I'm trying to get my Best Data USB (model #56USBp) controller-based modem to work with efax.

When I load efax, it gives:
efax: 58:40 Error: can't open serial port /dev/modem: No such file or directory.

The man pages show a switch, -d (device) , with /dev/modem as the default.
Is there any way I can use that to access the modem through a usb port?

Or do I have to bite the bullet & get a serial modem?

(In /dev/usb there is a bunch of 0-byte files named ttyUSB0 through ttyUSB15. What are they? Do they have any relevance to this problem?)

PS: This is for a laptop running RedHat 9

/dev/modem is just a link to your true device location
i am not sure which port is your usb modem hooked up to .
but i am sure you can see if in /etc/wvdial.conf or other file
after you u find that /dev/ thing.
delete /dev/modem and link it to ur modem should get it work

Still trying to get my Best Data USB (model #56USBp) controller-based modem to work with efax.

When I loaded efax, it gave:
efax: 58:40 Error: can't open serial port /dev/modem: No such file or directory.

I found this:
http://www.linux-usb.org/USB-guide/x332.html
and based on what I read there:
1. I already have the acm.o module
2. I created four nodes (as root):
/dev/usb/ttyACM0 c 166 0
/dev/usb/ttyACM1 c 166 1
/dev/usb/ttyACM2 c 166 2
/dve/usb/ttyACM3 c 166 3

Then I tried efax using the -d switch:
efax -d /dev/usb/ttyACM0
I got:
efax: 36:33 Error: can't open serial port /dev/usb/ttyACM0: Permission denied

Well, that's some progress. So I su'd to root & tried again:
efax -d /dev/usb/ttyACM0

This time the result is:
So, am I getting any closer to solving this? I have no idea what these errors mean, or what to try next. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks.

if ur modem are working, u shouldn't need another driver for it
just link the port your computer are using to /dev/modem will do

1. I think the modem is OK. It works plugged into another PC running WinXP

2. It's an external, controller-based modem. I don't think it needs ANY driver.

3. I don't understand what this means:Can you explain?

4. I rebooted the computer with the modem CONNECTED. Then when I tried the same command:
efax -d /dev/usb/ttyACM0
I got a "no such device" error

So, I rebooted with the modem DISconnected, and when Kudzu came up I made it remove the configuration of the modem. Then I plugged the modem in after bootup was finished, and efax was able to communicate with the modem.

EDIT: at this moment it seems to be working correctly. I was able to receive a fax on this machine (although you either have to be an amazingly fast typist, or know in advance that a fax is coming so you can have the command already typed in at the command line to answer the call.

Well, the above is not exactly correct. The fax file that was received and saved that time turned out to be a blank page. But after rebooting again with the modem connected to the usb port, and letting Kudzu configure the modem, it was able to successfully receive an actual fax.

IMPORTANT: it seems that during subsequent boot-ups, the modem must be DISconnected until after linux is loaded. If I boot up with the modem connected, it seems that something goes wrong with the modem & it can't be used unless linux is rebooted again with it DISconnected.

Oh, and when booting with the modem disconnected, I have to tell Kudzu to "do nothing" (i.e. leave the configuration unchanged.)

I have managed to send and receive faxes successfully. Although, when I took the received fax (which looked OK on the receiving machine) and fax that same file out, the file was malformed and came out blank at the other end. But I was able to use efix to convert an ordinary text file to tiffg3 format and faxed it out successfully.

Hope this helps someone else to save some time.


PS: If anybody can explain why I have to play this game of keeping the modem disconnected during boot-up, I'd like to know.

does the acm.o module load at boot?