Remote Connection to TICA

Using toolkit v1.6.1 I am trying to remotely connect to a site about 4 hours north of my current location.

the network settings are:
Network Name : Local Network
Type : CBTI
Modem Address : COM3
Phone Number : 09242xxxx (leading 0 to get an outside line)
User ID : 9999
Pass Code : 9999
Modem Init String :

I start by dialing the number with my phone first then hang up after 2 or 3 rings.
Then within 60 seconds I press the Open Network button.

Toolkit connects (I can hear the voice prompts then the familiar modem screams) but then Toolkit shows an error.

Looking at the Java.exe log the error reports as :
Can't open : C-Bus interface (Stream failure):COM3 Connect failed: No match found for: followed by the hash key

I'm sure I have seen this before and managed to get around it but I cant seem to get it to work this time around.

Any ideas?

wasnt the actual number to start with and the access numbers are also bogus. but thanks anyway

 

Why are you dialling the number yourself?? Toolkit/CGate will dial the number..

 

the CBTI is programmed to answer on the second round of ringing.

So ring and let it dial a couple of times
hang up
Ring again and you get the prompt after the 2nd or 3rd time.

so to connect toolkit i need to ring once, hang up then use toolkit to ring

toolkit takes too long to error out on the first try and theres no way of hanging up while its trying.

to get the CBTI to answer, the second round of ringing needs to happen within 60 seconds of the first round.

 

Oh right.. I see.

 

Yeah, C-gate seems to be less than happy dialing into CBTI, there is ongoing work to try and improve this.

Try the following modem initialisation string "X1" (without the quotes) or "ATX1" (again not quotes). I'm not sure if Toolkit requies the AT or not, I suspect not, but try the second one if the first one doesn't help. The X1 modem init string basically just tells the modem to ignore dial tone, I have found this to help a lot in the past.

If that still fails, you will need to do this the hard way.

A) Change the network type to serial (PCI) and not CBTI, but still point the connect at the modems COM port.

B) Leave Network closed.

C) Open up hyperterminal (or any other terminal application), this is in mst Windows installs under "Start|Programs|Accessories|Communications"

D) If the "New Connection" wizard doesn't start automatically, then select "File|New Connection".

E) Enter some name for the connection. Press enter.

F) Select the COM PORT for you modem, NOT the modem itself, in the connect using field. This should cause all the other options to grey out. Press OK.

G) For the port setting dialog change the bits per second to 9600. (leave the the other settings as data bits 8, parity none, stops bits 1, flow control hardware)

H) Hyperterminal will open the port and will display "Connected" in the status bar.

I) enter "ATZ" in the terminal and press [enter] key. You should get a response of "OK". (no quotes for either command or response)

J) enter "ATX1&D0" and press [enter], you should get "OK" back.

K) enter "ATDT[phone number]" and press [enter], where [phone number] is the phone number of the CBTI.

L) If all things go well you should eventually see "Welcome to C-Bus, enter your user id:" on the screen. Enter the cbti user id and press [#] and then enter the password when prompted and press [#].

M) you will be at the main menu, press 5 (this should be the option to connect to c-bus)

N) press 1 to confirm entering c-bus connected mode.

O) now in hyper terminal select the "Call|Disconnect" option. This will cause Hyper Terminal to disconnect, but because we used the &D0 option with the modem, it should remain connected to the CBTI.

P) no swap to Toolkit and open the network. It should behave exactly as if it was connected to a PCI, and allow you to make the necessary changes.

Q) When finished, close the network in toolkit.

R) Swap back to Hyper Terminal and select "Call|Call"\

S) enter "+++" (no quotes) in the terminal, wait three seconds, if nothing happens press [enter]. You should see the response "OK"

T) enter "ATH0" and press [enter]. The modem should hangup.

U) Have beer, you are all done.

 

Thanks Richo that all makes sense but it would seem that the CBTI just doesn't want to sync correctly.
I can dial the unit, I hear the voice prompt then the modems try to connect but I keep getting a 'No Carrier' error after 30 seconds or so.

 

You can hear the voice when you dial with the modem. You shouldn't hear the voice. For some reason the CBTI isn't detecting that it is a data connection. This is most likely because of the modem you are using needing a different paramter to cause this, or something funny with with the telecommunications equipment/configuration between your site and the remote site. Most likely can be dealt with by a AT paramter in your modem. It has been a few years since I had my head buried in the mdoem AT command set now so it is all a vague memory at this point.

 

OKay, found this note in some archival data on the CBTI.

Code:

[B]Symptoms[/B] : When the CBTI is dialled from the Installation
Software you can hear the Voice Prompt at the other 
end "Welcome To C-Bus" but the data part of the call never
takes place..

 
[B]Most Likely Cause[/B] : The local modem is not sending 
a "Calling Tone" signal so the CBTI doesnt realise its meant
to establish a data call.

  
[B]Fix[/B] : Add "-C1" to the Modems Init string this causes the
modem to send short bursts of tone indicating a Data Call
after it has dialled the Number.. the CBTI 'hears' these 
tones and attempts to set up a Data Call rather than 
persisting with the Voice Prompts.

 
[B]Additional[/B] Notes  
NetComm Modems will require a "#C1" not a "-C1"..  
 

Note that the exact command for your modem may be a variation on this.

 

Update..

I was able to finally connect. The CBTI and my modem do handshake but sometimes only after the initial voice prompt.

On those rare occasions that I can connect, I get an error when trying to scan the network.

Ive given up for now. Ill pre program some gear and send it up. Maybe in a few weeks when I have some spare time I'll see if I can get hold of a CBTI to practice with.

Thanks for all your help.

 

CBTI not connecting

Filpee,

I'm having the same problem. The CBTI answers the call and you hear the voice prompts. You can hear the modem chirping looking for a connection but the CBTI doesn't respond.
Took the same laptop no settings changed to a neighbors place, connected first time everytime.
So I contacted Telstra for them to check the line. Telstra said no issue on the line. So before the tech went I checked between the office & a house we have just finished. Connection could't be made. I then sugested I connect from a Telstra pit out in the street. still no luck. We then went to the local exchange (Thank god for a tech that actually cares). Connection of my number in the exchange was perfect.
Telstra still have no answer for the problem. Even after this Telstra are still saying its a Clipsal issue.
All settings must be correct as have proved it at the exchange & at neighbors.
I'm at witts end
I need this to work as this is my income.
Can we somehow force the CBTI to connect.

Can a connection be made over the net instead using a VPN or something like it. This would be good so as I can update Touchscreens as well using a CNI.

Any help please
don't want to sound desprite but AHHHHHHHH.

Cheers
Shane

 

Shane, just out of curiousity, do you have any form of xDSL (ADSL/SHDSL/ADSL2/ADSL2+/etc) at your house?
What kind of area do you live in? Rural? (thinking of electric fence controllers, etc), low-density suburb? high-density suburb? (so, for example, a street with lots of units or apartment buildings in it)

What other devices do you have connected to your phone line at home? how MANY devices do you have plugged in? (fax, answering machine, alarm system, Old Telstra Touchfone 200 or 400 phones, xDSL, cordless phones [counted as one phone per base station, not per handset], any other weird and wonderful POTS/PSTN devices...) (Make note of the old Telstra Touchfones, as they have a known problem)

When you were at the exchange with the Telstra tech, how did he connect you to your line? did he disconnect the pair to your house, and then tap directly into the exchange side of your line and give you an RJ12 to plug into your laptop? otherwise, how else did he connect you? As well, if you have any form of xDSL on your line, did he unplug your line's connection to the DSLAM when he gave you your temporary connection?
When you say that you went to the exchange with the tech, did you get taken into a building? or to a roadside cabinet?
(By the way, I'm shocked that the tech let you into the exchange, Telstra are religious about not letting anyone who doesnt work for them or a contractor or other authorised person into their facilities, and even having close connections with them or their employees doesnt always guarantee access, so you definately were lucky to get the tech you did)

Do you know if your line runs through a Pair-Gain system? If so, read my other note below about getting a new line.

Do you have any other details about what tests they performed on the line?

If you are truly seriously desperate to get a new, clean line run to your house, ring Telstra, and order a new, second phone line to be installed to your house, and give the salesperson the code "NGPDSL". If the person you're talking to doesnt understand what this means, ask to speak to their supervisor, and keep trying until you find someone who understands what this code means. (By The Way, NPGDSL means "Non-Pair-Gain line expressely intended for a DSL or Digital Subscriber Line use)
There is always the option of getting an ISDN line run into your place (Completely digital line, all the way from the exchange to your house), but this is expensive, and Telstra will try every tactic in the book to talk you out of getting one.


Alternatively, yes, there are several different ways that you can remotely connect to your customer's sites over TCP/IP. There is always VPN (fairly secure), Port Forwarding at the customer's premises (not very secure), and a ton of other different options. It all depends on what hardware your customer's have on site, (CNI, what kind of modem or Router, what kind of internet connection, do they have a spare PC with a network connection that can run in a cupboard 24/7, and a ton of other things).
The other issue you might have is that not EVERY site will have an internet connection that is suitable for remotely connecting (although this is becoming more of a non-issue every day as nearly everyone has broadband these days), and I'm assuming that not every customer will be willing to fork out for a CNI. Then again, if they already have a CBTI, you might just be able to convince them to upgrade...

Let me know what you think, and I'll give u the best advice I can about helping you get around this problem.

Regards,
Darpa

 

Ashleigh, your on the money with the old BOG BOG connection.

OK,
I'm with you on something being wrong with the line, but you try telling that to Telstra.
This is were it starts getting strange. I can dialup my isp using the same laptop, same location in the office. We have our phones going through a starserve panel, so I can designate an outlet just for the laptop no other phones attached to the line. Nothing changed besides the number I'm calling. When connecting to isp it connects 1st time every time at 31.2Kbps. When calling CBus, If I can get it to connect, it takes approx 20 attempts & need to be trying around 2-3am in the morning. Now that people are living in the house I can't be doing this in the middle of the night.
Clipsal were thinking of case studying the house, but we may need to sort out a few issues first.

Shane

 

Remote connection

Well I think thats all the info I have.

Cheers Shane

 

Woody, from you earlier description you are saying that when Toolkit dials you can hear the CBTI voice. This should NOT happen. I covered this condition earlier in this thread here http://www.cbusforums.com/forums/showpost.php?p=17904&postcount=8

 

Firstly, and most simply, I'd strongly recommend you follow Richo's advice regarding the CBTI, and setting initialisation strings in your modem.
Richo is a guy who knows what he's talking about when it comes to C-Bus, and his suggestion could very likely fix your problem, and it is certainly the simplest solution.

Secondly, I'll do my best to give you any relevant advice regarding your responses to my earlier reply, but I think all of this is just a bunch of moot points, because if you can connect to a dial-up ISP just fine on your line, then I would strongly suggest investigating issues with the CBTI and your modem:

"Yes we do have ADSL, but not on the line I'm calling out on. I seem to be having more luck with the line not linked to ADSL."
We live on a rural farm in the Adelaide hills. Closest neighbor 1km away. Yes we do have electric fence energisers & have tried with them on and off.
One of the biggest problems you can have with a phone line is xDSL connections and in rural areas, electric fence controllers. You've mentioned that you've tried connecting the the fence controller turned off, so I'll assume thats not your problem. Also, your xDSL service would most likely "drop out" when your controller was turned on IF your fence was causing interference with your phone lines, so I'll ignore this as a possible issue. Also, what kind of DSL splitters/filters do you have in place? Are you using a Central Splitter? or are you using individual filters on each connected device?
Also, I would, for ****s'n'giggles sake, try disconnecting your DSL service when attempting to use either of your lines, and see if that makes any difference. (The reason being is that your DSL can possibly interfere with your Pair Gain line in the cables in the street, as they can interact with each other in some circumstances.)

We would normally have a pabx running the house and office & branched off before it direct lines to an outlet to dialup. Starserve is used to patch in before PABX. So I can & have unplugged the PABX & all other phones so we have a dedicated line for the Laptop. A fax is also normallyconnected too this line.
Sounds like you've done all the right things in testing in this area.

In the pits he disconnected the outgoing line & fitted of an RJ12.
The line we were testing out on the street had no ADSL attached too it. In the Exchange we tested both our lines but still had the DSLAM hooked up on the second line. Both numbers connected no problems.
I was sitting down in a chair at a nice little desk in well airconditioned exhange building.
From this, it is almost beginning to sound to me like there is probably interference problems on your line that are caused by interference on the lines between your pit in the street and the exchange. Things like, Fence Controllers, Radio and TV transmitters.
Although I'd be looking more at AM transmitters and fence controllers, and since it most likely isnt your fence thats the problem, it could be one of your neighbours'.
Also, if you connected to your DSL line from out in the pit without a filter on the line, there's no way you'd be able to make any kind of connection.

I'm a bit cautious about telling people about this, as the guy was really trying to help me out and I don't want anyone to get in trouble.
I wouldn't worry too much, there isn't enough information here for anyone from Telstra (in the unlikely event that they are reading this) to discipline their tech for doing what he did.

Yes this line does run through a pair gain system,but our other line is copper all the way to the exchange due to the ADSL
MOLDS tests have been done with no errors showing up at all. We even had the tech call up and get the Pair gain channel we are on checked & some settings changed within the pairgain box.
Pair Gain can in some circumstances be a bitch on Dial-Up connections, depending on how it is configured. Although depending on which settings your tech had changed, this is most likely a non-issue for you.

I wouldn't mind a bit more advice in regards to using the web. The customer already has a CBTI & a CNI. The CNI is used to connect to a wireless router so we don't have to connect to a socket to be online with CBUS & can also program up the touchscreens. The customer has spent 2mil on the house & still can't get ADSL. (using dialup at the moment.) Just another battle with Telstra.
Personally, if the customer ONLY has dial-up, then I wouldnt even bother wasting my time trying to setup VPN to his house. VPN over Dial-Up would require either a PC turned on 24/7, with a seperate line just for it, as it would need to be set to automatically answer every call, and most people dont like hearing data tones blasted into their ear when they call someone. Alternatively, there are SOME very rare examples of dedicated dial-up VPN hardware out there, but its likely to either be expensive or close to impossible to find. (Unless of course you can find a VPN device that is designed to have an external dial-up modem connected to it, that is capable of accepting incoming calls on the analogue line, not just making outgoing calls when its main broadband connection is down, but again, these sorts of boxes are very very hard to find).

The other options you have for getting a digital BROADBAND connection into your customer's premises are a few.
You can get him to shell out for over-priced ISDN or Satellite (the one-way [read:cheapest] BigPond Satellite connections need a dial-up or ISDN connection for their uplink anyway, thus adding to the cost, and two-way satellite costs rediculous amounts!!)
(And some people would hardly call ISDN or Satellite BROADBAND, but they are still alot better than dial-up for data services).
You could also speak to Adam Internet (Note: I am in NO way affiliated with them), because they own their own DSLAM's in nearly all Adelaide exchanges, and unless your customer's line is more than 6.2Km in length (in which case forget about any kind of ADSL, period.), they are usually quite friendly when it comes to at least TRYING to get a working connection on the line, and are willing to flex the rules a little bit, even if they cant make any guarantees.
Whereas Telstra have a set of rules regarding line distance, attenuation, S/N ration, etc, and they wont even consider a connection if your line is outside these values.

In short, if you want to use VPN, I wouldnt waste your time trying to do it over Dial-Up, but if you're able to get some type of broadband in place, I'm happy to go through more details on how to set up a connection between you and your customer as cheaply and simply as possible.

Regards,
Darpa

 

Thanks Darpa & Richo for your help. Yes I was only going to attemp a connection with VPN if some sort of broadband is available. When we connected to the exchange on our ADSL line I had no filter and it did still connect. At home we use a central line filter as it enters the property.

Richo, I'm a bit confused when it comes to hearing nothing the other end when dialing in. When I was dialing from exchange the phone interface handshaked before the announcment and connected ok. when dialing in from the office if it did connect it was after the annoucment had been played.
I have tried in the modem string "-C" & "#C". I have all along heard the beeps trying to connect.
My guess is that the lines in the area are being compromised by some sort of outside source, I don't think there is anything I can do about it. Guys do you think its about time I gave up on the idea of being able to use a phone interface.

Thank again for all your help.

 

Woody..

Have you tried a different modem at your end? For what ever reason some modems will work where others wont..

 

It may be a property of the Telephone Exchange you are accessing though that the "data" signal can't be used. There is another technique you can use to establish a connection however.

Did you try this suggestion from earlier in the thread?
http://www.cbusforums.com/forums/showpost.php?p=17878&postcount=5