Q: Apple USB fax modem
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Jul 22, 2011 7:54 AMby La Corte Jester,The Apple USB Fax modem is a modem. This is what I was using under Snow Leopard and it was working fine. Now it's not supported under Lion so it's not about not having a modem connected. I, as well as the original poster, Yvan Caya, do have modems... Apple modems... that Apple doesn't support anymoer. What the heck, Apple, come on! Bad kitty, bad!
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Jul 26, 2011 8:35 AMby RandyChev,I have to get on the soap box and agree with La Corte Jester. The tech community has a huge disconnect with the real world of business. We have so many companies we deal with that still communicate first and foremost by FAX. When I bought my iMac it was the first Mac I had bought in many years that didn't have a modem built in. "No problem!", I thought, and bought the external modem thinking this would be the solution for years to come. Two years later I'm forced to run Snow Leopard in 32bit mode to keep Fax functionality? Not to mention I can just kiss Lion goodbye if I need to keep faxing.
One of my big selling points to friends considering Apple products USED to be their long life cycle. Now I'm finding my machines and/or software becoming obsolete sooner than ever.
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Jul 26, 2011 11:48 AMby Yvan Caya,I understand what your saying, I'm kinda disappointed that my 3 year old Imac won't do Airdrop but I can still
transfer files easily via AFP, My 5 year old laptop can still run Lion and Windows 7 well.
Had to find an alternative to faxing, a bummer at first but now I've got a brand new printer that does just that (and a lot more) for $129.00 Can.
Technology is fast paced these days, but your Imac is far from obsolete. :-)
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Jul 27, 2011 6:54 AMby Rabendoktor,Prob solved!
With the Zoom 3095 my iMac 2011 faxes perfectly under Lion... I even can use the AppleModem's cord connecting the Zoom to my fritzbox.
Nevertheless, Apple's arrogance ignoring the needs for a 64bit-driver for Apple's own modem is pretty annoying!
Best,
Rabendoktor
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Jul 27, 2011 8:57 AMby La Corte Jester,User "davidfromla mesa" posted an $11.49 solution already in a different post:
It does the same thing as the Zoom 3095 $45.99. Of course you can use the same cord that came with the Apple modem, it's just a generic phone cord. It will work with any modem or analog phone. Finally, when the problem is that we can't use an Apple modem, the problem isn't solved by NOT using an Apple modem, that's just accepting you can't solve the problem and using something else.
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Jul 27, 2011 8:58 AMby Lanny,This is the best explanation I've seen so far for the deficiences of the Apple USB modem. Keep in mind that Apple discontinued the sale of the modem a couple of years ago, so their discontinuing support for it is not a total surprise.
See the section about the Apple USB Modem: http://www.sustworks.com/pa_guide/compatibleModems.html
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Jul 27, 2011 9:05 AMby Rabendoktor,Excuse my pragmatic approach, but the theme of this thread was the desire to fax and the question if even a new printer should be bought... Thus, I still find the Zoom an appropriate proposal...
The prob is You can't fax under Lion and this prob is solved by using this modem...
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Jul 27, 2011 9:10 AMby RandyChev,Keep in mind that Apple discontinued the sale of the modem a couple of years ago, so their discontinuing support for it is not a total surprise.
First, it wasn't MORE than two years ago because that's right when I bought it.
Second, the fact that they stopped supporting it in less than two years (no 64 bit driver for Snow Leopard) is the crux of the matter! Since when does Apple drop support for a piece of hardware in less than two years? Even with iPhones they go about 3 years. My iPhone 3G is just now not able to load the latest iOS update. But guess what! It still dials out! More than I can say for my fax modem!
How hard could it be to translate the driver to 64bit? Don't they want to garner more of the business market? Hello!!! "Business" and "Fax" go hand in hand.
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Jul 27, 2011 9:11 AMby Lanny,Rabendoktor wrote:
Excuse my pragmatic approach, but the theme of this thread was the desire to fax and the question if even a new printer should be bought... Thus, I still find the Zoom an appropriate proposal...
The prob is You can't fax under Lion and this prob is solved by using this modem...
Well, that's what the linked article recommends too:
Which Do I Prefer?
The Zoom is more compact, doesn't need you to install a driver, and is often available used at alower price. Both have worked well for me. My intuition says the USR might be more compatiblein more countries, but for domestic Mac users, the Zoom is a nicer package. If your phone line ismarginal or you've had trouble with other modems, I would try the USR.
marginal or you've had trouble with
