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I have to provide 24×7 service for one of my customers. They kindly provided me with a Sunrise T@KE AWAY, model Novatel MC950D. It’s 90 x 25 x 12 mm in size, with a USB connector and a multicolor led on top.

I use it with my Macbook Pro running Leopard. Despite its width, it fits in the left USB connector even with power attached.

Sunrise didn’t provide a Leopard driver, so here is a quick install procedure. I got most of it from blog.rimann.org

• put your SIM card in a GSM phone, disable the PIN code
• insert your SIM card in the MC950D USB modem
• install the driver from the Sunrise download page
• insert the USB modem
• system preferences / network / select Novatel Modem
• advanced
• Select Manufacturer = Novatel, Model = GSM
• APN: ISP.SUNRISE
• OK, Apply

In the Network preference, a “connect/disconnect” button allow to control if you are online or not. Behind the scene, a pppd is started, and provides you with a connection, an IP address and the associated default route. From then on, enjoy your online status and start using your Mail.app, Firefox or anything else.

When inserted, it “logs itself” into the available GSM/UMTS network, try to get the fastest speed (GPRS, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA) and provide two serial port to the OS (/dev/ttys000 and /dev/ttys001).

The system logs then announce :

NovatelWireless3GData: Version number - 1.8, Input buffers 4, Output buffers 2
Control Interface number: 1
Novatel Wireless HSUPA Modem
NovatelWireless3GControl: Version number - 1.8, Input buffers 4, Output buffers 2

The connection is very stable, and for the first time in the Swiss mobile internet business, the pricing is right IMHO : CHF 10.- /month and CHF 3.50 per day when you use it.

Status and speed of the connection is shown by the multi-color LED :

• red flashing : SIM error
• red solid : no service
• green : GPRS
• violet : EDGE
• blue : UMTS
• yellow : HSDPA
• cyan : HSUPA

A colleague with a Linux laptop could get it running as well. I don’t have the details but could ask. Let me know if desired.