Make Vodafone Mobile Connect & Huawei Modems Work on Windows 7
One of the very few problems I have with Vodafone Romania is the fact that they do not provide proper software and driver support for mobile internet users. I have a Huawei E220 USB modem which doesn't get recognized by Windows 7 and I cannot use it to connect to the Internet. At this moment, Vodafone doesn't seem to have a software & firmware upgrade for it so that it works on Windows 7. After a bit of digging I managed to find a solution which works for Windows 7 and Windows Vista on both 32 and 64-bit versions. If you have the same issues, click on read more to find out how to fix them.
NOTE: Following the procedure below might make your Vodafone warranty void. In case of issues, please consult the links & documentation suggested below. Unfortunately, our team cannot provide tech support on issues with this modem.
Upgrade Your Huawei Firmware
There is a Malaysia mobile phone operator called Maxis which seems to provide great software support for this device. Go to this download page and download the E220 Software Upgrade package. Below it, you will also find a guide on how to install the software upgrade, called PC Software Upgrade Guide. Once you download the software upgrade, follow the instructions from the guide and install it according to the instructions.
To summarize, you need to do the following:
- Do all the installations from a computer with Windows XP installed. I tried to do this from Windows 7 directly and it did not work. Chances are it won't work from Windows Vista either;
- Install first the E220 Firmware from the archive you downloaded;
- Next, install the E220 Dashboard.
If you are unsure on any of the steps or you have issues, don't hesitate to check the PC Software Upgrade Guide and the FAQ page from Maxis.
Upgrade To The Latest Version of Vodafone Mobile Connect
Now you have a modem with proper firmware and drivers installed, which will work on both Windows 7 32-bit and 64-bit. The problem is that you also have the software from Maxis which doesn't work with the Vodafone network. In order to connect to the Vodafone network, you need to install the latest version of Vodafone Mobile Connect. This can be found here. From this page, download and install the version available under the 'For the PC (Windows)' section. This installation should be done on the laptop/PC with Windows 7.
How To Use Your Huawei E220 USB Modem
To access the Vodafone network, do the following: plug-in your modem, wait for Windows 7 to detect it and install the appropriate drivers, start the Vodafone Mobile Connect application and connect to the Vodafone network.
Conclusion
Unfortunately, big companies such as Vodafone seem to be a bit slow in providing support for new operating systems such as Windows 7. The procedure above has worked for my modem and now I can connect to the Internet without issues. However, there may be alternative solutions of which I am not aware. If you know other ways to make your Huawei modems work on Windows 7, don't hesitate to leave a comment. I'm sure a lot of people will find it helpful.
Comments
I did exactly nothing to make
I did exactly nothing to make my E220 work with Windows 7.
Only had to do something to make it work with Vista.
I can say the same about a dozen printer and scanner models.
Not jumping to conclusions, but now I think: if it works with Vista it works with 7.
That's true. If your hardware
That's true. If your hardware device works on Windows Vista, most likely it will work on Windows 7.
Not necessarilly. My E870
Not necessarilly. My E870 Huawei mini PCMIA Card works fine on my Vaio FZ21M on Vista, but not on Win 7. Even more, the same card works fine on the Dell Inspiron i use at work, and it runs win 7 x64.
For now i don't have a solution to fix this problem.
same problem for E172 Huawei
same problem for E172 Huawei Mobile Connect Key, and Windows 7 32-64
"Ciprian - 08/28/2009 -
"Ciprian - 08/28/2009 - 10:58
That's true. If your hardware device works on Windows Vista, most likely it will work on Windows 7."
My E220 sort of works on win 7. will log on to the modem and the control panel switches from 3G to HSPDA, but no matter if the signal meter is on 1 bar or 5 bars, it won't neccessarily actually connect to the internet. When it does connect, half the time you can be drowsing and get a network connection error message in IE, even tho the modem says it's still connected. Only way out is to disconnect, wait a while and reconnect.
I upgraded the firmware on my
I upgraded the firmware on my E220 USB modem as described above ... and it now works in Windows 7. Only catch is - I've found that Windows 7 now hangs/crashes without warning. There's no bluescreen, everything just stops working and never comes back.
It only happens when I'm using my laptop away from home and I've got the USB modem plugged in and connected to the internet. It seems to crash after an hour or two of being connected.
At home I have my own wireless network, and Windows 7 has run for days without an issue. Hence I'm guessing the USB modem is the problem.
Has anyone else struck this? Any suggestions?
i have the same issue with my
i have the same issue with my Huawei e156g modem on Windows 7. it just hangs Windows after around 10-15mins of browsing. did you find a solution for this?
Have you fixed this problem?
Have you fixed this problem?
Ciprian i've download the
Ciprian
i've download the e220 firmware
but i dun the dashboard UTPS11.030.01.10.99_MAC11.202.01.00.99
to complete my installation upgrade
can u give the link or email me the e220 dashboard
coz i dun know where to download the software
Thanks.
Sorry, but I don't understand
Sorry, but I don't understand what is the problem you are having. Can you please explain better?
i mean when i go to the
i mean
when i go to the download page at maxis website
i dun get nothing
like u said
"Go to this download page and download the E220 Software Upgrade package"
i click on that link
but there is nothing there that i can download
can u give me the exact link that i can download from maxis?
Go to:
Go to: http://www.maxis.com.my/maxisbb/
Click "Self Help"
Click "Maxis USB Modem (E220)" (pop-up window appears)
Click "E220 Software Upgrade"
Hope that helps.
Would this work for a K3765
Would this work for a K3765 model aswell?
Wow really thanks for that
Wow really thanks for that valuable information mate. I thought I would never be able to run Vodafone mobile connect on my Windows 7. Of course maybe after half a year drivers for new version of Windows will be available but I didn't want to wait so long. So I tried to google the answer and I found your blog. I have made everything like you have written in this article and hooray! Now everything works perfectly. Thanks one more time and I will be waiting for more useful posts from you in the nearest future. Thanks!
Sincerely,
Alex Martinson from mobile development
Hi, I did the above as I have
Hi, I did the above as I have also had problems getting my E220 modem to work (I am running Win 7 64 bit). I managed to download the software from the Maxis website but when it tried searching for the modem as a device on my computer it can't find it???? I have check in Device Manager and the modem comes up as CD/DVD drive and is being recognised as a devices by the computer but when it tries installing the software that comes from Vodafone with the device it comes up with "error 2738, cannot register vbscript". Running the software install form disc results in an 'interuption' which cancels the download. It doesn't specify what the interuption is??
My modem is with Vodafone and they have been unable to help.
Any ideas are much appreciated - this is driving me nuts!
Thanks
Hanna.
Hello I have Huawei mobile
Hello
I have Huawei mobile connect 3g device? I tried to do what you described, and I got the message that e220 is not conected to PC. Can I download a diferent upgred wich works with Huawei mobile connect 3g device?
Thanks
Buy a router that supports
Buy a router that supports 3g.
Much easier. No disconnection or anything.
Router cost roughly about 200rm @ lowyat.
I have a huawei e156g and it
I have a huawei e156g and it won't work in windows7. i tried yoursolution but it didnot work for this modem. anyone else figured out how on earth to get this modem to work? it's driving mecrazy....
still getting error 31,
still getting error 31, driver could not start
How to get your modem to work
How to get your modem to work on window 7 via Windows' RAS if their software do not work (ie. error 2738, cannot register vbscript).:
1. Plug your modem into your computer.
2. Window 7 should detect new hardware .. but unable to find drivers .. don worry leave it as it is now.
3. Download Universal Extractor
http://legroom.net/software/uniextract
4. Locate the software that comes with your modem. (most likely an exe file)
5. Extract the exe file using the universal extractor, to get the msi file, then extact the msi files into its subfiles. Store all the extracted pieces under one directory.
6. Now, go to Device Manager, search for the devices that have errors, click update drivers. Search for the drivers in the directory you have extracted.
7. Windows 7 should be able to detect your modem now.
8. Go to command prompt, Type: rasphone
9. Click New
10. Setup a Dial-up connection.
11. Enter Phone number as *99# (and give a connection name, anything will do) Click next
12. Enter User name/ password (All this is given by your ISP) if any when connecting (If you are M1 user, just leave everything blank)
Then Click create.
13. Go to command prompt, Type: rasphone (select your connection) and press properties, verify that the modem you use is your 3G modem. (My modem version is K3765 no need to set additional initialization) By right, the modem need to be initialize with AT commands such as AT+CDGCONT=1,"IP","myIPAPN" .. so on.
14. Now you can connect via your modem by clicking connect, Then Dial!
15. You can check if you have connected via the rasdial command. And hang-up (disconnect) using rasphone.
Ok, I've solved all issues to
Ok, I've solved all issues to make this work on all major carriers and with Windows 7 64-bit which is what gives the biggest problem.
Follow the instructions to install the packages (both) from maxis.
Find the maxis directory on the harddisk, copy the drivers folder to the desktop.
Download the latest dashbord from Huawei, install.
Uninstall the maxis application.
Find the Mobile Connect folder on the harddisk and replace the contents in the Drivers folder with the contents from the Drivers folder on the desktop.
That should be it, all should be well and working after that...
Don't forget to enter the corect data for your carrier, 3 in Sweden uses the static APN of bredband.tre.se for example.
Have good one...
Thank you so much!!!!!!!
Thank you so much!!!!!!! After weeks of trying to find a way to get my Huawei E220 to work with Windows 7, I came across this page, followed your instructions to the letter and it now works perfectly on the Movistar network here in Spain! Movistar actually told me my modem was obsolete & I had to buy a new one to work with Windows 7 - well they can stick their advice!
Thanks again
Hey thank u for these
Hey thank u for these information, but i've a bit of problem..
i've downloade all the drivers needed..and i connected my 3G card into a XP windows
but, when i try to run the upgrade file...the 3G card disappear...
i've tried many times with many different laptobs and PC....but at the end i get the same problem
do u have any idea about that??
thank u
Huawei - E165G where to
Huawei - E165G
where to import the driver as it won't works on Window 7 (unlike under winder xp or vista.)
Pls help.
I have W7 and the Huawei
I have W7 and the Huawei K3765 modem and Vodaphone (in The Netherlands). didn't work at first.
had to upgrade to latest version of mobile connect 9.4.5.19931 from vodaphone site.
then to connection "control" inside mobile connect (on the left), where all different connections are listed.
go to mobile connection > show > make a new one
give it a name in the first tab, don't change anything else, hit enter.
now you have 2, go back to the overview.
in the small window "mobile connection" you have a pull down menu, with the first vodaphone that was preinstalled and the second you created under a different name, select the second.
that was all I needed, now works like a charm.
supposed to be W7 related, the first 'factory' connection doesn't boot up/connect. with a new connection it has to restart a connection, then they are able to communicate.
I'm glad I didn't have to do a Malaysia firmware upgrade ;-)
good luck y'all !!
Really nice stuff that you
Really nice stuff that you are sharing it keep it up...
I bought a Huawei modem from
I bought a Huawei modem from Incredible Connection. The modem is locked to only work with Vodacom / Vodafone. This isn't a problem for me because I use a Vodacom sim card.
I first loaded the software on my laptop running Vista. The software struggled to install itself, rebooting the program several times in the process and asking for my sim card's PIN code a few times. However, apart from keying the information each time it was asked for, the software eventually installed without any further hassles.
I then installed the modem on my netbook computer running Windows 7. I was suspicious that it would run without a hitch because the box did not list Windows 7 as one of the requirements, only XP and Vista. So I installed the software on Windows 7 but using the Vista compatibility setting before I ran the program. It installed perfectly, just rebooting itself a few times, as per the Vista installation.
Finally I installed it on my desktop running Windows XP. Same result.
So, I have a 3G modem (admittedly locked for use with Vodacom) installed on 3 machines running 3 different versions of Windows without any major hiccups on installation on any machine.
I'm now independent of Telkom's ADSL line - the reason for installing the modem in the first place because my ADSL is out of order... again!
Petrangus
South Africa
Lo There felow south
Lo There felow south african.
i loaded win7 64 bit.
i cant get anything out of this e220 modem ,ive been upgrading and downgrading for weeks now plz help
I have read somewhere that
I have read somewhere that the problem where the E220 hangs Widows 7, is due to AVG anti-virus software!!
Have configured AVG not to update at will - but not able to completely disable it. The problem is definately less severe and when I keep AVG up to date via other data services then I do not see the problem for weeks.
What AV software are you using?
Heinrich
RSA
E220 Issues on Windows 7 64
E220 Issues on Windows 7 64 bit....
Hi fellow South Africans :-)
Please could somebody assist with some solution on this issue - The software installs but it doesn't pick up my sim card - no connectivity at all - it loads the modem as an additional CD-rom drive... ....
If anybody found a solution - please mail me some direction to resolve!!!
Much appreciated :-)
Andre
Hello, I recently got a new
Hello,
I recently got a new vodafone K3565 usb data stick, I stay in India (pune) I have gone through a lot of forums and solutions...but I am not able to find a solution for my problem which is like this,
1. The VMC (latest) software is not able to connect me to the internet, (leave that...no
problem for me)
2. I am using win7 home basic on a Acer laptop, so I connect directly from the network and sharing list window ...and I get connected to the net...but the real problem is I get a damn slow speed...it is approximately 0.5 to 2.5 kbps, which is painful...
I get the green steady light on my usb data stick...which means i am using the GPRS, I suppose that there is no 3G in India, so no question of getting the blue light...
I really thing there is something wrong with the settings of my internet connection that's why this problem is comming, I don see a point in paying for such a low speed,
Please can anybody of you help me in this Issue...
Thanks in advance.
waiting despirately for a reply...
Vishal.Kuberkar
I have the Huawei E220 and
I have the Huawei E220 and i'm using a Telkom 3G card. I used it for a while on Windows 7 extreme 32bit. After a while it is not connected or unavailable. Please help.
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