HDVR2 + Vonage + External Modem = Negotiating.... ?

[billbrasky]

So, I finally found an old external modem and made a cable so I could connect through vonage. The modem dials and connects quickly, but gets stuck on "Negotiating..." The data transfer lights are blinking lots (the write data light is almost solid, and the read data light is blinking about once a second), so it's transferring something, but never quite finishes. After 30 minutes, it gives up.

I've seen others on this forum complain about this problem too, but I couldn't find anyone with a definite answer. Anyone have any insight on what it does during the "Negotiating" step?

Setup:
Dial prefix: #396, (force 9600 baud -- tried #319, too)
Call waiting prefix: *99, (tell vonage to max quality)

Modem: USR Sportster 56K
ATS28=255 (to force modem to emulate 9600 baud modem)

[wem003]

Can't offer you advice on this - but I must have wasted 20 to 30 hours Vonage and weird dialing codes, filters, etc.

I bought a PPP cable, and set that up in 10 minutes and haven't had a single problem. I wish I had done it earlier. If you have a PC with a com port close by, I highly recommend it.

[bjheels]

OK . . what is a PPP cable? Thanks.

[billbrasky]

I can probably lug my computer down there or get a USB-serial adaptor for my laptop. Do you have a quick link to the PPP instructions for windows?

Thanks.