Getting USB modems to work in Mac OS 9.1/9.2

A reader could not get his Best Data USB modem to work in Mac OS 9.1. He found a site that offers "an upgrade chip for 56K USB modems that are using a Conexant NON-CDC type chipset. The upgrade will make the modem CDC compatible so that it will function with Mac OS 9.1 and Windows 2000 operating systems." This apparently will work to fix the problem with the Best Data modem. Best Data Technical Support offered this additional background information:

"The solution to the problem is not writing a new driver. Apple changed the specs for USB modems in the operating system to only include support for CDC type USB modems to which our hardware does not comply. In order to make the modem function you would need to upgrade the eeprom chip on the modem to a newer CDC type format. We do not have this upgrade available and probably never will since the modem is now a discontinued product. We have recently been informed from a customer that there is a web page advertising a solution to the problem. It is a hardware upgrade for the modem consisting of a new chip that needs to be placed in the modem. We have not confirmed this yet or had the opportunity to test it, however after giving the link to several customers they have reported to us that it did indeed fix the problem. Best Data has discontinued the modem from the product line and does not intend on finding a solution to this problem.

The chipset upgrade should work fine since they are providing CDC type chips for the modem which is why it is not currently working due to the lack of such a chip. We have actually had 2 customers email us and let us know that the upgrade worked well for them."

See the item titled "External USB modems no longer work in OS 9.1" in our Troubleshooting Mac OS 9.1 MacFixIt Report for background info.