atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums General General Telephone & Systems Information Assistance Needed Setting up US Robotics Modem

OK, I have a better handle at your problem.
First, as I suspected, the ASA console pinout is Cisco specific, using the rollover cable. The port does NOT follow the EIA-561 modular serial pinout (not surprizing as it never really cought on). Also, it does not follow the pinouts you gave in the original post.

Look here: ASA pinouts, etc

Were you using the rollover cable with the Multitech? If you did, I find it curious it worked then and not now. Ofcourse, I have seen situations where an RJ45-to-DE9 and an RJ45-to-DB25 cable worked differently, even though the connections used the same signal lines. Serial mysteries. As you probably know, there is in reality NO single standard covering RS-232 serial connections. The only signal lines that are consistent in any connector are transmit, receive, and ground.

I'm surprized thr Multitech modem you use does not allow strings/profiles in its own non-volatile memory. I've used Multitech IIs and Multitech DIDs very extensively in the past and had the option to save several configurations.
I'm familiar with the Sportster modems, though my experience is with their Courier line which is the business-oriented one.

Well this is the first time we're hooking a modem up to an ASA. Normally we use modems for out of band access to our routers, but my boss wants one hooked up to our ASA to provide remote VPN access in the event of a downed circuit. The routers allow us to set a string on them, which is why the MultiTechs work. The ASA requires the string to be on the modem itself as the commands to create a string aren't available on the ASA.

If I can connect to the US Robotics modem and set the string there it should work as expected. I've verified with Cisco that my config is correct on the ASA, we're just awaiting the modem handoff to test.

Sorry, I misunderstood that the problem was YOUR (rather than the Cisco's) inability to connect to the modem.
The only thing that I see as unusual from what you've posted - assuming you're using a regular 9/25 cable - is the fact that the modem turns on AA. Are all the DIP switches set to defaults? The default for the AA DIP is ON (=autoanswer OFF).

I assume you've gone through all the steps here?

https://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps6120/products_tech_note09186a00807955c1.shtml

If the modem power cycles your going to lose your initialization string and will have to be onsite to reconfigure it. Another solution would be to use an access server like the 2509 to connect to the ASA. You would hook the modem up to the 2509 and connect to it and then open a reverse telnet connection to the ASA. This is what I do at locations with multiple pieces of Cisco equipment. You can buy them pretty cheap too.

https://cgi.ebay.com/CISCO-2509-ACC...=item4a99712fa2&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

The thing is, as I posted previously, (and belatedly understood the problem), that the modem is waiting for input from the remote (telco) port (AutoAnswer/TerminalReady/CarrierSelect leds light up) not from the local (serial) port. That is why you cannot get into command mode from HyperTerminal.

Make sure ALL DIP switches are at default.
Powercycle.
Change the Configuration DIP switch to apply factory configuration.
Powercycle again.
Change the Configuration DIP switch to default (ie User commands accepted and saved)
Powercycle one more time.
Try connecting with HyperTerminal again.

sph - All 8 dip switches are in the down (off based on the arrow on the switchboard) position. A vendor left it connected to our router and I know they were able to dial in at 1 point, not sure if they reset any switches after that though. Should I set the switches to other positions?

tito1411 - That's the article I went through in terms of my configuration steps. The 2509 sounds like it might be a viable solution at some point, just have to get my boss on board. I'd imagine you can create a vpn btwn the router and the ASA?

sph - Just refreshed my page and saw your last post. I think I've tried what you suggested already:

All dip switches up, shutdown modem
Put dip switch 7 in down position, cycled modem
Shut off, dip 7 back up, powered on
Tried connecting.

All switches down is INCORRECT.
The switch settings are here:

dip switches

Notice that the default is for DIPs 3,5, and 8 DOWN (on), all others UP (off)

sph - Thanks. I'll give it another try today.

sph - Thanks, worked like a charm once I made the changes, reset to default, reverse telnet in. Got by with a standard 9/25 cable, got my acknowledgments as expected.