ESP Help Index
 Hayes ESP Control Panel Help

Help for the Hayes ESP control panel is divided into three topics that address the options available in each of the control panel dialog boxes.  Click on a topic below to display more information on the options available,  or click on the Help button in the specific dialog box where more information is necessary.

ESP Ports Installed

ESP Port Configuration

ESP Advanced Configuration


ESP Ports Installed

This dialog box displays the ESP ports installed in your computer, and allows you to access the configuration options for each of the installed ports.  You may have up to four ESP ports installed in your computer at one time.

You can access the port configuration options (such as the ESP Speed Multiplier) in one of two ways.  The first way is to double-click on the desired port icon.  The second way is to highlight the desired port by clicking on it (or using the Tab key) and then clicking on the Settings... button.

The Buttons

Close exits the Hayes ESP configuration options.

Settings... displays the configuration options for the port that is currently selected.

Help displays this information.

About displays the version information for both the control panel application and the Hayes ESP driver.


ESP Port Configuration

This dialog box displays the basic configuration options for the Hayes ESP.

Hardware Configuration

This is merely configuration information, and cannot be changed.  If there is a desire to change the hardware configuration of the Hayes ESP, it is necessary to re-run the Hayes ESP Setup application.

The I/O Address is the location through which the Hayes ESP Drivers to interact with the port while performing configuration and management actions.  This address will only be accessed while the Hayes ESP is running in Enhanced mode.

The IRQ is the hardware interrupt used by the port.  This interrupt is used when the Hayes ESP port is running in Enhanced mode, and does not need to be that same as the IRQ used for UART mode.

Mode

The Hayes ESP's ability to increase data transfer rates is enabled with Enhanced mode.  UART mode disables many of the ESPs features.  UART mode is a setting provided to permit you to use certain programs that address communications ports in a direct fashion.

Speed Multiplier

This setting increases the data transfer rate through the serial port by the factor (one, two, four, or eight times) you select.  The main reason for this setting is to let you increase the transfer rate when you are using older software that does not support the your modems maximum data rate.  Sometimes the highest data transfer speed you can select with your software is lower than what you can attain with your modem.  When this is the case, you can multiply the data transfer speed the software selects.  To do so, select a multiplier factor from the drop down box.  You can use the following formula to determine the Speed Multiplier setting you need to use (keep in mind the Speed Multiplier can only be equal to one, two, four, or eight):

Modems maximum communication rate / Applications maximum bit rate setting = Speed Multiplier

NOTE:  Do not select a multiplier value that will make your computer communicate at speeds greater than your modems maximum capabilities.  If you do so, the modem will not be able to communicate at all.

Transfer Size

This refers to the width of the data transferred from your computer to the Hayes ESP port, or data bus.  A data bus is the physical connector that the computer and Hayes ESP use to exchange data.  A bit is an electrical signal that represents a piece of information.  When transferring in 8-bit mode, eight pieces of information are transferred along eight separate paths at once.  In 16-bit mode, twice as many are transferred.

Use the standard 16-bit mode if your Hayes ESP card is plugged into a slot in the computer that has two sets of connectors.  (That is, both sets of the card's connectors are plugged in.)  If the card is inserted into a slot that accommodates only one of the two sets of connectors, use 8-bit mode.  8-bit mode is provided to accommodate computers in which only a single-set connector slot is available.  Use 16-bit mode for the fastest transfers, assuming a full slot is available.

The Buttons

OK saves the changes you have made to the configuration options.

Cancel discards any changes you have made to the configuration options.

Default restores the standard settings recommended.

Advanced accesses settings that provide fine-tuning options for experts.

Help displays this information.


ESP Advanced Configuration

These settings are not used in normal operations, and should only be used to help fine-tune the Hayes ESP.  The S - Flag and S - Mask settings are provided to facilitate problem solving when difficulties arise that require advice from Hayes Technical Support.

Receive Buffer Settings

The Hayes ESP uses its data buffers to store information, transferring it to the computer in parcels (often called "blocks").  This is one of the techniques by which the data throughput rate is increased by the Hayes ESP.  The buffer lets the port temporarily store information, until a block is received.  Then the information is transferred to the computer as a unit.  With many standard serial devices, data is transferred in much smaller blocks, which means the computer has to process data much more often.  This can slow down communications dramatically.

The Trigger level determines how many pieces of information are to be received before the block is transferred from the Hayes ESP port to the computer.  When this amount of information is stored in the buffer, the Hayes ESP indicates to the computer it has a complete data block, and transfers the data to the computer.

The Flow On and Flow Off levels specify when the Hayes ESP port should activate flow control signals to pause and restart the flow of information between the remote system and the computer.  Flow Off is a signal that tells the remote system to stop transferring data because the buffer is full, the computer is busy, or both.  Flow On is a signal that tells the remote system to resume sending data, as the buffer and computer are ready.

When the amount of information in the buffer reaches or exceeds the Flow Off level, the Hayes ESP sends a flow-off signal to the remote system.  This tells the remote system to stop sending data until further notice.

When the amount of information stored in the buffer falls below the value specified by the Flow On level, the buffer has room for more information, and sends a flow-on signal to the remote system.  This tells the remote system that it is OK to resume sending data.

NOTE: The Trigger level and Flow On level cannot be set greater than the Flow Off level.  This situation cannot be allowed since data communications would halt entirely.

Transmit Buffer Settings

As with the Receive Buffer Settings, the Trigger level for the transmitter determines how many pieces of information are transferred to the Hayes ESP port as a block.  When this amount of space is available in the Hayes ESPs buffer, the computer can pass a block of information to the ESP port.  That data is then sent to the remote system.

NOTE:  Since the transmitter Trigger level deals with the amount of space available, the buffer settings appear to the be the reverse of the Receiver Buffer Settings.

S - Flag and S - Mask

These settings are provided for troubleshooting purposes when difficulties arise.  It is recommended that you not change these default settings except when advised to do so by a Hayes Technical Support technician.  If you accidentally access one of these buttons, a warning box will be displayed to help prevent you from using these specialized settings.

The Buttons

OK saves the changes you have made to the configuration options.

Cancel discards any changes you have made to the configuration options.

Default restores the standard settings recommended.

Help displays this information.