In the past few weeks (this is written November 16, 2015), I have been working with the NCID developers on a problem with the Zoom 3095 modem attached to a Raspberry Pi 2 model B. The modem attached to the Pi running Raspbian or attached to a dual boot laptop running Linux and W7 would provide caller ID data only the first time and never after that. Other features were absent as well such as profile saving (AT&W0). After much discussion with the NCID guys and a lot of testing I concluded that the modem was bad and returned it to Amazon. The replacement modem exhibited the same behavior. Finally I sent it to one of the developers for his amusement (John L Chmielewski).
For this one, lsusb returns Conexant Systems (Rockwell), Inc. and ATI3 gives CX93001-EIS_V0.2002-V92. These do not uniquely define this modem since a lot of modems return this kind of identification. It's price was right (about $13) but it did not claim to provide caller ID data. I didn't notice that until I found that in practice it did not work with NCID to block calls. It did work well with the powered USB hub, however.
I got a US Robotics model 5637 modem which did work without the powered USB hub (and with it as well), but did not emit the fax signal on Hangup=2 (AT+VCID=2). Rather this configuration caused the modem to return unformatted caller ID data which, in turn, caused NCID to quit (in frustration?).
When it arrives, we'll see how this one works. I will report its performance here.
In sum, with some USB modems you need to use a powered USB hub unless your USB ports provide sufficient power. If you're having problems with your USB modem, then you might try adding a powered USB hub and see if that corrects the issue. Oh yeah, the Zoom 3095 modem probably works just fine - when you give it the power it needs.
Last edit: Roy Kimbrell 2015-11-17
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did not emit the fax signal on Hangup=2 (AT+VCID=2). Rather this configuration caused the modem to return unformatted caller ID data which, in turn, caused NCID to quit (in frustration?).
I just realized something that I didn't catch (sorry) in your posts and offline emails before: AT+VCID isn't related to the hangup options per se. It controls the CID format that is output by the modem. NCID expects a modem's equivalent to AT+VCID=1 (might be AT#CID=1 for other modems). It wouldn't know how to handle AT+VCID=2 because it's a different format -- the "unformatted caller ID data" as you wrote above. When I wrote per se I meant that AT+VCID=1 (or AT#CID=1) is required for all hangup settings in ncidd.conf because the incoming caller ID data has to be in this format for ncidd to work, including hangups.
If AT+VCID=1 is used, an incoming call looks like this and will be correctly handled by ncidd:
AT+VCID=1
OK
RING
DATE = 1116
TIME = 2058
NMBR = 4075551212
NAME = WIRELESS CALLER
RING
For the sake of completeness, to others who might read this thread, if AT+VCID=2 is used, it tells the modem to print the incoming caller ID info in raw format, which ncidd isn't designed to handle:
AT+VCID=2
OK
802701083131313632303538020A34303735353531323132070F574952454C4553532043414C4C4552
RING
I'm sorry I didn't notice this before. I do know that the ncidd.logs you've sent us were correctly showing AT+VCID=1. It would have only been manual tests you did outside of ncidd, like when using minicom, where you might have used AT+VCID=2. The power being supplied is still the final issue in your case, not whether AT+VCID=2 was used. Hope this makes sense.
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
Alas, the "Internet and Fax 56K USB Modem, V.90/V.92 by Sewell" for $14 was the same modem as the "cheap Chinese manufactured model" both mentioned above with links to Amazon descriptions. I tried it with the powered USB hub and restarted NCID but could not get caller ID data. Reconnected the US Robotics and restarted NCID and it worked fine - both with Hangup = 1 and Hangup = 2 (got a fax signal). Earlier, I hadn't waited enough time for the fax signal to come through and thought that it wouldn't, but based on Todd's explanation, I just waited a few seconds longer and got the signal.
So I expect the Zoom 3095 works and the US Robotics work, but the two cheap modems didn't.
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
In the past few weeks (this is written November 16, 2015), I have been working with the NCID developers on a problem with the Zoom 3095 modem attached to a Raspberry Pi 2 model B. The modem attached to the Pi running Raspbian or attached to a dual boot laptop running Linux and W7 would provide caller ID data only the first time and never after that. Other features were absent as well such as profile saving (AT&W0). After much discussion with the NCID guys and a lot of testing I concluded that the modem was bad and returned it to Amazon. The replacement modem exhibited the same behavior. Finally I sent it to one of the developers for his amusement (John L Chmielewski).
John then mentioned that the problem might be that the Pi was not providing sufficient power to the modem. (DOH! sound of head-slap) I found an oldish powered USB hub and connected yet another modem to this. The replacement modem was a cheap Chinese manufactured model (this one:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00R7LC98Q?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00
For this one, lsusb returns Conexant Systems (Rockwell), Inc. and ATI3 gives CX93001-EIS_V0.2002-V92. These do not uniquely define this modem since a lot of modems return this kind of identification. It's price was right (about $13) but it did not claim to provide caller ID data. I didn't notice that until I found that in practice it did not work with NCID to block calls. It did work well with the powered USB hub, however.
I got a US Robotics model 5637 modem which did work without the powered USB hub (and with it as well), but did not emit the fax signal on Hangup=2 (AT+VCID=2). Rather this configuration caused the modem to return unformatted caller ID data which, in turn, caused NCID to quit (in frustration?).
I am not one to easily quit, so I ordered the "Internet and Fax 56K USB Modem, V.90/V.92 by Sewell" from Amazon. It is about $14. A link to Amazon's page for this modem is here:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005EHJ3FW?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00
When it arrives, we'll see how this one works. I will report its performance here.
In sum, with some USB modems you need to use a powered USB hub unless your USB ports provide sufficient power. If you're having problems with your USB modem, then you might try adding a powered USB hub and see if that corrects the issue. Oh yeah, the Zoom 3095 modem probably works just fine - when you give it the power it needs.
Last edit: Roy Kimbrell 2015-11-17
Hi Roy,
Thanks very much for posting this info.
I just realized something that I didn't catch (sorry) in your posts and offline emails before: AT+VCID isn't related to the hangup options per se. It controls the CID format that is output by the modem. NCID expects a modem's equivalent to AT+VCID=1 (might be AT#CID=1 for other modems). It wouldn't know how to handle AT+VCID=2 because it's a different format -- the "unformatted caller ID data" as you wrote above. When I wrote per se I meant that AT+VCID=1 (or AT#CID=1) is required for all hangup settings in
ncidd.conf
because the incoming caller ID data has to be in this format forncidd
to work, including hangups.If AT+VCID=1 is used, an incoming call looks like this and will be correctly handled by
ncidd
:For the sake of completeness, to others who might read this thread, if AT+VCID=2 is used, it tells the modem to print the incoming caller ID info in raw format, which
ncidd
isn't designed to handle:I'm sorry I didn't notice this before. I do know that the
ncidd.log
s you've sent us were correctly showing AT+VCID=1. It would have only been manual tests you did outside ofncidd
, like when usingminicom
, where you might have used AT+VCID=2. The power being supplied is still the final issue in your case, not whether AT+VCID=2 was used. Hope this makes sense.Oops. Thanks for the correction, Todd.
Should get a new modem tomorrow (which doesn't change my mistake), but it means that there'll be a bit more data.
Roy
Alas, the "Internet and Fax 56K USB Modem, V.90/V.92 by Sewell" for $14 was the same modem as the "cheap Chinese manufactured model" both mentioned above with links to Amazon descriptions. I tried it with the powered USB hub and restarted NCID but could not get caller ID data. Reconnected the US Robotics and restarted NCID and it worked fine - both with Hangup = 1 and Hangup = 2 (got a fax signal). Earlier, I hadn't waited enough time for the fax signal to come through and thought that it wouldn't, but based on Todd's explanation, I just waited a few seconds longer and got the signal.
So I expect the Zoom 3095 works and the US Robotics work, but the two cheap modems didn't.
Regarding the configuration in that last message, I did hook the US Robotics modem to a powered USB hub. Not sure it needed it.
Sewell it's working fine, I have a Rpi2 with 2 istances of ncid running with 2 modems. All it's working like a charm also with hang up = 3
http://www.amazon.it/Sewell-Voice-Fax-Modem-Jacks/dp/B005GQMX4O/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1450473086&sr=8-15&keywords=sewell
Last edit: eikaff 2015-12-18