About a year ago, I wrote a short piece about how to set up and 
use an Intel Satisfaxtion 400 Internal modem for both fax and 
data under OS2 2.1. Now, based on more experience, I wish to 
withdraw those directions and replace them with one word: 
DON'T!

I have been using dual Intel 400's as my main office fax (with the 
two line version of FaxWorks) for about a year. I have also been 
running a two node Maximus for OS/2 BBS on the same lines for 
retrieving faxes and files while on the road. I am about to junk 
the Intels and replace them with ZyXEL's or similar high speed, 
upgradeable modems. This decision is based on concerns in three 
areas: performance, reliability and support. 

PERFORMANCE.

The Intel modems have generally worked well as fax modems. 
My only quibble is that I have sometimes had trouble sending 
faxes to my house in St. Maarten -- not in itself surprising, con-
sidering the poor phone service there. However, I found that 
other fax modems -- including the Complete Fax Modem -- often 
had less trouble overcoming the difficult line conditions. 

My real concern is about the modems as data modems. I have 
experienced frequent Timeouts on data transfers between my 
notebook and desktop using the Intel modems in the desktop. 
Generally, when calling from within the U.S., these reduce effi-
ciency by more than 50% 

These Timeouts do not occur using ZyXEL modems in virtually 
identical circumstances. I recently set up a computer in my Lon-
don office with a single fax/data line serviced by an Intel 400. 
Again, I use Maximus to retrieve faxes. I have experienced 
download efficiencies from the States as low as 5%! And this 
occurs in both directions -- when I am in the U.K. retrieving files 
from the States or in the States retrieving files from the U.K. At 
trans-Atlantic rates, this is far too expensive to tolerate. I do not 
have similar trouble with other modems. 

Finally, I have so far been unable to use the Intels with 
PolyPM/2. Other modems work fine and without difficulty. The 
Intels fail to establish a reliable connection. This may be a prob-
lem with the recommended setup string, but it adds to the picture 
of poor functionality as a data modem under OS/2.

RELIABILITY

My original two Intel 400 modems broke within the first twelve 
months. Both refused to allow new data to be written to non-
volatile RAM, which means that they cannot be reconfigured. 
Both also began to experience trouble switching between fax and 
data mode. 

I replaced one with a newly purchased one and sent it back to 
Intel. They sent me a new one (or fixed it, perhaps, but since I 
got a complete new box and contents with no explanation, I do 
not know). The new one was defective -- it cannot answer as a 
data modem and handshake successfully. So out of four modems, 
three either broke or were defective.

SERVICE

The deciding factor was Intels response to my problems with the 
defective modem they sent me to replace the broken one.

As background, know that Intel does not support OS/2. Anybody 
who has ever called Intel with a problem knows how emphatic 
they can be about this. Actually, they are quite obnoxious about 
it. They do their best to make you feel as if you are using their 
modem for something sleazy.

I wrote them recently and suggested that their modems were 
ideal for OS/2 and suggested that I had lined up some people 
interested in writing Intel 400 support into SIO.SYS  and to write 
a simple configuration utility so that one does not have to boot 
DOS to set up the modem. We also would have written a utility 
to download DOWNLOAD.400 to the modem at bootup. I asked 
Intel if they could provide information to assist this. They 
answered curtly that "that information is not available." 

For me, the ultimate was their response to the defective modem 
they sent me. When they heard that I was using it under OS/2, 
they refused to take it back unless I could duplicate the problem 
under DOS. I pointed out that every other Intel 400 I had worked 
properly in the identical setup (even the broken ones), but that 
the defective modem did not. That cut no ice. I had to find a DOS 
computer and set it up with the modem before they would issue a 
return authorization. The expense of doing this (I have no DOS 
computers and no DOS terminal software) would be more than 
the cost of the modem. I am the CEO of an international insur-
ance broker and simply don't have the time to play around with 
defective modems. 

So I have decided to scrap all the Intels and replace them. I can
not recommend Intel Satisfaxtion modems for anyone using 
OS/2 -- due primarily to Intel's obnoxious attitude.
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