# USB-SERIAL PORT OS X & OS9 CONUNDRUM...



## moonunit (Sep 29, 2005)

Mac OSX 10.3.9

Not wishing to make a long story long...I have a little external fax modem which I principally used (pre Mac OSX) as an incoming ansa-machine, the bonus being that both faxes and messages can be remotely retrieved.
The modem  Olitec Self Memory Pro  is simple to operate under OS9; USB cable connection; software handshake; view log of messages or faxes; play and clear memory.
However, Olitec have discontinued support into OSX.
OSX work-arounds are on the net as are postings saying they work, but as Olitec are French, most postings are (bizarrely) in French and their UK support largely consists of 'we don't support OSX'.

What's suggested is to hook the modem to my (new) Mac OSX laptop via a USB-Serial adapter and use the original software under Classic mode.

I've bought a USB-Serial Adapter  peanuts from Hong Kong  if I need a driver (OS9 or OSX?) it's probably on the 3" cd in the box  which none of my drives will go near!

The serial adapter shows up in System Profiler but I cannot get to a network preference which shows an external modem and there is no serial port control from within Classic...

 So...
1)	Does the serial adapter need it's own driver
2)	The driver would be OSX-side wouldn't it?
3)	Assuming that this cheap-as-chips adapter/seller doesn't send me what I want, is there a way of making/finding a driver that'll work?
Assuming that side of the equation is resolved...
4)	Am I right in thinking that the external modem connection is made in OSX and that because the port is 'made' in OSX, Classic merely goes where it's told...

Any help and advice would be welcomed with open arms. Any comments relating to Ebay blind-purchasing from Hong Kong should be tempered with the knowledge that the purchase was so cheap no tears will be shed!

Tim


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## Aarky (Oct 24, 2006)

I have a similar issue with a Zoom fax modem.  I'm also looking for answers (see my post).  I also bought the cheap USB-to-serial adapter from Hong Kong and can provide some info on the CD that came with it.  (I have an external tray-loading CD burner that can accept 3" CDs.)

Interestingly, the CD title is in Chinese characters.  It appears to contain only drivers for Windows.  I doubt these will work on a Mac, even the Intel based models.  However, if there is a way to use these drivers, I'm all ears.  The CD contains the following files:

SETUP.EXE
USBSER34.INF
USBSER34.RAR
USBSER34.SYS
USBSER34.VXD
USBSER98.SYS

Maybe this info will be of some use.


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