I purchased the AT&T Beam after the salesperson at AT&T told me it wouldn't be a problem to use with my MacBook Pro. When I received it, the instructions were bare minimum which didn't help me at all. So, I plug it into my USB and nothing happens. How do I get my MacBook to recognize it?
MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.3)
You need to call AT&T Cell Tech support.
USB network devices are to be avoided, if possible. They depend on complex third-party software that's often of poor quality and is prone to cause system instability. The software is rarely, if ever, updated, and may stop working entirely when OS X is updated. Use a mobile Wi-Fi or Bluetooth hotspot, either a mobile phone or a dedicated device — no software needed.
It is all a bit confusing. AT&T product pages for the AT&T Beam (AC340U) do not appear to say anything about Mac OS X support, but a "Device How-To Center" page does. The latter also mentions Netgear as the manufacturer. At a Netgear site, the following page could be found:
http://kb.netgear.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/23444
I do not know whether or not the web page above (or the problem/procedure described) is at all relevant to your very modem and the network operator in question. I agree with LowLuster, do contact AT&T tech support and ask them to sort things out.
Generally speaking, I do also agree with Linc Davis about USB mobile broadband modems. The need for special driver software often leads to difficulties. A mobile broadband hotspot (3G or 4G), using Wi-Fi for the local wireless connection, is usually a better solution. An added advantage is that the hotspot location can be changed for optimal radio reception from the mobile tower.
Jan
How do I set up my AT&T Beam USB modem to use on my MacBook Pro?
