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CHAPTER 3: Software Configuration
3.3 Configuring Your Software
Communications software must be configured to work with your mo-
dem, your computer, and the remote system it is calling. Fortunately,
most communications programs make the process easy by providing a
default initialization string for your modem as well as defaults for most
of the other required parameters.
3.3.1 Configuring Software for Your Modem
Because remote computers may have different connection re-
quirements such as speed, number of bits, parity, log-on sequences, etc.,
communications software is typically configured by sessions, each session
having a unique configuration for a given connection (e.g., to the
Internet, to a BBS, or to a commercial on-line service). Most communi-
cations programs, however, have a separate modem configuration menu
because modem configurations rarely change from session to session.
The most important configuration is the modem initialization string.
This is a sequence of commands the software uses to configure the
modem when the communications software is loaded or when a session
begins. Always begin the initialization string with the ATtention
command AT, then follow it with the modem reset command, &F.
Issuing a reset command before other commands ensures that you are
starting with a known state.
The rest of the commands in the initialization string depend on the
capabilities of the modem and what you want it to do. Some older
communications programs require you to create the initialization string
by yourself. Most modern communications programs, however, provide
you with a ready-made initialization string that is automatically selected
when you choose your modem model from a list. It is a poor idea to use
an initialization string intended for another modem, especially one
from another manufacturer, because modem capabilities and command
implementations vary from modem to modem. However, if your Series
II Modem does not appear on a modem list, you may use any initializ-
ation string labeled “MultiModemII” that might appear in the list.