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Outdated Drivers Can cause hardware related Errors. Check your PC Drivers now.

Problems with the Gateway/BCM Software v92 modem

By: Alexander Feazell (2001)

In August 2001, Gateway started shipping some of their computers with a GTW V.92 PCI Soft Modem. This modem utilizes the BroadCom chipset and would be the "cousin" to the BCM v90 Modem/HPNA Combo Card Gateway was shipping at the beginning of 2001. Gateway customers with these modems appear to be having the same problems that occurred with the original BCM v90 modem that Gateway shipped. These problems include:

1. Poor v.90 throughput
2. No v90 connects, not handshaking down to v34 and giving a no answer errors
3. Dropped connections (v90 or v34) within a few minutes of connecting
4. Protocol errors upon connection (Windows errors 650, 720, 731 and 645)

From my research into this modem, here's some information to help those that run into problems with this modem.

1. BroaddCom a broadband network equipment manufacturer much like 3COM/Commworks or Cisco. Broadcom does not have any analog modem information on their web site.
2. This is the first modem Gateway has branded with their name since they stopped shipping the USRobotics x2/v90 modem with the Telepath name. They have even used GTW in the name of the driver files and AT Commandset documentation.
3. Gateway seems to have codenamed this modem Palmer for some reason.
4. This is an AMR modem meaning it either utilizes an AMR slot on the Motherboard or will be built onto the Motherboard itself.
5. This modem is a software modem much like the PCTel HSP, Smartlnk HAMR56, and Lucent AMR SoftModem.
6. This modem appears to have x2/v90 and all v92 all capablities including Modem On Hold (MOH), QuickConnect and PCM Upstream. v44 Data Compression is also included when run in v92 mode.
7. The AT Commandset does not seem to follow the v.250 standard which uses +MS= for changing modulation. It was my impression that all v92 drivers were supposed to conform to this standard. Since this doesn't then the Init Strings to use would be as follows:
   
   Force V34 (disable x2/v90/v92) S50=23 S51=31
   Force x2 (disable v90/V92) S50=23 S51=63
   Force V90 (disable x2/v92) S50=23 S51=95
   Force V92 (disable x2) S50=31 S51=95
   
   
8. ATI3 is where to look for the driver version. Gateway appears to have shipped it with drivers 3.3.12.1. This is the same version they have available from their driver web site at http://www.gateway.com/support/product/drivers/modem/6001969.shtml
   
   This page was last modified on Saturday, 05-Feb-2011 15:10:48 EST.