Making it all work together: Alltel, KPC680, MBR1000, Mac

d27025 · EVDO Newbie Joined: 26 Mar 2008 Posts: 7

I'm having a heck of a time getting a new Alltel KPC680 card to work with a new MBR1000. I use an iMac, and I don't have a Windows box. I thought I'd done my research on this, but according to tech support at 3Gstore, where I bought the MBR1000, my KPC680 has not yet been "activated," and so the MBR1000 is not yet getting a WAN signal through the KPC680.

This mysterious activation apparently does something to the KPC680 card itself, yes?

I also understand that this "activation" can be done on a Macintosh using Smith Micro's Quicklink Mobile program, but only if you have a version of Quicklink Mobile that can be gotten only from Alltel. I've talked with people in two Alltel stores, and with Alltel tech support, and they don't have a clue what I'm talking about, even if I tell them that I want to buy their part number ALKY015 (I got that part number from Smith Micro tech support).

Can anyone tell me if I'm in error on any of this? If this is essentially correct, can anyone tell me how to get someone at Alltel to find, and sell me, their ALKY015 "connectivity kit"?

I'm no dummy. I've been in the technology business for 25 years. But I'm new to EVDO cards, and everyone uses jargon that means nothing to me. For example, if I say "activation" to an Alltel person, they assume I'm referring to something they do inside an Alltel computer having to do with my account. If I say "activation" to a KPC680 person, they seem to be referring to something usually done with a PC that actually changes the state of the KPC680 card itself so that it begins to work.

I apologize if this terrain has been covered, or if there is a FAQ somewhere that I was unable to find.

Many thanks.

Alex · Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 9:58 am Post subject:

you might find it easier to go find a friend with windows and activate the KPC680 that way, rather than deal with alltel UNsupport.

Hardware · EVDO Heavy User Joined: 07 Dec 2007 Posts: 141

Activation is the process that associates the ESN of the card with the Phone number of your account. This basically tells the Alltel network that your KPC680 is valid and that it is attached to your account.

Until you activate the card, you can't get on the network because when it looks up your ESN on the card, it can't associate it to your account until you activate it. So it doesn't change anything in the card, it tells the Alltel network who you are.

This is done through one of a few kinds of software that passes the commands back and forth without human visibility. An Alltel retail store will probably be able to activate your card using software, but if you don't live near one, find a friend with windows and an expresscard slot and activate the card.

You can't bypass or end around this process, you have to activate windows or a Mac with the right software.

d27025 · EVDO Newbie Joined: 26 Mar 2008 Posts: 7

Many thanks for the advice, and thanks for the explanation of the purpose of activation. I swallowed my Mac/Solaris pride, paid a visit to someone with a PC, and successfully activated the card.

The KPC680 card is now working in my MBR1000. I am getting download speeds of 500-600 kbps and upload speeds of 50-85 kbps. Nothing to get excited about, but I'll take it.

I've only been using these two devices for a few hours, but I've seen two unexplained WAN disconnects. I have no idea why, but in looking through the MBR1000's defaults, I see that many of the defaults don't make much sense in my configuration. I've adjusted some of the defaults (for example, telling it not to auto-failover to an Ethernet connection that does not exist, and turning off a bunch of features I don't need), and I'll see if that helps.

One thing I'll say for the MBR1000 -- it's highly configurable. Though I'm an EVDO newbie, I've a fair amount of experience with networking in general. I was easily able to get a ham radio application, EchoMac, working on my Mac; previously I've not had the tools to get it to work. This required opening UDP ports 5198 and 5199 -- no problem with the MBR1000; my previous router didn't allow that kind of surgery.

It sure would be nice to have a FAQ or an all-in-one-place collection of the collective knowledge here on using the KPC680 with the MBR1000. Maybe I'll try to write that up myself after I have more experience with these devices.

Next challenge: Getting the KPC680 to work in rural Stokes County, North Carolina. The local Alltel retail people say that all of Alltel's towers around here support EVDO, but I'm not sure I believe them. I've ordered a dual-band Yagi antenna to help with this. If I can't get good EVDO service in rural Stokes County, I'll be forced to get satellite. If I can get it to work, I'll be very happy.