Dial-up App?

[aanderud]

LMITOUT....Here are a couple options.

First, for $10 a month you can add a phone to your cell plan and use it as a dial-up adapter. My old motorola razr phone showed up in windows as a dial-up adapter just like any old modem would, when I hooked it to the computer with a USB data cable and installed the motorola modem software. These phones are a dime a dozen, they give them out nowadays on various classified sites, used. Don't get a free one from your cell phone vendor or you'll be locked in for a year. Get one off HSO-Classifieds or some other site, and be sure to try it on your line before you even activate another line for it to make sure it does what you need. I can't say that I ever used it to do what you're doing, but since it showed up as a dial-up adapter and not an ethernet or networking device, it just might work.

Or, if that doesn't work or if you want to go more exotic, try this:

Start with the modem that's built into your laptop. Run a phone line from there to a magicjack, which is a USB dongle that has a phone plug on one end of it to plug in a phone or fax machine. Plug the magicjack into your PC, which runs the magicjack software of course. From there it accesses magicjack's telephony services via internet, which you get via tethering off your android phone (either USB or wifi). You have a regular phone number and can call any old phone or fax or modem in the world (at least anything in the U.S...worldwide calling costs $$). These are cheap, like $30 at bestbuy and that comes with a year of service. If it sucks for some reason, take it back and you're out nothing.

This magicjack option doesn't seem like it'd work, on the surface -- with VoIP providers in the loop and whatnot -- but it just MIGHT. It would be not-too-different than my oldschool fax machine multifunction printer at home that I run through a magicjack (since I don't have a landline) to do such things as submit faxed receipts to flex spending accounts, etc...except that instead of an oldschool fax machine, you are hooking your computer's fax/modem to it, and instead of using DSL for internet for the magicjack, you're using a tethered android phone. And instead of getting money back from a flex account, you get to diagnose some random remote electronic devices. You may not get faster than 9600 or 14400 baud, but my guess is you aren't using this remote device as your gateway to the internet or needing to transfer huge files, and so it should suffice.

[Shack]

LOL I honestly was going to direct BA to this thread last weekend. Figured with my figuring from over the years BA would have an idea.

[delcecchi]

If your laptop has a modem, and the device has a modem and you are sitting right there what do you need the phone company for? Can't you just plug the modem in the computer into the modem on the device with a cable?

Searched on "connect modems together" and got this....

One method for connecting two computers together to transfer files is by a direct modem to modem connection. Some reasons to do so: the two computers may not have diskette compatibility; one computer may have a modem, but no free serial port; a serial port may be free, but (especially on some modern PC's with Asian made motherboards) the back panel connector may be wired incorrectly; getting two different computers to communicate correctly via serial port connection (i.e., "null-modem") may be difficult; getting files other than text files to transfer via rs-232 may be tricky. A direct modem connection has the advantage that standard terminal programs are designed primarily to work with a modem. Another possibility is that of printing via a fax machine; some PC printers are multi-function: fax/scanner/copier/printer. This is another way an old Mac might access such devices. I have seen this mentioned, but haven't been able to try it yet (I don't yet have a compatible Mac fax program). It might also be possible to use a fax machine as a scanner this way; connect one computer modem to the fax machine.

One necessity for a reliable connection of this type is a "line simulator", a device to provide simulation of a telephone line, supplying the line current that modems are designed to work with. For our purposes, a very simple home-made circuit will do the job (you should be able to find most, if not all, of the parts at a Radio Shack store). This connects between two telephone modular jacks, and the two modems plug into the jacks:

Basic Circuit:

+ | | -

GREEN----------+---||||---/\/\/--+-------------RED

| | | R |

| 9 to 24V |

| |

+---||------------+

C .47uF

RED-----------------------------------------------GREEN

Note that the resistor value depends on the actual voltage used. For 24V about 1K Ohms max will give at most 24mA (12V @ 500 Ohms, 9V @ 380 Ohms); the resistance of the modem circuit will reduce this slightly (you may need to reduce the resistor value, but if it works with the values mentioned, leave it at that; I'm using 380 Ohms with a voltage input of 14V). The telephone company guarantees about 20mA minimum in an actual phone line, and we want to be about the same minimum. Note also that the battery shown can be replaced by a "wall wart" power supply; most of these are un-regulated (my "9V @ 130mA" plug in DC supply gives about 14V on this circuit when connected to a telepone for testing) and consequently will need an electrolytic capacitor of about 2200 uF across the power supply + and - terminals to reduce the "ripple" voltage (i.e., AC "noise"); be sure to match the polarity of the Electrolytic to the polarity of the power supply.

A more elegant solution when using an unregulated power supply is to add a 12 volt regulator such as a 78L12 (or a 7812 if you can't find the low power "L" version) as shown here:

78L12 380 Ohm 1/2 Watt

_________

| |

+VDC IN >--------+-----|IN + |----+--/\/\/\/--+--------GREEN

+_|_ |___GND___| _|_ _|_

-DC IN >--+ _ _ | _ _ .1uF _ _ .47uF

| | 10uF | | |

RED----------+-----+----------+---------+-----------+

GREEN----------------------------------------------------------RED

In the circuits above, the 10uF is a Tantalum, but you can substitute electrolytic. The 0.1uF is ceramic, and the 0.47uF should be an audio grade bypass; I used a polypropelene capacitor here. Make sure the capacitors have voltage rating at least equal to the power supply you use; a voltage regulator needs at least two volts more at its input than its output, so the above needs at least 14 volts in. Most regulators will take up to about 30 volts max on their input, but the greater the differential, the greater the power loss and subsequent heat dissipation in the regulator. The 78L12 is designed for 200mA max, whereas the 7812 is about 1 to 1.5 A max (when used with an adequate heat sink (an aluminum "radiator" designed for this purpose).

Once the modems are connected and the terminal programs are up, type AT to be sure you get back "OK" response. Next, type ATX3&C0 (that's C-Zero). C0 may not actually be needed on a PC, but is needed on the Mac; I type the same string at both my PC and Mac without any problems, though. Now, type ATD (the dial command) and enter on one computer; next type ATA and enter on the other. The two computers will connect, and you may now use the terminal to transfer any files. The Mac 68000 faq says Macs can use modem rates up to 56000; I use 19600 on my Plus and PC because it's the fastest available on the Windows 3.1 terminal program I use on my Win95 PC (Hyperterminal would allow faster rates, but is a little more trouble to use; see the link below "issuing Modem AT commands in Windows 95" for how to use it). Use your favorite terminal program on the Mac. I have downloaded Mac programs (in .hqx or .sit format) and transferred to my Plus with this method without any problem.

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This is sort of "old school" but if it is what you want to do it should do the job. Or perhaps other articles in the same search.

Sorry the ascii art didn't come out so well. The original was at jagshouse