Problems with PRODIGY under VP/ix

[Michael R. Johnston]

I am having what amounts to be a MAJOR HEADACHE when it comes to
getting Prodigy to run under VP/ix. I have spent many hours scratching
my head and talking to Prodigy Customer Service and trying to get this
fixed.

The software installs and runs fine with the exeption of what seems to
be the communications with the modem. NOTHING and not even a GENUINE HAYES
will work consistenly with this software. 

Here is my hardware configuration:

	386/20 Micronics
	AST 4 Port Serial I/O Card

	SCO 2.3 and the most recent version of VP/ix.

I have tried the following modems with it:

	HAYES 1200
	GVC 2400
	MAXUUM 2400
	RACAL VADIC 2400
	TELEBIT T1000

I use procomm consistenly with good results so I know that the hardware/software
combo is pretty good.

Here is the sequence of events:

	1) I enter my id and password.

	2) The machine says "Dialing...."

	3) I wait..... I watch the modem and it appears to be talking to
	   the software.

	4) SOMETIMES it dials (1 in 4 times) and connects. When this happens
	   it seems like the program recognizes that it connected and then
	   attempts to handshake with the Prodigy Service. The handshake fails.
	   I watch as it sends the initialization string to the remote end
	   and gets nothing back. I receive a message back saying that the
	   connection failed and that is a technical problem with the
	   prodigy service but not with my Hardware/Software. I think it lies.

	5) MOST times i just watch the lights flicker on the modem and it never
	   dials at all. I then get a message back saying that it couldn't connect
	   to the service.

	6) I shake my head and wring my hands in disgust. 

	7) Goto step 1.

My thought is that the problem may lie with VP/ix buffering the output to the
modem on some occasions but I cannot confirm this. It would seem the only
logical conclusion based upon the fact that it IS talking to the modem. Only
inconsistenly so.

Please, if you can help or even offer a decent suggestion I'd appreciate it.
I am at my wits end. I suppose I may have to call SCO about this one.
--
Michael R. Johnston
System Administrator                           rutgers!lilink!mikej
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