Connecting to Orange mobile internet on my Mac?
Discussion
Hey guys, gone through the Orange help website and tried several times to ring them, but no joy.
I've got an Orange mobile internet USB modem that I'd like to connect to my eMac. I can't find a driver which I was told to find on the Orange website, and am now at a loss.
Can you help?
Sam
I've got an Orange mobile internet USB modem that I'd like to connect to my eMac. I can't find a driver which I was told to find on the Orange website, and am now at a loss.
Can you help?
Sam
What does it look like - is it like an Apple mouse on a short USB cable, or a USB stick that looks like a flash drive?
Look on the base of the stick for any identification. It will most probably be a Huawei brand modem, either U220 or E172 or similar.
All of the Huawei 3G USB modems present themselves to all operating systems as simple serial modem devices. You don't really need drivers most of the time and they work with Windows, OS X and Linux no problem.
If you want an easy ride, then I know for a fact that Orange support OS X so they should have a 'mobile broadband' driver download for you. I've just done a bit of Googling and the Orange current USB stick is called the 'Option ICON 225' and is a full-on HSUPA unit, nice one.
However it appears that this unit is a proprietary bit of nonsense that incorporates a flash memory drive (which contains the drivers). Of course, when you plug it into Windows, Windows will probably be running as admin and will autorun the install package on the USB stick... meaning it's 'plug and play' for most people (but security minded people will be sickened). With OS X, try sticking the USB stick in and see if it mounts in the Finder as a flash drive as well. If so, look on that flash drive for an install package. If it's there, run it! That'll install the necessary modem scripts.
If not, I haven't been able to find the modem scripts on Orange's website (so my google-fu must be weak) but it's pretty easy to set up a ghetto USB 3G modem, you just won't get full speed. Try my method first. Also, if you have a box from Orange, it should contain at least some instructions or a CD with the drivers on.
Remember that the device doesn't need drivers per se on OS X. What it needs is a modem script that supplies the correct AT commands to the serial modem to enable full performance. I've been fortunate enough to stick to Vodafone kit that doesn't seem to cause the bizarre behaviour, but given that the Vodafone kit is also Huawei, it may also have the weird hidden flash drive on it. If so, you may be able to install the Vodafone Connect drivers from the Vodafone website and simply change the username and password in the PPP modem login to the correct values for Orange (check out Ross Barkman's page )
Look on the base of the stick for any identification. It will most probably be a Huawei brand modem, either U220 or E172 or similar.
All of the Huawei 3G USB modems present themselves to all operating systems as simple serial modem devices. You don't really need drivers most of the time and they work with Windows, OS X and Linux no problem.
If you want an easy ride, then I know for a fact that Orange support OS X so they should have a 'mobile broadband' driver download for you. I've just done a bit of Googling and the Orange current USB stick is called the 'Option ICON 225' and is a full-on HSUPA unit, nice one.
However it appears that this unit is a proprietary bit of nonsense that incorporates a flash memory drive (which contains the drivers). Of course, when you plug it into Windows, Windows will probably be running as admin and will autorun the install package on the USB stick... meaning it's 'plug and play' for most people (but security minded people will be sickened). With OS X, try sticking the USB stick in and see if it mounts in the Finder as a flash drive as well. If so, look on that flash drive for an install package. If it's there, run it! That'll install the necessary modem scripts.
If not, I haven't been able to find the modem scripts on Orange's website (so my google-fu must be weak) but it's pretty easy to set up a ghetto USB 3G modem, you just won't get full speed. Try my method first. Also, if you have a box from Orange, it should contain at least some instructions or a CD with the drivers on.
Remember that the device doesn't need drivers per se on OS X. What it needs is a modem script that supplies the correct AT commands to the serial modem to enable full performance. I've been fortunate enough to stick to Vodafone kit that doesn't seem to cause the bizarre behaviour, but given that the Vodafone kit is also Huawei, it may also have the weird hidden flash drive on it. If so, you may be able to install the Vodafone Connect drivers from the Vodafone website and simply change the username and password in the PPP modem login to the correct values for Orange (check out Ross Barkman's page )
Thanks Cyberface, think I get what you're saying!
It is indeed a Huawei Unit 225, and putting it into my crappy ol' PC I have explored the flash drive - there is a 'cardfinderautorun.exe' file that seems to be the one windows will use, but my PC is too old for the OS to be supported (2000 service pack 3).
The packaging from Orange came with no CD, and limited instructions (along the lines of 'if you have windows from the last couple of years, plug it in and it will work!', so are you suggesting my best bet is to just plug it into my Mac, open the drive that appears, and try to run this .exe file?
Ta muchly for your help, been trying to get internet at home for 2 years with no joy! (got a careline piggy-backed onto the landline, so can't have broadband, and have found only Orange offer 3G signal in my house!
Sam
It is indeed a Huawei Unit 225, and putting it into my crappy ol' PC I have explored the flash drive - there is a 'cardfinderautorun.exe' file that seems to be the one windows will use, but my PC is too old for the OS to be supported (2000 service pack 3).
The packaging from Orange came with no CD, and limited instructions (along the lines of 'if you have windows from the last couple of years, plug it in and it will work!', so are you suggesting my best bet is to just plug it into my Mac, open the drive that appears, and try to run this .exe file?
Ta muchly for your help, been trying to get internet at home for 2 years with no joy! (got a careline piggy-backed onto the landline, so can't have broadband, and have found only Orange offer 3G signal in my house!
Sam
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