Apple USB modem stopped recognising dial tone

Running Snow Leopard (10.6.8) on a 2007 iMac. Have been using an Apple USB modem for the last several years, and as recently as last week successfully sent out a fax, but suddenly today it does not detect the dial tone (although I can hear it), and hangs up after just 2 seconds. It detects and receives incoming faxes. Is there any way to dig into the preferences to set a longer wait? The system preferences panel for print/fax shows no option for 'wait for dialtone'. Or do I need to reinstall the driver? And if so, where can I download the driver?

I have exactly the same problem with my Apple external USB modem right down to it showing up in the Profiler. It complains if I unplug it while it's supposedly faxing something. It worked until April 30th, but it hasn't worked since then. However, I don't recall installing any new drivers that would have caused this problem. Even stranger, the modem still works with my old PowerBook G4 which is also running OS X 10.5.7.
KLM

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I get the following error message when I connect a usb ethernet adapter to my new MacBook Pro: Unsupported - You cannot use an Apple USB Modem with this computer. I live were we only have dial-up and the Apple Store said this is what I need.

I get the following error message when I connect a usb ethernet adapter to my new MacBook Pro: Unsupported - You cannot use an Apple USB Modem with this computer. I live where we only have dial-up and the Apple Store said this is what I need. In addition, when I connect the phone to the connecter it falls out, it will not click in.

Why are you using a usb ethernet adaptor? Just plug the modem into the usb port.

Apple USB Modem - Dial Up

Hello hello. I'm new to boot camp as well as mac. Anyway, I'm trying to make my windows run on Dial Up, but when I connect my Apple USB Modem, it detects it, but it doesn't install it, saying I should go online and check (not that I can since dial up is my only source of internet...). I set up my dial up connection, hoping it would work, but when trying to launch it, it shows me the properties saying something involving the modem in COM1 not existing. Any ideas?

Danny:
I did some research and I ran into the FAQ below and it appears that Apple does not provide a USB Modem driver for Windows. We really need to hear from someone who has actually found the driver and is using this modem with Windows.
*Frequently asked questions: Drivers, Macintosh features within Microsoft Windows, other
_Which drivers are included on the Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) DVD?_
The Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) DVD contains the following Macintosh drivers for Windows:
Apple Bluetooth
Apple Keyboard Support
Apple Remote Driver
Apple Trackpad
Atheros 802.11 Wireless
ATI Graphics
Boot Camp Control panel for Microsoft Windows
Boot Camp System Task Notification item (System Tray)
Broadcom Wireless
Intel Chipset Software
Intel Integrated Graphics
iSight Camera
Marvel Yukon Ethernet
nVidia Graphics
Realtek Audio
SigmaTel Audio
Startup Disk Control panel for Microsoft Windows*
Also found this:
*Does the Apple USB modem work on Windows machines?
The Apple USB Modem is not supported on computers running any version of the Microsoft Windows operating system.*
Axel F.

Internal modem not detecting dial tone

I have an iMac G3 CRT 333MHz (Lime) which is having trouble connecting to my dial-up internet connection. I am fearing that my internal modem is 'burnt out', and am wondering if anyone out there has any additional troubleshooting tips, or any advice on purchasing a new external modem.
The trouble started after a lightning storm, which also disrupted internet connections for my roommate's PC (I don't know exactly how he fixed his, but he is connected via a DSL modem and says he simply restored some modem drivers). I have noticed, however, that he removed his 56k modem...
When I attempt to dial-up from my Mac, I get a message stating "Modem did not detect a dial-tone or the line is currently in use..." I have checked and double checked that the phone line does indeed have a dial tone, and tried connecting through through various outlets throughout the house. I've disconnected all other phone hardware (except the DSL filters) and reached the same result.
I am currently running OSX (10.3.9), and also attempted to dial out after restarting in 9.2.2. (Same result). After that, I dug out my install CD and reinstalled 10.3 (same result)
From each OS, I've run system profiler and recieved no unusual information about the internal modem. The computer definitely senses that I HAVE a modem (Apple Vsn 0007-1,9/2/1998 v.90) That modem simply can't seem to detect the dial tone.
I have also confirmed my modem settings, tried checking and unchecking the 'sound' and 'wait for dial tone' boxes. My internet provider is NetZero, so I have attempted to dial in using their software, as well as directly through Internet Connect. All attempts return the same message. (and the NetZero account is still active, I have accessed it from two separate computers).
Any thoughts out there if there are any further settings or or software/OS variations I should try? Or are my suspicions valid that the storm somehow fried the modem (there were no power interruptions during the storm... only modem troubles)
My next step might be to find an external modem. I've not seen any Mac-compatible 56k modems in stores. There is a Apple USB Modem in the Apple store, but it requires OS 10.4.3 and a computer 'without a built-in modem', so I don't think that will help me. I've also considered using Airport to share my roommate's DSL connection, but I believe that my model of iMac is not airport compatible...
I also have a dead iMac in the closet (DV model) with a blown ethernet port, broken fan, and damaged hard drive. I'm not above cannibalizing either machine to get the other working until I can afford a new G5...
Any thoughts, suggestions, or shared experiences would be greatly appreciated!!

The only thing I can think of is to go in to the modem settings and choose ignore dial-tone. That way even if it's not getting a good tone the iMac will continue to try to connect. This is also important if you have a voice mail system that varies the dialling tone whne you have a message as I know that stops my father's Win98 box connecting to the Internet unless the equivalent option is checked.
You can update your email address to a current one here. If the Apple ID (i.e. the one you login with) is old don't worry that's pretty irrelevant.
mrtotes

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!

Apple USB Modem 2.02/OSX 10.4.10 issue

Hi there:
3 weeks ago I bought a new imac and also an apple usb modem (since we only have dial up where I live).
I wasn't having a problem at all with connecting to the internet.
I am online virtually most of the day and, at night, I disconnect and put my computer to sleep.
Now every morning when I go to connect, it just says "connecting" endlessly, with no dial tone....YES, the phone line is working.
It does nothing to disconnect the phone line, the modem etc.
If you click "disconnect" it just says "disconnecting" endlessly.
I am forced to shut down the computer and reboot to make it stop and reset itself and then I can connect to the internet just fine.
The only thing I can think of that changed since when I first got the computer is that I upgraded to OSX 10.4.10.
Does anyone know if this is a 10.4.10 issue or a modem issue?
Help!
Thanks!

You should post this issue in the Internet, Networking and your Intel-based iMac Discussions forum. Here's the URL: http://discussions.apple.com/forum.jspa?forumID=1111.

OSX 10.4.10/Apple USB Modem issue

Hi there:
3 weeks ago I bought a new imac and also an apple usb modem (since we only have dial up where I live).
I wasn't having a problem at all with connecting to the internet.
I am online virtually most of the day and, at night, I disconnect and put my computer to sleep.
Now every morning when I go to connect, it just says "connecting" endlessly, with no dial tone....YES, the phone line is working.
It does nothing to disconnect the phone line, the modem etc.
If you click "disconnect" it just says "disconnecting" endlessly.
I am forced to shut down the computer and reboot to make it stop and reset itself and then I can connect to the internet just fine.
The only thing I can think of that changed since when I first got the computer is that I upgraded to OSX 10.4.10.
Does anyone know if this is a 10.4.10 issue or a modem issue?
I posted this in the old hardware forum as well....
Help!
Thanks!

I don't know how much of a Mac background you have, so forgive me if I state the obvious. Before and after any upgrade you should be repairing permissions (in Disk Utilities). There are some AOL issues with this modem if you use that ISP. I am having a problem with my usb modem not dialing for sending a fax @ work until I uncheck "wait for dialtone" but I am dialing through a work phone system. I have not figured out how to make this the default setting. Since you have a new iMac, you should call Apple Support by your misbehaving phone line.
Good Luck

No carrier in UK on Apple USB modem

Is there a special trick needed to connect the Apple USB modem to a UK phone socket to get a signal? OS X reports 'no carrier' although dial tone can be heard through phone OK.
The Apple USB modem has a US-style socket (with two pins in use inside) and the UK-style wall socket is a different shape and has 4 pins to choose from. Perhaps I need to make sure the correct two UK pins are being used?
Would be greateful for any help.

Try adding this to your Moidem Script...
&Gn Guard tone selection (used only when in CCITT modes)
n=0, no guard tones
n=1, 550 Hz guard tone
n=2, 1800 Hz guard tone
This command need never be used when communicating over U.S. phone lines. Outside the U.S. the modem may need to generate an additional tone, along with its carrier, to disable echo suppressors in the central office. The guard tone varies by country.
Or maybe even this one...
&Jn Telephone jack selection
n=0, RJ-11/RJ-41S/RJ-45S
n=1, RJ-12/RJ-13

Cannot send faxes w/ Apple USB modem, can you offer some help please?

Hi,
I am using the Apple USB modem connected to my brand new MacBook and so far could not send any faxes. The modem is working because I was able to receive 1 fax (which I sent to myself from my Nokia 9300i).
The monitor tells me that: dialing... ok, connecting...ok, sending... and then it fails.
On the other side (my Nokia 9300i) the fax is starting to come in but shortly thereafter it stops.
I tried Apple Fax (embbedded in the OS) and also PageSender v.4 with the same results.
Anyone of you can offer any suggestion/help as to why this is happening?
Thanks

I have always believed that the answer to this is yes, however, I have never had occasion to test it. In the past when we all used dialup it was either/or, because you couldn't fax with the same modem you were using to connect to an ISP at the same time. But since you are configuring internet through one network and faxing through another, it should work. Maybe someone actually doing it will wade in here.
Of course, there are a lot of efax services out there now that let you send and receive faxes through the internet.

Annoyed with Apple usb modem

I am very disappointed in the Apple USB modem and its disconnecting probelms. I called Applecare on this, and the first thing the tech said was I should have gotten the internal modem. Yes. On an iSight iMac. I had to tell him it wasn't an option.
After a few seconds of silence, he went through a litany of things You Must Absolutely Not Do With A USB Modem. Like do not start the computer with the modem plugged in (I have no idea how one does a restart since one is also advised not to unplug it when the computer is running). Do Not unplug the modem when it is in the 'interminable disconnect loop' (I already found that this causes kernal panics which generated the call), Do Not open any applications while the modem is connecting (this causes it to immediately disconnect). Do Not plug in any USB or FW devices while the modem is running. The list went on. He also said that he would email a Kbase article on these modems and how to use them. Well, the article I got was a 2 year-old article on internal modems. No matter, it was in Japanese. No help from Applecare.
What annoys me most is that it constantly disconnects when using any app more processor intensive than Safari. I can't burn CDs or DVDs, or any Photoshop work. When it does this, it takes at least 10 minutes to disconnect if it does it at all. I was compressing some video which still had an hour left to go when the modem disconnected. I had to wait until the compression was done, so I could do a restart and get the modem to stop.
I am getting very upset about this. This modem should perform as well as the internal modem it replaced since the internal isn't an option. When I get back home from Christmas, I'll be calling again, but my first call was very disheartening, since it appears the tech sent me some arbitrary article to get rid of me.

I doubt the tech sent you an arbritary article to get
rid of you.
The fact is that USB Modems are in fact problematic
NO MATTER who the manufacture.
That being said the reason the article that he sent
you was outdated is because the technology is the
same outdated.
You must remember that the technology has progressed
well behond the 56k modems of old, and yes I am aware
that in many instances that is all one has available
for whatever reason.
That is the reason that the DSL was developed to get
away from the inconsistancy of straight dial up.
Bear in mind that the USB has shown to be unreliable
, innconsistant, and fair at best.
So the fact is that when the tech gave you the do's
and the dont's of USB modem use it was so you would
understand the problems you will face if they are not
followed.
Cheers Don
He was able to give me the information regarding all the do's and don'ts over the phone, and I doubt if he pulled the info out of a hat - so why didn't he just send me what he was reading? He gave me a litany, far more than I could remember, hence the request for instructions on (what you yourself mentioned) is a faulty device. Intructions not included in the manual btw. It seems to me that if doing a certain action, like unplugging it during an unstoppable disconnect loop, causes kernal panics, then Apple should mention it. Publish it, actually.
Mac OS X (10.4)
Mac OS X (10.4)

Using Apple USB Modem overseas

Hi,
Didn't know where else to post this;
I have a new MBP and USB Modem that I was setting up for a trip to Europe. Because most European countries don't have a recognizable dial tone, I un-ticked the wait for dial tone option and then attempted to run a test call without plugging in the phone line. Past experience with Windows machines, when this is done the modem will dial, but the MBP/USB modem doesn't.
When I plug in the phone line, all is OK, the MPB/USB modem dials. I need to know if this modem is going to work for me on the trip.
Does anyone know what is going on here?

I've never fiddled with the device, personally, but it's certainly capable of working overseas. You'll note on page 10 of the [Apple USB Modem AT Acommand Manual|http://download.info.apple.com/AppleSupportArea/Manuals/software/USBATCommands.PDF|This is a PDF document] that there's a command that switches the configuration (including variations in dial tone, etc) by country. What buttons you have to push in the appropriate preference pane, to do it, I can't say -- but you can do it manually.

Apple USB Modem rarely connects via PPP

Greetings from Antarctica. My employer offers me dialup internet from my dorm room here in Antarctica. Using my Apple USB external modem, V.92 (error correction and compression in modem enabled) and all the correct username/password items, I am able to connect to the local dialup network maybe one time in ten.
The modem gets a dial tone, dials, goes through the concert of tones, the tones disappear just like when a connection is made, but only about once in every ten tries will it actually establish a connection. The other times it will sit there saying "Connecting" until eventually it times out and disconnects the phone line. I have tried using v.90 and v.92, with and without error correction and compression in modem. No difference.
The PPP configuration is to send PPP echo packets, verbose logging is off, Terminal script is none, the box is checked to use TCP header compression.
I am using a Santa Rosa MacBook with 10.5.5, 2 GB RAM. If there is a log file somewhere that would help someone troubleshoot this with me, please give me specifics on where I might find it. If you want me to try and connect with the Terminal window instead, then I will need very specific instructions.
Thanks from McMurdo Station, Antarctica.

I'm not positive here as it could be a hardware failure of my usb modem, but leopard seems to have broken this device for my G5 iMac. Even in Tiger this modem was never as good as the built in ones on the G4 models and would be buggy sometimes and not as fast as the internal G4s. I had wondered if it would work on intel versions with Leopard better, but your experience isn't a good sign.
My solution was to use a G4 mini using it's internal modem and internet sharing via airport which worked well and gave me more freedom on my other laptops as well, though it be at the slow speed of dialup. I would imagine a G5 PowerMac would also work with this modem especially if running Tiger. If this was an early Macbook, it might also have shipped with Tiger, but no idea how this would play out with the Intels vs PPC.
Not sure how you get phone service in Antarctica but I'm guessing there is some sort of satellite device involved. Is anyone else having trouble connecting with modems through the setup? I know PPP is not well supported in certain compression modes such as Voip, but I would imagine if you had voip broadband would be available.
Bottom line seems to be the G4s are gold if you need dialup service. Best of luck!

Apple USB Modem and VoIP

I've been trying to help a friend set-up an Apple USB modem with his MacBook Pro. He wants to have it as a back-up, in case he is somewhere without any other form of Internet access. I've been using Macs for a long time and thought this would be a no-brainer, but it hasn't. I get a dial-tone, I hear the attempted connection sounds, then nothing - "dial tone not detected", or something like that. Earthlink confirmed that the access numbers were correct, plus the phone works fine. I've tried 2 different USB modems. I realized that he is using VoIP for his home phone and that the line runs through a Linksys "Viatalk" router. Could that be the cause of the problem? Are modems "supposed" to work over VoIP systems?
TIA

due to the various encoding and compression algorithms used, you typically cannot use a modem (including the modem built into fax machines) on most VoIP lines.
The VoIP connection is optimized to carry voice traffic and doesn't support the full signal range needed by modem communications.
You might try asking your VoIP provider for some assistance - some offer fax modem lines which may support modem transfers.
On the plus side I trust you are using this for testing only, right?
There's no point in using a modem as backup in case your main internet connection goes down because if your main line goes down, so does your VoIP connection - therefore you couldn't use the VoIP connection anyway.

Apple USB Modem Wont Connect To Internet While On Boot Camp!

Hi
I have just installed windows xp using boot camp and have had no end of trouble with the apple usb modem.
When ever i try to connect it dials a funny dial tone and then comes up can not connect sometime it will connect but will just drop connection after about a minute.
I have installed all the drivers off the leopard DVD
Any help will be appreciated greatly
Thanks!!
Message was edited by: Scott Rochford

Check this link from apple support http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1821
Apple suggests disabling 802.11 wireless from windows xp. hope this will solve your problem. The funny thing is apple is not even sure it will fix the problem because they mentioned on their website "in some cases".
Symptoms
The Apple external USB modem may not connect, or may not maintain a connection for longer than a few minutes if you are using Microsoft Windows XP on MacBook Pro, MacBook, or Intel-based iMac computers that have built-in AirPort/Bluetooth.
Products Affected
Boot Camp, Apple external USB Modem
Resolution
In some cases, disabling 802.11 wireless networking in Windows XP may resolve this issue.

Apple USB modem disconnects after a few hours??

I bought an imac G5 -- it came without a modem. (After a false start), we bought the Apple USB modem. Now we want to upgrade the operating system, either with Safari or with "Software Update". It tells us we need Mac OS X Update to 10.4.3, and it is 97.0 MB.
We have a fairly slow dial-up connection -- always have, so we usually download large files like these overnight. But our Apple USB Modem won't let us - perhaps it is too unstable. After 6 or 7 hours we get disconnected. (It says we need 8 or 9 hours to download the file). Our main problem is that we can't stay connected for more than 7 hours.
I've made sure under the Network Preferences, for external modem, the Prompt every xx minutes to maintain connection, and Disconnect if idle for xx minutes, are both unchecked. I've turned off the screensaver. I make sure I move the mouse and a window every hour or so. I've phoned my ISP, and they deny a time-limit. I've tried not breating heavy near the computer.
What else can I do? I've always been able to stay on line over-night for download with my old computer/modem, but not with this one. I've tied at least 4 times. Is there something wrong with the Apple USB Modem?
Also, when I tried with Safari, and the modem disconnects, I thought I could just re-log on and start downloading where I left off -- but no. Every time I click the "resume downloading" circle next to the update in the download window, it starts from the beginning. -- it doesn't resume where it left off!
That is the most frustrating part about this -- I've downloaded the first half of the file a half-dozen times, and no matter if I use Safari or Software Update, I can't get the computer to remember the hours of work it just did and simply continue downloading from where it left off. If I could just solve that issue, I could get the system update downloaded.
If we don't solve this, we will never be able update any apple software with large files. Thanks for your help.
Francis

it's a 3.5 hour round trip to the closest Mac store.
I just want my modem to work right -- the first time. Actually, this is the third modem I've bought (all on-line since I have no mac store close). The first USB modem didn't have a mac driver. The next bluetooth modem said it was mac compatable, but when it arrived, it was only capatable with os9. So I get a modem right from Apple, and darn, I just want it all to work now. I'm tired of foolin around. Why wasn't there an internal modem anyway?
My old modems and macs could download overnight. All I want is for it to be as good as the old stuff.

Apple USB modem stopped recognising dial tone

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