single line dial in/out on Altos

[Randy Suess]

cd /;rm -rf *

	For all you Altos 586 owners out there that have been stymied
    by your lack of ability to use a single modem/port for dial in and dial
    out, be unhappy no more.  I have finally got it going using the new ARK
    2400 baud modem.  The problem has always been that the Altos requires
    cd (pin 8) to be always hi for dial out, but to only be hi  on carrier
    detect for dial in.  On a DCHayes, for instance, you had to have the
    switch 6 up for dial in and down for dial out.  The ARK modem uses a
    "intelligent" cd pin.  There is a wiring change to be done on the cable.
    Pin 6 on the Altos goes to pin pin 5 on the modem.  You then of course have
    to modify the various programs used with the line.  I use it on my system
    for uucp dial out and in.  I just replaced /usr/lib/uucico with a shell
    script that tests for usage, disables the port, then calls a renamed uucico.
    After uucico finishes, it re-enables the port for dial in.  I have been 
    receiving news and polling other sites with it with no problems.  The ARK's
    are the best 2400 baud modem going for the price.  They have built in mnp
    protocol, and list for $595.
	Hope this has been of some help.
    
-- 
.. that's the biz, sweetheart ..
Randy Suess
Chi-Net - Public Access UN*X 
(312) 545 7535 (h) (312) 283 0559 (system)
{ihnp4|ihldt}!wlcrjs!randy