B2EVO

If you didn’t think that was possible, you were wrong.

Till now you shouldn’t attempt to install Orange’s software in Windows 7 x64. By that I mean that you should not install the Internet Everywhere f***d up application which comes on the internal memory of the USB Modem, you should not install the drivers which also come with the USB Modem even if you ran them in compatibility mode as admin (trust me, they will never work).
Firmware issue: I bought the modem in August 2009 and the firmware version provided on the modem was the latest. I don’t know if this magic trick will work on older firmware versions.

I tried and succeeded this mod in Windows 7 64 bit build 7100 RC.

Step one

Go to Huawei website and download the appropriate driver for your Huawei E160 USB Modem. You’ll see that Huawei included in this package quite a lot of utilities unlike Orange. Unrar the freshly downloaded archive and run “AutoRun.exe”. This will install the Mobile Connect software and the 64bit drivers for Huawei E160.

If you don’t want to waste time searching for the drivers and app here’s an internal link.

*This operation should be done with the USB Modem not plugged in.

Step two (optional)

Plug in the modem for Windows to recognize the device and associate its drivers.

Step three

Open Mobile Connect and set up a connection.
Go to Settings -> Network Connection Settings -> choose NEW.
In “Authentification” input the “Number”: *99#.
In”APN and additional settings”: choose “Static” and input the “APN”: “internet” (without quotes) hit Save and that’s it.

Step four

Don’t try to connect via Mobile Connect because it will not work, yet.
To make it work you should do this magic trick

Hit windows key + R key (or Start->Run). Type “regedit” and hit Enter (or press OK). You will receive a warning from Windows, choose YES.

In the Registry Editor window navigate to:

“HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServicesRasMan”. Here (right pane) you should look for “DependOnService”. Open it by double clicking it and delete ONLY the “Sstpsrv“string. DO NOT delete the “Tapisrv” string. Hit OK and reboot your PC.

Open Mobile Connect (assuming that you already plugged in the modem); notice that the original application (that’s Huawei’s Mobile Connect) recognizes the network; press Connect.

You are now connected to the Internet via Huawei E160 on Windows 7 64bit.

I removed the SstpSrv (Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol Service) string from RasMan (Remote Access Connection Manger) Dependencies. Before this… ‘user intervention’ whenever I tried to connect using the bloody Huawei modem, I kept receiving an error stating that the Remote Access Connection Manager could not be started and its dependencies could not be started either or it has been marked to be deleted.
My bloody Remote Access Connection Manager service was (still is) set on Automatic, but before the “magic trick” I could not start it.

*After this mod the service starts automatically just as it should do.

Why scratch my head for this? Well, I am not in the branded software stuff especially when the branding continues to drivers, firmware. In fact I hate the corporate guy who thinks that by branding existent software and drivers will make him somehow better, thus more commercial. No! It will only insult some of the end users (which had the eyes to see and the will to change, of course).

I had some issues with Orange software before (it took me a week to unlock my SPV C500!!!), but I thought that the Orange has become a little sweeter…
And to capitalize, the original software: Internet Everywhere (by orange) is the crap-iest software I ever encountered. Why?

Simply because:

• In 6 hours of Internet usage you’ll be disconnected for at least two times, just because… it cans.
• One of 4 startups of “THE” Internet Everywhere is… a waste of time. It cannot assign its network even though it already found it. Therefore, in order to use the modem a re-plug is required.
• One of 6 times “THE” Internet Everywhere application cannot load its CoreCom.exe service. Therefore, in order to connect to the Internet a reboot is required.
• This outstanding application called Internet Everywhere can function properly in Win2K SP4, WinXP SP2 SP3 32bit (SP3 is available from version 8.0.5), WinVista SP1 (32bit). 64bit WinVista OS is supported after you upgrade your firmware. This particular aspect bugs me a lot because Huawei provides the 64bit drivers (where available) with no conditioning, but why can’t orange do that (MFs).
• The rebranded driver calls this modem, Huawei E160e to be exact, a 3G+ modem. This modem will never be a 3G+ (7.2Mbps) modem, period. It’s a 3G modem capable of 3.6Mbps speeds, if the network is not busy enough to limit your traffic. On orange’s webpage this modem is a 3G+ capable modem, but on Huawei’s webpage this modem is 3G capable. How can it be? Could Orange somehow put a NOS bottle inside the hood (maybe in that 2Gb microSD card which comes with it).

In 12 years of PC usage I did not bumped into a bloody software that has such a limited (I think restricted should be more appropriate) OSes area. Windows XP with Service Pack2. If you try to use the app on SP3 XP’s you will only get a headache (this happened before 8.0.5 version). Same thing for Vista. For Windows 7 users I don’t even want to start explaining.

By the way if you want to upgrade your firmware please note that the procedure should be done in one of the supported OSes (I did it in WinXP SP2, which proved to be for nothing, ‘cause I already had the latest version). And since we are at the firmware upgrade stuff I should warn you about one little detail which you’ll not find it on Orange’s support webpage (orange.ro website). When upgrading your Huawei USB Modem firmware your SIM card should not be present in the modem! For some people this information might be as simple as ‘-Good Day’, but for others (including me) is/was a pain in the a**.

Now Orange RO has Windows 7 drivers available for download on its website. Anyway, I don’t know if they included them on E160…

Hope that I was useful,
CJ