Troubles Receiveing Fax with USB modem

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Troubles Receiveing Fax with USB modem

OK, so I've just updated my computer to a New Mac Pro Tower running 10.6.6. Upon getting everything settled I've noticed that the newer macs come sans FAX modem. So I searched the web and found a USB modem at a certain mac store:

( http://us.startech.com/product/USB56KEM2-External-V92-56K-USB-Fax-Modem)

Anyways, plugged it in and it never shows as a modem or printer. The only way I'd ever even know that its plugged in is under the system profiler under usb devices. Although this does me no good as I need it to show up as an available network device.

I've found a similar question here: http://discussions.info.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2727623&tstart=44

Although searching the web I haven't found a single shred of evidence that ANYBODY has been able to get a DUN USB modem to work on 10.6.6.

Any help or product recommendations would be helpful.
Is there another way to receive faxes with an existing # other than a dedicated fax machine?

-Thanks in advance

PS, I've already contacted the STARTECH company and there tech support was of no help whatsoever.

Mac Pro Quad Core, Switched over from a mac pro PPC

Posted on Jan 28, 2011 7:55 AM

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Answer 1

j.v.

Level 5

4,155 points

Jan 28, 2011 2:09 PM in response to caseyzman

Did you try adding it through sys prefs print & fax as a new device?

Insofar as making it available on the network, once the host computer recognizes it, you'll need to to check the sys prefs sharing checkbox for printer sharing.

Was the modem advertised as Mac compatible?

I have seen NOS (new old stock) Apple USB modems advertised on amazon.com

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Answer 2

caseyzman Author

Level 1

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Jan 28, 2011 3:55 PM in response to caseyzman

Thanks for the quick response.

I've looked through the system prefs but it just isn't showing up as an option. The only available thing under faxes is the default Bluetooth DUN. If there is a way to add it manually I'm not seeing it as the input boxes are un-editable unless an item under "printer name" is selected first.

The problem still remains that it is showing up as a usb device and not as a printer or modem.

System Profiler info:

USB device:
Agere USB2.0 V.92 SoftModem
Product ID: 0x2892
Current Available (mA): 500
Current Required (mA): Unknown (Device has not been configured)

It is considered a "softmodem". which requires software of some sort. I think the Startech people assumed that if Apple enabled a certain software modem in 10.5 that it would still be viable in 10.6. Looks like they assumed wrong. I have heard stories of people getting this to work on 10.5, not so much on 10.6+. If I could just find out what that missing piece "software" is that tells 10.6 to recognize it as a modem. Or maybe this is a loosing battle.

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Answer 3

j.v.

Level 5

4,155 points

Jan 29, 2011 9:42 AM in response to caseyzman

Yeah, it may just not be compatible without a Snow-friendly driver.

It turns out that about a week ago, I ordered (and just received yesterday) one of those NOS Apple USB modems from somebody on amazon.com for $30 including shipping. When I plugged it into my 2007 iMac, it immediately showed up under sys prefs network as a new device and was asking me to configure it for my dialup internet, which I deleted from the list since I didn't want it for dial-up internet. I was able to add it under sys prefs print & fax as a new fax printer. It at least answers the phone at this point, but I haven't specifically tried receiving a fax from a distant fax machine nor have I tried sending (print to fax) to a distant machine yet.

Unfortunately, the old trick about modifying /usr/bin/fax to discriminate different distinctive ring patterns, like what worked on my old G4 Quicksilver with built-in modem and 10.5.8, doesn't work anymore.

If the supply of NOS Apple USB modems dries up at amazon and ebay, you might look into the USR5637 56K USB Faxmodem or the Zoom 3095 USB modem. The USR has a driver located about halfway down the webpage. Also, this Zoom support page claims, about a third of the way down on the web pbage, that the built-in Snow Leopard driver works with their modem.

Although I never checked with Zoom pre-sales tech support, USR pre-sales tech support did tell me that their usb fax did not support distinctive ring, so if you need that, you are SOL. So for the interim, anyways, I had to give up on that pipe dream. Wish I knew how to convert an old G4 Quicksilver modem into an external USB; it was distinctive-ring aware. But of course, there still may have been subtle changes in OS 10.5 to 10.6 to enhance that wonderful feature to the point of inoperability anyways....

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Answer 4

caseyzman Author

Level 1

0 points

Jan 31, 2011 8:43 AM in response to j.v.

Hello,
Thank you for that quick response. That's kinda what I was thinking after searching some more, although its good to here from someone who has successfully hooked up one of those NOS items. I can across some decent reviews for that zoom as well, although I think my first priority will be one of the apple barnded items. Thanks again!

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