Technical Bulletin 3008 - 10/17/97 Configure Your PC Card With Modem Initialization Strings  

Bulletin Number 3008
"Configure Your PC Card With Modem Initialization Strings"
Revised - August, 2000

Determine The Chipset

The chipset in your PC Card determines the range of Initialization Strings that you may use. Use these tables to determine the chipset of your PC Card. There is a table for each type of PC Card that we support. Each Model number may represent a series of PC Cards.

There are no Initialization Strings or comparable commands for Wireless PC Cards, ISDN Terminal Adapters and for Ethernet Adapters.

PC Card WinModems

PC Cards Chipsets
CC2336i TI
CC2560 TI
XJ2560 TI
3CXM356 ADI
3CCM356 ADI
3014A TI
3013 ADI
3056/3057 ADI

x2/V.90 PC Card Modems

PC Cards Chipsets
CC5560 TI
XJ5560 TI
CC1560 TI
XJ1560 TI
3CXM556 TI
3CCM556 TI
3CXM756 TI

X2/V.90 Upgradeable PC Card Modems

Here are our X2 upgradeable PC Card Modems. These cards are manufactures to perform at 33.6 Kbps for data, 14.4 K bps for Fax and are upgradeable to X2. X2 performas at up to 56 Kbps. Federal Communications Commision (FCC) standards limit Internet Service Providers (ISP) to 53 Kbps.

PC Cards Chipsets
CC1336 TI
XJ1336 TI

Ethernet Modems

Here are our Ethernet Modems. They were manufactured with 14.4, 28.8 and 33.6 Kbps. Each of these model numbers represents a series that includes both the C, or Coaxial, and the T, or 10 Base T versions. This factor does not change the chipset in that series of Ethernet Modems.

PC Cards Chipsets
3CXFEM556 TI
3CCEM556 TI
3CXEM556 TI
CCEM3336 AT&T v.34
XJEM3336 AT&T v.34
CCEM3288 AT&T v.34
XJEM3288 AT&T v.34
CCEM1144 Rockwell
XJEM1144 Rockwell

For PowerBooks

We have designed this set of PC Cards to be compatible with Apple operating systems.

PC Card Chipset
XJA3288 Rockwell v.34
XJA2288 AT&T v.34
XJA2144 Rockwell
XJAEM3336 AT&T

33.6 Modems

These are our Modems that were manufactured with 33.6 Kbps capability.

PC Card Chipset
CC4336 Rockwell v.34
XJ4336 Rockwell v.34

Upgradeable 28.8 Modems

Here are our Modems that were manufactured with 28.8 Kbps capability. They are able to be upgraded to 33.6 Kbps.

PC Card Chipset
CC4288 Rockwell v.34
XJ4288 Rockwell v.34
XJ4288M Rockwell v.34
CC1288 Rockwell v.34
XJ1288 Rockwell v.34
SP1626 Rockwell v.34

28.8 Modems

Here are our Modems that were manufactured with 28.8 Kbps capability. These are unable to be ugraded to 33.6 Kbps. The chipset that the Modem's design is based on prevents this.

PC Card Chipset
CC3288 AT&T v.34
XJ3288 AT&T v.34
XJ3288i Texas Instruments
XJ2288 AT&T v.34
CC6288 AT&T v.34

14.4 Modems

These Modems were manufactured to have 14.4 Kbps capability.

PC Card Chipset
CC6144 Rockwell
CC4144 Series Rockwell
CC3144 Rockwell
XJ3144 Rockwell
XJ2144 Rockwell
XJ1144 Rockwell

Find Initialization Strings

Use these tables to find Initialization Strings for Data, Initialization Strings for Fax, Modem Equivalents and supported Fax Class(es).

AT&T v.34

  • Initialization Strings

    Here are the Initialization Strings that your AT&T v.34 chipset will accept.

    For a description of the results you can expect from any of these functions and commands see the section labeled Functions And Results.

    For Data:

    Function Initialization String
    Disable AT&F\N1
    Normal AT&F\N
    MNP4 AT&F%C
    MNP5 AT&F
    V.42 AT&F
    V.42BIS AT&F"H

  • Equivalents

    Here are some suggested modem equivalents for the AT&T v.34 chipset.

    1. AT&T 3710 DataPort 14.4

    2. Hayes

    3. Intel EX models (2400 EX MNP, 9600 EX, 14.4 EX)

    4. Intel Satisfaction 400e

    5. Microcom AX models (AX 9600, for example)

    6. Microcom QX models (QX 4232HS,QX 4232Bis, QX V32)

  • Fax Classes

    Under most conditions you should choose Fax Class One. Our Applications Engineers recommend using Class Two only when you experience difficulties in Class One.

  • AT Command Set

    You will be able to find the following information by visiting the AT&T v.34 Chipset AT Command Set Reference available on this Web Site.

    Basic Commands
    AT& (ampersand) Commands
    AT% (percent) Commands
    AT\ (backslash) Commands AT- (dash) Commands
    AT" (quote) Commands
    AT~~ (tilde tilde) Commands
    Class 1 Fax Commands
    S Registers
    Result Codes

Rockwell 28800 v.34

  • Initialization Strings

    Here are the Initialization Strings that your Rockwell v.34 chipset will accept.

    For a description of the results you can expect from any of these functions and commands see the section labeled Functions And Results.

    For Data:

    Function Initialization String
    Disable AT&F&C1&D2&Q&K&S1W2S95=18%C
    Normal AT&F&C1&D2&Q&K3&S1W2S95=18\N%C
    MNP4 AT&F&C1&D2&S1S46=136S48=128W2S95=18
    MNP5 AT&F&C1&D2&S1S48=128W2S95=18
    V.42 AT&F&C1&D2&Q5&K3&S1%CW2S95=18
    V.42BIS AT&F&C1&D2&Q5&K3&S1W2S95=18

    For Fax:

    Function Initialization String
    Software Flow Control AT&K4W2S7=90
    Hardware Flow Control AT&K3W2S7=90

  • Equivalents

    Here are some suggested modem equivalents for the Rockwell chipset.

    1. Hayes Smartmodem models (2400, 2400B)

    2. Hayes Ultra Series (9600, 14400)

    3. Practical Peripherals (9600, 14400FXSA)

    4. Rockwell RG 2400 PC Modem

  • Fax Classes

    Under most conditions you should choose Fax Class One. Our Applications Engineers recommend using Class Two only when you experience difficulties in Class One.

Rockwell 14400 v.34

  • Initialization Strings

    Here are the Initialization Strings that your Rockwell chipset will accept.

    For a description of the results you can expect from any of these functions and commands see the section labeled Functions And Results.

    For Data:

    Function Initialization String
    Disable AT&F&C1&D2&Q&K&S1W2S95=18%C
    Normal AT&F&C1&D2&Q&K3&S1W2S95=18\N%C
    MNP4 AT&F&C1&D2&S1S46=136S48=128W2S95=18
    MNP5 AT&F&C1&D2&S1S48=128W2S95=18
    V.42 AT&F&C1&D2&Q5&K3&S1%CW2S95=18
    V.42BIS AT&F&C1&D2&Q5&K3&S1W2S95=18

    For Fax:

    Function Initialization String
    Software Flow Control AT&K4W2S7=90
    Hardware Flow Control AT&K3W2S7=90

  • Equivalents

    Here are some suggested modem equivalents for the Rockwell chipset.

    1. Hayes Smartmodem models (2400, 2400B)

    2. Hayes Ultra Series (9600, 14400)

    3. Practical Peripherals (9600, 14400FXSA)

    4. Rockwell RG 2400 PC Modem

  • Fax Classes

    Under most conditions you may choose Fax Class Two.

Texas Instruments (TI) and Analog Devices Inc. (ADI)

  • Initialization Strings

    Here are the Initialization Strings that your Texas Instruments (TI) v.34 x2 and V.90 chipset will accept.

    For a description of the results you can expect from any of these functions and commands see the section labeled Functions And Results.

    For Data:

    Function Initialization String
    Disable AT&F&M&K&H
    Normal AT&F

    AT&F1 for our PC Card Winmodems
    MNP4 AT&F&B1&M4&K0&H1
    MNP5 AT&F&B1&M4&K2&H1
    V.42 AT&F&B1&M4&K0&H1
    V.42BIS AT&F&B1&M4&K2&H1

    For Fax:

    Function Initialization String
    Software Flow Control AT&H2&I2&D0S7=90
    Hardware Flow Control AT&H2&D0S7=90

  • Equivalents

    Here are some suggested modem equivalents for the Texas Instuments (TI) chipset.

    1. USRobotics Courier 14400

    2. USRobotics Courier 28800

    3. USRobotics Sportster 14400 or 28800

    4. USRobotics Courier 14400 or 28800

  • Fax Classes

    Texas Instruments (TI) V.34 chipset will use fax Class One.

Stored Profiles

You may write your initialization string to a stored profile which remains until another string is written to it. Accomplish this by placing the command &W at the end of your initialization string.

These settings are then restored to the modem's active configuration when you send a Z command (ATZ) to a Rockwell or AT&T chipset or sending a Y command (ATY) to a Texas Instruments chipset.

Functions and Results

Use this table as a guide to the results you can expect from the functions you can set for your PC Card.

Function Result
Disable Uses no error correction (EC) or data compression. No flow control; modem-to-modem (DCE) and computer-to-modem (DTE) rates must match.
Normal Normal connection uses flow control; DTE rate and DCE rates may differ.
MNP4 Microcom Networking Protocol - Class 4: Configures the modem to use error correction by resending blocks of data that are corrupted during transmission. Uses hardware flow control.
MNP5 Configures the modem to use an advanced data compression protocol that increases throughput by up to 200% (a 2-to-1 compression ratio). Includes error correction (MNP Classes 2-4) and hardware flow control.
V.42 International standard for data error correction. Uses LAP-M (Link Access Procedure for Modems) as the primary error-control protocol and MNP Classes 1-4 as backup protocols. Uses hardware flow control.
V.42BIS International standard for data compression and decompression. Increases throughput by up to 400% (a 4-to-1 compression ratio). Always uses V.42 error correction and hardware flow control.
Software Flow Control Your communications software will set the parameters for aspects of your PC Card's performance.
Hardware Flow Control Your PC Card and it's firmware will set the parameters for aspects of your PC Card's performance.

  • 33.6 K bps +MS Commands

  • For the for the Rockwell v.34 chipset you may add the following information to the initialization strings.

    +ms=11,0,2400,33600

    For a guide to using +MS Commands please see Bulletin 3113.

  • Cellular

    For a guide to Cellular information please see Bulletin 3112.

  • International

    When you travel abroad, you will want to have your PC Card ignore foreign dial tones.

    The AT command to instruct your PC Card to ignore dial tone is X3. Add this command to your data software modem initialization string. Our Applications Engineers advise that this command will work in most countries outside the United States. However, if you are not successful after using X3 try X1. X1 commands your PC Card to ignore busy signal and other tones as well as dial tone so always try X3 first.

  • Unix Systems

    If you have trouble dialing into a 9600 bps Unix system then add the following to your extra setings. This will work in any PC Cards that have Rockwell v.34 or AT&T v.34 chipsets.

    AT%CO&C0S37=9