Caution: Three E220 Datacard Vista Issue!!!

corkproducers

If you are planning on buying the mobile broadband package from a 3 store beware!
There is a big compatibility problem with vista with the firmware and softare!
This problem is known with vista laptops but im pretty sure it goes for dekstops too.
It works grand on XP however.

The sales people at 3 will tell you it IS vista compatible but this is bull****.
The sales people at vodafone will tell you its not compatible with vista yet, and theyre using the same E220 datacard.
It is a problem with vista recognising the device properly.
It goes crazy when you plug it in, turns itself on and off repeatively.

I was up til 6 this morning trying to find a fix and found one for the 32 bit/x86 version of Vista.
There IS no fix for the 64bit/x64 version released yet.
This fix was issued by vodafone uk, and a foreign company called MTN.
It is simply a firmware update and software update.
But the problem is youll be using another companies firmware which isnt advised, but its the only way you'll get it working.
You then have to download the drivers and software from www.three.ie

It fails to install one driver, (out of about 5) but this driver doesn not seem to affect it running the internet.
I think it affects the text feature though.

I have contacted three to contact Huawei to make a Three Ireland branded firmware and software patch for Vista 32bit.

Another irish customer had the exact same problem and had to solve it by flashing it withMTNs firmware.

This is not recommended because it probably voids the warranty.

corkproducers

Heres the mtn firmware and software update:
http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?t=67163&goto=newpost


Some more info:
http://www.mobileconnected.co.uk/2007/05/25/usb-modem-huawei-e220-on-vista-take-2/
http://www.mobileconnected.co.uk/2007/04/24/usb-modem-huawei-e220-on-vista-finally/
http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?t=76355
http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?t=60721&page=3

Sponge Bob

mtn is vodafone south africa they usually launch these products 3-6 months before we do and using the same huawei cards as voda and 3

o2 use option cards

corkproducers

Sponge Bob wrote:

mtn is vodafone south africa they usually launch these products 3-6 months before we do and using the same huawei cards as voda and 3

o2 use option cards

That would explain why they copped onto this first!
First them then Vodafone UK, i wonder how long it will take the Irish to cop on.
I bet my email to three wont speed things up either!

Shane O' Malley

I think that sounds very like the problem i had.

Problem is with Vista installing the driver for the Mass Storage Device rather than the modem.

I told it not to keep trying to install it and downloaded the software from the 3 Site rather than off the card.

Still using all "3" software so no problems.

JNive

This is the issue that we experienced at O2 over a month ago when we tested it.
Basically, the Modem is actually a Mass Storage Device ( Removable USB Storage Drive ) so when you plug it in, Vista loads it as a disk, and then auto-runs the driver and software installation from the modem automatically.

The problem, as is famous and infuriating with Vista and USB-based storage devices - was that Vista was not identifying the device correctly and so could not match it with its USB Mass Storage Device Drivers.

The Modem required a firmware update so that it was correctly identified by Vista. pretty hilarious really.

Sponge Bob

I should think the 3 drivers from their website will work for o2 and voda ,

http://www.three.ie/handsets_new/datacards-drivers.htm

But while the settings will not, at least they wont crash vista meaning you can change them .

will o2 ship this modem as well as / instead of / an option card ??

Cabaal

The three website does say Vista support however they obviously need to specifiy if this is 32 or 64bit, abit poor that they coulodn't list this on their drivers page site

Garth

I know this is a stupid question but how do you know if you have 64 bit or 32 bit vista? Is there somewhere to quickly check on your computer?

stmochtas

I have tried a number of times to install my three data modem on my Toshiba Tecra A4 laptop and it just does not seem to be able to recognise the modem.

I installed the modem on another machine to verify it was working and it was.

I then got the software of the modem and installed manually on my laptop but laptop still wont recognise the data modem as valid.

My laptop is xp pro sp2.

Could this be a compatibilty issue or is it the way XP is trying to install this modem keeps adding a cd-rom drive??? I know Vista had issues here

Maybe someone is up and running on a toshiba and can help or has had similar experiences.

Thanks in advance
B

JNive

will o2 ship this modem as well as / instead of / an option card

As i think i stated before, there will be 2 options initially, the E220 and a router (which has been recently changed from the original one they were going to go with), with a datacard coming in September.

Currently the E220 provided to O2 by huawei works perfectly with Vista 32-bit, i am unsure about 64-bit, but that is because all 64-bit drivers are required to be WHQL-signed by microsoft which means when the driver is written it can take in excess of a month or more beforfe it gets tested by microsoft and certified.

Sponge Bob

there is a 64 bit XP version around as well but its not that common