Red Hat Knowledgebase

WinModems are also commonly referred to as "softmodems". They require special software and drivers that are normally only obtainable for Windows PC's. As such, they are unsupportable under Red Hat Enterprise Linux.

WinModems are not controlled by a serial port. The digital signal processor (DSP) on the board must be controlled directly by the system's main CPU.

There are well-defined command sets for modems, standardized by ITU (International Telecommunications Union) and TIA (Telecommunications Industry Association). The standards ITU V.250 and TIA/EIA 602 define the command set for a modem. These command sets have the ancient names: Hayes command set or AT command set.

Linux is able to handle modems complying with the standards mentioned above. However, WinModems do not comply with these standards and their interface details are not frequently disclosed by their vendors.

What options do I have?
Getting a "hardware" modem is a good option. One that does not require special drivers. Often these can be found at a local computer store, and will most likely state 'Linux' as a supported OS on the packaging.