Unable to access modem errors

[Wendy]

When viewing the log or watching the connection monitor, we see frequently a warning Unable to access modem and it retries. Sometimes it fails and sometimes it does not. The only application using the modem is NPP. Here is part of the log file as an example:

8/7/2007 10:58:01 AM Start connection to carrier: Verizon
8/7/2007 10:58:01 AM Connect using TAP protocol
8/7/2007 10:58:01 AM Setting communication parameters
8/7/2007 10:58:02 AM Sent:AT<CR><LF>
8/7/2007 10:58:03 AM Attempting to reset modem
8/7/2007 10:58:04 AM Warning. Unable to access modem: Procedure: SendTAP. Retrying...
8/7/2007 10:58:05 AM Sent:AT<CR>
8/7/2007 10:58:05 AM Received:<CR><LF>OK<CR><LF>
8/7/2007 10:58:06 AM modem reset
8/7/2007 10:58:06 AM Attempting to send carrier init string
8/7/2007 10:58:06 AM Sent:AT&F0Q0V1X4&D2&B1&K0&M0&N2<CR>
8/7/2007 10:58:08 AM Warning. Unable to access modem: Procedure: SendTAP. Retrying...
8/7/2007 10:58:14 AM Program Halted. modem error: 8005 Port already open in Procedure: SendTAP
8/7/2007 10:58:16 AM Received:<CR><LF>ERROR<CR><LF>
8/7/2007 10:58:16 AM Unable to send carrier init string
8/7/2007 10:58:16 AM Dialing carrier
8/7/2007 10:58:16 AM Sent:ATDT9,18668230501<CR>
8/7/2007 10:58:24 AM Waiting for connection
8/7/2007 10:58:32 AM Received:<CR><LF>CONNECT 2400<CR><LF>
8/7/2007 10:58:32 AM Connected to carrier
8/7/2007 10:58:32 AM Waiting for protocol initialization
8/7/2007 10:58:36 AM Received:Trying t
8/7/2007 10:58:36 AM Sent:<CR>
8/7/2007 10:58:37 AM Received:p.css.vtext.com (66.174.3.10, 1500)... Open<CR><LF>ID=<LF>
8/7/2007 10:58:37 AM TAP protocol detected
8/7/2007 10:58:38 AM Sent:<ESC>PG1<CR>
8/7/2007 10:58:39 AM Received:<CR><ACK><CR><LF>TCS<CR><LF><ESC>[p<CR><LF>
8/7/2007 10:58:39 AM Received:<CR><ACK><CR><LF>TCS<CR><LF><ESC>[p<CR><LF>
8/7/2007 10:58:39 AM Automatic TAP mode accepted

Is the init string that is selected incorrect? Is the modem not being released after the previous message that was sent? We have been seeing quite a few failed attempts lately, and just want to make sure the configuration for the carriers is correct. If we have a group setup with recipients that have different carriers, some setup with SMTP and some TAP, I want to make sure that the software can handle this when a page is sent.

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Wendy

[Wendy]

As far as NPP not able to access the modem when it is the only application using it, and with the failed attempts for some of the SMS notifications, would PageGate resolve the issues we are seeing?

I would be happy to explain to someone how we use NPP with another application and find out if PG is a better fit. Please respond.

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Wendy

[Tech Support]

The init string is unique to the modem. I can't really tell you whether or not that's the right init string. I don't understand, though, what's happening. I mean, you're getting the error mid-communication. The program has already requisitioned the modem by the time you get the error, which doesn't make any sense, unless you're running NotePager Pro as a shared program.

Are you running NotePager Pro local to the system or are you running a network shared copy of the program accessed by multiple people?

[Wendy]

NotePagerPro is installed on a single system that has a modem connected to it. The application that executes NPP through the command line is installed on the same system. It starts the executable, accesses the group containing a list of recipients, and sends the message. If the third party application sends multiple alerts that kicks off NPP.EXE in the command line multiple times, would that be considered a shared program?

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Wendy

[Tech Support]

No, I was referring more to network sharing.

The third-party application, though...

If it's possible, I'd like you to run a test. The first test is to have your other application pass one message to NotePager Pro, then 10 seconds later, pass another message to NotePager Pro. Let's see if the error pops up then.

If it doesn't, I'd lik eyou to try having the application send two messages as close to simultanously as you can get it.

[Wendy]

Today was actually a good day. I don't know how many messages went via TAP and SMTP, but we only had one instance in the log file that stated it was unable to access the modem.

As far as the test, I will have to do that tomorrow.

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Wendy

[Wendy]

I just had a a group of twenty pages attempt to go out. After the last successful one, the log states:

8/9/2007 6:13:09 AM SUCCESSFUL
8/9/2007 6:13:09 AM Sent:<EOT><CR>
8/9/2007 6:13:10 AM Attempting to hang up modem
8/9/2007 6:13:12 AM Sent:AT<CR>
8/9/2007 6:13:13 AM Received:<CR><LF>OK<CR><LF>
8/9/2007 6:13:13 AM modem hung up
8/9/2007 6:13:16 AM Dialer Stopped
8/9/2007 6:13:21 AM Dialer Started
8/9/2007 7:20:06 AM Dialer Started
8/9/2007 9:07:24 AM Dialer Started
8/9/2007 9:07:49 AM Dialer Stopped
8/9/2007 9:33:05 AM =================================
8/9/2007 9:33:05 AM Start connection to carrier: AllTell
8/9/2007 9:33:05 AM Connect using TAP protocol
8/9/2007 9:33:05 AM Setting communication parameters
8/9/2007 9:33:08 AM Sent:AT<CR><LF>
8/9/2007 9:33:08 AM Attempting to reset modem
8/9/2007 9:33:11 AM Sent:AT<CR>
8/9/2007 9:33:15 AM Attempting to reset modem
8/9/2007 9:33:18 AM Sent:AT<CR>
8/9/2007 9:33:22 AM Attempting to reset modem
8/9/2007 9:33:25 AM Sent:AT<CR>
8/9/2007 9:33:29 AM NotePager Pro was unable to to talk to your modem
8/9/2007 9:33:29 AM Please check your modem port setting (Tools->Setup->Modem)
8/9/2007 9:33:29 AM Unable to connect to carrier
8/9/2007 9:33:29 AM Attempting to hang up modem
8/9/2007 9:33:33 AM Sent:AT<CR>
8/9/2007 9:33:36 AM Attempting to hang up modem
8/9/2007 9:33:40 AM Sent:AT<CR>
8/9/2007 9:33:43 AM Attempting to hang up modem
8/9/2007 9:33:47 AM Sent:AT<CR>
8/9/2007 9:33:51 AM Carrier retry limit reached. Marking pending messages as bad

I then querried the modem successfully. Went back into the history to requeue the last page and received the Fatal database error: 3167 Record is deleted (again, listed on a different post).
After getting back in to NotePagerPro, and requeued the last page, it went successfully, but check out the log:

8/9/2007 9:57:58 AM ====================================
8/9/2007 9:57:58 AM Start connection to carrier: AllTell
8/9/2007 9:57:58 AM Connect using TAP protocol
8/9/2007 9:57:58 AM Setting communication parameters
8/9/2007 9:57:59 AM ====================================
8/9/2007 9:57:59 AM Start connection to carrier: AllTell
8/9/2007 9:57:59 AM Connect using TAP protocol
8/9/2007 9:57:59 AM Setting communication parameters
8/9/2007 9:58:00 AM Sent:AT<CR><LF>
8/9/2007 9:58:01 AM Attempting to reset modem
8/9/2007 9:58:03 AM Warning. Unable to access modem: Procedure: SendTAP. Retrying...
8/9/2007 9:58:03 AM Sent:AT<CR>
8/9/2007 9:58:04 AM Received:K<CR><LF>
8/9/2007 9:58:04 AM modem reset
8/9/2007 9:58:04 AM Attempting to send carrier init string
8/9/2007 9:58:05 AM Sent:AT&F0Q0V1X4&D2&B1&K0&M0&N2<CR>
8/9/2007 9:58:07 AM Warning. Unable to access modem: Procedure: SendTAP. Retrying...
8/9/2007 9:58:13 AM Program Halted. modem error: 8005 Port already open in Procedure: SendTAP
8/9/2007 9:58:16 AM Received:<CR><LF>ERROR<CR><LF>
8/9/2007 9:58:16 AM Unable to send carrier init string
8/9/2007 9:58:16 AM Dialing carrier
8/9/2007 9:58:16 AM Sent:ATDT9,18776543243<CR>
8/9/2007 9:58:24 AM Waiting for connection
8/9/2007 9:58:35 AM Received:<CR><LF>CONNECT 2400<CR><LF>
8/9/2007 9:58:35 AM Connected to carrier
8/9/2007 9:58:35 AM Waiting for protocol initialization
8/9/2007 9:58:39 AM Sent:<CR>
8/9/2007 9:58:42 AM Received:Trying 10.135.9.45, 4072 ... Open<CR><LF>
8/9/2007 9:58:42 AM Sent:<CR>
8/9/2007 9:58:43 AM Received:ID=<LF>
8/9/2007 9:58:43 AM TAP protocol detected
8/9/2007 9:58:43 AM Sent:<ESC>PG1<CR>
8/9/2007 9:58:44 AM Received:<CR><ACK><CR><LF>TCS<CR><LF><ESC>[p<CR><LF>
8/9/2007 9:58:45 AM Received:<CR><ACK><CR><LF>TCS<CR><LF><ESC>[p<CR><LF>
8/9/2007 9:58:45 AM Automatic TAP mode accepted

While the message was attempting to send, another alert came through waiting to page other people. Not sure if that is where the Port already open came in to play or not...

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Wendy

[OzCom]

Are the incoming and outgoing communications using the same COM port?

It looks from the logs you posted that another device/service is trying to reserve the modem. It also could be symptomatic of a hardware problem with the modem itself - If it is Internal - try re-seating the card. If it is external, double check the cable integrity

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Aaron D. Osgood
Streamline Communications, LLC
* Authorized Notepage, Inc. Development Partner and Re-seller
TEL: 207-518-8455
AOsgood@streamline-solutions.net
Creators of AutoPage Spillman CAD interface for PageGate

[Wendy]

We shouldn't be receiving any incoming communications; however, they are tied in to our phone system. We are going to change the ports/extensions in our phone system to not answer just to be on the safe side.

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Wendy