U.S. Robotics USR5637 56K USB Controller Dial-Up External Fax Modem with Voice

Please see Update (below) for Easy Setup Instructions for a Ubuntu Linux computer.On occasion I need to use a dial-up internet connection. My ASUS Eee PC 1000 10-Inch Netbook (1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270 Processor, 1 GB RAM, 40 GB Solid State Drive, 20 GB Eee Storage, Linux, 6 Cell Battery) Pearl White does not have any internal means for connecting to a telephone line. And my Acer Extensa 5620-6419, from which I completely removed Microsoft Windows and replaced with Ubuntu Linux, has only a Windows-specific modem which is not recognized by Ubuntu.The solution? This USRobotics USR5637 56K USB FaxModem for Windows, Mac, Linux which, contrary to several reviews, does indeed work perfectly with the Eee PC 1000 10-Inch Netbook Linux version (and also with any Ubuntu computer - see Update below). I received this excellent modem recently from Amazon.NO drivers or other installation is necessary in Linux; as soon as one end of the cord is plugged into a telephone jack and the other end is plugged into a USB port on your computer, the modem is active and running and is recognized by your Linux computer. REALLY Plug 'n Play, as it were. This is easier than installing it with either Windows or Mac.The modem is also very small, lightweight, and easy to carry.I highly recommend this external modem for those who always or even just occasionally need to use a dial-up internet connection, either at home or when traveling. I should expect that it will work properly with Windows and Mac computers as well. (For financial transactions "on the road," dial-up is much more secure than some insecure Wi-Fi or wired network, even a hotel's.)I repeat emphatically - I highly recommend this modem.===================================================================================================================================Update: July 8, 2010Some people claim that this unit does not work with computers running the Ubuntu Linux operating system. But it does indeed. Here is how to set it up (you need do the setup only once):From the Synaptic Package Manager, download and install Gnome PPPAccess System > Administration > Users and GroupsAccess Advanced Settings (enter password)Open User Privileges TabMake sure EVERYTHING (especially "Connect to internet using a modem" plus "Use modems") is checked.Plug in this external modem, open Gnome PPP, click on Setup, click on Detect (Gnome PPP will then detect this modem), close the setup box, and then enter your connection (your login information and your ISP's local telephone number) information.Then click Connect and, when the connection is established, open your browser. To end your session, close your browser and click Disconnect.That's all there is to it. Does it sound complicated? It's not at all - and, as I said, you only have to do the setup once. Then, in the future, you need only activate Gnome PPP to connect to your dial-up account.The above is so easy to implement that I have converted my Asus EeePC 1000/Linux from its original modified-Xandros platform (which is no longer being supported but which worked with this modem) to Ubuntu 10.04 'Lucid Lynx.' The computer still works perfectly with this modem and is now MUCH faster than before.I hope that this information is of some help to those who, like me, occasionally need to use a dial-up connection.===================================================================================================================================Update: October 7, 2010I should mention that, in the year plus that I've owned my USRobotics USR5637 56K USB FaxModem for Windows, Mac, Linux, it has always functioned perfectly. We recently took a trip across the country (and took another trip even after that!) and, on occasion, we had to use a dial-up connection; there were a number of places which had either no or unreliable broadband service (and that includes broadband with our Virgin Mobile MiFi). When we encountered that lack of broadband access, out came this modem. We had absolutely no problems with it and I again highly recommend it to anyone who needs such a device.===================================================================================================================================Update: March 13, 2011I have now owned one of these for almost two years and it continues to work perfectly. Last year, just to be on the safe side, I bought a second one; it too works perfectly.This unit appears to be designed and made with a great deal of integrity. I am at a loss to explain why some people have had problems with it, especially those people who claim it does not work with Linux (specifically the Ubuntu distribution). It most certainly does - we have four (4) different computers, all running Ubuntu, and it was quite easy to configure the computers for this external modem according to the directions I have written above (and I am certainly no computer 'genius'). I can only surmise that those people who are having trouble using it with Ubuntu have tried to make something difficult out of something which is actually VERY easy. If you are using Ubuntu and you follow my instructions you too will have no problems. I continue to give this modem my highest possible recommendation.

If you're looking for a Linux dial-up modem, this is the one to get. It's truly a hardware modem and uses the USB communications device standard. Linux detects the device using the standard USB communication driver and it woks with "pppd" and KDE KPPP.If you're looking for a Windows modem this is still a great modem but you can get less expensive software modems. One advantage for Windows users is the bundled BVRP Phone Tools fax, terminal and phone book software. I've used this software with other US Robotics modems and it works great on all versions of Windows from Windows 2000 through Windows 7. Please be aware that it only works with the US Robotics modem and not other modems you may have installed. Since the modem is a true hardware modem it won't use as much of the computer's processing to communicate over dial-up. It's also less likely to cause operating system problems and crashes since it doesn't use a special OS service or driver.The modem is light, small and well constructed. It comes with a decently long phone cord including a ferrite donut to cut down on radio interference. It works fine with any phone cable but the phone cable may affect nearby radio devices without the ferrite donut. I haven't had any problems with any phone cord.There is a small green power light and a small phone communication light to show what the modem is doing. I thought those were a nice feature since I could tell immediately when the OS detected the modem (the power light came on). I also could tell when the modem was communicating because the data light would blink.As I mentioned the software included is BVRP Classic Phone Tools for Windows. It has a CD with drivers and software, including a "README" file for Linux users. If you're having trouble figuring out the Linux device name, look at the Linux README on the CD.A printed manual is included, but it doesn't have a lot of information. There's just enough to get the modem installed and working so you need to read the Phone Tools documentation. The printed manual is in multiple languages and that makes it seem like it has more than it actually does.It may not be obvious but this modem also can send and receive faxes. The Phone Tools software for Windows has a fax capture driver that will let nearly any program print a document to the fax. Phone Tools gives you a chance to add a cover page and review the document before you send it. My only complaint about the print to fax driver is that you have to print all the pages using the same program. You can't add more pages to a fax after creating it. I've had to resort to pasting multiple pages into word documents or merging Acrobat documents so that I can make everything into one fax. Considering what the software does for the price it's a great program.The modem does get warm after a while but not even enough to be uncomfortable to hold in your hand. I haven't had any problems with long-term operation and it communicates as fast as the phone line quality allows. The best part is that it doesn't have any noticeable effect on the speed of the computer and doesn't require any special software.My only complaint about the modem is the price, but it isn't exorbitant compared to other true hardware modems for PCI or PCMCIA. Since it uses USB it is much more compatible with any computer, from a desktop to a netbook. Almost everything has a USB port and most operating systems support the USB communications device standard. Even though it's not cheap this modem will be useful for a long time, even with the inevitable computer technology changes. A PCMCIA or Expresscard modem might not be compatible with older or newer laptops and is no more convenient to plug in and use.For Linux, you only need to buy one of these modems and connect it to whatever computer you happen to be using. Linux HAL detects it and you can use it immediately after plugging it in. You don't have to reboot or type in shell commands. If you're hesitating about the price, consider that it will save you time on every Linux computer where you need to use dial-up. The software modems included with most computers (especially laptops) are hard to get working and may stop working when you install newer versions of Linux. Also the software modem drivers tend to require undesirable kernel options such as no preemption in order to work. You have none of those issues with this little modem because it uses no extra software on Linux.The bottom line is that this modem is worth every penny in spite of the rather high price. Amazon super-saver shipping takes a bit of the sting out of the price.

I purchased this USB modem to use with an Apple iBook G4 running OSX 10.4.11 because the internal modem had been fried during a fierce electrical storm. The telephone line was still connected at the time! I had tried an Apple USB modem but it behaved the same as the malfunctioning the internal modem. The USRobotics USB modem works OK with the Mac iBook but I found that for a successful connection to the server the modem must start from having the POWER light OFF. With the iBook up and running, plug in the modem and connect the phone line. The power light does not come on until you launch the Internet Connect application, click on connect and manually enter the password. At that point the power light comes on, the DATA light starts blinking and within about a minute you are connected. The other problem I have is that I'm not getting any of the dialup sounds you normally hear with the internal modem or the Apple external USB modem. This may not bother most people. However, once you have finished and disconnected, the modem's power light stays ON, and I found that if I try to reconnect, it fails. To reconnect I have to disconnect the USB modem, wait a few seconds and reconnect. Once again, the POWER light stay OFF until you start the connect process. Otherwise the USB modem from USRobotics works fine and I can recommend it. The final message, of course, is always disconnect the telephone line when the weather gets violent if you want to avoid expensive damage from lightning.