Automatic connection with a USB 4G LTE dongle?

[johannesk]

I have a computer in a remote location which is powered on at regular intervals using a timer. The computer is running Windows 7.

This computer needs to automatically connect to internet when it is connected, and I want to use a Verizon USB 4G/LTE dongle.

I understand that my options are the Verizon Wireless 551L, Pantech UML290 or Pantech UML 295. However, from my experience with USB dongles from 5-10 years ago (2G/GPRS in Europe), says that some devices need you to manually press "connect" in a GUI for it to connect.

Does anyone have one of these devices? Do they connect automatically when inserted (or when the computer is booted)? Or do they require you to manually press "connect" or similar in a GUI?

//Johannes

[expohl]

You need a cradle point router

[vzw_customer_support]

@Johannesk, you would just insert the device into your computer and  allow the drivers to auto-install. The VZAccess Manager Installer will automatically launch. Our USB modems are compatible with most computers that support a Type A USB port. I hope this information is helpful to you. Click http://bit.ly/y5iuoj for USB device support information. ^LH

[John_Getzke]

expohl is correct.  To achieve the results that you want you cannot use a USB modem directly connected to your Win7 computer.  USB modems still require a user to launch VZAM and click connect before that machine will talk to the internet.

However, if you use a cradlepoint router then your Win7 machine will pick up the wireless or wired conection and be good to go.  Cradlepoint routers are specifically designed to connect to the internet over a USB modem.  No need to click connect or approve the connection if they are configured correctly.

[dimap52]

You can ue VZAM to configure the modem to use NDIS mode instead of PPP, configure it to connect automatically, and then shut VZAM down since it will no longer be needed anymore. Using NDIS turns the modem into an Ethernet over USB network node so that it will connect when the machine turns on, just as a wi-fi or Ethernet connection would.

[johannesk]

Thanks for all the feedback. To give some more background/clarification:

a) The computer is powered on a 12 VDC power source and therefore I cannot have it running all the time. There is a special chip that will turn on the power to the 12VDC supply for about an hour per day or per week (depending on my configuration). The computer will boot up correctly, and log into windows, at which point I have an application in the "Startup" folder that needs internet access. This also means that any extra hardware would need to be powered from the computer's USB ports (and hence why we wanted to avoid an external router if possible).

b) There's no issue in doing the initial installation / configuration manually. That is fine. However, after that is done, I will leave the USB 4G dongle plugged into the computer, and I want the computer to "have internet" when it boots up.

dimap52 - Based on your configuration, if you leave the USB plugged into the computer, will it have internet without any need for manual configuration when you subsequently boot it up? What exact device are you using? Do you have any more info on how you configured it?

[dimap52]

johannesk wrote:

dimap52 - Based on your configuration, if you leave the USB plugged into the computer, will it have internet without any need for manual configuration when you subsequently boot it up? What exact device are you using? Do you have any more info on how you configured it?

Well, currently I have an internal Gobi modem in my laptop that is usb connected and supports NDIS. I used VZAM to put the modem in NDIS, via whatever tab the option was in, and tried the enable automatically option, shut down VZAM, rebooted and up the connection came just like ethernet or wi-fi. I also used to have an external USB modem (UM-175 I think) that VZAM also showed support for NDIS, but never tried it.  As for the usb connection being internal or external, that makes no logical difference to the software. I've since ditched Windows for Linux on my box, so I use the Linux Network Manager now instead of VZAM, so the details of how VZAM offers this all up have gotten a bit hazy. 

[X72]

I know this post has been inactive for about a month now, but if it helps the OP, I have just configured a few UML295's and they do not use the VZAM software. Once you install the device, you should be able to browse to mbb.vzw.com and set the device to Auto Connect, it should connect on startup with no user intervention. Hopefully this will be helpful if you have not already found a solution.

[gmagg]

So, if I understand this correctly, when I switched from USB760 to UML295 I no longer need the VZAccess Manager and can delete it from my computer.

[John_Getzke]

It sounds like you need VZAM to configure the USB modem to auto connect.  After it has been reconfigured then you can remove the VZAM software from your machine.