Dialup Internet Access at a Hospital??

[bsi]

Their IT guy said it couldn't be done but I think that is a political problem, not a technical one. They would not let me talk directly to him. I am hoping one of you helpful Terbites can either confirm the situation or offer me a solution.

Here is the situation. I have a relative at the Ajax hospital who will be in for multiple weeks. We already have a dial up account for use out of the city. There is a local number for the hospital.

I tested the number manually and it works fine. I understand about dialing 9 to get out.

The problem is that I do not get a dial tone when connecting with a laptop and a modem. I used a splitter and tried to use the jack where the room telephone is. The room phone still worked fine with the splitter but no dial tone at the laptop. And there is no dial tone when I connect the laptop directly to the phone jack.

I am guessing that they have something like a PBX system which requires some special procedure to use with a computer. If necessary, I might buy a PBX phone with a data port if that enables connectivity. Or maybe a special phone cable? Or some AT initialization string before dialing? I can't ask any tech guys there so I am hoping for advice here.

Thanks in advance guys.

 

[l69norm]

... I might buy a PBX phone with a data port if that enables connectivity. Or maybe a special phone cable? Or some AT initialization string before dialing?..

See
http://www.blackbox.com/files/productdetails/21360b.pdf

 

[antlerman]

well. ...I have spoken with some of co-workers at the Hospital......
1- check your connection again...if you are not geting dial tone the put money on the modem connection or cable.
2- set your output bandwidth lower
3- make sure properties are set for dial rules to dial the requested number first...like 9


But most likely it is the cable and modem connections

 

[The Lurker]

It also matters how your connecting. The hospital phone maybe a digital model and you run the risk of blowing up your modem if just unplugging the phone and plugging in the gizmo.

What you should be able to do is plug the modem into the handset of the phone and dial as normal. You can get a splitter from The Source if you want the handset at the same time to listen to the modem negotiation. The 9 or 8 will proly be needed to get an outside line, but sounds like you know that.

This is a trick some of the consultants I supported years ago used to do to get around my "draconian" security procedures!

Hope this works. Damn Terb really is addictive

 

[hal2100]

Hospital's would use a PBX phone system. Lurker is correct about the phones could be a single line digital PBX phone. The digitial PBX phones are specific to the PBX used.

PBX could also be configure to use analog phone (2500 type) which is the same as basic home telephone. If the room phone is using an analog phone, you should be able to dial out using the modem.

Here is a quick test: a simple home phone to the hospital room and connect it to the phone line instead of the room phone. See if you pickup the phone and you can get dial tone and make an outgoing call. If you can make an outgoing call, the PBX is using analog phones to the room. If you can not, the room is using a digital PBX phone and I would advise you don't plug the line to your modem.

 

[Anynym]

It's not quite that simple.

First, the problem is probably technical. The hospital will be using a PBX, which means that they're connecting calls and digitizing the signal directly. They may be using an analog connection to Bell (or whomever they're buying their telecom service from), which would mean that the digital signal gets re-converted to analog, then re-digitized -- fatal to any sort of modem connection. Or they may be using a digital connection, but not necessarily set up to allow modem signals (and before all the other tech folks jump all over me for suggesting that, yes, it's quite possible to do just that).

But even if it weren't a technical problem, it will be a commercial problem. Phone calls typically last three minutes or less. Modem calls last a whole lot longer than that. And if one of their lines from their PBX to their telecom provider is tied up for hours at a time, it blocks other folks from calling to talk to their loved ones who are in the hospital.

I'm sorry to say it, but tax dollars should be used to get people healthy, not to provide internet access while they do. If you want a better system, tell your MPP to allow private healthcare facilities to pay for medical care with your OHIP card and provide additional services as they deem fit.

 

[l69norm]

It's not quite that simple....First, the problem is probably technical. The hospital will be using a PBX, which means that they're connecting calls and digitizing the signal directly..

In the old days, hospitals used digital PBX systems. Digital PBX lines do not use tone or pulse signaling on the handsets. The modem use standard analog signaling (tone or pulse). The modem has no way of telling the PBX that it wants dial tone or even what number to dial.

To use a modem on a digital PBX line, you need an Analog Telephone Adapter (ATA). Each PBX manufacturer uses a proprietary signaling protocol and some even have different digital signaling protocols depending on the model of the PBX. An Avaya phone will not work on a Nortel system, a Nortel Northstar will not work on a Meridian1 system, etc.

A generic ATA will work on most systems
http://www.blackbox.com/files/productdetails/21360b.pdf

Depending on how the hospital PBX is connected to the phone company, speeds can vary from 14.4K to 56K. Most hospitals didn't use 2500 analog phones to prevent you from stealing them. A digitial PBX phone won't work at home.

These days, most hospitals are converting/ have converted from digital PBXs to VOIP phones because the systems are so much cheaper to run. A hospital can buy a whole VOIP PBX and run it for 2 years for same cost as 1 year maintenance on a regular digital PBX. Some VOIP systems can use heavy compression - 4K or 8K bandwidth , so even with an ATA, you will only get 2400 baud.

 

[bsi]

Yikes.

Now the laptop won't charge when hooked up to AC. The integrated modem is right beside the power connection so I guess I have indeed fried the laptop. A harsh lesson.

It is/was a Celeron 433 anyway, not worth the trouble to repair.

I would like to have tried the suggestion of connecting via the room phones handset. That would have been free and easy to try. The device suggested by l69norm indicates that connecting to PBX systems is not for the timid.

Lastly, Anynm, your suggestion of calling my MPP for changes to the medical system was the least helpful and in fact useless in my immediate situation. Other services like TV are offered for extra charges and why would asking for internet access for long term patients be any different? Plus it was insensitive to someone facing an unexpected long stay in a hospital. Save your soapbox for the Lounge.