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Winmodems are not modems

The purpose of this page is to identify consumer-grade modems systematically and to note compatibility with Linux as reported by you, the users.

Special thanks to:

  • Makoto Shibata, who is maintaining a Japanese language version of this page,
  • Paolo Farinelli, who is maintaining an Italian language version of this page,
  • Vagner Farias, who is maintaining a Portuguese language version of this page,
  • "LinuxMan" who is maintaining a Spanish language version of this page, and
  • Ayhan Isik who is maintaining a Turkish language version of this page.
The most current English language version is always found at http://www.o2.net/~gromitkc/winmodem.html

- or -

http://start.at/modem

So-called Winmodems, host-based, HCF-, HSP-, HSF-, controllerless, host-controlled, and soft modems require vendor-supplied software to do the work of proper hardware modems. The sale of these devices for x86-based PCs is becoming increasingly popular among retailers and OEMs because of their lower cost.

Since 1998, my opinion on these devices has been tempered by changes in:

  • how the chip-makers and modem-makers have acknowledged the growing base of Linux users,
  • the installed base of PCs that are capable of using a bost-based modem without significant impact on the CPU, and
  • the emergence of PC motherboards with AC'97 capability.

This section used to say:

However, Winmodems are only appropriate for use with Microsoft Windows on a fast Pentium.
I'm not sure this blanket statement is still true. As evidenced by the big list, there are many GNU/Linux users using their "linmodems" with varying degrees of success. On the other hand, this does not help all the *BSD users, the x86 Solaris users, and others who would also benefit from non-proprietary software drivers.

A chart summarizing the hardware differences between traditional modems, controllerless and software modems can be found here or, for a longer explanation, here.

The developers at linmodems.org have coined the term Linmodem to describe a winmodem that can be used with Linux with a commercial or open-source driver.

It has been pointed out to me that the name "Winmodem" is a registered trademark of U.S. Robotics and, subsequent to their merger, 3Com. I'm sure that they are proud of this fact ;) In any case, when I refer to Winmodems, please read it as "Winmodems(tm), host-based modems, HCF-modems, HSP-modems, and all similar modem-like hardware."

  
   

What's new

2000-12-20
Added a link to IBM's Linmodem driver development page for the IBM Thinkpad 600E. Thanks to Mike Sullivan of IBM for the link!

2000-11-25
Jean Gomes has pointed out that the linmodems.org gang has made some progress on making the Lucent LT Linmodem driver more independent of the kernel version.

2000-09-22
There appears to be a new Linmodem driver for Conexant/Rockwell HSF (SoftK56) modems. It was designed for the Olitec 56K V.2, but with a little tweaking, it may work with other modems, too. Thanks to Denis Havlik for the link.

2000-09-15
Added link to Lectron Linux support page and added Lectron I56LVP-F3 as a possible PCI hardware modem (Lucent Venus chipset).

2000-09-09
For those of you keeping score, Ambient Technologies (previously the modem division of Cirrus Logic) is now Intel® Modem Silicon Operation. Catchy name!

2000-08-13
There is a new Linmodem Driver available for the ESS ES56V-I TeleDrive chipset. This driver may also work for close family members ES56-I and ES56T-I, which share the ES2890S DSP. Modems affected could include the SmartLink 5634BEW and the E-Tech PC56EX. Thanks to CdStrife@aol.com for finding this driver!

2000-07-22
There is a new Linmodem driver available for the ESS ES56T-PI TeleDrive chipset. This driver may also work for close family members ES56-PI and ES56V-PI, which share the ES2898S DSP. Likely candidates, for example, would be the Archtek Smartlink 5634PEW or the Pine FM-3621. See the Linmodem table below for downloads. Thanks to Andrew Wettstein for finding this driver!

2000-07-19
Ambient (formerly the Cirrus Logic modem division, now part of Intel) is working on Linux drivers for their MD563X HaM controllerless PCI modem chipset. The drivers are still in beta and will be posted on www.ambient.com some time in the future.

2000-07-09
If you own a Zoom 2919L or 2949L, there is a flash upgrade to add call-waiting detection available from Zoom.

2000-06-29
The Digitan DS560-558 PCI hardware modem is now available as the Zoom 2920.

2000-06-23
There is a new PCI hardware modem available from Archtek: Model 5634PCV. It is based on the TOPIC chipset. They have posted a simple /dev/ttyS2 installation program here .

2000-05-29
If you would like to see how I fare at shopping for modems at retail computer stores, check out the ROUGH GUIDE section. My latest stop is CompUSA. If there is a chain store in your town, I encourage submissions for posting: try to keep it down to about a page of text. Let's see if we can make this work...

2000-04-08
GVC is now selling the Well PCI hardware modem under their own name. They include a simple utility to autodetect the modem. If anyone is using the FM-56PCI-TP or GVC 0321, please let me know (gromitkc@o2.net).

2000-02-25
The state of Linux serial device support (e.g., modems) for Linux 2.4 can be found here. In particular, Ted Ts'o is working on direct Linux support for PCI modems.

2000-02-17
Added a link to Digicom's Linux support info on digicom.it. Thanks to Paolo Farinelli for the link.

2000-02-08
To support the effort to make Linux 2.4 fully PnP-capable for modems, Andrey Panin [pazke@orbita.don.sitek.net] is collecting Plug-and-Play IDs. He requests that you send him copy of your isapnp.conf file to add to his database.

1999-12-30
Hooray for the FCC! By popular request, they will continue to issue modem registration notices in plain text (instead of MS Word).

1999-12-13
Klavs Pedersen sent this hint on how to set up a 3Com 3CP5610 (PCI) modem.

1999-12-01
Lucent has provided linmodems.org with a binary-only kernel module for PCI LT Winmodems. Apparently, it's buggy but it works. See the "Linmodem driver" table below for details.

   
answer me these questions three

Winmodem Mini-FAQ

1. If Winmodems are not really modems, why do manufacturers make them?
Two reasons: Most people don't know the difference; and floppy disks are cheaper than hardware chips. A winmodem lacks parts found in regular modems-- these parts are "emulated" by software running on your CPU.

2. Oops, I bought a Winmodem. Will it work with Linux?
Probably not. A Winmodem requires software to emulate the hardware missing from the modem card. For most winmodems, this software is only available for Microsoft Windows.

3. But someone must have adapted or reverse-engineered one by now!
Winmodem vendors will not release the source code. Without it, creating a software modem is a non-trivial programming task.

4. Are there any external Winmodems? Am I always safe getting an external modem?
We haven't seen any external serial port Winmodems. Standard serial port speeds make a Winmodem impractical. However, some older modems are based on RPI chipsets (see below). RPI modems are not supported.

If you are interested in the status of USB support in Linux, please follow the link to the Linux-USB uusbd development page. Use caution: there are USB winmodems on the market.

5. How about PCI modems? Are all PCI modems winmodems?
No, there are at least three types of controller-based PCI modems. They are somewhat more difficult to set up than a jumpered ISA modem or an external serial port modem. Linux 2.4 will probably include automagic setup of PCI hardware modems.
If you are curious, these modems are:

  • Lucent Venus chipset: Multitech MT5634ZPX-PCI, Actiontec PCI56012 (IBM 33L4618 or GVC MD0223)
  • USR/TI Kermit chipset: the 3Com/USR 3CP5610 family, which includes models 5613, 5609, and OEM models 2976, 2977, and 3258,
  • TOPIC TP560i chipset: Zoom 2920 (Digitan DS550-558) and the Well Communications FM-56PCI-TP (GVC MD0321).

6. I've heard that there are linmodems... so do winmodems work with Linux now?
Some of them do. Whether your winmodem will work depends a lot on the modem chipset you are using, your PC's processor, and in most cases your kernel version. See the "Linmodem drivers" table below.

Please remember: if you have a choice, a hardware modem is always the best choice for Linux users. If you have a laptop with a built-in winmodem, though, you'll need a "linmodem" driver.
See the Linmodem driver table below.

7. Are there any Linmodem drivers for kernel 2.0.x? 2.4.x?
No. Now you can see why closed source drivers are such a bad idea.

8. My modem is not a winmodem but I'm still having problems getting Linux to "see" it or the modem is always "busy." Why?
The most common reasons are:

  • Unconfigured ISA Plug-and-Play modem
  • "User-friendly" dialing programs which have their own problems. Test your modem with minicom instead.
The Modem-HOWTO has an up-to-date troubleshooting section.

   
What makes you think she is a witch?  

Linux/Modem Compatibility Knowledge Base

Usual disclaimers apply. This list is provided only for your convenience and should not be considered an endorsement blah blah blah ;-) Experienced Linux users-- I need your help to mark more modems OK

Sample FCC label

If you can add something to this table, please let me know. FCC ID number and/or FCC Registration number is required. This number is usually silk-screened or on a label on the modem board. On a notebook computer, it is often on a label on the bottom of the case. Click here for an example. I'm thinking about including Industry Canada certification numbers, too.

If you're looking for a particular modem, be sure to use your browser's "Find in Page" command. It may not be where you think it should be!

WM = Winmodem, only known to work with Windows software
LM = Winmodem, may work with vendor-supplied Linux ("Linmodem") driver
RP = Rockwell RPI chipset, requires DOS or Windows DSP software, may work with error-correction disabled
OK = Real modem, reported to work with Linux

Recent Changes
OK FI7MRIS56
FI7TAI-31422-M5-E		 SmartLink 5634BRS, 5634BRV-1 V.90/K56Flex Speakerphone Modem, Rockwell RCVDL56ACF/SP chipset YesYesISA Vildenei N Pereira
OK CJE-0374
CJEUSA-65828-FA-E		 US Robotics Sportster int voice 33.6 [00117101 R:2] YesYesISA Vildenei N Pereira
Various FCC updates and newly approved modems as of 05 January 2001
LM CJ6JPN-25625-DT-E Model VCMDMUS1, Toshiba Satellite Pro 490CDT notebook, 33.6K/14.4K or V.90 d/f/v modem, requires Lucent "Linmodem" driver YesNoISA Ramiro Gonzalez
WM (BABT ID: 608463) SuperHighway 56PCI Internal modem Model 560HCF, Rockwell RLVDL56DPF/SP (HCF) chipset YesNoPCI Dave Hill
Various FCC updates and newly approved modems as of 28 December 2000
LM ? Pine Model FM-3711, Rockwell R6793-11 (HSF) chipset (PCI\VEN_127A&DEV_2015&SUBSYS_2015127A) YesNoPCI Ninad S. Thakoor
Various FCC updates and newly approved modems as of 08 December 2000
OK H4TFM-REB3X
1B9USA-25422-M5-E		 Zoltrix FMVSP56e, Rockwell ACF chipset (1 MB ROM) --EXT Bruno Santos
OK 4X2USA-25547-MM-E Model 3CCFEM556B, 10/100 LAN + 56K Global --PCMCIA Laurent Delpierre
OK 1YYTAI-34353-M5-E Well/Origo/Well-Link Topic FM-56PCI-TP w/Linux support, E-Tech PCI-56TP, GVC Model MD0321 (retail), MD0324 (white box), TOPIC TP560i/9922S14 chipset (PCI\VEN_151F&DEV_0000&SUBSYS_0001151F&REV_00) YesNoPCI Franz Korntner, Well Communications
LM 4J2SNG-27506-M5-E Model MSP5900-U(X), Best Data 56K Mach 2 Model A56FW-PCI, PCTel PCT789T-A chipset, requires PCTel "Linmodem" driver YesNoPCI Alan Hagge
OK ? ASMAX multiSYS.modem, Topic TP560i/9922S14 chipset possibly the same as Well Communications FM-56PCI-TP YesNoPCI makula
Chipset summary for the impatient
Rockwell / Conexant Lucent / AT&T PCTel Cirrus Logic / Ambient 3Com / US Robotics/ TI ESS Motorola
Hardware ACF Venus 565x HW Faxmodems Old externals
Controllerless HCF LT Winmodem (Luna, Apollo, Mars) 342x,562x Winmodems, WIN Faxmodems Teledrive
Soft HSF HSP SM56
   
 
You lucky, lucky...  

Linmodem drivers

 Disclaimer: I cannot endorse, support, troubleshoot, or debug this software.

Alright, then, if you plan to use one of these drivers, you definitely should read the draft version of the Linmodem-HOWTO. It explains the quirks of the closed-source drivers and how to overcome them.

If you get one of these to work for you, please send me a note with your modem information so that others won't have struggle as much as you did :) Let's turn those WM's into LM's!

Additional Hints:

  • ESS PCI [1]
  • Lucent [1] [2] [3]
  • PCTel [1] [2]
  • Conexant HSF [1] [2]

Modem typeDriver typeFileAuthor
Lucent proprietary and open source drivers Old drivers
Lucent LT Winmodem, PCI or ISA PnP Fixscript-ed binary module, kernels 2.2.x and 2.4.x ltmodem-5.78d.tar.gz Marvin Stodolsky and Mark Spieth
Lucent LT Winmodem, PCI GPL'ed sourceltmodem 0.x.x Richard Close et al.
Cirrus Logic/Ambient/Intel proprietary and open source drivers Old drivers
Ambient/Intel HaM (MD5628D), PCIBinary kernel module Ham.zip: [Intel has requested that this alpha driver not be posted. An official release is in the works.]Intel
Cirrus Logic CL-MD5620DT, PCIGPL'ed source (kernel module)CLModem-0.3.0+gg.tar.gz Mikhail Moreyra plus patches from Gabriel Gambetta
PCTel proprietary drivers Old drivers
PCTel Micromodem, AMR, PCI Binary 2.2.x module hsp56-linux-1.tar.gz [4.27.123] (Missing some headers)
ESS Teledrive proprietary drivers
ESS ES56T-PI modems (PCI) Binary kernel 2.2.12 module 111.zip ESS
ESS ES56V-I modems (ISA) Binary kernel 2.2.12 module linux111.zip ESS
Rockwell/Conexant proprietary drivers
Conexant (Rockwell) HSF Binary kernel 2.2.14 module HSF_V1.01.02_K2.2.14.tar[.gz] Olitec
Conexant (Rockwell) HSF Binary kernel 2.2.14 module HSF_V1.01.02_K2.2.14-5.0.tar[.gz] Olitec
IBM MWave ACP drivers
IBM ThinkPad 600E Binary kernel 2.2.16-18 modules Project Page IBM Linux Technology Center

   
 
   

Rough Guide

 These are handy tip sheets for shopping at chain stores that will fit on one piece of letter-sized paper when printed. Usual disclaimers apply.
 
More witches! 

Links to other modem information

Reference notes/esoterica for this page

Modems in general

Helpful HOWTOs and tutorials

Laptop modems and Linux

Specialized Linux software

  • spk, a GPLed voice mail system for Linux
  • xsmp, an X interface for Sportster Message Plus modems
  • mepl, software to control the self-employed mode on 3Com/USR message modems
  • TkUSR, a small Tcl/Tk program for USR/3Com message modems
  • Olix, une application qui permettra la gestion du modem Olitec (Self Memory 2000, 56, et compatible).
  • PMFax, fax/voice software for several OSes.

Choosing or buying a modem

Put away that hammer: the gurus are trying to turn winmodems into "linmodems."

Manufacturers' Linux pages [The good guys]

Manufacturers Hall of Shame

Supported hardware lists for specific commercial Linux distributions -- included for completeness, but not recommended

Other Operating Systems

ISDN, cable modems, other stuff like that

Completely non-Modem, non-Linux, but somehow still extremely neat web pages also available on this server


As I was going up the stair
I met a man who wasn't there.
He wasn't there again today.
I wish, I wish he'd stay away.
                    --Hughes Mearns
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Rob CLARK [gromitkc@o2.net]