03-01-2011, 07:54 AM

Wonder if anyone can help...I've been desperately trying to figure this out for the past 3 weeks with no luck ! I am currently in Germany with my macbook (osx 10.6.3)and bought an O2 usb dongle for internet access. Also have a windows xp laptop+ windows vista laptop which kids use. I've tried setting up a network in the hope they could get internet access but it's not working whichever way I try ! I don't know much about computers or networking but here's what I'm doing, and i'd be really grateful if someone could tell me either I'm wasting my time as it's not possible to do this, or tell me what on earth i'm doing wrong:

in system prefernces, network the location is set as automatic location. i did set up a new location and experimented but that didn't work either. Under "automatic location" it shows ethernet as en2 being currently active and connected. The HUAWA modem shows as not connected. That doens't make sense to me but that's what it shows.IPv4 is configured usng DHCP whatever that means.

I've got the network name set up and windows sharing is on. I've also got file sharing and internet sharing ticked, selected sharing connection from ethernet adaptor 2 to all computers using airport, ethernet, and HUAWE mobile.

I've enabled internet sharing on the windows vista laptop, can see the network name, it shows connected, but doesn't work ! I did set a 13 character access password as well.

Where am i going wrong? i've spent hours on this so far and can't sort it out. Went to a genius bar in London at the weekend - they tweaked it all a little and set the mac to "share the connection with other comps from HUAWE" but it still didn't work - and when I looked at the connection in my location, it showed I was connected from ethernet 2, not from HUAWE mobile...it's driving me nuts and I dont understand any of this !Can anyone help?thanks

03-01-2011, 09:20 AM

Try this, from a previous post I made:
A few compatibility issues...

03-02-2011, 03:01 AM

Hello Mr.Plow

I looked at that thread, thanks, but it doesn't actually address the issue I have. I have no problem with internet access off the HUAWE mobile usb O2 stick on my macbook.....it was a nuisance to set up, especially with everything being in German, and we don't speak a word of German, but somehow or other, and with some tooing and froing to the shop where we got the stick from, it was all up and running and connects and works fine. The issue is whether we can share the macbook HUAWE connection/wirelessly on a network, on 2 windows laptops - one xp and one vista. I have created a network on the macbook - I think - and the network name appears as a wireless network available to connect to when we switch on the windows laptops, but it doesnt work........what we want to know is if we are wasting our time because maybe what we're trying to do is not possible ? and if it is possible, can someone help us figure out what we are doing wrong? Thank you. Sabrina.
PS - just to clarify/summarise:
we have internet connection off the HUAWE usb stick which is an O2 dongle, on the macbook. We want to share that internet connection with 2 windows laptops vista+xp. Have set up a network to do this but its not working. Confused about correct network settings and location settings. The macbook says we are connected to internet via ethernet 2 connection and shows HUAWE mobile as not connected ( but we are connected to internet fine) .

03-02-2011, 03:20 AM

Apologies, mis-read your post.

It appears as though it's the ethernet en2 is what's confusing the issue.

The Huawei modem should show as a connection in it's own right if it's installed correctly so maybe use my instructions to re-install.

Then, once you have a working connection to the internet using the Huawei Modem, it should be as simple as :
1. System preferences - Sharing
2. Internet Sharing
3. In the 'share your connection from' drop-down list pick the Huawei modem
4. In the 'to computers using' list click Airport
5. You'll got a box up asking for network name and security options.
6. Enter a network name and leave the security off for now (just to prove everything works)
7. You get prompted to start internet sharing.

Now try and connect over wifi from your other laptops.
If it works you can go back into the internet sharing and add a password etc.

As a slight aside......
I've battled with many USB 3g modems and it's always a chore. Something to consider for the future is a MiFi. I got the Huawei E585 MiFi on Three and it's brilliant. No drivers, no fuss. Just power it up and you can connect up to 5 devices over wifi. Has rechargeable battery but you can also connect it to the mains or to USB to keep it powered.
Use it all the time for my MacBook and iPad.

03-03-2011, 07:44 AM

Mr.Plow, thank you for taking the trouble to get involved in this, it is very much appreciated.

Well, not sure if it will work now - today is our last O2 one month contract day but we managed to get an extra 24 hours free, and may have another code to use tomorrow as well.

Tried to re-instal the mobile partner thing, but didn't get an option to double click mobile_connect_Drv.App.pkg a second time - it went straight to the screen where you have to send packages after I clicked on the mobile_connect and it installed.

Went to the network screen in Sys pref's - HUAWEI was there but still not connected (still en 2 connection). I set the tel no *99# and a/c as advised to o2bb. Location was set to "automatic" - I do get confused though on locations. Configuration was o2oz ( which I must have set originally) and password is already set there ( though I can't remember now what it is!).

A little bit worried about attempting to reinstall in case we somehow lose the 24 hour access we currently have - it's so fiddly setting it all up as it's in German and we really are trying pot luck to get it all up and running ! But so far so good, and it would be fantastic to get this sorted out, at least for next time now.

Thanks for further considering and look forward to any further guidance you can offer.
Regards,
Sabrina.\
ps wanted to mention that the usb dongle currently shows an intermittent blue flashing light whereas before it was a constant blue light connection - can't connect with safari anymore, but can get internet via the o2 home page

03-03-2011, 04:45 PM

mr.plow, I tried again this evening and managed to get the HUWEI mobile to connect ! But when~I re-started the comp I had to re-instal all over again to get it to connect off HUAWEI otherwise by default it goes back to en2. And even after removing passwords the windows comps are still not connecting even though they can see the network. The settings are WEP encryption + 13 character windows password and 128 bit. Can you figure this out?

03-05-2011, 09:37 AM

Sorry for the delayed reply. Hopefully you've got sorted already.

If not, create a new user account, log into that and do a fresh install of the dongle there with my instructions and try again

03-05-2011, 12:43 PM

Hi mrplow

we still have internet off the mac but no network internet on the windows comps.
Today is our last "free day" - we had some free day vouchers once the month was up.

Do you mean to create a fresh O2 user account when we get a new contract/dongle?

thanks again

03-05-2011, 12:48 PM

Not a fresh O2 account, a new user account on your mac

03-07-2011, 05:08 PM

hello mrplow

well we're still here in Germany, and topped up with a 30 day credit today. Tried adding a new user account but that doesn't work either.

And just thought I' mention that once I manage to connect off the HUAWEI modem then I can connect to internet via safari but not via the Mobiel Partner connection window.

I didn't disable security settings, but did everything else as instucted - windows laptops will just not connect although the network name is clearly visibe with full signal.

thanks

03-08-2011, 10:46 AM

Hello mrplow

have tested this out today on the new user account. Disabled security settings - no WEP/no password - and it works ! Son now has internet access on his windows xp laptop ( not tested the vista one yet). I have disabled file sharing, and only have internet sharing on for now, but it is an unsecured network. When I set the password again we could not connect via the windows laptop.....can you help us resolve this? And aside from others being able to get internet off our connection whilst it is an unsecured network, are there any other risks - could anyone, for example, "see" into our computer?

thanks

03-08-2011, 11:48 AM

Woohoo!

Small success

Have you tried WPA security? Rather than wep?

03-09-2011, 02:22 AM

Hi mrplow

whats wpa and how would I set that up?! thanks
*in airport options I only have the enable encryption wep security option with 128 bit ( 13 character p/w) or 40 bit ( 5 character password)

03-09-2011, 04:43 AM

WPA and WPA2 are wireless security protocols (similar but more robust than WEP).

Unforetunately, after a bit of digging, it appears as though WPA doesn't support AD HOC networks (like you're creating) and while WPA2 does support AD HOC it's not support in OSX yet!

Your problem seems to stem from the windows laptops are struggling to connect to a WEP secured network, hence why they work when security is turned off.

Have you tried both 40-bit and 128-bit WEP? (edit-re-read your posts, looks like you have)

WEP isn't considered very secure but it's better than nothing so it's worth trying 40-bit if you haven't already.

I'd still suggest investing in a wi-fi hotspot like a Three MiFi going forward. They offer near setup-free use.

03-09-2011, 07:34 AM

thanks - will try 40 bit security ( not tested that yet) and report back later!!