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LT2016U Verizon Netbook: How to swap out 3G Card?

I have a couple of Gateway LT2016U netbooks from Verizon. On one of them I have installed Snow Leopard 10.6 on an SDHC card and run as a "hackintosh". Everything works fine except for months now I have been unable to get OSX to see and use the Qualcomm 3G card. So, I can't use my Verizon data plan when running OSX.

I originally had a problem with the WiFi as well, but was able to tear down the Gateway and replace it with a mini card that is recognized by both Win XP and OSX. In the process, I learned that the Qualcomm 3G card is actually right under a little door on the bottom - theoretically would be very easy to swap out ... assuming I could also find a 3G card that works under both OSs.

Soooo, can someone PLEASE help with these questions:

1. First, is there somewhere a driver for the Qualcomm that would allow me to make this work now, without further card swapping?

2. How does Verizon do the data connection via the Qualcomm? What I mean is, cell phones use a SIM card ... but there doesn't appear to be such an animal in this netbook. So, is the wwan phone number burned into the Qualcomm card somehow, or maybe in the card's firmware?

3. If so, and if I replace the Qualcomm card with another model 3G card, can that be made to work by loading in the phone line info to the new card? Can Verizon help with this (even for a fee)? Local Verizon stores look at me with a der-in-the-headlights look when I discuss any of this.

4. If so, any suggestions as to what card(s) I could use that would work for both OSs?

Help, anyone? TIA.

Comments

dimap

Wow. This bone has some rather interesting-smelling meat on it. First of all, Gobi chips have been difficult to get running on Linux-based operating systems because of the software radios needing a ROM radio pre-load and modem driver. In any case, re-compilation of the Linux source for whatever drivers used would be necessary as well as OSX-specific tweaks to make it work. Then there is also the matter of the CDMA radio as opposed to HSPA. I've heard Qualcomm has some Linux drivers that maybe you could compile to make either mode work, but my understanding is they give them to OEMs only.

Other than that....only thing I can think of is get an iPad 3G, rip out the 3G module in that (assuming it's PCI-Express module, too bad for a wrecked IPad if it's not) and use that lol.

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