eXtensions
Services from True and Hutch: Connecting with the Huawei EZC235 and a Mac |
Although my home ADSL link is fine, the intermittent nature of True's WiFi service was brought home to me recently. In Siam Paragon center responses can lag, while in Central Pinklao, it is so slow that at times I am unable to log on.
Contrast this with my experience last week in the new food center in Siam Center: logon was instant; connections were fast. In each location, however, I find the logout almost always fails. As the service logs out automatically after ten minutes inactivity, this is not a big problem although I do not like any time deducted from my card when using this already-expensive service.
An alternative I recently began to use again is the Hutch CDMA link. I bought a Huawei EC235 device which initially failed to work with my MacBookPro, despite the confidence of the retail staff.
The Huawei EC 235 is a clean-looking little device that links to a computer via a USB cable, unlike the Airplus which plugged directly in, restricting space. Also, unlike the Airplus wireles modem that I had previously used, it was totally software-driven and the Mac failed to recognise it. I should have checked better at the shop, but communication difficulties and poor technical knowledge were not on my side.
The documentation was Windows-only as was the data on the mini-CD. (As a note, these do not go into a Mac's slot drive. I used the tray drive on my eMac.) Neither the Hutch site (then) nor the Huawei site had any information that I could find. Despite trying several tricks, I was stumped and thinking about eBay.
I sent eMail to Hutch explaining my situation as concisely as I could. The reply was that only the Airplus "can support Mac OS X" and it was out of stock because of its popularity. As it had been out of stock because of its popularity when I first tried to buy one early last year, it would appear that some stock management is needed.
I wrote again. If the Airplus does turn up, can it be exchanged; or is there software that will make the Huawei device work?
A week later, an email from Hutch provided a link for a suitable driver: almost out of thin air. The page that the e-mail linked to had been updated from my earlier visits: new hardware had been added, and the section for the Huawei USB device now had drivers for OS X and Vista.
From the web pages, I downloaded the Linux manual, which is in English, and a manual for a Samsung phone that referred to OS X. I confirmed the settings: Service, Hutch; dial, #777; account, hutch; password, hutch (with a unique telephone card, this is not critical).
As with my earlier Airplus (and the information I gleaned from the downloaded manuals) I used the same null modem 115200 setting as before. I still had no luck although I was beginning to see some light.
It was time for another email: the problem, whatever it was, was probably only minor. Within a few hours, my phone rang and a Mr. Worawut of Hutch's technical staff phoned and talked me through the setup. It was clear during our chat that (like many of True's technical staff) he was familiar with the way Network Preferences in OS X is used when entering the necessary data. My setting were correct except for the modem. When I had looked at the modem list for the null modem, I had missed the new settings now available in the modem list: Huawei Mobile Connect - 3G Modem.
I switched to the new modem and pressed Apply so that the new settings would be accepted. When I pressed the "Dial" button, Internet Connect opened automatically. Within a few seconds, I was online and the panel in Internet Connect opened to reveal the signal strength and other details. I could hardly suppress my delight and thanked Mr. Worawut, who apologised for the lack of a suitable manual for the Huawei and OS X.
While my Thai is sometimes passable for shopping, I lose the plot when the subject becomes more complex. True have gone some of the way now, particularly in the Siam Paragon branches (and the Siam Discovery outlet before) while DTAC has English speaking assistants at every shop I have been to.
Where True and Hutch clearly score are the technical staff, once you can find them. Their English is usually quite good, their technical knowledge of systems other than Windows is helpful. The results, in my experience, are quite acceptable in most cases where I have needed help.
See Also: Part One -- Help Services from True and Hutch.
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