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Apple USB Modem Hell…

I have exactly one requirement for a modem, exactly 1, and the unfortunate thing is it also requires windows, and apparently VMware Fusion doesn’t support the Apple USB Modem, and Apple doesn’t have Windows drivers for the modem, unless you are using Boot Camp.

I don’t want to install Boot Camp fro several reasons, the 2 primary reasons are, that this requirement is going to go away in a couple months, and I don’t want chunk out an 8 Gig chunk of my Hard Drive, when I am already chunking out a lot of space for VMWare Fusion Virtual instances.
You would think that something as simple as a freaking modem would be easy to set up in Fusion, but as far as I can tell Fusion doesn’t actually support physical serial or parallel devices, only dumps to files…
I did kind of get it to work on the iMac in Parallels, but not 100%, I don’t have the configuration with me for the far end modem…
So instead of screwing around, wasting time, I guess I’ll just grab the old windows laptop, and deal with it that way… Besides I guess It’ll motivate me to get that office upgraded.

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Paulie Walnuts

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Comments

7 responses to “Apple USB Modem Hell…”

  1. Pat Lee Avatar
    Pat Lee

    If Apple has USB drivers for this modem available to Boot Camp, attach the modem the USB modem as a USB device to the virtual machine, install Apple’s Boot Camp USB modem drivers into the virtual machine and use the USB modem as a USB device in Windows.

    If you are using Leopard, the Boot Camp drivers should be on the DVD and if you insert the DVD in the virtual machine you should be able to update VM to find that driver.

    That should solve your problem.

    Pat Lee
    VMware

  2. Paul Avatar
    Paul

    Pat,
    I guess I could have been a little clearer…
    The modem kind of works in fusion, but doesn’t, fusion will see the modem, and control the modem, but the signal quality is not there… For example when the modem takes the line off-hook you can hear the dial tone but it like warbles, and not all the tones actually make it to phone line…

  3. Roland Schneider Avatar
    Roland Schneider

    Hello!

    I have the same problem with the apple USB modem- no correct dialtone.
    The i have tried my old Elso MicroLink 56K Fun USB – connect to the virtuel machine – and – the same problem!!!!
    everytime the same – WinXP (guest) see and control the modem, but bad carrier

    so, i think, it could be a problem with the USB connect from fusion ?!

    I hope someone can help us!

    many thanks
    Roland

  4. Paul Avatar
    Paul

    Roland, I have just gone ahead and set up a small boot camp partition, and just boot from there when I need to…
    It is a lame fix, but I only need it for another month or so…

  5. Roland Avatar
    Roland

    Hi Paul!

    Thanks for your answer. i think, at the moment it’s the only solution.
    Not really good for me – i have to control every day a Siemens SPS. Therefor i need the Modem.

    Have you any ideas what could by the reason?

  6. Roland Avatar
    Roland

    Sorry for the delay Paul!
    Thanks for you answer! This is for me not a perfect solution – i have to control a Siemens SPS every day with the Modem.
    A little Info – I use my cellphone via bluetooth a modem – there is no problem.
    – only the speed and the costs!
    So it should be a problem with the USB!

  7. Paul Avatar
    Paul

    No unlimited data plan there, that sucks…

    My Blackberry 8703e does not play well with the Mac as a modem, tethered or bluetooth, so I have a V740 ExpressCard for those I gotta connect now moments, but it will not act as a dial up device just ~700-1400kbs broadband…

    I have a USB High Speed Serial Adapter http://www.keyspan.com/products/usa19hs/
    but I have not had the time or desire to dig out any of the old modems I have, and if I did I’d be willing to bet I’d have the same problem…

    I have a buddy that still plays with dial-up modems (I think he likes the sounds), maybe I’ll stop by and visit and hook up the Mac Book Pro…

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