You probably sometimes blamed yourself for not buying a tablet with a 3G module “on board”; there are situations when WiFi cannot be found nearby, but you need the Internet right here and now. Fortunately, this situation can be corrected, and the familiar USB modems that we are used to using in our laptops come to the rescue.
- Download and install the PPP Widget application from the Google Play Market
- After installation is complete, create a PPP Widget on your desktop
- On the widget developer forum, find the driver for your tablet and place it in the folder sdcard/pppwidget/lib
- Connect the modem to the tablet using an adapter and go to the PPP Widget settings
- Go to the “Connection Settings” section and enter the settings provided by your operator
- After this, the Internet on the tablet should work using an external 3G modem.
Important! If after all that has been done, nothing worked for you, check the modem for compatibility with the tablet. Your modem must be in the list of supported devices.
But if both options are not available, you can use a USB modem. This method is especially relevant for owners of models without a SIM card. How to connect a modem to a tablet? It's not difficult at all.
3G wireless network settings
The modem for the Android 3G tablet is suitable for almost any modem that you usually use to visit the World Wide Web from a computer. The difference in connectors is compensated by an OTG cable (on the one hand, devices with a USB input can be connected to it, and on the other, there is a small connector for the device).
- First of all, we turn on the gadget, wait for the launcher to start and icons with all applications appear.
- Go to “Settings” - “Wireless networks” - “Mobile network” (the sequence and name of the sections may vary depending on the device and OS).
- Third step: select “Data transfer” to turn on the cellular network we need.
- We connect the modem to the tablet, wait until it is detected by the device (the “3G” sign should light up at the top right).
- Next, select “APN access point” and create a new point.
If your modem is positioned as a product for one cellular operator, then everything else is configured automatically. If this does not happen, enter the requested provider data:
- for Beeline -beeline.ru;
- for MTS -mts.ru;
- for Megafon - internet.
The username and password will be equivalent to the name of the provider, it must be written in English letters, as above, only for Megafon a different one is used - gdata. The MCC section is filled in with the number 250 (for all operators), MNC:
- MTS - 01;
- Megafon - 99;
- Beeline-
Then you need to fix these settings and you can use the Internet.
How to connect a 4G modem to an Android tablet? Exactly the same as 3G: all parameters are absolutely the same. Of course, when purchasing a wireless communication module, it would be a good idea to mention the possibility of connecting it to a tablet: a consultant will set up the equipment or tell you which one is best to purchase.
Possible problems and ways to solve them
If, after connecting the 3G modem to your Android tablet, there is no connection to the Internet, then something is going wrong. Possible problems faced by users:
How to connect a 3G modem if obstacles cannot be eliminated? Contact the service center or mobile operator store. You can also buy a pocket mini-router: it distributes Wi-Fi to connected devices and also drains less battery.
Maybe you know how to connect a USB modem to your tablet in another way? Share it in the comments.
Many budget tablet computer models are not equipped with built-in SIM card readers. However, this does not mean that the owner of such a gadget will have to give up the opportunity to use 3G mobile Internet. A tablet, just like a desktop computer, can easily connect to the Internet using an external 3G modem, which are sold in abundance in cellular phone stores. There is no need to look for a special modem for an Android tablet in stores - regular 3G modems, the same as for Windows, are suitable for them.
What is a 3G modem?
A 3G modem is a receiving and transmitting device designed for high-speed information exchange via radio communication channels owned by mobile operators. 3G networks, otherwise called third generation networks, support signal reception/transmission speeds of up to several megabits per second and are available wherever there is mobile communication. You can use 3G Internet only on devices that support SIM cards. Therefore, if the tablet is not equipped with a SIM card reader, you can connect a USB modem to it.
How to connect a 3G modem to a tablet and set up the Internet?
To directly connect the modem to the tablet, you only need a data cable with a USB - miniUSB interface. But the process of recognizing a 3G modem by the Android system has its own characteristics. The fact is that this system recognizes the modem as two devices - both as the modem itself and as a flash drive (or CD), and therefore cannot work with it. To solve the problem, you will first have to switch your 3G modem to modem only mode.
To do this you need to do the following:
The Android system cannot work with “composite” devices. Therefore, to use a 3G modem, you need to select one option - switch it to “modem only” mode.
This is done using the Windows Hyper Terminal utility. To connect a Chinese Android tablet to the Internet you need:
Computer running Windows-7, Vista, XP (x86).
3G Modem from ZTE
Tablet PC
Hyper Terminal Program
The Hyper Terminal program is located in Start > Programs > Accessories > Communications > Hyper Terminal - in Windows XP, and for Windows 7 you need to download it from here
Instructions:
First of all, you need to disable PIN code checking on the modem and switch it to “modem only” mode
1. Connect the modem to your Windows PC and make sure it works
4. In the “Connection Description” window, write a name (for example, Huawei) and press ENTER. After a while, the “Connection” window will appear. In its last column “Connect via” select “HUAWEI Mobile Connect - 3G Modem”, then click OK.
The next window after this with phone numbers and other parameters just needs to be closed by clicking the “Cancel” button
5. On the program panel, click the last button “Properties” > In the “Properties: Modem” window that opens, go to the “Options” tab > Click the “ASCII Options” button > Check the second box from the top “Display entered characters on screen” > Click OK . The top window will close > Click OK. The last window will close, then the cursor will blink in the main program window.
6. Turn on CAPS LOCK (capital letters) on the keyboard and type the AT command > Press ENTER. The answer will appear: OK. Indicates that connection with the modem has been established. Next Enter one of the following commands:
AT^U2DIAG=0 (device in modem only mode)
AT^U2DIAG=1 (device in modem + CD-ROM mode)
AT^U2DIAG=255 (device in modem + CD-ROM + Card Reader mode)
AT^U2DIAG=256 (device in modem + Card Reader mode).
To operate the modem in a Chinese tablet, you need to use the command AT^U2DIAG=0, switching the device to “modem only” mode. Having entered the command, press ENTER, and in response we see OK.
Close the Hyper Terminal window by answering “YES” to the offer to interrupt the communication session and refusing to save the connection.
7. Make sure CD-ROM emulation is disabled. To do this, disconnect the modem from the USB port and reconnect it to the same port. No “new” CD-ROM should appear in “My Computer” - only the ones that actually exist.
If it becomes necessary to return the modem to its original state, you must repeat the entire procedure, but with the command AT^U2DIAG=255 (device in modem + CD-ROM + Card Reader mode).
If the modem belongs to one of the brands - ZTE or Huawei (and this is the vast majority of USB modems), you can use a program from ZyXel, which performs all the above steps in one click.
8. Launch Android on the tablet, go to “Settings” > “Wireless networks” > “Access points (APN)” and enter the settings of your mobile operator.
9) Restart Android.
10) After restarting Android, simply plug the modified modem into the USB port.
After 7-10 seconds, 3G will appear next to the battery icon
MTS-Connect settings:
Name: internet.mts.ru
dial number: *99#
Username: mts
Password: mts
Click “use default value”
Connecting the tablet to the Internet via a 3G/Wi-Fi router
If using a 3G modem seems too difficult or inconvenient, for example, because of the cable, there is another way to connect your gadget to the Internet via 3G. This method is even simpler, since it does not require special programs and eliminates device incompatibility problems in advance. Mobile Internet for an Android tablet can be configured using a 3G/Wi-Fi router. This device, about the size of a cell phone, can be carried with you at all times and used anywhere there is a mobile connection.
To set up a 3G/Wi-Fi router, you don’t need complex instructions - you just need to have an idea of how to connect a mobile gadget to a Wi-Fi wireless network. All that is required from the owner is to install the SIM card in the router and turn it on. After that, it automatically finds the network and begins to work as a Wi-Fi access point, to which you can connect up to five devices, including a tablet.
The advantage of using a router is that it is easier to set up 3G on an Android tablet. Or rather, you won’t have to manually configure the 3G connection itself. Simply, after turning on the 3G/Wi-Fi router, your gadget begins to automatically receive the Internet via wireless Wi-Fi connection.
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Many owners of Chinese tablet computers are faced with the problem of the lack of a SIM card slot, that is, there is no support for 3G networks. This is a common practice among manufacturers who are trying to reduce the price of a model while sacrificing its functionality. However, other manufacturers, having picked up this idea, are releasing an external 3G modem for a tablet with a wide variety of technical capabilities.
Types of modems
Like any device, a network modem has various configuration solutions that are used depending on the user’s tasks. At the moment there are only two types of modems:
- Wired;
- Wireless.
Accordingly, the wired one is connected to the tablet computer via a special USB OTG cord, which may come standard at the factory or will have to be purchased separately.
It is worth noting that not all touch devices support working with external peripherals: before you start setting it up, it is better to check this on the manufacturer’s official website.
A wireless modem connects to a tablet gadget via the Wi-Fi standard or, in very rare cases, via Bluetooth. It has many advantages over a classic modem, which is why it has been actively pushing USB devices out of the market lately.
However, despite the large number of advantages, it also has some disadvantages that should not be forgotten when purchasing a network device.
Huawei E171 review
The E171 is one of the flagships of the Chinese company Huawei, which provides an incredible speed of 7.2 Mbps and operates almost anywhere in the world where there are radio towers using third-generation 3G technology.
The network device supports absolutely any cellular operators both in Russia and far beyond its borders, which allows you to use the device with almost no restrictions.
Setting up a wired modem
Probably every user at least once has encountered setting up a modem on a computer running the familiar Windows operating system, where nothing was required other than installing drivers and entering the received data. When connecting a network device to an Android tablet, things are a little more complicated, since the system identifies the connected peripheral as an external drive, which should be changed.
Main window of the utility
First you need to download the free 3G Modem Mode Switcher for ZTE and Huawei program to your personal computer. After downloading, run it as administrator and then connect the modem via a working cable.
Be sure to remove the SIM card from the slot and only then make changes to the device parameters; malfunctions and errors may occur.
To make changes to the operation of the modem, click on the highlighted button only for the modem and wait for the setup process to complete, after which:
- Disconnect the modem;
- We return the SIM card;
- Turn off the program.
Setting up your tablet
Now it is necessary to prepare the tablet itself, since it does not provide mechanisms for working with the external periphery. Therefore, through PlayMarket we download and install the PPP Widget program. After installation, a widget should appear on the desktop through which the settings are made.
First of all, we connect the network equipment to the device and click the Configure button and configure the connection, as we used to do on phones, namely:
- APN name;
- Username;
- Password;
- Short call number.
Settings window
All data for creating a connection can be taken from the operator’s website, obtained when purchasing network equipment, or use a table that contains information about the main cellular operators.
| Operator | APN | Dialing | User | Password |
| MTS | internet.mts.ru | *99# | mts | mts |
| Megaphone | internet | *99# | gdata | gdata |
| Beeline | internet.beeline.ru | *99# | beeline | beeline |
| Tele2 Internet | internet.tele2.ru | *99# | Empty | Empty |
As soon as all the parameters are set, save them and reboot the gadget. After turning it on, we try to connect to the mobile network using the widget, where we press the connect button. If everything went well, we use Internet resources for health, but if problems arise, we try to eliminate them.
Problems and their solutions
- When you click on the connect button, a message appears - there are no drivers. In this case, follow the link: http://www.draisberghof.de/usb_modeswitch/bb/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1113 and try to find drivers for your gadget. If found, drop them into the PPP program folder: sdcard-> pppwidget-> lib, then connect again.
- Displays a connection error. Most likely you forgot to save or the default settings were reset in some other way, so please enter again.
- A common reason for the modem not connecting to the Internet may be the lack of funds in the account, so the first thing to do when identifying problems is check your account.
- Network device failure. It happens quite rarely, it is very difficult to detect at first glance if there are no special indicators on the case that show the activity of the modem. Unfortunately, fixing a hardware failure will cost more than buying a new modem.
Huawei E5830 review
This is one of the most powerful modems on the wireless Internet equipment market. The modem works with absolutely all mobile operators, including those outside Russia; it is enough to install a SIM card from a regional operator; it supports any SIM cards.
For ease of use, manufacturers have equipped the device with a small display that contains all the necessary information:
- Activity of the current connection;
- Battery charge;
- Roaming;
- Cellular mode;
- Wi-Fi or WPS.
The battery life is a little more than 4 hours; in principle, for average use it will last for a whole day. Huawei E5830 can work both via Wi-Fi and via a regular cord if, for example, the battery is dead or there is interference in the Wi-Fi connection.
Connection setup
The password and name of the wireless point, which is created after turning on the 3G Wi-Fi modem, are on the box or on a special sticker: carefully inspect both the device and the delivery box, and also look at the documentation just in case. Now all that remains is a matter of technique:
- Turn on the modem and tablet;
- Open the general settings menu on your tablet;
- Click on the “Wi-Fi” item and move the switch to the right;
- Wait until the list is formed and click to select a point.
Connection to a point
Enter the password that was found on the box or in the documentation and confirm the connection. The system will automatically check the compliance of the data and, if the answer is positive, your tablet device will be allocated its own network address to access the Internet.
The modem is so compact that you can put it in your pocket or bag and access the Internet if necessary. When finished using, be sure to turn off the gadget so as not to waste battery power.
Problems during setup
- The tablet does not connect. One of the reasons for this situation may be a strong congestion of Wi-Fi signals, especially if you are in a densely populated city. Then it is recommended to reconnect to a wired interface.
- The modem does not turn on. Most likely it is dead, so plug it in and wait about 20 minutes and turn it on again.
- Network connection error. These could be problems with the cellular operator - quite often, or a lack of funds in the user's account; these problems need to be gradually eliminated until the source is identified.
