If you have been reading my blog lately, you know about my issue with the excessive logging in the 3Connect software and my efforts on trying get around it.
Now, today I decided to take a different approach and search for connection software for HSDPA modems from other software vendors. Let me tell you right away, that using search queries such as "umts free connection software cnet" led me into a jungle of freeware programs. Some programs were still on cnet, but the vendors site was like this - really comforting, no?
I had almost given up, when I found a link to a description of the HUAWEI E220 modem on wikipedia. With nothing else to do (or, actually, I had plenty to do as I am moving to a new flat this Sunday), I read through the article. And at the bottom, some software alternatives were mentioned. I have now installed and tried the MWConn software with great success - in the following I'll give you some pointers to how you can set up the program to use "3" network. It's actually very simple and takes around 5 minutes.
Please, before you consider installing and using MWConn, remember that you yourself is responsible for you own computer and your broadband modem. Don't come crying to me (or 3, for that matter) if you mess it up, orphan the modem or get an extra large bill because you, like, by accident start roaming only!
First of all: The site is in German, but the program also supports English. When the .zip file has been downloaded and unpacked, you'll have a MWconn.exe in the resulting folder. Double click that file for installation. You'll be prompted for language and for setting up a network connection called Internet.
After installation is complete, you'll have a new folder in your Programs menu called MWConn with the following content:
As you can see, the different types of connections are devided into seperate executables. Might seem a little strange, but I'm guessing that it is done in order to keep the footprint of the client as small as possible during usage.
Now for the setup... click Config.exe (I can't remember if the configuration was started during installation). There are some values that you need to insert in order to get online. They are:
You set the PIN code under the Device pane (I think you can choose to not set it and get prompted every time, but I haven't tried it):
Now the APN value was a little more tricky, because I hadn't received any such information from "3". So I searched through the existing configuration files for the 3Connect software for clues. And... in the configuration file C:\Documents and Settings\Christer\Application Data\Birdstep Technology\EasyConnect\Config.xml there's an APN mentioned. The xpath in the xml is /AliceConf/Connection/ConData/Apn and the value for my Swedish "3" broadband is "bredband.tre.se".
The APN is set on the Network pane:
After this, you're actually done with configuration! However, paranoid as I might be, I also wanted to configure the application to use "3" network only (no roaming). If you want this too, start the network analysis and wait for 4-5 mintes. The program will show you all recognized networks in the listbox, and you can select from it. That's where I got the "3 SE" value from.
Press OK to close the configuration.
Now, all you have to do is to double click the UMTSGPRS.exe file. It'll recognize your HUAWEI modem and goes online. The client looks like this:
When minimized it'll be in your system tray displaying the strength of the current network signal.
The manual is also quite impressing. As I was exploring my way forward in the program (of course, I didn't actually read it), I got some error messages when I hadn't entered the APN. I got error codes that I could look up directly in the manual - now that's how it should be done!
Please, if you have danish "3" broadband, supply me with configuration values in a comment for everyone to use. Thanks! Update: Bo Krogsgaard has added a comment for danish APN values etc.
I wrote this article while being online via my "3" connection in about 1,5 hours... the content of the log file is:
2008-08-25 22:42:41'04 Selected operating mode: preferably UMTS.
2008-08-25 22:43:05'09 Connection established.
2008-08-25 22:43:05'59 Signal strength: 80% -65dBm
... and nothing more! :)))))))))))))
(For all articles related to 3Connect click here.)
