Zoom V.92 USB Modem (3095)
This is a traditional controller based modem from a manufacturer with a solid product history.
The modem includes its own control processor which understands AT commands directly, so only
a basic USB serial driver is needed. This modem was recommended in a Macintouch user report
and is often available from Amazon for under $25 (used).
Recommended for USA (some older units may not work in the UK)
Testing Notes: In my testing this modem worked well. No software installation was necessary.
When I plugged the modem in, I was alerted that a new device had appeared. In the Network
Preferences panel, I selected USB Modem -> Advanced -> Modem -> Vendor: Zoom, Model:
Universal (115K). I also tested faxing with this modem and it worked without incident.
USRobotics (USR5637)
This is a traditional controller based modem from a manufacturer with a solid product history.
The modem includes its own control processor which understands AT commands directly, so only
a basic USB serial driver is needed. The USR5637 is available from Amazon for around US$50.
Recommended for international users
Testing Notes: In my testing, this modem worked well. The manual included with the modem
is unclear about the installation procedure. You'll need to install the software from the included
CD first, and then plug-in the modem for it to be recognized by Mac OS X. In the Network
Preferences panel, select USB Modem, click Advanced, set the Vendor to "Other", and Model to
"USRobotics 56K USB Modem". I also tested faxing with this modem and it worked without
incident.
This modem is about the size of a cell phone (significantly larger than the Zoom or Apple USB
Modem). There is no speaker, so to hear the modem dial and connect you must pickup a
handset. A USR5637 online User Guide is available.
I had no trouble running both the Apple USB Modem and USRobotics Modem at the same time.
Having run both modems continuously over an extended period, I prefer the USRobotics modem
for its stability. It's more modem for about the same price.
Apple USB Modem
[16-Jun-2011 - The Apple USB Modem is no longer supported on newer Macs running Mac OS
X Lion because the modem driver is a 32-bit kernel extension and Lion boots with a 64-bit
kernel by default. MacBooks and older 32-bit CPUs (prior to the Core 2 Duo) still run a 32-bit
kernel.]
This is a controllerless or software modem based on the Motorola SM56 design. The advantages
of a software modem are low cost, low power consumption, and compact design. The
disadvantage is that modem processing is offloaded to a specialized driver that runs on the host
computer. In this case, Apple has customized Motorola's driver to produce a generally solid
product. At the time of this writing, Apple has discontinued the Apple USB Modem (MA034Z/A)
but they are still available from Amazon for around US$50.
No longer recommended
Testing Notes: Software modems require a driver that can pump real-time audio like data to
the modem's transceiver regardless of any other system software that may be running. In my
own testing, I've found it's important to connect the modem to a reliable USB Hub as close to
the host computer as possible. Apple's USB Modem driver generally worked well but could fail
under certain conditions like launching Disk Utility with external FireWire drives attached. I tend
to prefer controller based modems for their greater stability, but many people already have an
Apple USB Modem.
If Phone Amego has trouble opening a connection to your modem, quit Phone Amego, unplug
and then replug the modem to reset the driver, and then relaunch Phone Amego.
I've had one problem report where the Apple USB Modem failed to decode the caller ID signal as
expected. Searching on-line indicates the problem is rare and may be related to the quality of
the phone line.
Some Apple Internal Modems support CallerID but this is not universal. Since new Macs no
longer come with built-in modems, I was unable to test this feature.
$13 Replacement for Apple USB Modem?
One user reports this generic unlabled modem worked well with Lion and Phone Amego.
Conexant designs and sells modems to other manufacturers to bundle with their systems. I
haven't tried this modem myself, but I understand Conexant is a leading supplier of voice
modems. If you can find a reliable source for one of these, it could be a good deal. [I'll update
this listing based on user feedback good or bad.]
USB Modem:
Product ID:
0x1329
Vendor ID:
0x0572 (Conexant Systems, Inc.)
Version:
1.00
Serial Number:
24680246
Speed:
Up to 12 Mb/sec
Manufacturer:
Conexant
Which Do I Prefer?
The Zoom is more compact, doesn't need you to install a driver, and is often available used at a
lower price. Both have worked well for me. Online reports indicate the USR is more compatible
in more countries, but for domestic Mac users, the Zoom is a nicer package. If your phone line is
marginal or you've had trouble with other modems, I would try the USR.
If you order from Amazon using one of the links on this page, I get a small referral credit. Thank
you.
USB Hubs
In my own testing, Mac OS X could sometimes fail to open a connection to the modem device,
and it was necessary to unplug and then re-plug the USB hub the modem was attached to in
order to reset the connection (hot plugging just the modem itself was not sufficient). After
replacing three smaller hubs with a single 7-port hub, the problem has not reoccured. If your
USB modem is chained off your Monitor or Keyboard and you experience some instability, try
attaching it directly to your computer, or through a single hub connected directly to your
computer.
The Cables-to-Go hub (or clone) linked above has worked well for me. Its best feature is that
each port works at the maximum possible speed and supplies full power regardless of what else
is connected (when the included power adaptor is used).
If you have trouble getting Phone Amego to startup, press and hold the Command key while
launching to turn monitoring off. You can then enable each device one at a time to see if one is
not responding.