Jul 22

Getting your Huawei modem working with Mac OS X Mountain Lion and Lion

Category: 64bit,apple,guides,macosx,tips

You know the part before the upgrade where they tell you to check all of your applications before you upgrade? Well, last night I decided that it would be a great idea to upgrade my Mac from Snow Leopard to Lion. Turns out that perhaps wasn’t so great an idea after all when my Huawei USB 3G modem dongle decided that it wasn’t going to work since it wasn’t relevant for the new 64-bit only kernel. Oops, I should have checked first. But it isn’t a complete disaster!

Update: This appears to also work with Mountain Lion as well according to some comments at the bottom. It may not work for everyone but it does appear to work for some.

After frantically using Google to find a new driver to install and digging around the Huawei site trying to find a replacement driver I was getting to the point of doing some modifications to the com.apple.boot.plist file and restart my Mac with the i386 kernel instead of the x86-64 one that appears to now be the default.

In my many searches for a Mac OS X Lion compatible driver, I managed to find the following from mobile provider “3” in UK. The link, http://ask3.three.co.uk/mbbdocs/drivers/apple_drivers.html, contains a link to “dongle drivers” for “Huawei dongles” that work for Mac OS X Lion (10.7). Sounds like a winner!

So I download the zip file and it extracts out to leave me with a “3Connect Installer”. Not quite what I want however all is not lost. You see applications on Mac OS X are actually folders in disguise commonly referred to as either “bundles” or “packages”. So right click on the “3Connect Installer” and select “Show Package Contents”. This opens up a view with only “Contents” listed, foiled? Don’t worry, double click into that directory and then into the “Resources” directory. Here we find a “mobilemanager.mpkg” file. Now “mpkg” is a package which means it has more goodies in it.

So we right click on this and select “Show Package Contents” again. We’ve got our “Contents” folder and inside that we want to go to the “Packages” folder. In there two packages exist: “mobile_manager_application.pkg” and “huawei_universal_425_05.pkg”. Now if you’re like me, everything is setup already – you just need the driver. So I skipped the mobile manager application and just double clicked on the “huawei_universal_425_05.pkg” file and installed it.

After installing the Huawei Universal package, the next time I plugged in my Huawei E160 into my Mac it was detected and worked perfectly fine.

So if you’ve just upgraded to Lion (now Mountain Lion too) and are trying to work out how to get your Huawei modem working properly with it, these instructions worked for me and I’m using it to write this post.

Update: It looks like *99# works rather universally as a telephone number for getting the modem to work. On Mountain Lion this is what the Network Preferences screen looks like:

Update 2: From Simon Hilton in the comments: If you are on Orange UK, you can download the dongle software for E160, E1752, E173, E367 & MF636 that will work with Mountain Lion from here: http://help.orange.co.uk/orangeuk/support/personal/475051

579 comments

579 Comments so far

  1. Nacho January 29th, 2013 1:07 am

    Hello Pasamio,

    Thanks for your prompt answer, I’ll do that 🙂

    thanks anyway

    Cheers

  2. Kitija February 9th, 2013 8:13 am

    Thank You very much. It really helped. works great after lots of Java updates! cHeeeeeeers!!!

  3. Amit S February 10th, 2013 6:09 am

    Thanks Pasamio, your solution helped…

    I bought MacBook Pro today with Mountain Lion pre-installed.
    Pro has USB 3.0 so even after installing the universal driver my USB modem was not detected.

    I attached a USB Splitter and my modem was instantly detected.

    I hope it helps other users too who are having this issue.

    My device – E1731
    Carrier – Airtel, India.
    Laptop – MacBook Pro with 10.8 (Mountain Lion)
    USB Splitter – Cheapest of cheap Chinese 4 in 1 splitter.

  4. george February 13th, 2013 4:51 am

    Many thanks for the details, unfortunately didnt work for my E122 device.
    Found this workaround on this weblink- hope it helps someone like Michael and me.
    https://getsatisfaction.com/huaweiindia/topics/e122_driver_for_mac_os_x_lion_10_7_1

  5. Mash February 14th, 2013 2:28 am

    Wonderful solution to a long standing problem have been experiencing. Kudos!

  6. Poeticnumbers February 24th, 2013 8:43 am

    Hi Sam,

    You saved my day! Thanks this really worked for me.

    Just to share I am using:

    USB Stick Model: E1550
    Provider: Sun Broadband
    OS: Mountain Lion

    Thanks,
    Poeticnumbers

  7. Allan March 2nd, 2013 3:32 am

    Only did part of what another post said, and it started working.
    Champs! You guys rock.

  8. CJ March 3rd, 2013 2:54 am

    I had avoided this solution, because it looked like a lot of work, but it really wasn’t. I had to install Internet Everywhere, Orange’s software, and THEN install the Huawei Universal, but at last, it DID work! Thank you Sam. Hope it stays working.

  9. Nassour March 7th, 2013 4:18 pm

    MAGIC…KABANNNNG

  10. Sarah March 22nd, 2013 1:00 am

    Hello,
    I have a Huawei device E1731 with the service provider or carrier being Airtel (an Indian carrier). I followed your instructions as closely as possible and did everything correctly. However, when I attached the device to my MacBook Pro, it didn’t show anything, at all! Can you please help me out? Does anybody have any tips?

    Thank you so much!

  11. pasamio March 23rd, 2013 3:36 pm

    Not sure why it would not be appearing. The only thing that I could think about is to go into the Console app (under Applications then Utilities) and see if there are any messages relating to the USB stick that show up under there. I would also plug the device into a Windows PC and see if this makes a difference. It may end up being a defective device.

  12. Sarah March 23rd, 2013 8:01 pm

    I did plug it in a windows pc, and it was working flawlessly there. I also checked the console and it didn’t say anything. Can you suggest a further couse of action?

    Thanks anyway.

  13. pasamio March 26th, 2013 11:36 am

    It’s possible it has a different driver than the devices supported here. I did a quick search and didn’t quickly come up with anything useful in Google nor on Huawei’s site. That would explain why it doesn’t appear. Without installing developer tools it would be hard to validate what is going on in your case. Sorry!

  14. Lisa April 2nd, 2013 10:39 pm

    Hey there, just wanted to say thanks for the advice…I was having the same trouble with my Optus dongle, but after installing the driver, all is as it should be!
    Thanks again

  15. What is this, please? - Page 3 April 4th, 2013 1:36 pm

    […] but not here – go figure) So, I tried googling this "Huawei e3131 64 Mac Driver" and the first hit looks promising. You just need to get the kExt out of the installer package. The problem is the […]

  16. Infracom, le Blog WiFi / Wimax / Vidéo sans fil – Joemobile avec clé 3G : os/x, xp et ubuntu April 9th, 2013 9:02 pm

    […] quelques recherches Google, un blog répondait aux attentes, avec un .pkg (huawei_universal_425_05.pkg) à récupérer, installer, et […]

  17. Stephen Wandera April 23rd, 2013 1:10 pm

    You have sorted my big problem Sam.

    Thank you very much. We need selfless problem solvers like you.
    Be a blessed man to cause such great relief to burdened souls.

  18. law_dj April 24th, 2013 6:15 pm

    Thanks for your useful info work like badabing badaboom magic MY HUAWEI E220 CLING CLING CLING WORK IN MY MAC OS 10.8.3
    THANKS

    BEST,
    LAW_DJ

  19. Ariel Ruiz May 7th, 2013 11:30 am

    Man, you are the man, it completely worked for me! Thanks a lot!!

  20. J May 13th, 2013 1:05 pm

    You’re a life saver! Cheers!

  21. Configure tata indicom photon+ on Mac | thoughts !!! May 28th, 2013 12:20 am

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  22. kurund May 28th, 2013 12:22 am

    Thanks for detailed instructions.. worked like a charm

  23. VUK May 28th, 2013 7:45 pm

    Thank you so much.. this was really helpful.. i have been struggling with this for over a month!!!!

  24. tina June 3rd, 2013 5:48 am

    thats soooo great ! thank you very much for your solution!

  25. Matt June 9th, 2013 2:31 am

    Many thanks, your guide helped me get my e353 running on Mountain Lion. Only problem I have now is that it loses connection every 5 minutes and I have to unplug and re-connect to resolve the network.

  26. Alan June 9th, 2013 3:44 am

    Although an Orange Uk Huawei E160E user I managed to find and use the link on the three websitete which is now http://support.three.co.uk/SRVS/CGI-BIN/WEBISAPI.dll/,/?New,Kb=Mobile,Ts=Mobile,T=Device,Case=obj(2465)

    Thanks for the post and apologies if new link has already been added

  27. Perry June 13th, 2013 7:00 pm

    Unfortunately, the steps didn’t work for me. I manage to locate the Mobile Partner software on Huawei which works

    http://www.huaweidevice.com/cn/downloadCenter.do?method=toDownloadFile&flay=software&softid=NDE3Mzc=

    Hope this is helpful.

  28. Dude June 30th, 2013 5:14 am

    You saved my ass. Thank You!!

  29. alex July 5th, 2013 6:05 pm

    Tried it with Huawei modem e1732 on mac os x 10.7.5 to no avail. It did not work. The modem is not being detected . It does not light even.

  30. André July 8th, 2013 5:35 am

    Thanks!
    Work perfectly to me!
    Modem Huawei E156B.
    André
    Brazil

  31. rick July 20th, 2013 9:18 pm

    Worked fine with E170 device and Mac 10.8.4

  32. Will August 16th, 2013 3:12 am

    Worked like a charm for Brazilian carrier Vivo and Modem Huawei E156B.

  33. Soetkin August 17th, 2013 7:43 am

    Hi Pasamio
    I tried to follow your instructions on my MacBook air with a E3131 3g modem but it still doesn’t work. It gives the following message: Your device was not detected and the application is missing required preference files. Any help?
    Thanks

  34. Andy September 15th, 2013 7:18 pm

    I have a EC5805 and the connect app won’t install. I have to connect the wireless modem via USB everytime I want to connect. I tried the universal app but got the same extension failure. Mac 10.7.5
    Any advice?

  35. Akarsha September 18th, 2013 7:01 pm

    I had Huawei E3276S-920 Airtel 4G USB modem which is not working with mac os x 10.8.5 mountain lion on macBook air mid 2013. after installing the modem the status showc connected but safari will not see the modem and unable to browse. help required in modem settings to mac osx 10.8.5 mountain lion

  36. Akarsha September 18th, 2013 7:21 pm

    E3276S-920 not working with mac os x 10.8.5 mountain lion. This modem is from AirTel 4G LTE @ Bangalore. Any drivers/settings for modem to work with mac os x 10.8.5

  37. Leopoldo October 1st, 2013 7:54 pm

    thank you very much!
    it works with my internet key huawei e1550 on mac air with os x 10.8

  38. João José October 10th, 2013 1:54 am

    Thanks a lot.
    This worked in my Vivo Brazil’s Huawei e156 on Mountain Lion 10.8.5.

  39. Bernie October 22nd, 2013 8:19 pm

    Thanks, your advice and a reload of software off my E5832 has me back on the net after upgrading from OS X 10.6.8 to 10.8.5
    Why do things have to be so hard!
    Much appreciate the effort you took to put this advice up.
    Apple doesn’t care and my ISP acts like I’m the first person it has happened to.
    Cheers

  40. Gunakan modem Celcom Broadband di Mac OS X 10.7.x - syahzul October 29th, 2013 9:00 am

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  41. anne November 12th, 2013 12:46 am

    Hello, I have got 2 problems:
    1) I cannot use my HUAWEI E220 any more on my my new MacBook Pro, OSX 10.9.
    2) When using this HUAWEI E220 on my old MacBook OSX 10.6.8 , it loses its connection after a few seconds or 1 minute, so that I have to unplug and then to reconnect it.

    Please, could you help me to solve these 2 problems?

    Thanky ou
    Anne (Austria)

  42. Toby Thain November 21st, 2013 12:21 pm

    Fantastic tip; worked perfectly with my Huawei E160E on my work-issued Macbook Pro (10.8).

    As Alan says above, the files have moved to http://support.three.co.uk/SRVS/CGI-BIN/WEBISAPI.dll/,/?New,Kb=Mobile,Ts=Mobile,T=Device,Case=obj%282465%29

  43. K. Venkat December 4th, 2013 12:08 am

    Wonderfully explained! Your solution has worked for me flawlessly! Got my old Huawei E1260 working with my new Macbook Air OS X (Lion) 10.7.5, and Reliance NetConnect — in India. Thank you very, very much!

  44. Letha January 12th, 2014 12:23 am

    Thanks so much for this. I wonder if you have any advice for the error messages I get when I try to install the pkg it says “huawei_universal_425_05.pkg can’t be opened because it is from an unidentified developer.”

    Any ideas on why this is happening or how to get past it?

  45. pasamio January 12th, 2014 2:44 am

    This is a Gatekeeper problem, check out this Apple article on Gatekeeper: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5290?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US

  46. Urs January 19th, 2014 4:04 am

    I don’t konw how did you figure this out, but you are a genious! 🙂 Thanks!!!!

  47. Madusha February 3rd, 2014 9:04 pm

    Thank you so much.
    Mine is Mac 10.8.5 and the driver you attached in the link still worked for me.

  48. Flavio - Brazil February 28th, 2014 12:26 am

    Thanks man! You saved my life!
    😉

  49. Franco March 12th, 2014 3:13 am

    Thanks. It works on E153 for Maverick too.

  50. upender March 17th, 2014 12:14 am

    how to use tata photon data card on Mac OS X 10.9 ,kindly suggest me the answer.

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