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Grex > Coop7 > #145: New and improved dialins? | |
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| Author |
Message |
kaplan
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New and improved dialins?
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Jan 14 04:39 UTC 1996 |
From grex's !phones command:
=========
Last update: 3-Nov-95 by scott@cyberspace.org
The phone numbers for Grex are:
phone number port modem type max. speed
---------------------------------------------
+1 313 761 3000 ttyh4 GVC 14.4 2400 bps
+1 313 761 3411 ttyh5 GVC 14.4 2400 bps
+1 313 761 3451 ttyh6 Supra 2400 2400 bps
+1 313 761 3554 ttyh7 Supra 2400 2400 bps
+1 313 761 3596 ttyh8 Supra 2400 2400 bps
+1 313 761 2517 ttyh9 Supra 2400 2400 bps
+1 313 761 4931 ttyha Supra 2400 2400 bps
+1 313 761 5041 ttyh0 GVC 14.4 9600 bps
+1 313 761 5159 ttyh1 GVC 14.4 9600 bps
+1 313 761 8084 ttyh2 GVC 14.4 9600 bps
+1 313 761 8290 ttyh3 GVC 14.4 9600 bps
In normal operation, these numbers trunk hunt, so dialing (313)761-3000
will give you the first available line out of these eleven. Dialing
(313)761-5041 will always give you a 9600bps modem.
==========
We're still using five of those old non-mnp modems. I don't like this
setup. It sure would be nice to get modern modems. Does anyone think
grex should spend its limited resourses on new modems? How much would it
cost to replace those last five?
Given that we don't want to spend money on new modems and we don't even
want to spend money to have Ameritech divide it up into two separate trunk
hunts (one with and one without mnp), I'd like to see the first several
lines without mnp, and the last several with. The way it is now, the
first two modems in the trunk hunt are not useful. When the 9600 lines
are busy, I turn off my mnp and dial 761-3451. I don't like to dial
761-3000 because I don't know how to predict what kind of modem I'll get.
And while I'm complaining, what's the point of using E71 instead of N81?
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| 28 responses total. |
steve
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response 1 of 28:
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Jan 14 05:15 UTC 1996 |
Figure about $100 per modem. If we order five at once we might be
able to get a better price, but when you add shipping and/or taxes in
we're right around $100.
I think the default for running the ALM (and older MTI) cards is at
7E1, but Greg or Marcus will know more about the history what that is
so. Actually, I'd like to hear it too.
As to whether or not we should spend the money on them, I can't
quite say. I'm still willing to use 2400bps, 'cause I know that at
peak periods I'm not going to get data any faster, so why bother with
a faster speed? But I realize that a main concern here isn't the
fact that they're slow, but that they aggravate people.
SO that $500 could be spent on a) part of the cost of an ISDN link
or b) about half the cost (*rough* guess: $1000) of getting a news
machine up, or c) other things.
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zook
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response 2 of 28:
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Jan 14 18:50 UTC 1996 |
I agree. There is a *slight* difference in speed between a 2400 bps
connection and a 9600 bps, unless the load average is really light. The
bottleneck is Grex, not the modems.
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janc
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response 3 of 28:
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Jan 14 19:58 UTC 1996 |
I agree that we should change over to N81.
The supras annoy me. I'll match all donations for the purchase of better
replacement modems up to $250. No donation is too small, and each $50
people come up with gets us one more modem.
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kaplan
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response 4 of 28:
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Jan 14 20:35 UTC 1996 |
Wow, thanks Jan. I'll kick in $20 for the modem fund.
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ajax
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response 5 of 28:
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Jan 15 00:54 UTC 1996 |
Wowza, cool Jan! Count me in for $50.
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steve
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response 6 of 28:
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Jan 15 02:21 UTC 1996 |
Oh boy. There goes one modem down. Neat!
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popcorn
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response 7 of 28:
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Jan 15 02:50 UTC 1996 |
Wow! Until Saturday I had no idea the old Supras bugged anybody.
Re switching from E-7-1 to N-8-1: It's been on the drawing board
forever. Dunno why we haven't done it.
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arthurp
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response 8 of 28:
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Jan 15 08:39 UTC 1996 |
Wow, Jan!
The N81 thing would be neat. Would we be able to use Zmodem then?
I hate kermit. ;)
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janc
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response 9 of 28:
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Jan 15 09:40 UTC 1996 |
Zmodem has always worked right for me. I wonder what I'm doing right.
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remmers
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response 10 of 28:
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Jan 15 11:00 UTC 1996 |
Works for me too.
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davel
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response 11 of 28:
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Jan 15 11:42 UTC 1996 |
Me, too. Most comm programs understand switching to N81 for binary
transfers.
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davel
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response 12 of 28:
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Jan 15 11:44 UTC 1996 |
OTOH, zmodem etc. don't work over most internet connections, I think.
Replacing local dialin modems is not likely to change that.
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robh
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response 13 of 28:
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Jan 15 11:49 UTC 1996 |
Yeah, most comm programs are smart enough to switch to 8N1
for binary file transfers, even the program I use which runs on my
15 year old computer. >8) For folks who telnet in, it's a
different story, and new modems won't help.
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mdw
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response 14 of 28:
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Jan 15 13:39 UTC 1996 |
7E1 used to be the standard for most ascii dial-up services, including
nearly all the multi-user timesharing systems. There was a period of
time when many of the microcomputer based BBS systems were 8N1 but the
timesharing systems were still 7E1. Now, even the timesharing systems
are switching over (but it would be good to get some good statistics on
this). The UofM seems to have switched from 7E1 on the SCP's to 8N1 on
the livingston portmasters. That's probably a good clue we should be
switching over as well... The nice thing to do would have been to have
two trunkhunts for a while - 1200/2400 non-mnp at 7E1, & 9600 mnp at
8N1. This would have made it easier to get a line that works in a
deterministic fashion, & guaranteed more consistency in each case with
other sites.
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popcorn
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response 15 of 28:
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Jan 15 14:57 UTC 1996 |
Ja, but having two trunk hunts makes it harder for newbies who only know about
761-3000 to find a non-busy line.
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srw
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response 16 of 28:
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Jan 16 08:24 UTC 1996 |
It also produces inefficient use of the dialups.
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scott
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response 17 of 28:
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Jan 17 17:52 UTC 1996 |
I'll pledge $30, to get us up to a second modem. Can I have one of the
replaced Supras as a backup/souveneir? For that matter, could we auction them
off?
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adbarr
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response 18 of 28:
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Jan 17 19:40 UTC 1996 |
Would Grex consider donating a modem (or selling real cheap) to the
Ypsilanti Police Department to further a cause for HVCN? We might
need one real soon.
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steve
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response 19 of 28:
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Jan 17 22:53 UTC 1996 |
Great idea Scott: "Own a piece of History! You too can own an actual
modem used by Cyberspace Communications Grex computer conferencing system!
Bidding starts on xx/yy..."
That might raise enough for a couple of new ones? Well, maybe one, at
least. But its a nifty idea.
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popcorn
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response 20 of 28:
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Jan 18 03:28 UTC 1996 |
Arnold -- Grex has a handful of spare modems that are cluttering up ajax's
home until the next JCC sale. I'd guess he'd be happy to sell some, cheap!,
rather than have to haul them to the JCC sale and back. They're 2400 baud
and 1200 baud.
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ajax
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response 21 of 28:
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Jan 18 05:33 UTC 1996 |
Indeed, several modems, some power adapters, no serial cables.
Will mail you details.
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carson
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response 22 of 28:
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Jan 18 06:35 UTC 1996 |
Aye. I still need to get back with you on that.
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mdw
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response 23 of 28:
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Jan 20 20:33 UTC 1996 |
I bet the current arrangement of 3 different incompatible types of
modems on one trunk hunt confuses more people.
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dpc
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response 24 of 28:
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Feb 3 03:48 UTC 1996 |
I never know if I will be able to connect to Grex through 761-3000
or have to use a number lower down. Some Grex modems won't let
me connect; I don't get the login prompt, just a string of characters
that runs off the edge of my screen.
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