Vodafone Broadband Connect software with K4605

[nemesus]

Hi,

On Tuesday I took out a new 2Gig advanced data line, and received the Vodafone (Huawei) K4605 modem with it.

The software on this dongle is the Vodafone Broadband Connect, version 10.1
I am running Windows XP Pro SP 3.

I have been a user of VC's 3G service for the last 4/5 years and worked with a lot of different interfaces and got to know their behaviors. But during the last couple of days this one still got me concered, or maybe it's just me.

I already work in IT, so I'm fairly literate when it comes to these things... The one thing that is bugging me at this point is that every time I connect the dongle to my notebook it installs all the drivers again. When it's done, the application will open and I can connect. If I reboot, and connect it again, all drivers are installed again. Is this normal?

The device comes accross as a modem, network adaptor etc (this is some of the drivers it installs). I am mentioning this because usually (with all other apps) the connection would be established via the Dial Up connection the application created. In this case, it is trying to connect with the LAN connection it creates, and it creates a new one every time you connect the dongle. (I am already on LAN connection 16, in 2 days) Is this normal? Should it connect with the LAN connection?

I played around with this and modified the previous dial up connection I had to use the new modem, and got this to work only once or twice after numerous reboots and I also have to add the command line in the modem options. At the times I was connected via the dial-up, it was not as fast as it was when working via the LAN connection (43.2Mbps).

Coming back to when it was working via the LAN connection - Also got a lot of different behaviors with this. Sometimes it will connect without problem, but then the connection only lasts about 10 minutes and then drops. Or, I might try and connect and the software still says "Connecting" but the light on the modem is permanently light blue (appears connected) but the connection is not working.

Reading back on this it seems like a lot of issues for one of the latest modems, and probably newest versions of the software... Are these all known issues or is it just me?

 

[nuyork]

I had pretty much the same issue when I got my K4605 modem.

I tried the VMC 10 Lite version that was loaded on the USB stick, it did the same as above.

Then I downloaded the VMC 10 full version available on the Vodacom website. VMC 10.1.001.26030. This also did not work and I had the same problem.

I then went to the Vodafone UK site and downloaded their latest VMC full version - VMC 10.1.108.29105.

I un-installed all previous versions of VMC laying dormant on my PC and installed the UK one I downloaded.

After that, everything worked perfectly the way it should.

So I suggest trying out VMC 10.1.108.29105 and see if it works for you.

Now we just have to wait for ginggs to make the K4605 compatible with MDMA.

Also it is correct that the newer modems will create LAN connections instead of dial-up connections. This has something to do with the limitations of dialup and their max speeds or something along those lines. Someone more technical can provide the answer as to why 3G connections moved from a dialup connection to a LAN connection.

 

[HideInLight]

Download the readme file on the VMC UK site, it contains info and links to additional win updates you'll need apart from SP3 with XP. Also like nuyork stated download their version of the software.

 

[ginggs]

Now we just have to wait for ginggs to make the K4605 compatible with MDMA.

Worked out of the box for me.

Also it is correct that the newer modems will create LAN connections instead of dial-up connections. This has something to do with the limitations of dialup and their max speeds or something along those lines. Someone more technical can provide the answer as to why 3G connections moved from a dialup connection to a LAN connection.

I've heard that LAN (NDIS) connections are supposed to overcome limitations of RAS connections, but I can't find any evidence of this. I have found lots of posts in other forums saying that RAS connections have lower latency. If you speak to Cell-C's tech support, one of the first things they do is talk you through changing their modems from NDIS mode back to modem mode.

 

[nuyork]

Worked out of the box for me.

OK, I'll have to give it a try again. When I first tried MDMA it didn't want to work.

 

[nemesus]

i have followed the above steps (except for the readme file part and additional downloads) im still battling with my connection with this modem - my previous modem is working fine on 3G only mode, confirming that I do have coverage.

i also still suspect that the network connection might be the problem. When i connect with the vodacom software the light blue light on the modem comes on but the software still thinks it is connecting. I got it to work once or twince but the connection does not last more than 10 minutes.

I have been PM'ing VodacomData about the issue, but they are still testing and invesitigating. I was hoping for some kind of resolution by now, as I am starting to wonder if there is not a fault with the modem?

Is there perhaps a step by step guide of changing the modem from NDIS to modem mode?
Must any changes be made in the VC software to tell it to connect with the Dial Up connection and not the LAN connection?

Any help appreciated!

 

[ginggs]

Is there perhaps a step by step guide of changing the modem from NDIS to modem mode?

I don't think this is possible in the current Vodafone Mobile Broadband dashboard, have a look for the Huawei Mobile Partner dashboard. What you want is the dashboard installer only, not something that will flash the installer onto your modem.

 

[nemesus]

Thanks, I will have try it this afternoon.

ginggs, while I've got you here I do have the latest version of MDMA installed as well, used it with my previous and current (4605) modem. I manually created the Dial Up connection, and used the 4605 modem. Also set the extra ini commands just in case. When I want to connect with MDMA it says it cant find the phone book entry... (or something like that)

But then again, when I manually try and connect the Dial Up connection, it also just says "Connecting" in the taskbar and I get the same behavior as with the LAN connection. The light comes on and stays on but the connection in Windows never gets established...

 

[ginggs]

I do have the latest version of MDMA installed as well, used it with my previous and current (4605) modem. I manually created the Dial Up connection, and used the 4605 modem. Also set the extra ini commands just in case. When I want to connect with MDMA it says it cant find the phone book entry... (or something like that)

See first post in MDMA Beta 1.0.0.31 Beta Testing, the dial-up networking (RAS) connection must be named 'MDMA'.

But then again, when I manually try and connect the Dial Up connection, it also just says "Connecting" in the taskbar and I get the same behavior as with the LAN connection. The light comes on and stays on but the connection in Windows never gets established...

[-]I don't think you can connect with the RAS connection if your modem is in NDIS mode. I'll check on this.[/-]

Update: I've confirmed you can connect with the RAS connection, irrespective of whether the setting in Mobile Partner is RAS or NDIS.
Vodafone Mobile Broadband 10.1 always connects with the NDIS connection.
I'm now starting to think that the RAS/NDIS setting in Mobile Partner only controls how Mobile Partner establishes the connection, i.e. it's a software setting for Mobile Partner, not a hardware setting for the modem.

@nemesus: What SIM card are you using? Is it new, has it been provisioned for data, does it work in another modem?

 

[nemesus]

@nemesus: What SIM card are you using? Is it new, has it been provisioned for data, does it work in another modem?

It is a new SIM, about 2 weeks old now. It is linked to a 2Gig Advanced contract with VC. Yip, the SIM is working fine in my "old" Ovation modem stick. (That is what I am using now)