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TICKET ARCHIVE -> Generic Usb/modem Driver

Paul Derby - Jun 30, 2005 - 12:40 pm

Does anyone know of a generic USB/Modem driver where the "name" from the hardware profile can be chosen or set and then used with a modem script for USB/Modems?

I have a BlackBerry 7100t that has a built in USB modem. If I could get my hands on a generic USB driver that would "couple" to this phone, I could write a modem script and have interconnectivity from my Mac like I do from my PC laptop running Windows XP.

I'm running 10.4.1

Any help appreciated.

Cheryl - Jul 2, 2005 - 8:58 pm

Paul,

My name is Cheryl and I will be assisting you. I am sorry it took so long to respond to you.

I did find what you are looking for in the way of a generic driver.
this web site has step by step instructions as well.

http://www.sentman.com/mac_pcs.php

And I found where you can get a Blackberry driver:

http://www.blackberryforums.com/show...osh-Blackberry


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Let me know if you need further assistance and thank you for using MacOSX.com !

Cheryl

Paul Derby - Jul 3, 2005 - 12:29 am

Thanks for the help, Cheryl.

The link you suggested is for a USB to Serial solution that has a driver for the Belkin USB to Serial device. What I was looking for was a USB to Modem driver that will work with the BlackBerry that has a USB port.

Maybe I'm missing something in the links you sent me to. I had read them before posting my inquiry.

What i wanted to do was use the USB modem inside the BlackBerry to do a GPRS connection to the internet.

Paul

Cheryl - Jul 3, 2005 - 8:54 am

Paul,

Sorry about that first link. I did find this:

http://www.blackberryforums.com/show...=Mac+USB+modem

Did you try that solution? When you connect the Blackberry via USB, does Network Pane see the device?

In reading those posts at the Blackberry forum, it seems many people are having trouble, even XP users. I am not sure there is a solution.

I did find something interesting that just may work.

http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000930027824/

And

http://homepage.mac.com/jrc/contrib/mobile_office/

While these instructions are for a phone, you may be able to use it for the Blackberry.


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Let me know if you need further assistance and thank you for using MacOSX.com !

Cheryl

Paul Derby - Jul 3, 2005 - 12:51 pm

Cheryl,

Thanks for your further diligence. I had found those web sites, too.

The Mac can "recognize" the RIM device if I plug a USB cable between the two. This is verifiable in System Profiler.

And if I install the PocketMac software which includes a driver that the PocketMac people use to talk to the BB, the network panel sees the device. The problem is the PocketMac driver doesn's support the USB/Modem capabilities. It only does the proprietary handshake and data transfer capabilities provided by RIM to do the synchronization between the Mac and the BB.

I even downloaded the Apple Developer sample code for writing a USB/Modem driver and ran that in debug mode under Xcode 2.1. I could see the RIM device, but couldn't get to it from Z-Term or the MacWise terminal emulators to do the AT commands. There is work needed to modify the Apple code to conform to the RIM device and I just don't have the technical skills to do that.

So at this time, I've given up on getting the BB 7100T to work an a GPRS USB modem. I do hope someone with the skills to do USB modem drivers would tackle this. The Pocket Mac people probably have 95% of the code done in their driver if they chose to enable their drive to work for both their software and the USB/Modem software.

BTW, I had no problem getting the RIM to work with my PC Laptop under Windows XP. On that machine the installation of the BlackBerry desktop software installs a driver that supports the USB/Modem capability on Windows.

Best regards and thanks for your help,

Paul Derby

Cheryl - Jul 3, 2005 - 9:31 pm

Paul,

i had noticed that most of the posters on the blackberry forums were Windows users.

Have you tried going to the Macfixit.com web site and posting a request there?
MacAddict is another forum you can try as well as our MacOSX.com forum.

Use your last response to me as well as the very first question you posted. This will give enough information for others to help you.

I am sorry I could not be of any help.

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Let me know if you need further assistance and thank you for using MacOSX.com !

Cheryl