Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Although I put the files where there should be, when I connect the modem to usb port, I cannot see 'modem' panel in system preferences and so I cannot use modem to setup a dialup connection.
Any idea why the modem is not shown up in system preferences?
 
Last edited:
USB modem for Lion

On the basis of advice from one of the threads I purchased a USRobotics dongle to replace my Apple modem. It works like a charm EXCEPT when I installed Office 2011 for Mac. Now it wont fax word documents, I get an error message about being "out of range". Strange, it faxes anything else but Office apps. Now I fax word docs by converting them to pdf. Its just not Apple that gets thing wrong
 
So, there is no way of using apple usb modem in 64bit lion?

It doesn't appear so.

I gave in and purchased the US Robotics USR 5637 modem. It works fine both as a communications and FAX modem.

Delete the Apple Modem from your device lists; install the US Robotics modem script (from the included CD, or download from their site). Then, add it as a FAX device and/or network device.

The only difference I see between it and the Apple Modem is the lack of familiar modem audio. (Since the Apple device is a software modem, the audio is processed in OS-X, rather than in the modem - so it's available for monitoring.)
 
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
I find it ridiculous that apple do not support its own hardware!
I purchased this modem in 2007 and now it is useless!
 
has booting into 32bit mode confirmed not to work?
I too am upset that its no longer supported. I was only going to use it if my broadband goes down and needed that backup dialup.
 
Ι think that this is impossible.
Lion is 64 bit, and 64bit drivers for this appe/motorola usb modem, were never released.
 
I now have my Apple USB Modem working with Lion perfectly (dialup and fax both work)! You need to copy both from a Snow Leopard backup (and be in 32bit mode I think):

/System/Library/Extensions/IOSerialFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns/MotorolaSM56KUS B.kext
/System/Library/Extensions/SM56KUSBAudioFamily.kext

So, apparently Apple just didn't bother to include the drivers. For this to work though you have to be running a 32bit kernel. To check, go to the Apple Menu > About This Mac > More Info > System Report > Software.

If you see "64-bit Kernel and Extensions: No" - this should work. If it says Yes, you are probably out of luck. Also, after copying those files over, you may want to do a repair permissions and reboot.

In case anyone found this old thread via Google (like I did), I got this workaround to work with the Apple USB Modem on my old Macbook Air (Rev. A). I had no luck with the USR Modem either before or after this modification, BTW.

I used system 10.5.8 to created a bootable flash drive, and extracted the two files from there. To get the IOSerialFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns/MotorolaSM56KUS B.kext, control click the IOSerialFamily.kext to get the Contents folder and you can find the file in there. I used the Kext Drop app (free) to install the files. After reboot, I created a new configuration in Network Preferences and was good to go!

I am thinking about upgrading to a new Macbook Air and I'm not sure I am going to try this mod. I may go with a dialup router instead.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.