Mobile Broadband without using O2 Connection Manager ?

[Anonymous]

I have a Lenovo ThinkPad with a built-in mobile broadband option.

I used to have a Vodafone SIM card inside ad it worked perfectly.

I just fired up the Vodafone Connection Manager, it detected my SIM card and then I connected.

I could also ust connect from the Windows wireless manager without loading up the Vodafone software.

Now I have just migrated to O2 and the Mobile Broadband won't work.

I have installed the O2 Connection Manager and it detects my built-in modem, but reports that "we couldn't reach your device. Please check to see that no other application is using it and that it's installed correctly".

I can't even connect using the Windows wireless manager because it does not give me a Mobile Broadband Connection option, unless the O2 Connection Manager sotware is running.

For troubleshooting purposes, I can insert the SIM card into an O2 dongle and it connects fine.

Has anyone else had any luck getting the built-in mobile broadband connection to work without using the o2 connection manager ?

Thanks in advance.

[Anonymous]

Would your laptop be locked to vodaphone ??

[Anonymous]

I did think that, but there is no Vodafone sticker nor any message saying that it locked.

[Anonymous]

Jst phoned Lenovo and they said they do not lock the laptops so you can use any SIM card.

If I insert the dongle, fire up the O2 connection manager, I can then Connect via the windows “Mobile Broadband Connection” that appears in the “connect to a network” section.
As soon as I close O2 Connection Manager, the Mobile Broadband Connection option disappears.
So it would seem that the dongle is dependent on having the connection manager software running.

[Anonymous]

Yeah. You need to have the connection manager running to connect.

[Anonymous]

OK I don't really mind so long as it uses the internal modem.

Any tips if the O2 Connection Manager software says "we couldn't reach your device. Please check to see that no other application is using it and that it's installed correctly"

It is detected in the Devices tab of the O2 Connection Manager, and of course worked fine with the Vodafone SIM card ...

[Anonymous]

You have deleted all of the vodaphone software right?

[Lorenzo]

So I can't connect it to my server (BT line down therefpre no ADSL)? My DrayTek router tells me I can connect a 3G modem and function off that in such cases but that's proving elusive to effect as well. Has anybody ever done this? I get the impression I've at least the rest of the day to wait for BT...

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

OK so I managed to resolve the issue.

Steps involved were:
1. Insert Dongle

2. Load up O2 connection manager

3. Connect via the windows “Mobile Broadband Connection”

4. Enter the APN details which it asks for which were:
APN mobile.o2.co.uk
Username o2bb
Password: password

5. Disconnect Dongle

6. Connect via the windows “Mobile Broadband Connection” which now uses the SIM card and the recently entered APN details.

Simples