It worked right out of the box, the instructions included tell you how to make sure the modem is installed correctly for use with 'kppp' and 'minicom'.

US Robotics Website: http://www.usr.com/

I also have used Model 5610B for a long time with no problems. Worked out of the box, okay. Says it works with Kernel 2.3 and higher. (Also works with Windows XP)

V.92 and V.90

Red Hat found this modem without a hitch, but Mandrake utterly failed to work with it - even with paid support, after 2 months the paid support ran out and not one iota of progress was made during all that time and all those conversations. Apparently this modem uses com 5, which is part of the problem - Win 98 had trouble with it as well.

As others have reported, Mandrake fails to recognize this
modem. The workaround isn't painful.
My mb has two onboard serial ports and this modem
shows up as Com5 in Windows and ttyS4 in Linux
(although Mandrake insists on trying to use ttyS3...
see below):

1. Install LNUX_3ComMdm-1.0-1.i386.rpm
(from US Robotics website)
2. Edit /etc/init.d/serial and change
COMPORT=/dev/ttyS3 to /dev/ttyS4
3. Delete the /dev/modem symlink if present
4. Recreate 'ln -s /dev/ttyS4 /dev/modem'

and then:
"Welcome to the Internet my friend...how may I help you?"
--Homer Simpson

I was able to get the US Robotics pci 5610b to work with Mandrake 9.2 fairly easilly with the assistance of Altoona's suggestions. It may even worked without editing the file as suggested. Thanks, Aplus

Unfortunately, this modem, at the only store I know of in Vermont and New Hampshire, that sells this modem, Staples costs $80 dollars :(.

I possibly can even get a broadband modem for that much!

Got this card on clearance at Walmart after my last one was killed in a lightning storm. I would never use another modem with linux. This is the one.

Just a note, setting the baud speed to max can be done the following way: (not done by default when using 'pppsetup' in slackware)

You should notice a nice speed up!

Tarts

This modem is great. It did take some setting-up, especially on a non-RPM-based distribution, but once configured properly it's awesome. I wrote a detailed HOW-TO on setting up and configuring it. I'll try to get it posted somewhere on LQ (perhaps in the success stores forum), but if you can't find it feel free to private message me. It deals mostly with non-RPM setup (using rpm2targz). For anybody who wants one of those increasingly rare nice hardware modems, THIS ONE'S FOR YOU!

Got a killer deal on the modem, it was the last on left. I found the above advice to work but all I did was.

1. rm modem
2. ln -s /dev/ttyS4 /dev/modem

And bang it works in both Mandrake 10 and Mandrake 8.1 w/o a hitch.

I get good connection speeds and better transfer rates than with my software modem (PCTel 789)

However using the "stock" kppp settings (ATZ init string) it wouldnt connect but this is probably because I'm using 20-30 ft of phone cord which is degrading the signal and getting EMI.

So I simply changed the init string to "AT&F" (resets to factory defaults) and it connects no prob.

Right now I'm connected @ 49,333.

Running speed test with both modems confirms that the hardware modem does indeed perform better.

Best modem I ever could have found!!! Sure beats those worthless Smartlink winmodems that work ONLY under Windoze and say they work under Linux but they don't. Just remember that Linux sees it as /dev/ttyS4 and you have to remove the symbolic link to /dev/modem and then create a symbolic link from /dev/ttyS4 to /dev/modem and you will be on the internet instantly. Wonderful Modem. Hallelujah!!! Hooray!!!

Install : Easy
Setup : Almost none (maybe change the init string)
Usage : Unknown. It's an older house with about 20ft of phone cord on old jacks. I get disconnected or trouble with a connection but no data is really being transmitted.

However I've been able to use it on :

Manrake 10
SUSE 9.1

without any serious problem.