> I disagree. From my point of view, something is seriously wrong with the PM3
> modem code. I'm sure it works fine for MOST people, but in our town it is a
I've been using Portmasters forever and love the product. However I
think it is very clear that it has serious shortcomings in the modem
code in certain areas and needs improvement. It is also clear that
Lucent has very little interest in trying to find some of these
shortcomings and fix them (even when WE'VE already found them and can
repeat them).
The poor phone line connection problems are proveable time and again.
The main shortcoming area is on poor lines. I have numerous repeatable
customers (former customers) who CAN NEVER GET A CONNECTION AT ALL TO A
PM3 - I mean it will warble on and on and on. The same customer can
switch over to MindSpring and GET A STABLE CONNECITON. Over and over,
numerous customers. Now, these customers only get a 19200 or 21600
connection with MindSpring BUT IT IS ***STABLE***. That's all the
customer or I am asking for - a stable connection on poor lines - I
don't care at what speed! Also, FYI, these same customers can connect
solidly to an external Courier here, no problem. It is clearly the
PM3's modem code. Again note, I'm talking specifically about STABILITY
at LOW speeds on POOR lines here, not statistics about high speed
connections, etc. - we get plenty of those like everyone else. I'm talking
about debugging a very specific area of modem code that definitely
needs work.
We are PRI, co-located (0 local loop), no errors, etc etc etc.
It is not our setup (the vast majority have no problem connecting).
I've talked to Lucent Tech support and, basically, they dialed in from
CA and got 50000 and said that there was obviously no problem - missing
the whole point (THEY ARE NOT ON A POOR LINE!).... and again, the point
is that Portmasters have real problems negotiating a stable connection,
or a connection at all, FOR POOR LINES!
I've told Lucent that I have customers with repeatable problems standing by
to help debug and improve the code, but there is little interest, since
it connects on medium to good lines well with most modems I guess.
Sure, for 60% of the problem customers we can spend time on the phone and
get them to plug in a modem init string and get the speed down and make it
connect. THAT'S NOT THE POINT. The point is that the modem should
negotiate a STABLE, LOWER connect speed. The other vendors (especially
USR) do it with no problem. Lucent should spend some time in this area
of code (I suspect that their time is spent trying to make the top end
go even faster rather than get the poor line connections stable).
Finally, then, there's the 40% of the problem customers who can't ever
connect at all no matter what modem string is used. We just lose these
guys even tho' many of them almost beg us to fix the problem so they can
stay! That really hurts!
We're currently pursuing adding a separate modem pool, perhaps with
Couriers or perhaps an alternate NAS for these customers. This is a
REAL PAIN since we're already paying for modem equipment, phone service
, etc etc etc. AND THE PM3 SHOULD DO THIS FOR US! But for us (and MOST on
this list), providing quality service for everyone and keeping every
customer is important.
Sorry for the long post.
Derric
-- Derric Scott Idea-Works, LLC / Scott.Net. P. O. Box 361353 dtscott@idea-works.net (205)987-5889 Birmingham, AL 35236 - To unsubscribe, email 'majordomo@livingston.com' with 'unsubscribe portmaster-users' in the body of the message. Searchable list archive: <URL:http://www.livingston.com/Tech/archive/>