4G LTE Data-stick Mac/Linux/Windows-other authentication information.

[willzzz99]

The following information has been released publicly by VZW advanced support so I feel I can share this now:
If you want to use the UML290 on the Mac/Linux/UNIX/other-platforms you can now do so if you have the engineering knowledge or a little know-how:
Quick Notes: Verizon 4G LTE uses the GSM APN authentication method through a GGSN (similar to AT&T) and 3G (1X/EVDO) traditional uses the HA CDMA method. The old CDMA authentication method has been posted years before so I won't repost that.
You WILL NOT GET SUPPORT UNTIL THE OFFICIAL VZACCESS Software comes out on the Mac.


4G LTE GSM General Device Settings-
Phone Number: PhoneNumber
Account name: PhoneNumber@vzw4g.com
Password: vzw

Advanced Settings-
Carrier: Generic
Model: GPRS (GSM/3G)
APN: vzwinternet
CID: 1

Click OK, then connect and enjoy.

So on the Mac connection manager (generic apple), make a profile for your UML290 hardware, should be a modem. Make a GSM connection profile with the above. Phone number is your data-stick phone number (fake phone number, used for system identification, get it from VZAccess or your account page online). Account name is "phonenumber@vzw4g.com". (Basically add @vzw4g.com to your phonenumber. Password is "vzw", same as 3g CDMA. In GSM/3G/4G carrier use generic (no special parameters). Model is GPRS (GSM/3G, same as 4G). GSM APN is "vzwinternet". CID is 1 if your drivers need it.

Enjoy 4G LTE GSM technology by VZW on your Mac! I will be running this on my Linux engineering dev machine soon. Finally I LOVE YOU VZW!

Oh and if you're just installing it without a Windows machine using it at least once, your SIM card has to be provisioned by VZW support or a store...

If you want a visual Mac guide:
http://homepage.mac.com/jrc/contrib/tzones/
Official VZW support (replace the inetgsm.vzw3g.com APN used for overseas roaming with the 4g APN used domestically as listed above):
Mac: http://support.vzw.com/clc/devices/knowledge_base.html?id=30063
Windows XP/Vista/7 (If you don't want to use VZAccess): http://support.vzw.com/clc/devices/knowledge_base.html?id=29355
Username/Password/Everything as said above applies, replace as needed.

NO VZAccess on Mac yet, check your data usage on vzw.com my account... The SMS warning messages should work since it's a standard GSM 3G/4G implementation by VZW if you can get a Mac/Linux app that watches for SMS from the data modem driver interface.

Verizon will probably add a second APN for smart-phones when they come out with LTE chips. Example: The "vzwinternet" APN gives you a public IP address as that's mean't for data-sticks. They will probably use something (I'm just guessing here) like "advdevice" for smart-phones and that will give the smart-phone a private IP address (10.x.x.x) like the current CDMA HA's do. With APN data traffic separation VZW with 4G GSM tech. can manage traffic volumes better with bandwidth limits, etc. AT&T/T-Mobile are doing the same now and it has recently been implemented on the legacy CDMA HA's also. Also firewalling, security.

[predao]

I've left you a private message.  Thanks.

[willzzz99]

With my professional knowledge it seems the WMC604 error means the ICCID on the SIM card is NOT ACTIVATED! So either the store or whoever you bought the LTE data-stick device didn't activate it for you or YOU DID NOT CALL THE 800# to ACTIVATE IT! YOU MUST CALL THE VERIZON 800# for NOW to ACTIVATE THE SIM! So far there is NO SELF ACTIVATION OF LTE/UICC/3GPP on My Verizon. VZW: GET WITH THE GAME, AT&T/T-Mobile has SELF SIM CARD ACTIVATION FOR YEARS, the TECHNOLOGY IS THERE, INTEGRATE IT ON MY VERIZON SO I DON'T HAVE TO CALL YOUR 800# being an IT PERSON!

[predao]

Update:

I called the 800 number this morning and whatever changes the CSR did on her end enabled me to connect to 3G without getting the error.  4G wasn't even showing up for me at that time.  I was able to get to a few websites without any issues.  I thought everything was good.  Later on in the afternoon I plugged in the USB modem and the VZAccess Manager was showing 3 bars of 4G service.  I got excited because I thought I would be able to finally test the 4G speeds.  When I clicked to connect the WWan I got the same error as I had gotten before.  Called tech support.  They had me try a few things and then finally gave up and put in a support ticket for me.  They should be calling me in the next 24-48 hrs.

After hanging up I started going through this forum and found some manual settings that people have tried.  I decided to setup a manual dial-up connection with all of these settings below:

Advanced settings:  AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","vzwinternet"

and for the dial up number :*99#

user: yournumber@vzw4g.com

pass:vzw

Sorry I can't give the user direct credit for the above info.  I don't remember what his name is but he has several postings regarding this 4G problem in this forum.

I was able to get it to connect under Windows 7 HP X86.  I went to www.speakeasy.net/speedtest and ran a speed test.  I connected to the Chicago testing point because that seems to be closest to my location (Cleveland area).  I got 13.72Mbps download and 6.55Mbps upload.  This method worked so I assume the problem has something to do with the Verizon software.

I booted up my Linux Mint 10 laptop with this Pantec card and followed the same settings above.  I had to put vzwinternet for the APN setting.  It connected witih 5 seconds.  Ran the speedtest again and this time got 19Mbps download and 6.31Mbps upload.  This tells me there is something going on with the Verizon software.  I'm not going to recommend a 4G upgrade to anyone in my company until it can connect to 4G using the Verizon software.

As far as activating it by calling the 800#, I tried that.  You basically hear a recording telling you to dial *228 and press 1.  This isn't a phone so you can't do that.  The tech I talked to said that it sounded like the SIM wasn't activated.  If it wasn't activated how can I connect using the manual configuration method found on this forum? 

I'll wait and see what the next tier of support has to say about it.  I'll post updates once everything is working. 

[predao]

I don't have any good news today.  Got a call from a support tech at Verizon.  He walked me through the disgnostic settings and we tried connecting 3G (worked) and 4G (still getting error).  At the end he had me initiate a log and try to connect a few more times so that the log file would contain a possible reason why the error is coming up.  I emailed the log file to him and am waiting to hear back.  Not sure if I will hear back.

I did learn something interesting.  I asked him if they had tested this out in some of the markets before launch day.  He said that there were a few markets that had limited testing.  What is interesting is that he told me that they were using a different version of the VZAccess Manager software than what is shipping on the CD and available online.  They were using 7.5.x.x.x instead of the current version which is 7.6.x.x.

Because I was able to get this to work with the manual dialup setup in Win 7 and also under Linux, this leads me to believe that the VZAccess Manager software is to blame.  It is possible that the older installation came with a different driver than what was included in 7.6.  I asked him if they still had the older version and he said that he didn't.  He may just not have access to it or he may have just said this because he can't send it to anyone outside of Verizon.

I would hope that soon they will release an updated (or older) version of the VZAccess manager software that should fix the issues we are having with these Pantech USB modems.  I see huge potential in these 4G devices especially now that the 4G network is just starting.  Once it gets crowded the speeds will definately drop but they should only drop down to what Verizon is quoting the 4G speeds to be.  Even those slower speeds are way better then the current 3G speeds.

I will post again when I hear back from Verizon.  If I can't get this fixed in the next 3 weeks I will send my 2 Pantech cards back and try the LG cards.  Hopefully they work.

[njtech]

Same here. I also sent Tech support my VZaccess logs last night with my current open ticket, and I agree

it has to be something in VZaccess software.

[irieblue]

I think people need to be careful and realise what the at+cgdcont command does. First before you do anything, make sure you note what is stored in these profiles (basically what verizon provisioned the sim with). You can do this by typing at+cgdcont?

The Pantech 4G modem can be used as a DialUp modem which uses PPP or as an Ethernet style device. The VZ Access software seems to default to Ethernet style.

[idee]

The Pantech 4G modem can be used as a DialUp modem which uses PPP or as an Ethernet style device

I am interested in knowing how to do this.  Specifically the Ethernet device.  I am using SuSE 11.3 Linux and having one dilly of a time getting it to work.  See my post for details here .  I would gladly settle for the modem PPP device, but just want to get it running.

hope you are still watching this post.

idee

[willzzz99]

Ethernet style is recommended for LTE because of higher throughput and less protocol overhead. All that does for cgdcont is read the existing settings and use it and NOT over-write it. Basically tell cgdcont use existing authentication burned into SIM and use a custom APN. This has been standardized for GSM networks for YEARS and LTE is no different from HSPA.

[moates · Accepted solution]

For customers who followed these instructions and have disabled their modem’s ability to connect to the Internet on a Windows PC, here are steps to restore your modem to the correct default values to ensure compatibility with the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network.

1. Connect your modem to a Windows PC with VZ Access Manager installed for your modem
2. Launch VZ Access Manager
3. Press CTRL+T to bring up a terminal window
4. At the terminal prompt, type: at+cgdcon? and hit enter
5. No further action is required if you see +CGDCONT: 1,”IPV6”,”vzwims”,”0.0.0.0”,0,0
   1. If you are unable to connect using your 4G LTE modem, contact Verizon Wireless for assistance.
   2. If you see +CGDCONT: 1,”IP”,vzwinternet”,”0.0.0.0”,0,0 follow the following steps to restore your modem to default values:
      1. Type: at+cgdcont=1,“IPV6”,”vzwims” (NOTE: This is case-sensitive and there are no spaces.) and hit enter
      2. Close the terminal window
      3. You should now be able to connect to the Internet on Windows OS with VZ Access Manager

Verizon Wireless is working to release VZ Access Manager for Mac OS in the coming weeks which will provide users with the best possible user experience including technical support from Verizon Wireless, the ability to check your current data usage and receive roaming and usage alerts.

[willzzz99]

Moates, you linked the images wrong.

Everyone else, CHANGE THE CONNECTION CID TO 3 so its the same as original and doesn't overwrite the orig. Vzam settings.

Also, moates/vzw it/engineering,

You need to openly and clearly publish the authentication details of your NSN/ALU/ERIC LTE APN authentication method for corporate customers. Att/tmobile does this for their corporate it managers. This greatly eases laptop provisioning and I can do some automated programming scripts for the windows desktop images and some custom stuff for the mac/linux/android engineering clients and others.

[toughbook]

I updated to the latest VZAM that was released last night and at 1st Windows could not load the pre configured drivers from VZAM. I unplugged it, plugged it back in and it started doing a FW and Modem Upgrade that I have never seen before. They have defintley changed some things in this release. I would install the latest version if I was you.