# External serial modem



## Aarky (Oct 21, 2006)

My old iMac DV died, and I replaced it with a 20-inch Intel iMac. Wonderful machine, but it doesn't have a modem. I need to send faxes, so I dusted off my Zoom K56 Flex fax modem. This device has a 25-pin RS-232 serial connector, so I bought a USB-to-Serial converter ($7.50 on eBay). Unfortunately, the iMac doesn't recognize the fax modem. Any help in configuring would be appreciated.

Here are technical details for those that are interested.

System Profiler reports a Vendor-Specific USB device with the following properties:
Version:	2.00
Bus Power (mA):	500
Speed:	Up to 12 Mb/sec
Product ID:	0x5523
Vendor ID:	0x4348

System Preferences : Print & Fax : Set Up Fax Modem 
brings up the Fax List window but there are no fax devices listed.

Print: Fax PDF
brings up a dialog box stating "No Fax Selected", and there are no faxes to select from.

The modem has many lights on the front. The green MR (modem ready?) light is on, as are the red TR (terminal ready?) and CS (?) lights. If I remember correctly, this indicates that the modem is connected to the computer and ready for operation. During operation, the OH (off hook), CD (carrier detect), and FAX (fax mode) lights will come on, and the RD (read data) and TD (transmit data) lights will flicker. We are not getting this far, as no data is being sent to the (as yet unrecognized) modem.


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## sinclair_tm (Mar 11, 2005)

well, i hate to say it, but as far as i know, your only solution, that i know of, will be apple's usb modem. macs have always been kinda picky about them, and unless the manufacture has info on their site about connecting the modem to a mac, only real super computer geeks might get it to work.


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## Aarky (Oct 21, 2006)

Sorry to hear this. The Zoom did in fact work with my Centris for many years, before I got the iMac with its built-in modem. I was hoping not to have to spend $50 on the Apple USB modem. I looked it up on the Apple Store site, and there seems to be an awful lot of negative feedback.

Can something be done at the Unix level beneath the OS X GUI? If one knew what one was doing, it shouldn't that hard to install a modem driver that uses the standard AT command set.


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## sinclair_tm (Mar 11, 2005)

there most likely is, but i'm not geeky enouph to help you on that one.


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## snobug (Mar 27, 2009)

This is exactly the issue I am now having with a Supra Express 56K modem that I'm trying to hook up to my Intel iMac (Mac OS 10.5.6), in order to just send faxes. Did anyone ever figure out how to get this set up on a Mac?

Bob


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## sinclair_tm (Mar 11, 2005)

Not that I have heard.


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