Connecting MacBook Pro w/AT&T Wireless Card

Question

Level 2

435 points

Connecting MacBook Pro w/AT&T Wireless Card

Planning to upgrade to a MB Pro soon and wondering how I would connect to the internet using a wireless card.

Currently using a 17" Powerbook G4, with a Verizon Wireless Card I put the the PCMI slot.

Hoping to cancel my Verizon account and get an AT&T card on so I can combine with my iPhone AT&T account.

Thx Much

Powerbook 17", Mac OS X (10.5.2)

Posted on May 25, 2008 4:56 AM

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Answer 1

sig

Level 8

35,862 points

May 25, 2008 5:47 AM in response to Jack McDonald

You should have no problem. Take the MBP to the AT&T store so they can fit the card and help you with the driver install. Check to make sure their cards will fit into the smaller pc card slot of your new MBP. Otherwise you can use the USB device. A Google of 'AT&T internet card' will get you more info. Stopping down to an AT&T store prior to purchase can also help.

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Answer 2

jw2

Level 1

50 points

May 25, 2008 5:52 AM in response to Jack McDonald

It will be the same as old mac. Just FYI AT&T does not support 3g in all areas of the country. Verizon does. I have AT&T for my iphone and verizon v740 for 17 inch Macbook pro.

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Answer 3

Poha

Level 1

90 points

May 25, 2008 8:12 AM in response to jw2

Hi; my OptionExpress3.6 works nicely with Leopard: required no added software (which was needed with Tiger) ... My area is Verizon-Spotty, so AT&T is better (still EDGE-only; 3G "coming soon." This article is informative:
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080522-just-in-time-for-apple-att-wrappin g-up-3g-network-upgrade.html

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Answer 4

Jack McDonald Author

Level 2

435 points

May 26, 2008 5:09 AM in response to Poha

Thx all very much.

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Answer 5

May 26, 2008 10:07 AM in response to Jack McDonald

Jack... more specifically... from AT&T i use the USBConnect 881 made by Sierra Wireless... it's 3G and it's USB... and if you download from Sierra Wireless the right drivers... it'll run natively on your Mac the same way the wireless and ethernet cards do in your MBP. It'll even connect automatically when no wifi or ethernet is connected. It's pretty sweet and it's my card of choice right now.

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Answer 6

May 31, 2008 8:29 PM in response to Jack McDonald

Hi all, just another question here, how fast are these cards any way? and what about the 3G wireless cards that uses SIM cards via 3G service, how fast are they? Thanks in advance.

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Answer 7

Poha

Level 1

90 points

Jul 7, 2008 7:13 PM in response to Poha

Hi. AT&T upgraded my area to 3G 6/11. My Option 3.6 Express AirCard, using Leopard to Connect, kept using 2.5G (EDGE); d/l remained 16KB/sec (96 kbps) (red led only). So I went here: http://support.option.com/att/ I already had the latest FirmWare, and there is a sidebar link to a GT Mac Connect download, released 01/08, for Mac OSX 10.4.11x and Mac OSX 10.5x. WhoooEee, got that, it is Globetrotter (again, but good this time); so I select '3G only' in GT Preferences (which I could not do in Leopard Connect) and I have the connection now: blue led only: 898 kbps (112 KB/sec). Joy.

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