
which restrict power output of the service providers' modems, current download speeds are limited to
53 kbps. Actual speeds may vary depending on line conditions. Uploads from users to service
providers travel at speeds up to 28.8 kbps. An x2-capable modem, an x2-compatible analog phone
line and an x2-capable Internet Service Provider are necessary for these high-speed downloads.

Welcome to x2 Information Access 1
Product Features 3
Before You Begin (Windows 95 Users) 4
Internal Modem Installation with Windows 3.x 5
A Word about COM Ports and IRQs 5
How to Use ComTest to Determine Your Modem’s Settings 7
Testing an Installed Modem 9
What to Do with ComTest’s Recommendation 10
How to Change the Modem’s Settings 12
How to Insert the Modem into the Computer 14
Internal Modem Installation with Windows 95 21
Plug and Play Installation 21
How to Prepare for Plug and Play Installation 21
How to Insert the Modem into the Computer 23
How to Move Through the “New Hardware Found” Screens 27
External Modem Installation with Windows 3.x 31
How to Determine Which Serial Cable to Buy 31
How to Connect the Modem to the Computer 32
External Modem Installation with Windows 95 35
How to Determine Which Serial Cable to Buy 35
How to Connect the Modem to the Computer 36
Software Installation and Testing 43
Software Installation and Registration Using the Setup Wizard 43
Sending Your First Fax 58

Installing Other Fax/Data Software 61
Type of Modem 61
Initialization String 61
Flow Control 61
UART (External Modems Only) 62
Using Modem Station 63
Why Modem Station? 63
What Does Modem Station Do? 63
Installing Modem Station 63
Starting Modem Station 66
Using Detect New Modems 69
Using Terminal 70
Using Modem Configurator 73
Using Modem to Computer 76
Using the Extended Information Screens 80
U.S. Robotics Modem Update Wizard 89
Installation 89
Operation 94
Troubleshooting and Online Help Resources 101
Online Help Resources 107
Are You Still Having Problems? 111
If You Need to Return the Modem to Us 111
RapidComm Troubleshooting Tips 112
A Note to Users with Older Versions of RapidComm on Their Systems 113

Glossary 114
Technical Quick Reference 127
Front Panel Lights (External Modems) 128
Command Summary 129
DIP Switches (Modems with DIP Switches Only) 144
S-Registers 146
The Serial Interface 157
Regulatory Information 159
Manufacturer’s Declaration of Conformity 159
Caution to the User 160
IC (Canada) 160
UL Listing/CUL Listing 160
Connecting to the Telephone Company 161
Fax Branding 161
Radio and Television Interference 162
For Canadian Modem Users 163
Limited Warranty 166
Index 169

WELCOME TO X2INFORMATION ACCESS
1
Thelatest breakthrough in
onlinecommunications
Until now, 33.6 kbps was thought to be the
practical limit for speed over standard phone
lines. Now, x2™shatters that barrier, to bring
you download speeds of up to 56 kbps.
However, due to FCC rules which restrict
power output of your service provider’s
modems, current download speeds are limited
to 53 kbps. This modem is software
upgradable, allowing easy upgrades to new
features and enhancements as they become
available.
Anintegrated end-to-end
solutionfrom the leader
U.S. Robotics is well positioned to bring you
x2 technology. Our Sportster®modems are the
world's number one seller, and our Total
ControlTM and CourierTM product lines are
favored by many Internet service providers.
This widespread acceptance allows U.S.
Robotics to offer x2 technology to virtually
anyone.

WELCOMETOX2 INFORMATIONACCESS
2
Takingadvantage of the
moderntelephone network
x2 technology takes advantage of the typical
network configuration found when an analog
subscriber connects to a digitally connected
server. Because it requires no analog-to-digital
conversions in the downstream path (which
can cause line noise), x2 can use nearly all of
the available 64K network bandwidth.
(Upstream data, typically less speed sensitive,
travels at the standard V.34 rate.)
The result is a completely new kind of
transmission technique. Based on “encoding”
rather than “modulation,” it can give you
download speeds that you never thought
possible. What’s more, with standard V.42 bis
compression, x2 can download at speeds up
to a blistering 115.2 kbps.
Updatingx2 technology is
easyand FREE!
Read the section of this manual titled “U.S.
Robotics Modem Update Wizard” (page 85)
for information about using this software (on
the Connections™CD) to update your
modem’s code to the latest version.
Thenew standard for online
speed
U.S. Robotics has already submitted x2 to the
ITU-T standards committee for acceptance as
the next online standard. For more information
on U.S. Robotics’ x2 technology, see our
World Wide Web page at http://x2.usr.com.

PRODUCT FEATURES
3
Your new x2 modem
provides many advanced
features. Here are just a
few:
Modulation Schemes
x2 technology
ITU-T V.34+
ITU-T V.34
ITU-T V.32bis
ITU-T V.32
ITU-T V.22bis
ITU-T V.22
ITU-T V.23
Bell 212A
ITU-T V.21
Bell 103
Error Control and Data
Compression Schemes
ITU-T V.42
ITU-T V.42bis
MNP 2-5
Fax Modulation
Schemes
ITU-T V.17
ITU-T V.29
ITU-T V.27ter
ITU-T V.21
Fax Standards
EIA 578 Class 1 FAX
EIA 592 Class 2.0 FAX
Front Channel Link
Rates
33333, 37333, 41333, 42666,
44000, 45333, 46666, 48000,
49333, 50666, 52000, 53333,
54666, 56000, 57333
Back Channel Link
Rates
14400, 16800, 19200, 21600,
24000, 26400, 28800, 31200
V.34+ Link Rates
4800, 7200, 9600, 12000, 14400,
16800, 19200, 21600, 24000,
26400, 28800, 31200, 33600
V.32bis Link Rates
4800, 7200, 9600, 12000, 14400
Additional Link Rates
300, 1200/75 (V.23), 1200, 2400
Fax Link Rates
2400, 4800, 7200, 9600, 12000,
14400

BEFORE YOU BEGIN (WINDOWS 95 USERS)
4
Your Sportster modem is a Plug and Play
device. Windows 95 can automatically identify
a Plug and Play device and determine if your
system has the resources necessary to support
the device. However, Plug and Play will not
work if you do not have resources available or
if devices on your system are not reporting
resource usage correctly. Here’s how you can
verify that your system has the necessary
resources before installing the modem.
1. Click the Windows 95 Start button, point
to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
2. Double-click the System icon.
3. When the “System Properties” screen
appears, click the Device Manager tab.
4. Double-click Computer and the
“Computer Properties” screen appears.
Select the option at the top of the screen to
show Interrupt Requests (IRQs).
You will see the IRQs your system is currently
using. If IRQs 3, 4, 5, and 7 are being used,
you need to free an IRQ before you begin
installation. This process involves moving a
device from the IRQ you want to use to a
different (and unusually higher) IRQ setting.
Please read the documentation for (or contact
the manufacturer of) the device that is currently
using the IRQ you want to use for your modem
to learn more about what you should do to free
the IRQ for your modem.

INTERNALMODEMINSTALLATIONWITHWINDOWS3.X
5
You’ll need these items from your
Sportster modem box:
modem phone cord
Connections CD
Plus:
a screwdriver (not included)
AWord about COM Ports
and IRQs
Most computer accessories — a mouse,
sound card, enhanced graphics card, scanner,
etc. — require a special connection through
which they can communicate with the
computer. For some devices, this connection is
called a communications (or COM) port. Most
computers have 1 or 2 COM ports, but they
can have up to 4. Although internal modems
do not connect to COM ports directly, they do
require a COM port setting, which is
determined by the setting on the modem’s
COM jumper pins.
Each COM port uses an interrupt request
(IRQ). An accessory uses an IRQ to get the
attention of your computer’s central processing
unit (CPU) so that the accessory can perform

INTERNALMODEMINSTALLATIONWITHWINDOWS3.X
6
a task. The computer stops what it’s doing,
depending on the priority of the request, to
help the accessory perform its task. When two
accessories share an IRQ, it’s like two people
asking different questions in unison to a third
person. Just as the person being asked the two
questions cannot understand either request, a
computer can lock up or otherwise fail to
communicate properly with your modem when
there is an IRQ conflict.
DKEY POINT: Accessories cannot
share COM ports and should not share
IRQs. When accessories try to share
settings, they will either not work
properly or not work at all.This section
of the manual will help you understand
the COM/IRQ settings on your new
Sportster modem.
U.S. Robotics has set your modem to a default
Plug and Play setting geared towards
Windows 95 users. In this configuration, the
shunts used to set your modem’s COM port
and IRQ settings are hanging from single
jumper pins and will not affect your modem’s
settings. As a Windows 3.x user, you need to
run the ComTest program (on the
Connections CD) to determine what settings
your modem should use.
NOTE: Some communications
software programs require a particular
setting for your modem (RapidComm,
which shipped with your modem, does
not). If you wish to use a program other
than RapidComm, now is a goodtime to
read that software’s manual to
determine what setting is required.

INTERNALMODEMINSTALLATIONWITHWINDOWS3.X
7
Howto Use ComTest to
DetermineYour Modem’s
Settings
1. Insert the Connections CD into your CD-
ROM drive.
2. In Windows’ Program Manager,click Run
on the File menu. Type d:\comtest.exe
and press ENTER. This starts ComTest,
the program that determines which COM
ports and IRQs are available for use by
your modem.
3. The screen in the next column appears
when ComTest starts.
• If there is a modem in your computer which
you are replacing with your new Sportster
modem, go to “Testing an Installed
Modem” on page 9 to determine which
COM and IRQ settings the older modem is
using.
• If a modem is not currently installed in your
computer, click Recommend settings for
a new modem.
Then click Next.

INTERNALMODEMINSTALLATIONWITHWINDOWS3.X
8
4. Click Internal Modem. Then click Next.
5. If you have a free setting, you will see a
screen like this.
COM2/IRQ3 is free in this example.
ComTest might instead recommend
COM1/IRQ4, COM3/IRQ4, or
COM4/IRQ3 for your modem.
Write down the displayed settings in the
spaces provided on the first page of this
manual. You’ll need to know these settings
later. Click Next.
If you do not have a free setting, you will
see a screen like this.

INTERNALMODEMINSTALLATIONWITHWINDOWS3.X
9
Click Finish to exit ComTest. Go to “What
to Do with ComTest’s Recommendation”
on page 10.
6. When you see this screen, click Finish to
exit ComTest.
Go to “What to Do with ComTest’s
Recommendation” on page 10.
Testingan Installed Modem
If there is a modem already installed in your
computer, you can determine its COM and
IRQ settings by selecting the Test an installed
modem option. Follow the instructions on
screen until you see the screen that tells you
“Testing is complete.” This screen will also tell
you which COM and IRQ settings your
present modem is using. These are the settings
you want to use for your new Sportster
modem. Write the settings down in the spaces
provided on the first page of this manual.
Turn off and unplug your computer and
remove your present modem. Go to “How to
Change the Modem’s Settings” on page 12.

INTERNALMODEMINSTALLATIONWITHWINDOWS3.X
10
Whatto Do with ComTest’s
Recommendation
NOTE: If your communications
software requires a modem that
ComTest does not recommend, there is
a good chance that the setting is being
used by another device in your system.
To free that setting in your system,
consult your computer’s manual. Go to
“How to Change the Modem’s Settings”
on page 12.
If ComTest recommended COM1/IRQ4
Write “COM1” and “IRQ4” in the spaces
provided on the first page of this manual. Go to
“How to Change the Modem’s Settings” on
page 12.
If ComTest recommended COM2/IRQ3
Write “COM2” and “IRQ3” in the spaces
provided on the first page of this manual. Go to
“How to Change the Modem’s Settings” on
page 12.
If ComTest recommended COM3/IRQ4
or COM4/IRQ3
Do not use either of these settings. While the
COM port part of the setting is acceptable
(ComTest only recommends COM ports that
are not being used), the IRQ part of the setting
is not acceptable. When ComTest
recommends either COM3/IRQ4 or
COM4/IRQ3, the IRQ in the setting is being
used by another accessory. You could use the
suggested IRQ for the modem, but you run the
risk that the modem and/or the other accessory
sharing the IRQ might not work properly.

INTERNALMODEMINSTALLATIONWITHWINDOWS3.X
11
If you do not have a sound card, use
COM3/IRQ5. Write “COM3” and “IRQ5”
in the spaces provided on the first page of
this manual. You will have to change the
settings on your modem. Go to “How to
Change the Modem’s Settings” on page 12.
If you do have a sound card, use
COM2/IRQ3. To use this setting, you have to
first disable your computer’s second serial port
(COM2). This is a pronged socket on the
back of your computer.
• Go to your computer manufacturer’s
manual.
• Find out which of the sockets on the back
of your computer is the second serial port.
• If you have something plugged into that
port, find out if you can plug it in
somewhere else. Any accessory plugged
into that port will not work after the port
has been disabled.
• Find out how to disable the COM port.
• Then return to this point in this manual to
continue.
After disabling COM2, you can use the
COM2/IRQ3 setting.
Write “COM2” and “IRQ3” on the first page
of this manual and go to “How to Change the
Modem’s Settings” on page 12.
If ComTest reports that You do not have
any available COM ports and/or IRQs
We recommend you disable COM1 or
COM2. When you disable one of these COM
ports, you can use it and its default IRQ for
your modem. Go to your computer
manufacturer’s manual.

INTERNALMODEMINSTALLATIONWITHWINDOWS3.X
12
• Find out which socket is COM1 and which
is COM2.
• If nothing is plugged into either port, you
can choose either of the ports to disable.
Your computer manufacturer’s manual will
tell you how to disable the COM port.
• If one port does not have anything plugged
into it, note if the port is COM1 or COM2.
This is the port you’ll want to disable for
your modem.
• If both ports are being used, you may be
able to attach one of the plugged-in
accessories elsewhere so that you can
disable its COM port. The accessory will
not work once its port is disabled.
If you’ve disabled COM1, you can now use
the COM1/IRQ4 setting. Write it down on the
first page of this manual. Go to “How to
Change the Modem’s Settings” (on this page).
If you’ve disabled COM2, you can now use
the COM2/IRQ3 setting. Write the setting
down on the first page of this manual.
Howto Change the Modem’s
Settings
1. Always touch an unpainted metal part of
your computer (the back is usually
unpainted) to discharge static electricity
before handling the modem. Static can
damage your modem. Then take the
modem out of its plastic bag.
2. Find the COM and IRQ jumper shunts
(small black plastic pieces) on your
modem’s jumper pins (see the following
diagram).

INTERNALMODEMINSTALLATIONWITHWINDOWS3.X
13
The jumper shunts will be hanging from
single jumper pins as shown in the following
illustration.
3. To change the COM port and IRQ settings,
you need to reposition the jumper shunts on
the COM port and IRQ pins. To do this, lift
the jumper shunts off the pins.
TIP: Grasp the jumper shunts with
a tweezers or needle-nosed pliers. DO
NOT grasp too firmly, as you may crush
the shunts. If a jumper shunt seems
stuck, gently rock it back and forth as
you lift. Do not touch any other part of
the modem or your computer with the
tweezers/pliers. A shunt needs to be
sitting on both jumper pins in order to
effectively set the modem to the
desired setting.

INTERNALMODEMINSTALLATIONWITHWINDOWS3.X
14
4. Move the jumper shunt to the new setting.
• The COM port setting can involve one to
three shunts. The four possible COM port
settings are as follows:
0 1 SEL
COM 1
0 1 SEL
COM 3
0 1 SEL
COM4
0 1 SEL
COM2
• Unlike most COM port settings, the IRQ
setting involves only one jumper shunt.
Simply move the jumper shunt to the pins
labeled with the IRQ you need.
Howto Insert the Modem
intothe Computer
NOTE: Before installing your
modem, write its serial number in the
space provided on the first page of
this manual. (You’ll find the serial
number underneath the bar code on
the white sticker on the modem and on
the outside of the box the modem
came in.) If you ever need to call our
customer support department, a
customer support representative will
ask you for the serial number. This
will help him or her identify your
modem.

INTERNALMODEMINSTALLATIONWITHWINDOWS3.X
15
1. Turn off your computer and unplug it from
the electrical outlet.
2. Unplug any peripheral devices (printer,
monitor, keyboard, mouse, etc.) from the
computer.
TIP:Before you unplug anything,
label the cords or make a sketch of how
things are connected. This can be
helpful when you plug things back in
later.
CAUTION:To avoid the risk of
electric shock, make sure your computer
and all peripheral devices are turned off
and unplugged.
3. Remove the screws from your computer’s
cover and then remove the cover, as shown
in the following diagrams. Your computer
may differ in appearance from these
diagrams, but the basic principle for
removing the cover should be the same.
Contact your computer manufacturer or
review their manual if you need further
instructions.

INTERNALMODEMINSTALLATIONWITHWINDOWS3.X
16
4. Find an empty ISA expansion slot at least
as long as the gold edge of your modem.
(ISA slots have black plastic grooves lined
with silver.) Unscrew and remove the
expansion slot cover (the long narrow piece
of metal that keeps dust from entering
through the opening perpendicular to the
slot). Be careful not to drop the screw into
the computer. You will need it later to
screw the modem into place.
5. Holding the modem at each corner, with the
gold edge facing the slot, push the modem
down as gently as possible until it snaps into
the expansion slot. (NOTE: The drawings
show horizontally aligned expansion slots.
Some computers have vertically aligned
slots. The instructions apply to both styles.)
You need to apply a little pressure to seat
the modem properly. Sometimes a gentle
back-and-forth motion helps to fit the