The Conexant SoftK56 Data Fax is a 56K data fax modem used to enable dial-up internet connections, send and receive faxes, and perform other modem-related functions on older computers. It is a software-based (or "soft") modem that relies on the CPU to handle certain processing tasks, making it an economical choice in the past.

To use this modem with a computer running Windows, you need to install the appropriate Windows driver. The driver allows the operating system to communicate with the modem and enables it to function properly for tasks like dialing out for internet access or sending/receiving faxes.