Dell Wireless 5700 MacBook Pro Works!!!

jasonlich · EVDO Newbie Joined: 18 Jul 2006 Posts: 4

1) sudo /Applications/TextEdit.app/Contents/MacOS/TextEdit /System/Library/Extensions/IOSerialFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns/AppleWWANVerizon.kext/Contents/Info.plist

2) Under "AppleVerizonInterface0NovatelX34"
Change idProduct to: 33047
Change idVendor to : 16700

3) Under "AppleVerizonInterface1NovatelX34"
Change idProduct to: 33047
Change idVendor to : 16700

4) Save and quit.

5) sudo kextload -t /System/Library/Extensions/IOSerialFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns/AppleWWANVerizon.kext

6) Put in your Dell Wireless 5700 card and it will begin the activation process.

Note: You may need to open Network in System Preferences and select WWAN Support as the modem. (I did this and am not sure if it helped. It may do this automatically through the activation process. Le us know if it is required.)

Scott · Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 1:33 pm Post subject:

Were you polled to allow OS X to configure the dialing location (outside of the modem script drop-down selection you had to do manually)? This is what happens when the XV620 (aka V640) is detected.

Do you see signal indicators and the ability to activate the card?

Similar to mid-2005 when were were editing .kext files for our Kyocera KPC650's to work on our Macs, one of our concerns is that future Software Updates will overwrite changes made to kernel extensions. Easily fixed by re-applying, of course.

jasonlich · EVDO Newbie Joined: 18 Jul 2006 Posts: 4

I was not polled for anything except for the activation. But before that I changed the modem script and setup the #777 number. I'm not sure if the activation process would have done this for me. I hope someone who is doing it for the first time will let us know.

Yes, I see the signal indicators.

Scott · Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 2:21 pm Post subject:

Normally the Novatel cards are detected ("New Network Port Detected") and the user is prompted to allow the system to configure the dial-up settings. Enter the admin-level user pw and everything is configured for you.

Info on the PPP page is all entered automatically and the modem script is selected automatically as well. BUT... it appears that the Dell 5700/Novatel XV620 versions have slightly modified firmware (at least the vender ID is different), which means they may not detect/operate in all the same ways.

So does the .kext hack return all functionality? And will future updates break the hack?

Do you see an 'About Dell Card...' when clicking on the signal level icon in your menu bar? Does it indicate card info correctly (such as PRL version, ESN, etc...)?

Michael · Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 2:56 pm Post subject:

Jason, thanks for posting.

Jason bought his Dell Card from Dell and got it activated from us (thanks Jason, hopefully that was quick and painless).

It does appear that the above hack works, BUT, after doing another 10.4.7 update, the installer re-writes the kernel extension, which means you have to do the hack each time after a apple system software update.
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jasonlich · EVDO Newbie Joined: 18 Jul 2006 Posts: 4

The process was very quick and painless, thank you very much.

Assuming that the kernel extension dosen't need updating in the upcoming updates, the file will not be over written. I changed some values in another ktext file (AppleVerizonSupport.kext), reapplied the 10.4.7 update, and it was left unchanged.

Here are some screen shots of what everything looks like after the hack.

(I am pressing the option key for the optional menu.)

(I have removed the directory number and esn.)