Modem Signal and Line States
This chapter describes modem states in the following section:
• Signal and Line State Diagrams
To identify the hardware platform or software image information associated with a feature, use the
Feature Navigator on Cisco.com to search for information about the feature or refer to the software
release notes for a specific release. For more information, see the “Identifying Supported Platforms”
section in the “Using Cisco IOS Software” chapter.
For a complete description of the modem support commands in this chapter, refer to the Cisco IOS
Modem Command Reference. To locate documentation of other commands that appear in this chapter,
use the command reference master index or search online.
Signal and Line State Diagrams
The following signal and line state diagrams accompany some of the tasks in the following sections to
illustrate how the modem control works:
• Configuring Automatic Dialing
• Automatically Answering a Modem
• Supporting Dial-In and Dial-Out Connections
• Configuring a Line Timeout Interval
• Closing Modem Connections
• Configuring a Line to Disconnect Automatically
• Supporting Reverse Modem Connections and Preventing Incoming Calls
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Signal and Line State Diagrams
Ready
c
S1201a
The diagrams show two processes:
• The “create daemon” process creates a tty daemon that handles the incoming network connection.
• The “create EXEC” process creates the process that interprets user commands. (See Figure 25
In the diagrams, the current signal state and the signal the line is watching are listed inside each box.
The state of the line (as displayed by the show line EXEC command) is listed next to the box. Events
that change that state appear in italics along the event path, and actions that the software performs are
described within ovals.
Figure 25 illustrates line states when no modem control is set. The DTR output is alw ays high, and CTS
and RING are completely ignored. The Cisco IOS software starts an EXEC session when the user types
the activation character. Incoming TCP connections occur instantly if the line is not in use and can be
closed only by the remote host.
Figure 25 EXEC and Daemon Creation on a Line with No Modem Control
Modem Signal and Line States
through Figure 29.)
DTR high
Network
onnection
closed
DTR high
Ready and active
Incoming
network
connection
Create
daemon
User-typed
activation
character
Create
EXEC
Exit
DTR high
Ready and active
Ringing
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Modem Signal and Line States
Configuring Automatic Dialing
With the dialup capability, you can set a modem to dial the phone number of a remote router
automatically. This feature of fers cost savings because phone line connections are made only when they
are needed—you pay for using the phone line only when there is data to be received or sent.
To configure a line for automatic dialing, use the following command in line configuration mode:
Command Purpose
Router(config-line)# modem dtr-active
Using the modem dtr-active command causes a line to raise DTR signal only when there is an outgoing
connection (such as reverse Telnet, NetWare Asynchronous Support Interface (NASI), or DDR), rather
than leave DTR raised all the time. When raised , DTR potentially tells the modem that the router is ready
to accept a call.
Configures a line to initiate automatic dialing.
Automatically Answering a Modem
Signal and Line State Diagrams
You can configure a line to answer a modem automatically. Y ou also can conf igure the modem to answer
the telephone on its own (as long as DTR is high), drop connections when DTR is low , and use its Carrier
Detect (CD) signal to accurately reflect the presence of carrier. (Configuring the modem is a
modem-dependent process.) First, wire the modem CD signal (generally pin-8) to the router RING in put
(pin-22), then use the following command in line configuration mode:
Command Purpose
Router(config-line)# modem dialin
You can turn on modem hardware flow control independently to respond to the status of router CTS
input. Wire CTS t o what ever signal the modem uses for hardware flow control. If the modem expects to
control hardware flow in b oth directions, you mig ht also need to wir e modem flo w cont rol input t o some
other signal that the router always has high, such as the DTR signal.
Figure 26 illustrates the modem dialin process with a high-speed dialup modem. When the Cisco IOS
software detects a signal on the RING in put of an idle lin e, it starts an EXEC or autobaud process on that
line. If the RING signal disappears on an active line, the Cisco IOS software closes any open network
connections and terminates the EXEC facility. If the user exits the EXEC or the software terminates
because of no user input, the line makes the modem hang up by lowering the DTR signal for 5 seconds.
After 5 seconds, the modem is ready to accept another call.
Configures a line to automatically answer a modem.
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Signal and Line State Diagrams
g
Idle state
Ready and active
H
Figure 26 EXEC Creation on a Line Configured for a High-Speed Modem
ang up
DTR low
DTR low,
watching
Answer
timeout
CTS
Lower DTR
Ring transition
Raise DTR
DTR
high,
watching
CTS
Modem Signal and Line States
Ringin
Lower DTR
close connection
CTS lowered
or exit
DTR high
CTS raised
Create EXEC
S1001a
Supporting Dial-In and Dial-Out Connections
To configure a line for both incoming and outgoing calls, use the following command in line
configuration mode:
Command Purpose
Router(config-line)# modem inout
Figure 27 illustrates the modem inout command. If the line is a ctivated by raising the data set ready
(DSR) signal, it functions exactly as a line configured with the modem dialin line configuration
command described in the section “Automatically Answering a Modem” earlier in this chapter. If the
line is activated by an incoming TCP connection, the line functions similarly to lines not used with
modems.
Configures a line for both incoming and outgoing calls.
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Modem Signal and Line States
Signal and Line State Diagrams
Figure 27 EXEC and Daemon Creation for Incoming and Outgoing Calls
Idle state
high,
DTR
watching
CTS
CTS raised
Close connection,
DTR low for
5 seconds
Hang up
DTR going
low
User-typed
activation
character
Ready
and
active
CTS lowered
high,
DTR
watching
CTS
Create
EXEC
high,
DTR
watching
CTS
Incoming network
high,
DTR
watching
CTS
Ready
connection
Create
daemon
Ready
and
active
CTS lowered
or exit
Note If your system incorporates dial-out modems, consider using access lists to pre vent unauthorized use.
Configuring a Line Timeout Interval
T o change the interval that the Cisco IOS software waits for the CTS signal after raising the DTR signal
in response to the DSR (the default is 15 seconds), use the following command in line configuration
mode. The timeout applies to the modem callin command only.
Command Purpose
Router(config-line)# modem answer-timeout seconds
Note The DSR signal is called RING on older ASM-style chassis.
Configures modem line timing.
CTS lowered or
network
connection
closed
S1004a
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Signal and Line State Diagrams
Closing Modem Connections
Note The modem cts-required command was replaced by the modem printer command in Cisco IOS
Release 12.2.
To configure a line to close connections from a user’s terminal when the terminal is turned off and to
prevent inbound connections to devices that are out of service, use the following command in line
configuration mode:
Command Purpose
Router(config-line)# modem cts-required
Figure 28 illustrates the modem cts-required command operating in the context of a continuous CTS
signal. This form of modem control requires that the CTS signal be high for the entire session. If CTS
is not high, the user input is ignored and incoming connections are refused (or sent to the next line in a
rotary group).
Configures a line to close connections.
Modem Signal and Line States
Figure 28 EXEC and Daemon Creation on a Line Configured for Continuous CTS
Idle state
high,
DTR
watching
CTS
CTS raised
Close connection,
DTR low for
5 seconds
Hang up
DTR going
low
User-typed
activation
character
Ready
and
active
CTS lowered
high,
DTR
watching
CTS
Create
EXEC
high,
DTR
watching
CTS
Incoming network
high,
DTR
watching
CTS
Ready
connection
Create
daemon
Ready
and
active
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Cisco IOS Dial Technologies Configuration Guide
CTS lowered
or exit
CTS lowered or
network
connection
closed
S1004a
Modem Signal and Line States
Signal and Line State Diagrams
Configuring a Line to Disconnect Automatically
To configure automatic line disconnect, use the following command in line configuration mode:
Command Purpose
Router(config-line)# autohangup
The autohangup command causes the EXEC facility to issue the exit command when the last
connection closes. This feature is useful for UNIX-to-UNIX copy program (UUCP) applications because
UUCP scripts cannot issue a command to hang up the telephone. This feature is not used often.
Configures automatic line disconnect.
Supporting Reverse Modem Connections and Preventing Incoming Calls
In addition to initiating connections, the Cisco IOS software can receive incoming connections. This
capability allows you to attach serial and parallel printers, modems, and other shared peripherals to th e
router or access server and drive them remotely from other modem-connected systems. The Cisco IOS
software supports reverse TCP, XRemote, and local-area transport (LAT) connections.
The specific TCP port or socket to which you attach the device determines the type of service that the
Cisco IOS software provides on a line. When you attach the serial lines of a computer system or a data
terminal switch to the serial lines of the access server, the access server can act as a network front-end
device for a host that does not support the TCP/IP protocols. This arrangement is sometimes called
front-ending or reverse connection mode.
The Cisco IOS software supports ports connected to computers that are connected to modems. To
configure the Cisco IOS software to function somewhat like a modem, use the following command in
line configuration mode. This command also prevents incoming calls.
Command Purpose
Router(config-line)# modem callout
Figure 29 illustrates the modem callout process. When the Cisco IOS software receives an incoming
connection, it raises the DTR signal and waits to se e if the CTS signal is raised to indicate that the host
has noticed the router DTR signal . If the host does not respond w ithin the interval set by the modem
answer-timeout line configuration command, the software lowers the DTR signal and drops the
connection.
Configures a line for reverse connections and prevents incoming
calls.
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Signal and Line State Diagrams
Idle state
C
Figure 29 Daemon Creation on a Line Configured for Modem Dial-Out
Answer
timeout
Close
connection
DTR
low
Lower DTR
Incoming network
connection
DTR high,
watching
CTS
Modem Signal and Line States
Raise DTR
Ringing
Network
connection
closed or
TS lowered
Lower DTR
DTR high,
watching
CTS
Ready and active
CTS raised
Create daemon
S1930
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