Virgin Prepaid Mobile Broadband starter kit and Exetel SIM

[Need2No]

Gave up on linux and have been using in my wife's PC with ICS to share about the house. Works fine.

Do you mind doing a "lsusb" and telling me what your device is identified as? Mine is:

Bus 001 Device 004: ID 12d1:1001 Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. E620 USB Modem

The product id (1001) seems to be different to what most people report across linux forums etc. I'm thinking Virgin may have different E1762's out there?

Same as mine
Bus 001 Device 005: ID 12d1:1001 Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. E620 USB Modem


Regards

[bulletmark]

So your is the same as mine. And you say you can just plug yours in, select it in Network Manager, and it connects and works to Virgin (optus) 3G fine? What APN are you using? I have tried VirginInternet and VirginBroadband. I have upgraded NM to the latest ppa version and still no go. I see the device as a flash drive and can attempt to start it in NM but it just disconnects immediately.

I will upgrade my kernel to the latest possible at http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/ and try that.

PS: my karmic kernel package version is currently 2.6.31.19.32, and network-manager is 0.8~rc2-0ubuntu1~nm1~karmic. Could you please tell me your versions?

PPS: Tried kernel 2.6.32.8 but no difference.

[Need2No]

So your is the same as mine. And you say you can just plug yours in, select it in Network Manager, and it connects and works to Virgin (optus) 3G fine? What APN are you using? I have tried VirginInternet and VirginBroadband. I have upgraded NM to the latest ppa version and still no go. I see the device as a flash drive and can attempt to start it in NM but it just disconnects immediately.

I will upgrade my kernel to the latest possible at http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/ and try that.

I use an Exetel SIM in mine, with an APN exetel1
I've never tried it with the supplied Virgin SIM.

Regards

[bulletmark]

I use an Exetel SIM in mine, with an APN exetel1

OK. I will be receiving an Exetel 3G sim (WM A plan) in a few days. I'll try that and report here.

[bulletmark]

I actually also have an exetel vodafone post-paid sim which includes 3G data so I decided to try it in the Virgin e1762 after what Need2No said above. After stuffing around and working out how to unlock my e1762, and determining what the apn is for exetel vodafone 3g (vfinternet.au), I tried and it works fine!

So it seems the e1762 currently works on ubuntu karmic with Exetel on Vodafone and Optus 3G, but not with Virgin on Optus 3g!? Don't really understand how that can be technically but that is what my experience dictates.

[Need2No]

I use an Exetel SIM in mine, with an APN exetel1

OK. I will be receiving an Exetel 3G sim (WM A plan) in a few days. I'll try that and report here.

Tried it with the Virgin SIM that came with the E1762. I had a bugger of a time with trying to get it to work. So I gave up as a lost cause and put my Exetel SIM back in.

Regards

[bulletmark]

Tried it with the Virgin SIM that came with the E1762. I had a bugger of a time with trying to get it to work. So I gave up as a lost cause and put my Exetel SIM back in.

There you go, our experiences are the same. This is good information for the next linux punter who googles here looking to get his e1762 to work with Virgin on linux. Just buy another sim mate!

[Cubbie]

Ok I have read the forum but not quite sure what I have to do to get my HSPA service working.

I have a Virgin Prepaid E160e modem and just activated my Exetel SIM. In my Virgin connection utility I have created a second profile with the APN (static) set to exetel1. I have tried this with and without a password.

When I try to connect I get he follow message "You can not connect before register an available network" yes the English is not so good.

If it helps I am using Windows Vista.

Any advice would be great.

Cheers,

Cubbie

[tones]

When I try to connect I get he follow message "You can not connect before register an available network" yes the English is not so good.

Did you unplug the modem while you put the new sim in? I have found that you can not swap sims with the modem plugged in as the new network does not register. What works for me is to unplug the usb modem, wait a few seconds and then reconnect it.

[Cubbie]

When I try to connect I get he follow message "You can not connect before register an available network" yes the English is not so good.

Did you unplug the modem while you put the new sim in? I have found that you can not swap sims with the modem plugged in as the new network does not register. What works for me is to unplug the usb modem, wait a few seconds and then reconnect it.

Yeah I did that. I wonder if I have to unlock the modem as some people have above.

[Cubbie]

I had to do three things:
(1) Find out unlock code http://forum.gsmhosting.com/vbb/showpos ... ount=19265
(2) Install unlocker "HUAWEI MODEM Code Writer.zip" http://www.entsperren.net/HUAWEI/HUAWEI ... Writer.zip
(3) Run a generic connection manager "Mobile_Partner.rar" http://www.nextgenserver.com/files/Mobile_Partner.rar

Step (1) is incredible.
Had to register with the website/forum. That was quick. Just as quick was the response with my unlock code! Free! Even my subsequent offer to buy a beer with paypal was refused in the name of New Year's Goodwill. I hope my post here helps someone else in turn.

Getting the unlcock code at step one was all I needed to do. Make sure you supply the correct number, I was stupidly giving the sim number and almost ran out of unlock attempts until I realised what I was doing --- Should be modem number!!!

[bulletmark]

[Getting the unlcock code at step one was all I needed to do.

That's all I had to do also. Then just put my exetel (vodafone) sim instead of the virgin (optus) sim, plugged it in to the pc, and the Virgin software asked me for the unlock code.

[sqgl]

I had to do three things:

Make that four things:

(0) You may need to install drivers:
XP & Vista drivers are at... http://3g-modem.wetpaint.com/page/Huawe ... ,+K3520%29

(1) Find out unlock code http://forum.gsmhosting.com/vbb/showpos ... ount=19265
(2) Install unlocker "HUAWEI MODEM Code Writer.zip" http://www.entsperren.net/HUAWEI/HUAWEI ... Writer.zip
(3) Run a generic connection manager "Mobile_Partner.rar" http://www.nextgenserver.com/files/Mobile_Partner.rar

My original 3 steps are enough only if Virgin has already installed the modem for you.
Otherwise you need to install drivers (which don't exist on crappy Huawei site).

[soaper]

ok
maybe someone can make a suggestion here please

got the virgin modem and then the exetel sim.
can get it set up and working with exetel1.......but it dosnt" hold" the setting.
each time the netbook is used it has to have exetel 1 re entered into the set up

speeds are a bit iffy but that is not something i am looking at right now.

can anyone think of what i need to change to make this setting stay put.?

nothing has been unlocked or other wise changed

thanks

[cubic]

can get it set up and working with exetel1.......but it dosnt" hold" the setting.
each time the netbook is used it has to have exetel 1 re entered into the set up

There are lots of reports of this happening when people just change the APN to exetel1 in the existing connection profile. You need to create a completely new profile.