Comm Corner: Communications Hardware and Software Add-on

Comm Corner
Communications Hardware and Software Add-ons
by John Woody

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This article will cover three or four items which indirectly affect our computer communication efforts. The software utility we are going to discuss directly affects communication as it replaces the Windows communications drivers with its own drivers. The two hardware add-ons just make things easier to do with one's computer. I will do a product/application review on each of them in the near future.

TurboCom 95 Pro

TurboCom 95 Pro by Pacific CommWare is a Windows 95 utility which allows one to replace the native Windows communications drivers with special drivers. I first used TurboCom with my Windows for Workgroups 3.11 OS where the utility made everything work better. I used the TurboCom utility, Turbo Commander, with both my internal analog modem and with my internal ISDN Terminal Adapter (TA). Performance was enhanced with both devices. The same performance has been evident with my switch to Windows 95 and the TurboCom 95 Pro drivers.

TurboCom 95 Pro and Turbo Commander are utilities which replace the WFW or Windows 95 communications drivers with it's own set to make the Windows native communications more solid and increases throughput speed up to 8 times in the case of Windows 95. This utility supports IRQ sharing and all the serial ports one can cram into a computer. It has features which allow one to monitor everything taking place in an internal modem. If you use an internal modem it is more than an option. It is a highly recommended necessity.

TurboCom 95 Pro supports very high throughput speeds, especially if you have the new UARTs in your modem or system. These are the 16650A and 16750 UARTs which support very high throughput rates with their 32-bit and 64-bit FIFO buffers. This utility guarantees that the throughput rates are at the maximum your UART chip set will allow.

Both TurboCom 95 Pro and Turbo Commander have monitoring and diagnostic utilities which will give all of us more information about our communication transmissions than we will ever want to know-well, maybe not all of us. As we all know, some of us have a burning desire to know everything there is about the modem functions and what is happening to it during communication sessions.

This monitoring and diagnostic utility is called Re:Ports and provides dynamic information about nearly every aspect of the modem and communications session.

There are several areas which are monitored constantly: data flow status, modem control, error counts, throughput statics, and port configuration.

The Re:Ports utility provides near real-time monitoring of nearly everything the modem does. It samples the function parameters four times each second to show almost exact modem status at any given time. It is near real-time enough to be real-time for most of us. The throughput data flow status is given instantaneously, giving receive and send data in either Characters Pes Second (CPS) or Bytes Per Second (BPS). The receive/send information in the data flow and throughput statics areas of the Re:Ports graphic changes constantly giving information on performance. The modem control and port configuration windows change only when the com port setup is changed.

The RE:Ports Error Log instantly records any error detected by any set of communications drivers. It becomes an excellent source in analyzing communications problems. The Error Log can be saved to a file for future reference.

The TurboCom 95 Pro communications drivers provide the full bandwidth potential of serial ports which can handle Data Terminal Equipment (DTE) rates {the computer} of 230.4 Kbps and above. The native Windows 95 drivers cannot operate above 115.2 Kbps. These TurboCom drivers take full advantage of the latest UART chip sets such as the 16550A (with 32-byte FIFO buffers) and 16750 (with 64-byte FIFO buffers). The drivers exploit the deeper FIFO buffers and the UART capability for Clear To Send / Request To Send (CTS/RTS) hardware flow control which provides nearly complete immunity from overrun and overflow errors at high data rates. With the proper I/O hardware as part of the system, data throughput speeds can be increased to 921.6 Kbps. Pacific CommWare offers such hardware solution in its TurboExpress Port 920 I/O board. I have not used it. These I/O boards would be used with external analog modems and ISDN TAs.

Pacific CommWare offers TurboCom 95 Pro for $29.95. They can be reached at (541) 482 2744 or by e-mail at info@turbocom.com. Their Web site is www.turbocom.com.

QuikLink

Have you ever had to crawl under your desk to change or re-plug your computer in getting it back together? Have you ever had to sort all the cable which extends out the back of your computer? Wouldn't it be nice if there was an interface which would allow you to extend all that spaghetti out to an area not behind or under the desk?

There is relief.

QwikLink-AT Port Replicator and Cable Organizer by Carrington Research Corporation will solve nearly all those problems. This is the hardware device I have been using on my computer at the JS Internet SIGs and the PwrSIG. QuikLink is hardware, with no software to install. The unit consists of one Port Replicator Module and one Quick-Connect Cable Harness. The Port Replicator provides a single point of I/O cable interface and the four foot cable harness provides the extension of that interface from the back of the computer to a point not under or behind one's desk.

The Port Replicator is 13 inches x 3 inches x 1 3/16 inches. There are connectors on both narrow faces. The back face has one connector which takes the harness cable bundle into it. The front face contains standard connectors for serial, parallel, VGA, game, keyboard speaker, and modem I/O cables. The modem consists of both line and phone RJ11 input connectors. The Port Replicator can be laid on the floor or attached to a convent wall or desk side via the two screw openings in the bottom side panel.

The Quick-Connect Cable Harness has a bundle harness connector at one end of the four foot cable and individual cable/connectors which attach to the computer at the other end for each of the above I/O functions. Each cable is clearly marked or is recognized by its fitting.

QuikLink-AT Port Replicator acts as an interface between the computer and each of its peripherals. It has made moving or working on my computer much more bearable by placing all the connection cable out in front of my desk.

The QuikLink-AT Port Replicator costs $99.95 and is available from catalog vendors. I have spoken to Carrington who stated that they have User Group prices. Carrington Research Corporation may be reached at (714) 830 5486. Their Web site is www.superimage.com.

Vision Care Filters

During Internet Odyssey, I was introduced to Vision Care Filters Vu-Tek monitor screens. Vu-Tek monitor filters are anti-glare devices which remove the glare and unwanted light from monitor screens. The Vu-Tek filters are more than just anti-glare devices. They are glass panels mounted in plastic frames which mount in front of the monitor to cut down on glare, static, and radiation. The glass panel filters glare through optical coatings which cut 99 percent of the glare. The optical coating restores the image/background contrast with no loss of resolution.

Overhead lighting, windows, and reflections from other objects in the room add to the glare problem. This makes one's eyes work harder by having to constantly adjust to the varying light conditions and intensities. This leads to eye fatigue as the CRT screen is "washed out". The optical filters in the Vu-Tek screen have polarizing properties to trap the reflected light and enhance the CRT character contracts.

CRT screens also have static build-up due to the electromagnetic properties inherent in them. Static electrical discharge shocks can destroy data and damage computer equipment. The Vu-Tek filter screens combat this in two ways. Part of the screen filter coating helps to dissipate static build-up. The remainder of the static build-up is dissipated through a grounding cord. Dust build-up on my CRTs has diminished greatly. The finger prints remained, however.

The third area that the Vu-Tek Filter screens can benefit is by cutting down on CRT electromagnetic radiation interference (EMI) emissions. These are the soft X-ray and very low, extremely low frequency radiation emissions which have been determined by studies. The Vu-Tek Filter screens help to cut these emissions down.

The Vu-Tek Vision Care Filters are manufactured to the same tolerances as screens in the military aircraft and in fact were initially designed for military applications. Vision Care Filters may be reached by contacting Mr. Bill Evans, District Sales Manager, (713) 780 3361.

Conclusion

I will do a product/application review on each of these products in the near future. All three of them help me greatly in my communication sessions.

56 Kbps Modem Follow-up

The 56 Kbps standard/protocol has a new interim name; V.90. This is the latest effort by the modem heavies to shore up lagging analog modem sales. The V.90 protocol contains some of both the X2 and K56Flex protocols. V.90 was released in March for 56 Kbps modem owners and those thinking about buying. V.90 promises to; increase operability between competing vendors, provide more accurate connect speed reports, provide more consistent connection speeds, offers marginally better throughput, and offers remote access . Articles state that V.90 draws almost equally from X2 and K56Flex. I continue to recommend upgrading to a 56 Kbps analog modem when the time comes. The final protocols will continue to be provided free of charge for those who need upgrades when the final protocol is developed.

JOHN WOODY IS A TELECOMMUNICATIONS CONSULTANT SPECIALIZING IN SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS, NETWORKS, AND INTERNET BUSINESS TRAINING.