TRENDnet TFM-560U 56K USB Data/Fax/TAM Modem

Bits & Bytes, S I Business Trends, August, 2008. Bill Dubovsky.

Situation: It seems that almost everyone has ubiquitous connections with the world via their Smartphone, iPhone, FiOS, cable, WiFi, WiMax or other broadband alternative. Why should we be thinking about 1980's modem technology in 2008?

The fact is that fewer laptops come with built-in modems and some of us mobile and rural users still need modems connected to our laptops for business reasons. Sensitive governmental, utility, security, financial and medical organizations, require staff to log into their systems and networks via special toll-free numbers for good reason - they don't trust Internet security and need to minimize the risk of being hacked.

Some users need a high speed modem for Internet access in rural parts of the country that don't have broadband access. A number of ISPs offer "high speed dial-up" or "DSL speeds over regular phone lines," for these customers. Other users need to send and receive faxes occasionally when they're out of the office and don't want to pay a monthly fee for an Internet fax forwarding service, and still others want the ability to broadcast voicemails and faxes to colleagues and to have their own answering machine/voicemail when they are on the road. Others just want to upload and download data from their "home system" to their remote pc on occasion. If you're a mobile or rural business person - you may still need a modem attached to your pc, and you may need a more versatile (fax, voice, data) modem than normally comes with most laptops today.

What is it?

A modem (MOdulator-DEModulator) is hardware which allows digital devices such as computers, fax machines, etc., to communicate with each other over analog phone lines or special modems that connect with other long distance media such as DSL, cable, FiOS, satellite or radio. The modem I will be reviewing is the TFM-56OU by TrendnetTRENDnet 56K USB Data/Fax/TAM Modem (V.92, Kflex56), about $30.00 on Amazon.com, and is used to connect your pc to analog POTS lines (Plain Old Telephone Service). This USB connected modem can be used with a pc or a desktop machine and is a data, fax, and voice modem which is video phone ready. Check with amazon.com for complete technical specs.

How it works:

After installing the drivers that come on the CD-ROM, simply plug this device which is about the size of the original iPod nano into any USB port on your pc. The next step is to install your fax/voice/data software or use what comes with the device. I am a long-time user of Cheyenne Bitware (now CA Bitware) and the software quickly identified the modem and installed the appropriate drivers. You can get updated Bitware software from many sources on the Internet. The main difference I noticed is that the new modem is much faster and more reliable than the one built-into my aging Sony Vaio, plus it has voice capabilities!

What you need:

A pc with a CD-ROM drive, 300 MHz CPU or above, 256 MB memory, 4 MB hard drive space and a USB port 1.1 or 2.0 and Microsoft Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP/2003/Vista. The Trendnet TFM-56OU comes with all software, hardware and cables you need to connect to your computer.

How hard is it to use?

I installed it to my MacBook Pro, using the Windows XP partition and got it working within 5 minutes. Note that this modem does not work with Mac OSX or Linux, only with Windows as mentioned previously.

Findings:

The modem worked as advertized. I always like to check the users' comments and reviews in Amazon before I buy anything, as they seem to be an honest assessment of what you can expect.

Pros: The device was a good value for about $30.00. It is small, light, comes with a cap to protect the USB connector and is easy to install if you follow the simple directions. It turns out to be much faster than my older pc installed modem, has the added voice capability which I didn't have, can be used for "high speed dialup," and seems to have fewer errors when sending faxes to lists of recipients. I also liked the fact that the modem is self-powered via the USB port - there is no need for another external power cord to plug in.

Cons: The modem is one-piece and has to be plugged into the USB port directly. It probably would have been better to connect it via a USB cable which would give you more flexibility in how to position and install, especially if you're using it in a desktop system. I was also disappointed that it couldn't be used with the Mac side of my MacBook Pro. The Apple modem is very simple and doesn't have the functionality I need. I would hope that Trendnet would develop and make Mac OSX drivers available for Mac users.

Bottom-line:

Well worth the money. I just needed a simple modem for the pc side of my MacBook Pro as a back-up fax device and was pleasantly surprised that Bitware recognized the device and gave me the voice capabilities that I have done without for so long. For more information and other user's reviews, check on the Trendnet modem by visiting www.Amazon.com. This device is not commonly available in electronic retail stores.

I didn't have a modem installed in my new computer because I have cable broadband service. Then I found I needed to send some faxes which requires using the phone line and a modem. The Trendnet USB modem solved the problem for me. It is inexpensive and works great. I recommend this modem if your computer doesn't already have a modem installed. It is also easy to take with you, if you want to fax from your notebook. The alternative would be to use an online service, which requires a monthly fee.

I live in a rural area, and have tried several PCI modems, but couldn't get better than 31.2K connect. This TrendNet modem installed easily (Win98SE), and connects at 44K all the time. I'm pleased!

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 132 reviews  3.9 out of 5 stars