Getting on line again w/my NetLink, need modem protocol help

[Scooter]

I recently discovered that my DSL ISP also allows me to get on via dial up for no extra charge. I was able to get on line with my Dreamcast for the first time every, how cool! Jazzed by that experience I tried my old NetLink. It continues to fail at the user login/password step in the modem initialization step. I see it fail on the the password authentication.

The only setting I'm not sure about is the is the modem protocol(s). If I remember correctly I think it is set to AD&T. I recall changing this protocol many times back in the day to improve performance and relieve login difficulties. Maybe this old modem just isn't compatible with my ISP?

Anyway, can anyone recommend a known working modem protocol I could try? It just doesn't make sense that my Dreamcast browser can work but my NetLink cannot. I used my NL a LOT back in the day so I know there's nothing wrong with the hardware. I've also double checked my login and password settings about a million times and they are correct.

Perhaps to test the NetLink itself I could do a NL to NL game play thing instead of trying to login to the internet? I'm in Nebraska on Central Time. BTW, I'm using the PlanetWeb 3.0 browser. I also have the older (I think) 2.0 browser if anyone thinks I should try that one instead.

TIA

[Warp2063]

Most likely your problem is the Browser, as you suspect. Perhaps the PlanetWeb browser for the Saturn doesn't support a high enough encryption level for you to log into your ISP?

You could always try changing your modem init string, but I think that involves more the modem's settings and behavior than your ability to log into an ISP...

Anyway, I can't really do any experimentation from here to see if I can figure out what's wrong... I'm using one of my extra computers as a dial-up ISP for my Saturn, and the software I'm using to act as an ISP has worked fine with both the init strings I've tried in it so far. Sorry.

[Scooter]

Most likely your problem is the Browser, as you suspect. Perhaps the PlanetWeb browser for the Saturn doesn't support a high enough encryption level for you to log into your ISP?

You could always try changing your modem init string, but I think that involves more the modem's settings and behavior than your ability to log into an ISP...

Anyway, I can't really do any experimentation from here to see if I can figure out what's wrong... I'm using one of my extra computers as a dial-up ISP for my Saturn, and the software I'm using to act as an ISP has worked fine with both the init strings I've tried in it so far. Sorry.

And what initiation strings are you using?

[Warp2063]

I can't remember what the first one was, but it was the default init string from when you first set up the modem. To restore that init string, you could always delete the configuration file on your Saturn and start over from scratch. The second was "AT&F0" (without the quotes; the last character is a zero). If you look up info online about modem init strings, you can figure out what commands do what and add them as you wish. I'm not sure how much it'll help you, though.

If you try the same init string as your Dreamcast and the Saturn still won't connect, you can be sure that it's not the modem init string that's causing the problem. It's most likely the browser software.

[Scooter]

I can't remember what the first one was, but it was the default init string from when you first set up the modem. To restore that init string, you could always delete the configuration file on your Saturn and start over from scratch. The second was "AT&F0" (without the quotes; the last character is a zero). If you look up info online about modem init strings, you can figure out what commands do what and add them as you wish. I'm not sure how much it'll help you, though.

If you try the same init string as your Dreamcast and the Saturn still won't connect, you can be sure that it's not the modem init string that's causing the problem. It's most likely the browser software.

Well, I'll dig out my 2.0 browser and try it too but I would guess that if it's the browser and 3.0 won't work 2.0 won't either. Good suggestion on using the same init string as used on the DC, but I don't know how to look that up. On the DC you don't put in a init string during the set up so it must have an appropriate one built in that you can't change. I suppose I should call my ISP and at least give them a chance to suggest something.

[Warp2063]

This is the Dreamcast guide from http://dreamcast.onlineconsoles.com/php ... cwin98.php that I used to set up my Saturn to connect to my computer. I never bothered to set up my Dreamcast to connect to my computer acting as a personal ISP. However, I just plugged in my Browser Disc 2.0 for my Dreamcast, and during initial setup, I found the place to enter a modem init string under the "Dial Options" tab. The default string that I saw in there was "AT&F".

Code: Select all

 STEP 2 - Configuring your Dreamcast
1.) Press start to bring up the control panel
2.) select 'Options'
3.) select 'Internet Connection'
4.) configure your network settings

Your Real Name: Put whatever you want here (do not leave it blank)
User Login: Put whatever you want here
Password: Put whatever you want here (write this down, you will need it later)
Dial Up Number: You have to put in at least one digit here
Backup Number: [leave blank]
DNS1: 192.168.55.1
DNS2: 192.168.55.1
Area code you are dialing from: [leave blank]
Long distance call prefix: [leave blank]
Call waiting prefix: [leave blank]
Outside dial prefix: [leave blank]
Modem Init: Use the default "AT&F0" (last digit is a zero)
Dial: Tone
Dial area code: Off
Blind Dial: On
Use Proxy: No
Proxy server name: [leave blank]
Proxy port: [leave blank]

When you are done, save your changes.

Obviously, you'll have to modify all this information to be the right info for connecting to your ISP, but there you go. (You probably won't need Blind Dial set to "on".) On the Saturn, there's a lot of different settings windows that I had to go through to find places to fill out all of this information.

[Scooter]

Thanks for the info, it's worth a try to see if it will work.

[Scooter]

Well, I tried various init strings and it made no difference. I found in the book for my 3.0 browser they listed a long init string which should be used so I tried it and it failed. I tried the 2.0 browser and no difference.

There must just be some failure between the browser and the authorization needs of my ISP. I might give them a call for some suggestions, but I'm better there just isn't anything that can be done, the software is just too old.

[Warp2063]

Yeah... Encryption technology has improved a bit in the past decade and a half...

As nifty as it would be to have the internet on your Saturn... you're better off using the Dreamcast... it's faster, supports more of the current web (encryption, Java, etc.), and from what I could see, a bit easier to use.

I'm sorry I couldn't help you more. If you're still interested in getting the Saturn online, I can answer questions about setting up your own dial-up ISP for the Saturn... but I can tell you now - it's a bit of work, and ultimately not all that useful.

[Scooter]

Yeah... Encryption technology has improved a bit in the past decade and a half...

As nifty as it would be to have the internet on your Saturn... you're better off using the Dreamcast... it's faster, supports more of the current web (encryption, Java, etc.), and from what I could see, a bit easier to use.

I'm sorry I couldn't help you more. If you're still interested in getting the Saturn online, I can answer questions about setting up your own dial-up ISP for the Saturn... but I can tell you now - it's a bit of work, and ultimately not all that useful.

I would be interested in learning how to set up an ISP on my computer. If I have the hardware I need I might just do it.

[Warp2063]

That PC-Dreamcast guide I posted above (and I'll post again here) is what I used to set my Saturn up.

http://dreamcast.onlineconsoles.com/php ... cwin98.php

Basically what you'll need is a computer that has a modem and a broadband internet connection, and runs Windows 98. You might need to build a simple line voltage simulator as shown in the guide.

I have one old computer running Windows 98, and another running Windows Server 2003 with Windows 98 running in a Virtual PC window. I've been able to set up both my physical and my virtual Windows 98 machines as personal ISPs for my Saturn.