Apple fax modem significantly increases kernel_task load

I discovered that plugging apple's external fax modem into a USB port causes the kernal_task CPU load to increase from ~0.3% to 7.9%. With the modem plugged in, the kernal_task load stays pegged at 7.9 to 8.1 percent.
This was with the modem plugged into one of the USB ports of my Cinema display. My printer is plugged into the other Cinema USB port.
Moving the modem to one of the ports on the front panel of the MacPro reduced the kernal_task load to about ~4.8%.
I noticed that having the modem plugged in fires up a process named AppleModemOnHold. This process uses a negligible amount of CPU time, but apparently, it's slamming a system service ... or the modem itself is slamming a system service ... way too often. Not sure if this is a configuration problem, a feature of dubious utility (FODU) or a design flaw.
8% is a pretty serious chunk of resources to sac for a device I don't use very often ... sure, I can just unplug it ... but I really ought to have the convenience of having it just be there when I want it without it needing so much attention by the system.
Comments?

Follow up:
For the 1st time in a month, I actually sent (successfully) a fax. After sending the fax, the kernel_task CPU load is now 0.3% (did not return to 7.9%).
Examination of prior faxes shows my last fax attempt (a few weeks ago) failed.
Could the failed fax have left the fax driver in a state of limbo that persists through power cycles (and thereby caused the kernel loading I have been seeing) ?

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Hello ,
I'am trying to print with a MacBook Air (MacBookAir3,2; Mac OS X 10.7.1) to an internal modem at a Mac Mini (PowerMac10,1; MacOS X 10.5.8) and it failed with following error message at the Mac Mini (PrinterProxy->Printer->Log & History ):
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I [01/Oct/2011:21:28:43 +0200] [Job 7] File of type image/tiff queued by "peter".
I [01/Oct/2011:21:28:43 +0200] [Job 7] Queued on "Internal_Modem" by "peter".
I [01/Oct/2011:21:28:43 +0200] [Job 7] Started filter /usr/libexec/cups/filter/nsimagetopdf (PID 241)
I [01/Oct/2011:21:28:43 +0200] [Job 7] Started filter /usr/libexec/cups/filter/cgpdftoraster (PID 242)
I [01/Oct/2011:21:28:43 +0200] [Job 7] Started filter /usr/libexec/cups/filter/rastertotiff (PID 243)
I [01/Oct/2011:21:28:43 +0200] [Job 7] Started backend /usr/libexec/cups/backend/fax (PID 244)
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localhost - - [01/Oct/2011:21:28:03 +0200] \
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localhost - - [01/Oct/2011:21:28:03 +0200] \
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Apple fax completed list

I use a simple USB Apple fax modem. I had been able to see the job list with date completed in the distant past. Now, as soon as I send a fax, it disappears from the job list/queue. I can not find a list in Console.app. Searching the discussion groups has been no help. Apple on-line help repeats the old instruction about double clicking the fax modem icon to see the job list. I need to have some kind of documentation that the fax was sent. Any help?

I found the answer. The "Jobs" one has to click on is in the menu bar at the top of the window, not at the top of the fax queue box. It does give the list of all completed jobs. An example of tunnel vision.

Setting up USRobotics USB Fax Modem with 10.8.2

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I set up System Preferences/Network for the USB Modem enterring the phone number of my dedicated fax line, click connect . . . the system apparently tries to dial out to its own phone number and (of course) gets a busy signal.
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Solution found!
The problem was so simple . . . and so obtuse: my old Apple fax modem refused to work when connected directly to my iMac and would function only from the USB Hub
The new USR Fax modem refuses to work when connected to the USB Hub and functions only when connected directly to my iMac.
But
even though I'd tried both connection options when first installing the USR fax modem I failed to reset the preferences from External USB modem to regular USB modem. Once I made the switch, all was well.
Wow, that was a tricky one!

Fax modem doesn't work under Lion

Under Snow Leopard I was using without any problem an Apple Modem to snd the occasional fax.
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I am getting the error message:
Unsupported
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I bought the Zoom 3095 modem as I need to use fax for legal correspondence. Also, if I have to make hotel booking confirmations, I think it is more secure sending my credit card details on a fax rather than an email. An email can end up in a hotel PC, which may or may not have a proper firewall, instrusion protection, keylogger protection etc etc.
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Finally, although the Zoom modem faxes and you get the information on the icon on the screen header rail, you no longer hear dial tone and fax sending like you did with the Apple modem. I contacted Zoom and got this back - not very good!
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Problem on sending fax with Apple USB modem

Hello everyone,
I use my macmini to manage faxes to help my father's business, as fax is one of the most important mean of communication to our clients. While I can only receive fax from outside to my mac, but I cannot send fax from my mac through "Send PDF" option, it just stop working, and "Waiting for modem to become available" without using my telephone-line. It is weird when I plug it into my macbook that it works.
Look forward to your advice. Thank you,
Victor Tang
Message was edited by: victan7300

I am having problems sending and receiving faxes, too, and have been working with AppleCare level 2. They are off for a couple of days, and the solution is nowhere in sight. They did capture information from my system as I tried to fax, and sent it to engineering. They have determined that I am not getting a dial tone.
When I connect my phone to the jack, I do get a dial tone and can talk on the phone (which I do frequently). I have been provided with two additional new Apple USB modems to try to see if that would fix the problem. It did not make any difference which of the three modems I use, I cannot send or receive faxes. Yesterday, I booted up my old iMac (OS X 10.4.11 with a collapsing hard drive, but an internal modem). I attached this computer to the same phone jack and was able to freely send faxes - every single try.
I downloaded and set up the application PageSender just to see if it was the fax software (I have been trying to just use what came with my MacBook Pro). Using the Apple USB external modem (as I have had to do with this computer and operating system), I could not send any faxes - could not get a dial tone, according to PageSender.
I, therefore, believe that the problem is with the external modem and/or the extensions that operate the external modem.
I did try what you have suggested above - the substitution of the IOSerialFamily.kext:
I partitioned my harddrive into two partitions HD and HD_2. I loaded OS X 10.5.5 (from my CD) onto the second partition. I then copied the IOSerialFamily.kext on my thumb drive (from OS X 10.5.5 the version was 92). Then I upgraded to 10.5.6, and copied the ioSerialFamily.kext on my thumb drive - this time with 10.5.6 the version was 93. I went back to my first partition where I have 10.5.7 (version 94) and tried to transfer version 93 IOSerialFamily.kext to the extensions. As soon as I tried to mount the Apple USB modem I received the following message:
"System extension cannot be used
The system extension”/system/Library/Estensions/IOSerialFamily.kext/contents/PlugIns/Motor olaSM56KUSB.kext was installed improperly and cannot be used. Please try reinstalling it or contact the product’s vendor for an update."
At that point I tried to exchange the version 93 with the one that I removed - version 94, but I continued to get the same message. I decided to reinstall 10.5.7 again hoping that this would solve the message problem. No such luck! I did now have version 94, but the same error message. At this point, I tried a permissions repair. This solved the error problem... but I was still not able to send or receive faxes, because the fax programs could detect not dial tone.
Because I have never sent or received faxes with this computer - only my iBook (10.4.11), I decided to go back to the second partition on my computer and see if I could send a fax from the macBook Pro with 10.5.6. The results are sporadic. I had to try several times, and occasionally I would get a dial tone and could send the fax, but more often, I could not. There was no difference in any of the 2 modems I tried (by now I had returned 1 to the Apple Store), or whether I used the front USB port or the rear USB port. The sending of a fax with MacBook Pro and 10.5.6 was not consistent or reliable and I could only occasionally get a dial tone... with 10.5.7 I can never get a dial tone.
According to my AppleCare representative the engineers are "on this". But I see that the original post was in November, which was prior to 10.5.7; I purchased my MacBook Pro with 10.5.5 in December, so imagine that this problem has been around through several upgrades of 10.5.
This is unbelievably frustrating! Has anyone been able to easily send and receive faxes with 10.5.5?
Chris (hopefully you are still around), did you get any error messages when you exchanged your 10.5.6 IOSerialFamily.kext for the 10.5.7 IOSerialFamily.kext - especially when you mounted- or tried to attach the external modem? If so, how did you handle that?
Sorry that this has been such a long post. I have tried to provide as much information as I could in the hopes of finding a solution. Any ideas???
THANKS!

Will Apple market a 64bit Fax Modem?

I was about to order a MacBook Pro Crystalwell ... but, it occurred to me to check Fax Modem capability ... it has none! Also, I've come to find out it won't work with most modems as they employ 32bit and Mountain Lion is 64bit architechture. I don't use my machines for business ... but I do have responsibility for my 93 year old mother's affairs as her power of attorny ... and the State Agency that handles Medicaid and her Nursing Home still use ancient fax technology ... and there it nothing I can do about it. They will not PDF ... they use fax machines and that's the end of it. And they require signatures on the fax pages.
I don't want to buy an all in one printer/scanner/fax ... I already have all the working peripherals I need ... I just want a 64bit fax modem that will work with a MacBook Pro. I can't order the MacBook until I know for certain I'll be able to send faxes out .. recieving them would be great ... but, I've been told Apple has no fax/telephony applications anymore.
Help.
Message was edited by: cpiad for typos
Message was edited by: cpiad for typo

http://www.sustworks.com/pa_guide/compatibleModems.html
I recommend the US Robotics modem, but other brands of full controller USB modems will work too.
http://www.usr.com/en/products/modem/usr5637/
The older Apple USB modems were half hardware and half software and are no longer supported, so don't buy one of them.

I need to send a fax, but now apple's modem is incompatible on Lion... how can I do?.. :(

I need to send a fax, but now apple's modem is incompatible on Lion... how can I do?

I understand that you bought it 2 years ago, but it has been around for a long time.
I totally hear about the bugs you were dealing with, I have been lucky enough not to get bit by anything that isn't a minor issue. Losing my VPN connection would drive me NUTS =)
It just sounded like you were saying that the only reason you dropped back from Lion was because of the modem. My bad.

Please help: Problem sending fax to one recipient using Apple USB Modem

Hello,
I'm using an Apple USB Modem to send an receive faxes on my PowerMac G5. This is working great to the most recipients, but not one with a Philips fax machine.
The problem is, that everybody can send faxes to him - except of me
I'm using a software called Pagesender for this, I e-mailed the support and he told me, that the my fax is timing out and some of his customers have made positive reports of Zoom and Best Data Modems in cases where the Apple Modems have encountered line noise.
Also the Tiger fax solution doesn't work ... The odd things are, that I could send faxes using a stationary fax machine and don't have problems to send faxes to others ...
Is there really no solution for this.
Best regards
René

Hello,
I'm using an Apple USB Modem to send an receive faxes on my PowerMac G5. This is working great to the most recipients, but not one with a Philips fax machine.
The problem is, that everybody can send faxes to him - except of me
I'm using a software called Pagesender for this, I e-mailed the support and he told me, that the my fax is timing out and some of his customers have made positive reports of Zoom and Best Data Modems in cases where the Apple Modems have encountered line noise.
Also the Tiger fax solution doesn't work ... The odd things are, that I could send faxes using a stationary fax machine and don't have problems to send faxes to others ...
Is there really no solution for this.
Best regards
René

Apple USB Fax Modem

To whom it shall concern:
I have to say that I recently purchased the Apple USB Fax Modem from an unsuspecting Apple Store, and plugged it into an iMac running Leopard. The Fax Modem worked in the absence of any appreciable problems, pronouncing full functionality most auspiciously!
I had to install zero drivers, nor effectuate the appointment of any difficult configuration.
The only "issue" that one might wish to be cognizant of that I experienced, turned out to be an ID10T error. I entered the entirety of the fax number into the "dialing prefix" box below the entry to key in the intended recipients name, not realizing MacOS was attempting to draw the number from an Address Book entry, in the instant case, absent from the Address Book.
Remediation of the issue dictated that I enter the name and fax number into Address Book, and then subsequently attempted to reassert the transmission of my telecopy, only to then experience 100% success!
This product truly seems to exude excellence in design and function in terms categorically not uncertain.
Stuart

Just a thought, isn't it the _fax capability_ in system prefs that you are praising and not specifically the Apple Modem itself?
I do agree though, faxing works like a charm once you figure out how to do it.
Mrs H

Fax modem won't work - Apple USB external modem

I am new to Mac, well relatively.... It's been 8 years, and now I am back!!
Anyway, I got an iMac 3 weeks ago, and love it. However, I can't get my external modem/fax modem working. I bought the Apple USB external modem, hooked it up, setup a fax printer, and NOTHING. I try to print to the fax and it won't even dial. I call the fax number, and it won't answer. I know it's a live phone line b/c I can hook it up to my fax machine and it works fine, both for incoming and outgoing messages. Is there a trick? Do I have to set up an actual external modem interface in the networks panel just to use an existing phone line? Thanks for your help....

You actually need to configure your iMac as a fax machine to send and receive faxes through the Apple USB modem.
From Faxing in Mac Help in the Finder Help menu;
*To set up your Mac to receive faxes*:
1. Choose Apple menu > System Preferences and click Print & Fax.
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5. Click Receive Options.
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a. If you want to receive faxes automatically, make sure your computer answers the phone before any other device that may be connected to it, such as a phone answering machine.
b. If you don’t want to receive faxes automatically, set the number of rings to the highest number possible, and use the Fax status menu to receive faxes manually.
7. Choose what to do with the fax after it arrives; you can save it as an image file, email it, and print it to a printer.
*To send a fax:*
1. Choose File > Print, and then choose Fax PDF from the PDF pop-up menu.
2. Type the fax number in the To field, or click the Address Book button to the right of the To field to select a number. If you want to paste a number into the To field and the Edit > Paste command isn’t available, hold down the Control key as you click the To field and choose Paste from the menu that appears.
3. If your phone system requires you to dial a prefix for an outside line, type it in the Dialing Prefix field.
4. If you want to include a cover page, select “Use Cover page” and enter a subject and message.
5. Make sure the correct fax device is selected from the Printer pop-up menu.
6. To change your options, choose the option category from the print options pop-up menu. For example, to choose your modem’s behavior when faxing, choose Fax Modem. You can choose whether to dial with touch tones or pulse tones, whether to listen to the modem as it dials, and whether to wait for a steady dial tone before dialing.
7. Click Fax.

Apple fax modem significantly increases kernel_task load

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