Driver for Modem Blaster fax modem?

Hello again Experts :-)

I need to have a fax modem in my Advent computer that has Win 7 Home
Edition installed. I have a Creative Modem Blaster D15630-4. It has
the usual connections : Line, phone, microphone and speaker. The OS
can't recognize the card at all.

I guess the problem is the driver. What is the most likely place to find
one?

TIA

On 09 May 2011, Seum <> wrote in
alt.windows7.general:

> I need to have a fax modem in my Advent computer that has Win 7
> Home Edition installed. I have a Creative Modem Blaster D15630-4.
> It has the usual connections : Line, phone, microphone and
> speaker. The OS can't recognize the card at all.
>
> I guess the problem is the driver. What is the most likely place
> to find one?

The most likely place would be from the manufacturer, Creative Labs.
This appears to be old abandoned product, so you might be out of luck.

Seum wrote:

> I need to have a fax modem in my Advent computer that has Win 7 Home
> Edition installed. I have a Creative Modem Blaster D15630-4. It has
> the usual connections : Line, phone, microphone and speaker. The OS
> can't recognize the card at all.
>
> I guess the problem is the driver. What is the most likely place to
> find one?

When you say the "OS can't recognize the card", does that mean it is not
listed in Device Manager? Or does that mean it is listed but with a
yellow exclamation mark?

If listed by shown as non-functional, isn't one of the Creative driver
listed when you go to select one usable for that device?

If none of the devices are for the Blaster modem (and a generic modem
device won't work) when you look under Creative and Creative Technology,
you might have to pick one of the modem chipset makers, like Conexant
(or whatever is on the modem card).

http://support.creative.com/Products...+%2f+Internet#
Click "Analog", look under "Archived Products" column.

I saw lots of device drivers for several models of Modem Blaster (19 of
them) at Creative's web site. You didn't like any of those? I didn't
see the 5630 model listed but then several of the listings didn't have
model numbers, just a type of modem card. From their help article at
http://ask.creative.com/wwenglish/mo...S_DI5630_3.HTM, it's a PCI
card. There was no mention of v.90 support. So the listing got
shortened by eliminating any cards not mentioning PCI and those that
mentioned v.90 which narrowed it down to the Modem Blaster Flash 56 PCI
card. When I selected that one and clicked Next, one of the drivers
(for Windows XP) says it is for the model 5630-5. I saw drivers for
Windows 95/NT4/2000/XP. None were for Windows Vista/7.

Since this is archaic hardware that has long been unsupported, Creative
won't be expending any resources to update drivers on an unsupported
product. The product's support died back in Windows XP at the latest.
Since you can get a 56K analog data/fax modem with Windows 98SE/ME/2000/
XP/Vista(32&64bit)/Win7(32&64bit) for just $8 (at Newegg), you sure you
want to spend the time dealing with the outdated hardware with no
appropriate driver for it?

VanguardLH wrote:
> Seum wrote:
>
>> I need to have a fax modem in my Advent computer that has Win 7 Home
>> Edition installed. I have a Creative Modem Blaster D15630-4. It has
>> the usual connections : Line, phone, microphone and speaker. The OS
>> can't recognize the card at all.
>>
>> I guess the problem is the driver. What is the most likely place to
>> find one?
>
> When you say the "OS can't recognize the card", does that mean it is not
> listed in Device Manager? Or does that mean it is listed but with a
> yellow exclamation mark?
>
> If listed by shown as non-functional, isn't one of the Creative driver
> listed when you go to select one usable for that device?
>
> If none of the devices are for the Blaster modem (and a generic modem
> device won't work) when you look under Creative and Creative Technology,
> you might have to pick one of the modem chipset makers, like Conexant
> (or whatever is on the modem card).
>
> http://support.creative.com/Products...+%2f+Internet#
> Click "Analog", look under "Archived Products" column.
>
> I saw lots of device drivers for several models of Modem Blaster (19 of
> them) at Creative's web site. You didn't like any of those? I didn't
> see the 5630 model listed but then several of the listings didn't have
> model numbers, just a type of modem card. From their help article at
> http://ask.creative.com/wwenglish/mo...S_DI5630_3.HTM, it's a PCI
> card. There was no mention of v.90 support. So the listing got
> shortened by eliminating any cards not mentioning PCI and those that
> mentioned v.90 which narrowed it down to the Modem Blaster Flash 56 PCI
> card. When I selected that one and clicked Next, one of the drivers
> (for Windows XP) says it is for the model 5630-5. I saw drivers for
> Windows 95/NT4/2000/XP. None were for Windows Vista/7.
>
> Since this is archaic hardware that has long been unsupported, Creative
> won't be expending any resources to update drivers on an unsupported
> product. The product's support died back in Windows XP at the latest.
> Since you can get a 56K analog data/fax modem with Windows 98SE/ME/2000/
> XP/Vista(32&64bit)/Win7(32&64bit) for just $8 (at Newegg), you sure you
> want to spend the time dealing with the outdated hardware with no
> appropriate driver for it?

Thank you VLH, you are right on target as usual :-)

This is what I has from: http://uk.store.creative.com/

"I'm sorry but we don't provide drivers for old modems on our website."

Which external modems would you recommend?

I am thinking of an external one; there is only one slot in my Advent
computer. I need to add something there - a new motherboard with
multiple slots.

Seum wrote:
> VanguardLH wrote:
>> Seum wrote:
>>
>>> I need to have a fax modem in my Advent computer that has Win 7 Home
>>> Edition installed. I have a Creative Modem Blaster D15630-4. It has
>>> the usual connections : Line, phone, microphone and speaker. The OS
>>> can't recognize the card at all.
>>> I guess the problem is the driver. What is the most likely place to
>>> find one?
>>
>> When you say the "OS can't recognize the card", does that mean it is not
>> listed in Device Manager? Or does that mean it is listed but with a
>> yellow exclamation mark?
>>
>> If listed by shown as non-functional, isn't one of the Creative driver
>> listed when you go to select one usable for that device?
>>
>> If none of the devices are for the Blaster modem (and a generic modem
>> device won't work) when you look under Creative and Creative Technology,
>> you might have to pick one of the modem chipset makers, like Conexant
>> (or whatever is on the modem card).
>>
>> http://support.creative.com/Products...+%2f+Internet#
>>
>> Click "Analog", look under "Archived Products" column.
>>
>> I saw lots of device drivers for several models of Modem Blaster (19 of
>> them) at Creative's web site. You didn't like any of those? I didn't
>> see the 5630 model listed but then several of the listings didn't have
>> model numbers, just a type of modem card. From their help article at
>> http://ask.creative.com/wwenglish/mo...S_DI5630_3.HTM, it's a PCI
>> card. There was no mention of v.90 support. So the listing got
>> shortened by eliminating any cards not mentioning PCI and those that
>> mentioned v.90 which narrowed it down to the Modem Blaster Flash 56 PCI
>> card. When I selected that one and clicked Next, one of the drivers
>> (for Windows XP) says it is for the model 5630-5. I saw drivers for
>> Windows 95/NT4/2000/XP. None were for Windows Vista/7.
>>
>> Since this is archaic hardware that has long been unsupported, Creative
>> won't be expending any resources to update drivers on an unsupported
>> product. The product's support died back in Windows XP at the latest.
>> Since you can get a 56K analog data/fax modem with Windows 98SE/ME/2000/
>> XP/Vista(32&64bit)/Win7(32&64bit) for just $8 (at Newegg), you sure you
>> want to spend the time dealing with the outdated hardware with no
>> appropriate driver for it?
>
> Thank you VLH, you are right on target as usual :-)
>
> This is what I has from: http://uk.store.creative.com/
>
> "I'm sorry but we don't provide drivers for old modems on our website."
>
> Which external modems would you recommend?
>
> I am thinking of an external one; there is only one slot in my Advent
> computer. I need to add something there - a new motherboard with
> multiple slots.

Has anyone used this facility? :

http://home.efax.com/s/r/efaxpro_2?VID=40409

Seum wrote:

> Has anyone used this facility? :
> http://home.efax.com/s/r/efaxpro_2?VID=40409

That's just a TRIAL of their Pro (paid) service. You want to pay to
send faxes through them?

That goes a completely different direction. You don't need a fax modem
in your computer. Instead you use an online fax service. eFax provides
a free *receive-only* fax service (but it's damn tough to find on their
site).

http://www.efax.com/efax-free

It used to be that you could just signup for a free account (which only
gave you fax reception). I don't know if you're stuck with their Plus
subscription for a 1-month trial at which time you have to either tell
them not to continue or the Plus features automatically get disabled.

I use eFax which gives me a fax number where to receive faxes. The
faxes are then sent to me via e-mail as a TIF attachment. For their
free service, they will ONLY send the attachment in their proprietary
TIF format which requires you install their fax software to open and
read that TIF file. I haven't found another TIF viewer that knows how
to decode eFax's proprietary multi-page TIF format so I'm stuck
installing their software. Again, this is a RECEIVE ONLY free service.
To send means you have to pay them.

For sending faxes online, you can use services like FaxZero and
GotFreeFax. These only send. You upload a file (of a format they
support), they convert it to fax, and send it via telco to a fax number
that you specify. Obviously this 3rd party you are using to send your
fax will have the content of your fax. Despite any claims to privacy
and protection of your data, I wouldn't trust them with faxes that
divulge my bank account numbers, credit card numbers, social security
number, or any other sensitive or financial information.

Seum wrote:

> Which external modems would you recommend?

That depends on what interfaces you have for connecting an external
modem. Serial, USB, what?

> I am thinking of an external one; there is only one slot in my Advent
> computer. I need to add something there - a new motherboard with
> multiple slots.

You want to look at an external analog data/fax modem. You want to add
an internal modem card to occupy the slot in the case (but don't say if
it's ISA, PCI, PCI-e, or what type of slot). So which is it?

Serial modem:
http://tinyurl.com/6axxdaj

PCI modem:
http://tinyurl.com/6apjolh
http://tinyurl.com/6gvrtsh

PCI-e x1 modem:
http://tinyurl.com/6cwp7v9

USB modem:
http://tinyurl.com/6gavzre

These are just examples (and the cheapest at Newegg so they may not
represent the best or even good quality units). They may not have all
the features you want. Some use the Conexant programmable modem chip,
some use Agere (it's been way too long since I used an analog modem to
remember if one was better than the other). You need to do your own
shopping.

Seum <> wrote in news::

> Seum wrote:
>> [...]
>
> Has anyone used this facility? :
>
> http://home.efax.com/s/r/efaxpro_2?VID=40409

No, but there are loads of similar services for sending and receiving
faxes. Here's a sample.

Free:
http://savedelete.com/10-best-free-o...-services.html

Paid:
http://webfaxinfo.com
http://www.toponlinefax.net/
http://www.labnol.org/internet/send-...omputer/17676/

If you insist on a hardware solution - do what I did. I found a Trendnet USB
2.0 fax modem for under twenty bucks. I only plug it in (after the initial
install) when I need it and it never failed to work. A real pleasure.

"Seum" wrote in message news:...

Hello again Experts :-)

I need to have a fax modem in my Advent computer that has Win 7 Home
Edition installed. I have a Creative Modem Blaster D15630-4. It has
the usual connections : Line, phone, microphone and speaker. The OS
can't recognize the card at all.

I guess the problem is the driver. What is the most likely place to find
one?

TIA

jim wrote:
> If you insist on a hardware solution - do what I did. I found a Trendnet
> USB 2.0 fax modem for under twenty bucks. I only plug it in (after the
> initial install) when I need it and it never failed to work. A real
> pleasure.
>
> "Seum" wrote in message news:...
>
> Hello again Experts :-)
>
> I need to have a fax modem in my Advent computer that has Win 7 Home
> Edition installed. I have a Creative Modem Blaster D15630-4. It has
> the usual connections : Line, phone, microphone and speaker. The OS
> can't recognize the card at all.
>
> I guess the problem is the driver. What is the most likely place to find
> one?
>
> TIA

My thanks to all for your suggestions.

I have decided to buy a new USROBOTICS, 56K PCI FAXMODEM V.92
Price is about €25 or $35 - not too bad. It is an internal modem.
US Robotics is very well known and has a 2-year warranty.