T-Mobile USB Dongle Crashes Kernel

Just to add to this, my Orange Broadband USB dongle (ICON 225) doesn't exactly the same thing. And I've tried it on several machines with the same effect.

I raised it with a programming friend and after investigating noted that the drives supplied with the dongle were badly coded. Therefore it's down to the dongle makers to update their software - in other words, it's not a problem with Snow Leopard.

I've already raised it as an issue with Orange and am awaiting their reply. I suggest anyone who experiences the same issue should raise it with their provider.

Good luck!

Unfortunately I don't know of any workarounds (as yet). I'm fortunate that I use BootCamp on my MacBook and the dongle still works with Windows XP (which is far from ideal). And yes, it is a real pain!

Which type of stick are you using?

The same problem was reported on quite a few German discussion boards.
I´m still using 10.5.8 so take everything I write with a grain of salt. 🙂
However I was searching for possible problems once I´ll update and since I´m using a T-Mobile stick myself I was very interested....

Anyway, in Germany T-Mobile sold/sells several different types of USB sticks.
Web'n'Walk (USB stick) I to IV for example. IV seems to be the newest?

The commenters reported that at least for type IV there is a new update available. Came out in the last 1-2 days.
(That at least is true. It was available as a download to me 2 days ago.)
It changes the software (and drivers) from "web'n'walk Manager" to "T-Mobile Internet Manager".
The "web'n'walk Manager" doesn´t seem to work under Snow Leopard any longer. "Internet Manager" supposedly does work.

One commenter wrote that T-Mobile Austria (unlike Germany) has the software already available for manual download here:

http://www.t-mobile.at/officetogoSW/MM2_03.dmg

According to other German commenters it seems to work with stick type III and IV. It doesn´t seem to work with type I and II sticks.

There also seems to be a method to manually configure the stick. However this only seems to work if you disable using a PIN:

http://aralbalkan.com/1934
followed by:
http://aralbalkan.com/2363

Hope this helps.

Detlef

That´s a response that was reported by owners of stick I and II here in Germany too. No longer crashing but not finding the modem either. Seems that the package for now just includes drivers for a few T-Mobile USB sticks.

That probably also means you can´t find it under "system settings" and then "network" on your Mac?
From what I´ve read here:

http://seekbroadband.com/hardware/3G-USB-Modems-and-Dongles/T-Mobile-Option-Icon -431-USB-Modem/

it might identify itself as an "Option Icon 431" modem/mobile? If that is your stick in the picture?
(Just as my stick is identified as a "Huawei mobile".)

If it´s there in your "Network settings" configuring the stick manually might be possible.
If not...

Are you still using Snow Leopard or are you back to Leopard?
If you´re back to Leopard you might consider "using" the 2 Aral Balkan links. And then updating again. In his case the USB stick drivers seem to have survived. And only those are needed for identifying the stick. The problem seems to be mainly with the T-Mobile software which he wasn´t using.

Although he doesn´t mention the type of his USB stick. It´s entirely possible that some drivers might survive the update while others won´t. It could be a huge waste of time....

And I´m not sure if I should even mention the "Option" website.

http://www.option.com/en/support/software-download/usb-modems/icon431/

Because they don´t say if the software works with Snow Leopard. And even more important the T-Mobile USB stick 530 seems to be SIM-locked? In a worst case scenario the Option software could overwrite something the USB stick needs. Which would leave you with a useless USB stick.

Long post without much help, I´m afraid.
As I see it you have just 2 options.

1) If there is an "Option Icon 431" modem/mobile in your network/system settings you could try the Aral Balkan solution.
2) If not, then you have to stay with 10.5.8 for now and hope for an update soon.

i got the same problem..
any solution yet?
my modem is option 431...

Message was edited by: Neutreeno

I spoke with T-Mobile tech support today. The rep said that they would begin testing Snow Leopard compatibility with the web'n'walk stick on 7th September. He could not estimate how long testing might take or when a solution would be available. In the meantime he agreed that web'n'walk would not work with Snow Leopard.

When I asked for a credit as they could not provide service, he said I was not due a credit as I had installed an incompatible software version. I am planning to escalate and argue that they had advertised compatibility with Mac OS X and they are responsible for ensuring compatibility with all current versions.

Otherwise, any new Mac purchasers should be aware that they should not purchase T-Mobile web'n'walk as it will not be compatible.

Evan

I've just bought web n walk and both times I have installed the software it has caused havoc with my network settings, meaning the computer can no longer find the modem to access the internet. The only solution has been to re-install the entire OSX. I'm not happy!

T-Mobile's small print gives you seven days to return anything for a refund but everyone should be aware that this does not affect the statutory rights. If it won't work with Macs, it's "not fit for purpose."

My T-Mobile tongle worked well till I upgraded to Snow Leopard. The drivers are not compatible. But that's not T-Mobile's fault but the one of the company that makes the sticks. And that is Option, http://www.option.com/. They haven't made any announcement on their website yet whether they working on an udpated set of drivers or not. However, the main driver (launch2net) for the dongle in case of the T-Mobile 431 stick comes from Novamedia, which is currently working on a compatible problem:

http://www.novamedia.de/download/snowleoparden.html

You may have noticed a message after starting Snow Leopard for the first time, informing you that launch2net isn't compatible.

Like many of the posts on this forum, my wireless modem won't boot up now that I've upgraded to Snow Leopard. Has anyone else experienced this in Australia?
cheers

Tony