Recently I purchased a USB 3G mobile broadband dongle sponsored by T-Mobile.
It was very cheap and very locked too to this network, but luckily internet is a great resource to overcome such problems.
There is a catch though. The problem is that the buyer has to provide at the cashier Name and Address before taking it home, although no ID is necessary.
Despite that, T-mobile has a "fair usage" policy in how much data can be downloaded, and additionally has a content lock!
That means that you cannot access freely sexual content (which is probably justifiable)
http://tmuk.content-lock.t-mobile.net/cop/adult
unless you register by credit card, "or call 1818 from your mobile or visit your nearest T-Mobile Store".
https://tmuk.content-lock.t-mobile.net/cop/xhtmlmpintro.do;jsessionid=6D64DB54D4ED760259D2435BDBD02837?ID=6D64DB54D4ED760259D2435BDBD02837
Imagine my surprise when trying to access Blogger.com I got the same "adult lock" response!
Strangely wordpress.com is not affected by that, and blog.com wouldn't load when I tried it.
SOOOOOOOOOO
what may one think? Probably a mistake in the adult database, ORRRRRR bloggers are dangerous and should be approached with extreme caution.
Showing posts with label Mobile broadband. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mobile broadband. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Friday, December 11, 2009
ZTE MF626 Unlocking and teardown
Today I bought a T-mobile broadband USB stick for £8.99 + 10 top up Internet time = £18.99
It was so cheap I couldn't resist!!
Prior to the purchase I knew that the current USB modem stick they were giving was the ZTE MF626 which after some online search I found how to unlock it. So I went to the shop, got the happy stick and headed back home.
The software used to unlock the modem can be found online under the name ZTE2.zip on rapidshare and elsewhere (additional Russian Page, translated). So I got it elsewhere (I dont remeber where from and cant seem to find at the moment) cause the rapidshare was not allowing any more free downloads of that file.
After downloading it and following the instructions it took about 20 minutes and a few seconds to flash/update/unlock the modem and now I will be able to use whatever network I like. (I tried an O2 simcard and works. Doesn't ask for an unlock code.)
I have to mention the update was done while having plugged in my USB a bluetooth dongle (cause I forgot it since it is hidden in an internal USB) and it didn't seem to affect the operation.
After the update, when the USB modem is plugged for the first time in, it tries to install a new connection manager Globe Visibility. However the instructions for the unlocking procedure was suggesting to use the Telstra connection software which came in the ZTE2.zip file.
So I did use the Telstra the first time, and although I could connect with the Telstra settings and the t-mobile sim card there was no internet access.
I could not connect to the Tmobile network neither using the details found online about APN etc etc. Every time I used the new connection it would not connect. "Connection timed out" was the message it returned.
Then I decided to use the new connection manager that came in internally. The Globe Visibility.
Again I could connect to the networks that were automatically set up within the Globe but not to the T-mobile network that I set up myself. By the way, in order to install any other network manager I had to un-install the previous one.
Then I installed the original T-mobile network manager and voilla! I could connect to the T-mobile network!!!
Which made me wonder. Why the heck that happens?!?!
A quick look at the settings revealed the problem.
All the suggestions about how to connect to the T-Mobile network dictated to use the correct APN: general.t-mobile.uk but had both the Username and password wrong (user, pass).
Also nobody mentioned anything about using the Dial number: *99#
If anyone knows the new password is welcomed to share it with us. I would imagine since it is two characters is TM (for t-mobile) but I dont have the time to check it out now. Later perhaps.
I also did a tear down of the USB, just to see what is there inside:
( a more thorough disassembly of the a similar dongle)
There are 2 screws that keep the dongle together with 2 black security stickers.
I used my nail to separate the top from the bottom part
The micro SD reader is visible, and the Sim reader too, along with the antenna and a bunch of connectors at the bottom as well as a plug for an external antenna (probably) too
the antenna connector on the PCB has two parts from which only one seems to actually be utilized from the current antenna.
It was so cheap I couldn't resist!!
Prior to the purchase I knew that the current USB modem stick they were giving was the ZTE MF626 which after some online search I found how to unlock it. So I went to the shop, got the happy stick and headed back home.
The software used to unlock the modem can be found online under the name ZTE2.zip on rapidshare and elsewhere (additional Russian Page, translated). So I got it elsewhere (I dont remeber where from and cant seem to find at the moment) cause the rapidshare was not allowing any more free downloads of that file.
After downloading it and following the instructions it took about 20 minutes and a few seconds to flash/update/unlock the modem and now I will be able to use whatever network I like. (I tried an O2 simcard and works. Doesn't ask for an unlock code.)
I have to mention the update was done while having plugged in my USB a bluetooth dongle (cause I forgot it since it is hidden in an internal USB) and it didn't seem to affect the operation.
After the update, when the USB modem is plugged for the first time in, it tries to install a new connection manager Globe Visibility. However the instructions for the unlocking procedure was suggesting to use the Telstra connection software which came in the ZTE2.zip file.
So I did use the Telstra the first time, and although I could connect with the Telstra settings and the t-mobile sim card there was no internet access.
I could not connect to the Tmobile network neither using the details found online about APN etc etc. Every time I used the new connection it would not connect. "Connection timed out" was the message it returned.
Then I decided to use the new connection manager that came in internally. The Globe Visibility.
Again I could connect to the networks that were automatically set up within the Globe but not to the T-mobile network that I set up myself. By the way, in order to install any other network manager I had to un-install the previous one.
Then I installed the original T-mobile network manager and voilla! I could connect to the T-mobile network!!!
Which made me wonder. Why the heck that happens?!?!
A quick look at the settings revealed the problem.
All the suggestions about how to connect to the T-Mobile network dictated to use the correct APN: general.t-mobile.uk but had both the Username and password wrong (user, pass).
Also nobody mentioned anything about using the Dial number: *99#
If anyone knows the new password is welcomed to share it with us. I would imagine since it is two characters is TM (for t-mobile) but I dont have the time to check it out now. Later perhaps.
I also did a tear down of the USB, just to see what is there inside:
( a more thorough disassembly of the a similar dongle)
There are 2 screws that keep the dongle together with 2 black security stickers.
I used my nail to separate the top from the bottom part
The micro SD reader is visible, and the Sim reader too, along with the antenna and a bunch of connectors at the bottom as well as a plug for an external antenna (probably) too
the antenna connector on the PCB has two parts from which only one seems to actually be utilized from the current antenna.
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