[mbbrocks]

If you've got a Mini 9 with the Dell 5530 HSPA / Mobile Broadband module, here's what you need to know to get it going:

• Download the following modem script: http://www.mobilebroadbandrocks.com/...-broadband.zip
  Unzip the script and place it in your root:library:modem scripts folder.
  Go into system preferences and select Network
  Select ‘Dell Wireless 5530 HSPA Mobile’ from the list on the left
  Click on advanced
  Under the modem tab, change the vendor to ‘other’ and select ‘Dell Mobile Broadband’ from the list, click on ok
  Back on the network screen, enter ‘none’ as the telephone number. This means the modem script will use the default APN. If you want to specify the APN you want to use, enter it in the telephone number field (e.g. ‘internet’). Leave account name and password blank.
  Select ’show modem status in menu bar’
  Click on apply
  When you want to connect, click on the phone icon on the top menu bar, near the time. Click on ‘Connect Dell Wireless 5530 HSPA Mobile’ and you’re away.

If you're having problems, you may need to enter your APN manually. Back in the connection properties, change the 'telephone number' to the name of your APN. The APN will vary depending on which mobile operator you use - for example, if you're a contract Vodafone UK customer, the APN will be 'internet'. Try http://www.filesaveas.com/gprs.html for details on UK APNs.

[behive]

Hello all

i'm having some problems with this as well.

downloaded the script. placed it in the correct folder and changed the connection config as stated in the how-to

unfortunately, i can not make it work.

i tried with 'none', i tried it with what i think is the correct APN for my network ( which would be 'internet.vodafone.pt' since it's Vodafone in Portugal), i tried deleting the connections and recreating them, deleting the script and re-downloading it... no luck so far.

when i try to connect it goes from connecting, to authenticating, to disconnecting. it always comes up with the 'Could not negotiate a connection with the remote PPP server.' error.

anyone have any suggestions? Anyone out there that has this working on Portugal's Vodafone network???

thanks in advance

[behive]

I found my problem

first of all, for anyone that's in Portugal like me, trying to connecto to vodafone, i'll leave the connection details:

APN: internet.vodafone.pt
user: vodafone
pass: vodafone
dial nr: *99***1# (i found some places online that listed *99***16# as being the correct one, but this was the only one i mannaged to use)

Anyway, like i said, i found my problem.
Uppon inspecting the PPP logs, i found out that the connection actually happens... the authentication process goes OK, but then the dell sends two packets that mess things up.

it sends the ipcp and the ipv6cp

after this, the peer sends me a termination, as a reply to the ipv6cp...
a reply for the ipcp never reaches me.

so i'm guessing ipv6 is messing things up.

but how the heck am i supposed to turn off ipv6 for the hspa connections? usually there's a tcp/ip tab on the connection details where you can configure this, but there is none on any of the two hspa connections...

anyone has any ideas on how to deactivate this??????

[AdamW]

behive

I'm still having problems connecting as well (using T-mobile UK sim), with disconnects at the same stage.

However, perhaps this may help you. To turn off IPv6 for your HSPA modem, open Terminal

Type the following:

networksetup -listallnetworkservices

This should give you a list of the network services you have on your Mini. I had previously named my 5530 modem as Dell when adding the connection in Network, within System Preferences. If you're name is different, substitute it in the following command, using "quotations marks" if the name has spaces in it.

sudo networksetup -setv6off Dell

Then enter your password, and IPv6 should be turned off for your connection.

[behive]

thanks AdamW

i had allready figures out how to turn off ipv&. i just didn't post about it because i was without internet access

now i don't get the ipv6cp reply asking for a hangup, and the server is finally sending me the ipcp reply.

unfortunately, the ipcp reply is also a hangup...

i managed to find a friend of mine who uses a 3g connection from the same carrier as i do (unfortunately he's on windows, and it's a pcmcia 3g card) and i asked him for a log of his connecting process.

he also gets an ipcp reply to hangup,just like i do, the difference is that when he gets that reply, instead of hanging up, his card sends and ipcp request again, and keeps doing it until it receives and acknowledge reply... he showed me 3 logs.. once he needed 10 retries, the other two times only 4 were needed.

mine does not retry. it simply hangs up after the first try...

anyone has any ideas on how to force the dell 5530 into retrying instead of hanging up??

[Vando06]

i am running into some trouble when trying to activate WWAN in my OSX mini

when i place the script into the modem folder, nothing appears in my system prefs.
Am i doing something wrong?
has anyone else had the same trouble?

Cheers

[ukbodypilot]

This is an odd problem. I disabled IPv6 and turned off PPP echos.

If I power up the mini it might take 5 attempts to connect without the error. After that I can connect and disconnect as many times as I like with no error. If I sleep or reboot the error comes back until the next good connection.

Can't make sense of it.

[dwoo]

I had the same problems while trying to connect to the dutch Vodafone network, but I managed to get it work!!!

I used the instructions in the first post to set everything up, but nothing worked for me.
I have tried virtually every possible configuration but this is the only one that works for me (Vodafone Netherlands).

download and install the script from the first post

REMOVE the PIN from the SIM (you can use a normal GSM telephone to do this)

Preferences => Network=> Dell Wireless 5530 HSPA Mobile

Telephone Number: (leave this empty)
Account Name: vodafone
Password: vodafone


Enter this in the Modem tab after clicking on the advanced button:

Vendor: Other
Model: Dell Mobile broadband

That's all

After that it connected every single time (it takes about 10 seconds)

[50mm]

I finally got WWAN to work... It looks like switching off the IPv6 made the deal. Thanks!

I connected with two different carriers (Vodafone & T-Mobile). Connection is not superfast (around 500 Kbits at home), but it works.

I tried it with and without PPP echo. Both settings worked for Vodafone, T-Mobile needed PP echo ON.

Now it is a nice small MAC OS X maschine!

[rakmini]

Settings for Vodafone TopUp and Go service:

• APN: pp.internet
• Username: web
• Password: web

I ordered the £39 TopUp and Go USB modem, which includes: USB modem, SIM card & 1Gb of data transfer. Additional 1Gb topups are £15. A nice feature for infrequent mobile users is that the data allowance does not expire - although if you do not connect to the service for 180 days the SIM is suspended.

How To:

1. Test the connection using the USB modem - the Vodafone Mobile Connect* software installer pops up when you plug it in. After testing use the uninstaller to remove the VMC software.
2. Shutdown, remove the SIM card from the USB modem and insert into the Mini 9's SIM slot.
3. Following mbbrocks' instructions... download and installed the modem script, enter the connection information (above) into Network Preferences, click Apply then hit Connect.

If the Dell 5530 modem does not appear in the left hand column automatically, click the '+', select 'Dell Wireless 5530 HSPA Mobile' from the 'Interface' list. There are two entries for the internal 5530 modem, I selected the first one.

I'm not sure why there are two entries in the Interface list. As a test, I added both in Network Preferences and was able to connect each one, speed tests came out about the same. Internal port references are usbmodemfd62 & usbmodemfd64

ThinkBroadband Speed tests:
usbmodemfd62: Down 884.70 Kbps (0.9 Mbps) Up 1089.88 Kbps (1.1 Mbps)
usbmodemfd64: Down 1165.51 Kbps (1.1 Mbps) Up 957.04 Kbps (0.9 Mbps)

TopUp and Go service is limited to 3.6Mbps, their 7.2Mbps service is only available on pay monthly plans. Signal strength in my location is poor, so that might explain the low speed test results.

The booklet that comes with the modem seems to be outdated as it doesn't mention Mac software which pops up when you plug in the modem. VMC software allows you to send/receive SMS messages, check your balance and number associated with the SIM - but this only works with the USB modem.

* While you are connected via the USB modem you should register for an online account at Vodafone - you need to be online via the USB modem to receive an SMS to confirm your account. After you do this you can see your balance and topup via the website rather than having to connect via the USB modem again.

All this works on Vodafone UK TopUp and Go, I did not have to change any of the other settings (PPP, ipv6) mentioned by others - I hope it's that simple for you! For other countries, if you can connect with the VMC software via USB, look in the preferences, you will find the APN settings for your location.

Next... try and get the GPS working

Update: Looking at the content of the VMC app package there are lots of references to Novamedia/Launch2Net, looks like a customized version for Vodafone.

Update #2: If you dig around the VMC application package you'll find XML files with all APN/user/pwd combos for prepaid and contract connections for Vodafone networks worldwide, look inside: Vodafone Mobile Connect.app:Contents:Resources:Opco:

[WhiteTiger]

Originally Posted by dwoo

I had the same problems while trying to connect to the dutch Vodafone network, but I managed to get it work!!!

I used the instructions in the first post to set everything up, but nothing worked for me.
I have tried virtually every possible configuration but this is the only one that works for me (Vodafone Netherlands).

download and install the script from the first post

REMOVE the PIN from the SIM (you can use a normal GSM telephone to do this)

Preferences => Network=> Dell Wireless 5530 HSPA Mobile

Telephone Number: (leave this empty)
Account Name: vodafone
Password: vodafone


Enter this in the Modem tab after clicking on the advanced button:

Vendor: Other
Model: Dell Mobile broadband

That's all

After that it connected every single time (it takes about 10 seconds)

I am from Portugal and this has worked for me (using vodafone of course) thx for the Tip!!!
For all portuguese out here don't forget to remove the Pin.
Great job got my dell mini almost wrote mac mini working with everything in just one day. I already updated to Mac OS X 10.5.7.

Thanks to all who made the great tutorials!!!