When installing your internal modem under Windows '95 you should first configure the modem for the COM port and interrupt that you wish the modem to use. You must be sure to select both a COM port and an interrupt. This would be set by using the dip switches or jumpers on your modem card. Your manual or installation guide will tell you which combination is appropriate for your particular model of modem. If your internal modem is set up on either COM 1 or COM 2, make sure that the internal serial port on that address has been disabled. Most IBM compatible PCs come equipped with two internal serial ports, one on COM 1 and another on COM 2. If that port is active at the same I/O address as your modem, you will encounter difficulties. These conflicts may not affect a slower modem, but high speed internals are more demanding on the interrupts.

COM port conflicts are caused when you have a built in COM port in your system and you try to configure an internal modem to that COM port. When you add an internal modem to your computer, since the modem has its own COM port, you are, in effect, adding a COM port as well. For instance, if you want to use the modem on COM 2, you have to disable the COM port 2 on your system. You will need to refer to your system documentation to find out how to disable a COM port on your system. You may be able to disable a COM port by running the CMOS setup program and changing the status of a COM port to 'disabled.' If it's not in the CMOS setup, it will be a dip switch or jumper on the motherboard or I/O card that will need to be changed.

Choosing COM 3 or 4 will generally not work with high speed internal modems, because COM 3 has the same IRQ as COM 1 and COM 4 has the same IRQ as COM 2. If you don't have a serial device connected to COM 1, you might get the internal modem to work on COM 3. If you don't have a serial device connected to COM 2, you might get the internal modem to work on COM 4. However, choosing COM 3 or 4 will quite often give you an IRQ conflict regardless of whether anything is connected to COM 1 and COM 2. The IRQs for the COM ports are as follows:

Once the modem has been set to an interrupt and I/O address where no other devices will conflict with it, you are ready to place the modem card into your PC after the power has been turned off. After securing your modem into the slot, power up your system and boot Windows '95. Once the operating system has finished booting, it is time to configure your modem. Open up `Control Panel' on your desktop. You can find this option under the `Start' menu under `Settings'. In Control Panel you will see an icon labeled `Modems'. Double click on that. That will open the modem setup and configuration portion of Windows '95. Once there, remove any modems that may already be installed in your PC. You can do that by highlighting the modems that you wish to remove and clicking on the button labeled `Remove'. Next, choose the button marked `Add'. You will then choose the `Next' option to have Windows '95 search for your new modem. At this point, Windows '95 will search your COM ports for modems. It may run the `Add New Hardware' wizard at this point in the installation. Your internal modem is actually seen as if it were another serial port on your PC. Windows '95 will detect your modem as a serial port and configure the new port accordingly. Once the setup wizard has completed looking for new modems, it will display a list of modems that it has detected. There will be a button on the left hand side of the pop up menu marked `Change'. This will allow you to select a different driver for your modem. In many cases, Windows '95 will show that it has detected a Standard Modem. That is quite normal. The Standard driver will work just fine with your modem. You can also select your exact modem from the list. Windows '95 contains a detailed listing of drivers for the various Hayes modems. Once your correct modem is listed, click on `Finish'. Windows '95 will then add the correct drivers for use with your modem.

The Serial Plug and Play specification, jointly developed by Hayes and Microsoft, permits a device attached to a serial port (e.g. a modem, serial mouse, printer, etc.) to be probed and identified; when a device has been identified then the correct driver can automatically be installed. Windows '95 connects your new Plug-n-Play modem to an established COM port. This eliminates the need for you to set COM ports with jumpers or dip switches.

The first step will be to turn off your computer and install the modem into your PC. Once that has been done, turn your PC back on and boot Windows '95. The `New Hardware Found' window should then appear. To install your new hardware, select `Driver from disk provided from manufacturer'. Select `OK'. The `Install from Disk' window should then appear. Insert the `Driver and Utilities' diskette that came with your modem. Select the drive letter that corresponds to the drive letter of the disk drive that the `Driver and Utilities' diskette has been placed in. Normally this will be either `A:' or `B:'. The disk is then read for the driver information. A list of modems will then be displayed. Select your modem from the group and select `OK'. Windows '95 will then install the necessary drivers for your modem on your hard drive.

Because Windows '95 recognizes more then four COM ports and most non Windows '95 specific software only recognizes four, you may want to change the Windows '95 automatic selection. To change the COM port, click on the `Start' icon on your toolbar. Select `Settings' and choose `Control Panel'. Double click on the `System' icon and select the `Device Manager'. Select the `Modem' tab and highlight the modem to reconfigure. Press `Properties'. All the properties should then be displayed. Select the tab labeled `Resources'. The input / output range and interrupt that the modem is currently configured for will be displayed. Highlight the `Input / Output' range. To change this setting, click off the `Use Automatic Settings' indicator box, then press `Change Settings'. The `Edit Input / Output Range' window will then appear. Select one of the following values that corresponds to the COM port that you wish to set your Plug-n-Play modem to:

If you select an Input / Output range that is being used by another device that is currently set up under Windows '95, a message will appear in the box in the lower portion of the screen. If this occurs, you will need to select a new Input / Output range.

Press 'OK' to accept the value, then press 'OK' to close the window. A warning window will appear to verify if you want to create a forced configuration. Press 'YES'.

Why do some of the ATi commands report "ERROR" when Windows '95 runs its diagnostics? Is my modem broken?

It is normal for those commands to report an error message. Those ATi commands are not supported by your modem and will report an error message. Many applications, such as Windows '95, will send a series of AT commands to your modem to identify it. Not all modems will use the same commands to identify themselves.

Why can't I set my Windows '95 software to 230.4K bits/s, my modem and serial card support it? Do I need a new driver?

Currently, the maximum DTE rate (the speed between your modem and your computer) supported by the Windows '95 COM drivers and Windows '95 native applications is 115.2K bits/s. That is a limitation of the operating system and not the hardware. The only way to utilize the higher speeds supported by your high speed modem or high speed serial card, is to use an application that internally supports the 230.4K DTE rate. These applications are known as legacy applications. Windows '95 native applications, on the other hand, do not contain internal COM drivers and will use those built into Windows '95. The Smartcom Message Center software will work under Windows '95 and will support 230.4K.