Serial Port problems

[Roger A. Cornelius]

>From article <392 at stca77.stc.oz>, by peter at stca77.stc.oz (Peter Jeremy):
- I have been having problems with serial ports shutting down with the message
- "Garbage or loose cable on serial port xx, port shut down".  This has occurred
- on two different machines (ITT PS/440 and IBM PS/2), but only on ports talking
- to modems.  I am running Xenix/286 2.2.1 on both machines.
- 
- In both cases, the modems were powered from the same supply as the computer
- and the cables appear satisfactory.  (The modems are leased lines and the
- TelCo reports that the modems are working normally).  The problem only shows
- up at one end of the circuit as well.
- 
- Has anyone else had similar problems?  Does anyone know of a fix?
- -- 
- Peter Jeremy (VK2PJ)         peter at stca77.stc.oz
- Alcatel-STC Australia        ...!uunet!stca77.stc.oz!peter
- 41 Mandible St               peter%stca77.stc.oz at uunet.UU.NET
- ALEXANDRIA  NSW  2015

This happens to me occasionally when I turn the power off to a modem
while the port is still enabled.  After 30 minutes the port
should work again (I read this somewhere, but haven't timed it).
This has only happened on tty1A, and I've had two different modems
on that port at different times.  tty2A also has a modem, but I've
never had the problem there.  My fix is just to remember to disable
the port before messing with the power switch on the modem.

Roger Cornelius       sherpa!rac