Unlocking O2 PAYG dongle

PositiveBalance

Hi all,

I have a Huawei E173 PAYG mobile dongle locked to the O2 network.

At the time I bought it the O2 website said thatit was not locked to the network, but it is.

I Googled unlocking a dongle and it is possible using some sort of code, but O2 said that the software loaded ontothe dongle might not work with any SIM card used on another network. I can try pushing O2 again, but they really, really do not want to give me the code to unlock it and keep having to talk to other departments etc. as the person on the phone naturally never knows anything about it. When I spoke to them they told me to go into the Connection Manager software and try creating a new connection to see if it would recognise a different SIM card. It didn't.

They said that it was even if I did unlock the dongle there was a more than likely chance that another company's SIM card would not run with the software installed on the dongle. I'm not sure whether this is true, or a scare story.

I could try arguing with them again, but I've probably got more chance of getting blood from a stone. Does anyone have any advice, please? And has anyone done this? Is it easy? What about the software?

Many thanks.

PB

NiftyDigits

It's not true that their software is not compatible. Even if it was true, the modem is easily flashed(new software installed) with the normal Huawei software.

Just use the online calculator in conjunction with the Huawei Code Tool on the same page. You'll need a non O2 SIM.

Why didn't you unlock it anyway. It doesn't affect the function in any way. You can still use it with O2.

Once unlocked, the O2 software should allow you to add Profiles of other Networks. If not, we'll Flash the modem with Huawei Mobile Partner software.

PositiveBalance

NiftyDigits wrote: »

It's not true that their software is not compatible. Even if it was true, the modem is easily flashed(new software installed) with the normal Huawei software.

Just use the online calculator in conjunction with the Huawei Code Tool on the same page. You'll need a non O2 SIM.

Why didn't you unlock it anyway. It doesn't affect the function in any way. You can still use it with O2.

Once unlocked, the O2 software should allow you to add Profiles of other Networks. If not, we'll Flash the modem with Huawei Mobile Partner software.

Thanks for the advice, NiftyDigits! :T (Good username BTW! ), but the links for the unlockers don't seem to support the E173 model and the downloadable Huawei Unloker links are no longer valid.

Any more ideas? The E173 doesn't seem to be supported by many of the other programmes online.

Thanks once again.

P.S. Why haven't I done it...scared non-tech newbie! :eek: I had seen things like that unlocker online, but wasn't sure how reliable they were and if they would damage the dongle or its software if I got it wrong. (Naïve, huh?)

PositiveBalance

I tried generating a code anyway, and it worked, but when I try to run another SIM card in the dongle, it doesn't open a box and ask me for the unlock code as the website seems to think it should. I ran through all the software tabs as well and can't see anywhere I should put it.

Any advice, please, NiftyDidgets, or anyone else?

NiftyDigits

PositiveBalance wrote: »

I tried generating a code anyway, and it worked, but when I try to run another SIM card in the dongle, it doesn't open a box and ask me for the unlock code as the website seems to think it should. I ran through all the software tabs as well and can't see anywhere I should put it.

Any advice, please, NiftyDidgets, or anyone else?

You didn't read my post properly... I wrote Huawei Code Tool...the link it still there. The O2 software won't ask you for the code, which is the reason for using the Code Tool.

NiftyDigits

If you prefer the Code Writer, it is here.

PositiveBalance

Thanks again, Nifty.

I've downloaded the Huawei Modem Code Writer Tool and I can't seem to get it to work; scanning for the dongle gets no result, putting in the 8 digit unlock code fades out the 'send code' box and I can't find any dongle port to search.

Any idea what I am doing wrong, please?

I've downloaded the Code Writer but it is hiding somewhere on my laptop. I'll try to find it. Again...

NiftyDigits

PositiveBalance wrote: »

Thanks again, Nifty.

I've downloaded the Huawei Modem Code Writer Tool and I can't seem to get it to work; scanning for the dongle gets no result, putting in the 8 digit unlock code fades out the 'send code' box and I can't find any dongle port to search.

Any idea what I am doing wrong, please?

I've downloaded the Code Writer but it is hiding somewhere on my laptop. I'll try to find it. Again...

Is the modem properly installed on the laptop?

NiftyDigits

If it is still escaping you, download and save this Huawei Mobile Partner Dashboard. Once downloaded, unzip it.

Remove the USB modem from your laptop and double click on the newly downloaded Dashboard to install it.
Once installed, reboot and plug the modem back in, let it install and then exit the O2 Connection Manager.
Open the Huawei Dashboard and you should get the box presented asking you to enter the code if you have a non O2 SIM in the modem.

Once unlocked, you can uninstall the Dashboard after removing the USB modem.

You need to take control of your laptop, not knowing where you have downloaded something is a bit remiss.
Set the Download path of your Browsers or at least take note of their default download path.

PositiveBalance

Hi Nifty,

I've got it downloaded and I have to connect through it with my O2 SIM, but my other one, a T Mobile one, can't connect even though it can detect it. The O2 seems to connect automatically, but not the T Mobile one.

On the 'Profile Name' list there wasn't one for either network, so I created new ones, although I have not clue what to put in the T Mobile profile to make it connect. Any ideas?

As for the latptop, it's new and has Windows 8 on it, so I currently can't find lots of things I would like to find.

Thanks very much for all your help. It's really appreciated. :T

NiftyDigits

PositiveBalance wrote: »

Hi Nifty,

I've got it downloaded and I have to connect through it with my O2 SIM, but my other one, a T Mobile one, can't connect even though it can detect it. The O2 seems to connect automatically, but not the T Mobile one.

On the 'Profile Name' list there wasn't one for either network, so I created new ones, although I have not clue what to put in the T Mobile profile to make it connect. Any ideas?

As for the latptop, it's new and has Windows 8 on it, so I currently can't find lots of things I would like to find.

Thanks very much for all your help. It's really appreciated. :T

Does that mean that you have now unlocked it?

T-Mobile Prepaid data SIM?