# How can I tell if my modem supports Caller ID? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 11, 2009, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-tell-if-my-modem-supports-caller-id/485377 "2009-02-11T16:01:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-tell-if-my-modem-supports-caller-id/485377/1 "2009-02-11T16:01:42Z")
I’ve been playing around with trying to get my computer to display Caller ID. I downloaded [YAC](http://www.sunflowerhead.com/software/yac/) and installed it. I called my phone company and had Caller ID turned on. But YAC isn’t displaying anything. I’m guessing that my modem doesn’t support caller ID, but I can’t really tell and I’m having a hard time finding any into on the internet about it. The modem, according to device manager is PCI Soft Data Fax Modem With SmartCP made by CXT running driver version 7.74.00 updated May 08 (Windows says no newer driver is available). But I can’t really find anything else about it. One thing that does seem promising is that the inf file contains the following [CID] HKR, EnableCallerID,1,“at+vcid=1\” HKR,CallerIDPrivate,P HKR,CallerIDOutSide,O HKR, Responses, "\\DATE = ", 1, 93, 00, 00,00,00,00, 00,00,00,00 HKR, Responses, "TIME = ", 1, 94, 00, 00,00,00,00, 00,00,00,00 HKR, Responses, "NMBR = ", 1, 95, 00, 00,00,00,00, 00,00,00,00 HKR, Responses, "\\NMBR = ", 1, 95, 00, 00,00,00,00, 00,00,00,00 HKR, Responses, "NAME = ", 1, 96, 00, 00,00,00,00, 00,00,00,00 HKR, Responses, "MESG = ", 1, 97, 00, 00,00,00,00, 00,00,00,00 HKR, Responses, "\\TYPE = ", 1, 97, 00, 00,00,00,00, 00,00,00,00 HKR,VariableTerminator, \\ Which makes it seem like it is setup to work with Caller ID, but I’m starting to guess that it’s just a generic file that works with lots of modems. Any thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-tell-if-my-modem-supports-caller-id/485377/2 "2009-02-11T16:14:08Z")
[How to Test a MODEM for Caller ID Support](http://www.mtnsys.com/Pages/howto/htmdmtst.htm) ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-tell-if-my-modem-supports-caller-id/485377/3 "2009-02-11T16:26:14Z")
The first thing I would try is to use Hyperterminal or similar program and try to find out manually what the modem supports. If you do not have the specifics for that modem you can try some generic commands and see if they work AT#CID Command #CIDn - Caller ID Enables or disables Caller ID. #CID=0 Disables Caller ID. (Default.) #CID=1 Enables Caller ID with formatted presentation to the DTE. The modem will present the data items in a \\ pair format. The expected pairs are data, time, caller code (telephone number), and name. #CID=2 Enables Caller ID with unformatted presentation to the DTE. The modem will present the entire packet of information, excluding the leading U’s, in ASCII printable hex numbers. Result Codes: OK n = 0 or 2. ERROR Otherwise. Inquiries #CID? Retrieves the current Caller ID mode from the modem. #CID=? Returns the mode capabilities of the modem in a list with each element separated by commas. Formatted Form Reporting The modem presents the data in the \ = \ pair format as described in the table below. Spaces are present on both sides of the equal sign. Tag Description DATE DATE = MMDD where MM is the month number (01 to 12) and DD is the day number (01…31). TIME TIME = HHMM where HH is the hour number (00 to 23) and MM is the minute number (00 to 59). NMBR NMBR = \ or P or O where \ is the telephone number of the caller, where P indicates that the calling number information is not available since the originating caller has requested private service, and where O indicates that the calling number information is not available or out of service at the calling location. NAME NAME = \ where \ is the subscription name. MESG MESG = \ \ \ \ in printable ASCII hex numbers. This tag indicates a data item not listed above. The message is only possible for Multiple Message Format. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-tell-if-my-modem-supports-caller-id/485377/4 "2009-02-11T17:42:40Z")
Vista no longer has HyperTerminal. I downloaded ZOC Terminal, but it’s quite different then hyperterminal and I don’t even know where to start with it. Anyone want to walk me though it? ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-tell-if-my-modem-supports-caller-id/485377/5 "2009-02-11T18:38:28Z")
I have not tried it but [PuTTY](http://www.xs4all.nl/~whaa/putty/) seems to get good reviews. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-tell-if-my-modem-supports-caller-id/485377/6 "2009-02-11T18:52:52Z")
> [@sailor](#): > > I have not tried it but [PuTTY](http://www.xs4all.nl/~whaa/putty/) seems to get good reviews. PuTTY is a telnet and SSH client, it doesn’t talk to modems. ---
**Author:** ![onedayfishsale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onedayfishsale/32/4398_2.png) [@onedayfishsale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/onedayfishsale)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-tell-if-my-modem-supports-caller-id/485377/7 "2009-02-11T18:55:56Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > PuTTY is a telnet and SSH client, it doesn’t talk to modems. That used to be the case, but isn’t any longer. There’s a [section on using a local serial line](http://the.earth.li/~sgtatham/putty/0.60/htmldoc/Chapter3.html#using-serial) in the documentation. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-tell-if-my-modem-supports-caller-id/485377/8 "2009-02-11T19:11:27Z")
Either way, this program has me totally lost. Where do I go to enter these commands? I finally did find HyperTerminal. They want $50 for it. So that’s out. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-tell-if-my-modem-supports-caller-id/485377/9 "2009-02-11T20:53:00Z")
I refuse to use Vista so I have no idea but when I migrated from win98se to winXP I found a program or two missing but I managed to adapt them and get them going in XP. It seems Hyperterminal can easily run in Vista: > [@](#): > > [http://msmvps.com/blogs/richardwu/archive/2007/06/15/hyperterminal-for-vista.aspx](http://msmvps.com/blogs/richardwu/archive/2007/06/15/hyperterminal-for-vista.aspx) > > Microsoft has removed HyperTerminal from Windows Vista, if you need to connect to a Cisco router through a local COM port, you can get HyperTerminal from Hilgraeve, the company that Microsoft licensed the application through. > > **You could also use the old XP Hyper terminal. Just extract two files hypertrm.dll and hypertrm.exe. You can put them anywhere on the disk, no installation required. Of course, for that you need to have XP to extract files from.** > > Besides, puTTY and SecureCRT are great too! I would prefer puTTY as it is FREE! :-p > PuTTY can now connect to local serial ports as well as making network connections!!! ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-tell-if-my-modem-supports-caller-id/485377/10 "2009-02-12T20:08:59Z")
Okay, I got hyperterminal off an XP computer. All commands above and on the first linked page give me an error EXCEPT at+vcid=1 (or 0). ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-tell-if-my-modem-supports-caller-id/485377/11 "2009-02-12T23:52:21Z")
How about \*\*AT+VCID=? \*\* > [@](#): > > AT+VCID=\ Caller ID > With this command caller identification is enabled/disabled. > · Disable caller ID: \=0 > · Enable, formatted caller report: \=1 > · Enable, unformatted caller report: \=2 > AT+VCID? Returns the current caller ID pmode > **AT+VCID=? Queries the DCE for the range of supported caller ID report formats DCE returns: 0, 1, 2** ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2009, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-tell-if-my-modem-supports-caller-id/485377/12 "2009-02-13T04:11:18Z")
> [@sailor](#): > > how about \*\*at+vcid=? \*\* (0-2) ok ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2009, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-tell-if-my-modem-supports-caller-id/485377/13 "2009-02-13T09:03:49Z")
well, that means it reports that it does support both formatted and unformatted Caller ID modes. You say at+vcid=1 works. Have you tried at+vcid=2 and see what happens? I think it is a matter of being persistent and you’ll finally get it to work. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2009, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-tell-if-my-modem-supports-caller-id/485377/14 "2009-02-13T13:10:19Z")
> [@sailor](#): > > well, that means it reports that it does support both formatted and unformatted Caller ID modes. You say at+vcid=1 works. Have you tried at+vcid=2 and see what happens? I think it is a matter of being persistent and you’ll finally get it to work. For both of them it just says “Ring” when the phone rings, but no other info shows up. I need to check it on some of the other computers. I’ll also call the phone company and double check that Caller ID is turned on (Which it should be). ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2009, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-tell-if-my-modem-supports-caller-id/485377/15 "2009-02-13T13:13:47Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > For both of them it just says “Ring” when the phone rings, but no other info shows up. I need to check it on some of the other computers. I’ll also call the phone company and double check that Caller ID is turned on (Which it should be). You should be able to test the Caller ID with a phone. Once that is confirmed then continue with the modem. Maybe the software or driver needs to be checked… ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2009, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-tell-if-my-modem-supports-caller-id/485377/16 "2009-02-13T16:28:40Z")
It was the phone company, Caller ID wasn’t turned on yet. All is good now. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2009, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-tell-if-my-modem-supports-caller-id/485377/17 "2009-02-13T16:34:54Z")
Great.