Zoom 3095 USB Mini External Modem - USB - 1 x RJ-11 Phone Line - 56 Kbps

I just replaced my aged iMac G5 with a new iMac 21.5 running Lion. I did not realize at the time that Apple had dispensed with the internal modem so, with the new Mac, I now had no fax capability. As 'old school' as it seems, faxing is still useful and, in some cases, required or preferred for transmitting legal or other other sensitive documents. I do both. Therefore, I needed a solution. (Come on Apple!! What did omitting the internal modem save you - $0.10?!) After doing my research, I discovered the Zoom 3095. The reviews were, the price was a little expensive compared to the competition, good form factor - small and unobtrusive, and the specs indicated it would do all I needed it to do. A bonus turned out to be it's portability and functionality for both Apple and (ugh) PC products. So, I ordered it. Delivery was amazing! It arrived the next day! Let me type that again - THE NEXT DAY! Installation was a snap. Plug and play as advertised. Set up on the Mac, however, was 'different'. Since Apple omitted the modem in the iMAC, they also omitted any useful information on how to set up an external one. It was not intuitive! Searching the web led me to the instructions on how to set it up the most recent OS (Lion). Actually pretty simple which IS consistent for the way Apple does things. SInce installation and set up, it has worked flawlessly. I would recommend this product to any Mac user needing to add modem and/or fax functionality! When Apple drops the ball, it nice to know there are reliable add on devices like the Zoom 3095 to take up the slack. Great product!! [...]

Works well both sending and receiving FAXES in Windows 10 V. 19045. Caution: Be very mindful of setup instructions, as the modem must interface internet with the public telephone system. Such issues as with Caller ID and local dialing syntax may arise. But, if you carefully study directions and make correct settings, it does work. One other thing. You will need to make provision for splitting your internet (router) connection with the P.T.S. You can use a simple line splitter to connect both I.P. and P.T.S. traffic. I use a dedicated FAX/phone switcher--in my case, the COMSWITCH 7500. It works, though Caller I.D. may be problematical. Again, scrupulously follow directions in setting this up. It will all work, at least it does with my AT&T fiber optic cable internet service and router.

The disk that comes with this modem is not for use with Apple computers. I have an iMac that is a couple of years old. I just plugged this modem in one of the USB slots in the back of the iMac and used a long phone cord I already had (there is one included in the package but I needed a longer reach - the one provided looks about 6 feet long) to go from the modem to a telephone wall jack in the next room. Then, there was not much that I did to get it to work. Just clicked on the little Apple icon in the upper left of the screen, clicked on "System Preferences", then "Network", then clicked on "USB Modem" and filled in the information for Telephone Number (this is the internet service provider's access number), Account Name, and Password. (I used a free dialup service in California to test it out because my landline phone has an unlimited nationwide calling plan.) Then, I clicked on "connect", and I didn't have a dial-up connection noise, which surprised me, but I was connected. I used an online dialup speed test from Michigan State University and got the result of 40 kbps. I'm not sure but probably I will use this for a backup way to get internet when my mifi signal fades out (I am in a hilly rural area of Virginia and use a Virgin Mobile Sierra Wireless device as a mifi but the signal varies).

Tried this modem and a USR Modem ( US Robotics USB Dial-Up Softmodem (USR5639) ) on the same PC (USB 2.0) using the same phone line, dialing the same phone # (a 56k line). The USR Modem consistently connects at 44k, while this one always connects at 28.8k. Connected a phone to the line to listen for noise - there is no line noise. The only reason for keeping the Zoom, is that i cannot use my USR5639 on my laptop because it has no USB 2.0 ports, and the USR modem does not support USB 3.0 ports, whereas the Zoom does.

Purchased Zoom USB modem, model 3095. Installation on Windows 7 (32 bit) was straightforward with no problems whatsoever. Have been using for three weeks with no problems or issues. Having reviewed numerous other posts relating to USB modems and problems encountered by others, I recommend downloading the appropriate drivers (for your operating system) from www-dot-zoomtel-dot-com and simply installing the downloaded drivers, rather than trying to use the install disk that comes in the box. Doing so has a couple of advantages: (a) Zoomtel's downloaded driver package does not include any proprietary bundled software, so you don't get such auto-installed--along with the problems that seem to come along with that unwanted and unnecessary proprietary software, and (b) If you want "NetWaiting", it's a separate download--otherwise, "NetWaiting" is not installed. The downloaded driver package is a self-executing archive file. After extracting its contents, follow the install instructions on the included ReadMe file and NOT the (convoluted) instructions on the "Quick Start" sheet included in the box. Despite being on the high end of the price scale, I bought the Zoom because (a) it's the only USB modem stocked by Fry's Electronics, Best Buy and Office Depot; (b) the downloaded driver package does not include any proprietary software; and (c) numerous posts relating to the U.S.Robotics product falling apart. Installation and use are straightforward. It works.

I got a new iMac, and the dialup modem I had been using for my laptop did not work on the new computer, so I ordered this one. It works fine and no setup was needed; I just plugged it in and chose it as my default connection and it works great, with one minor flaw....the phone jack will not snap in securely, so it is easily jostled just enough to lose the connection but will still appear to be in place.

The product is fine and without any defect! It arrived on time and it is compatible with my system Mac OS X, so they say. However, this product is dependent on your ISP to make a connection and I could not have any tech support from my ISP to connect. My tech guy was over 4 hours on the phone trying to get the ISP to validate the connection without any success. They keep passing the ball to other people that did not know anything about it and passing the ball to other ones that knew even less about it and things just went around and around and around until my tech with all the patience in the World said: - "There is a limit for everything, I am giving it up!" Therefore we are warning you that the product is fine until you need to talk to your ISP to connect. Then your problems will start to grow. Maybe Zoom should design a product that does not depend on the ISP for a connection.

I bought this some time ago when I purchased a new Dell laptop. To my surprise I didn't know that internal modems were obsolete (but then when did they stop making drives for floppy diskettes? (lol). I'm no computer guru or anything like that, but knew that I would need dial up at times, and I sure did. Since I have poor cable service that gives out at least once a week for a few hours at a time, this product did the job. No hassle hooking up the thing to the laptop the first time and now when cable service dies, just quickly jump over to dial up with one of those pay as you go "roll over" companies. I don't know anything about faxing or what else it does, but if you need dial up and your computer isn't set up for it, get one. Cheap and works fine. No problems.