Hello,
Brrr... huawei Mobile Connect....
I have that type of device here for my mobile internet as well and am using it on VMware Fusion (OS/X) as well as on a windows laptop that runs VMware Player. The software is a bit umm... crummy, for lack of a better word. I personally had more problems with it under OS/X as under windows.
One thing I've found in my "gettng the thing to work" adventures was that I had to remove old versions of the Mobile Connect product from previous providers.
Just running uninstall didn't do it, I had to actually physically go and remove and/all files/configurations that it had made.
Another thing you might want to make sure about is that VMware will not grab and give the USB port from your wireless usb stick to your guest by default as then your host might not even see it.
I find it strange that you mention that vmware workstation actually deleted the drivers because I don't think it deletes anything. But depending on where you look, you might get that impression.
IIRC then the drivers are presenting the network card as a dialup device, not as a network card, which has its own intricacies.
The software that MC installs -at least older versions of it- is invasive as in that it wants to run every few seconds to "connect" and check the connection.
If you go and google a bit on Mobile Connect you will find a lot (much more as you ever wanted to know)
good luck!
--
Wil
Well, I tried searching for the previous discussions and right now there is only one thing on my mind.
How do I completely disable the USB service on VmWare Workstation 7.1.4? I think that should let my device work just fine.
Right now, the device works some times and other times it just doesn't. There is a high level of uncertainty as to when it does work and when it doesn't.
Right now, as I reply to these posts, I am connected from the same host I am reporting this issue from. The device worked after installing some device driver again after plugging in the device, which doesn't always happen. Atleast this device is getting me connected every now and then (quite a helpless way to put it across, but that's how it is right now). The previous Tata Photon + device that I had, used to crash my computer to a Blue Screen Error everytime I tried connected it and tried to shut down my computer gracefully with VmWare installed.
At the moment, the snapshot of my Device Manager Window is as follows: (This is when the device is in working condition with VmWare Installed)
The areas highlighted in Red borders are the device drivers which need to be present for the device to work, especially the first area (Ports) highlighted in Red border.
When the device does not seem to work, then the 1st and the 3rd areas highlighted in Red borders are the ones that go missing from the device manager window.
I really don't know why VmWare has some conflict with the COM ports that is used by the device to operate, it is when the COM ports no longer exist or do not show up in Device Manager does the device fail to operate.
Anyway, I hope we can find a solution to this problem. I call this a problem and not an issue because it's a recurring issue. Someone from VmWare might have to do an RCA on this problem in order to figure out a solution to this problem.
Thanks.
Hello,
I see where you come from with the statement "VMware uninstalls the driver".
If a device doesn't show up in the device manager it doesn't mean the driver is uninstalled, in fact it means that the usb device wasn't picked up.
If you select the virtual machine menu of any virtual machines that might be running, then look at the usb devices connected to the virtual machine, is the huawai device attached to anyone one of them?
Your usb device cannot be connected to both a virtual machine as well as the host OS.
Be aware that shutting down a guest that has the usb device connected might not always give it back to the host.
Re. your quesiton on stopping the usb arbitrator service, yes you can do that.
It's found under services. In order to get there, right click on the "My Computer" icon, select "Manage", then in the left side of the screen navigate to "Services" under "Services and Applications". Then locate the "VMware USB arbitrator" service and stop it from the menu.
Hope this helps,
--
Wil
update: forgot to answer a few questions.
The conflict with the COM ports is because the Huawei device most likely has a com port onboard using a USB to serial bridge, which then allows them to add the dial up device. In a way it is similar to the "good old" telephone modems from way back, just in a little bit fancier package, but including all of the problems that those modems used to give you.
re VMware support. If you have a support contract (or recently bought Workstation) then you can try resolving it via VMware support. I'm not sure though if they are familiar with your huawei device as it is pretty specific. To be honest, to me it looks more like a huawei device driver problem as a VMware one. Unfortunately enough however it shows up to you in combination with VMware. They might give you some more troubleshooting pointers, so it is always worth a shot.
FWIW, I managed here to get a huawei device like yours working inside of a virtual machine as well as on my hosts. So it _can_ work, but due to a great number of variables we would first have to find out what exactly is biting you. It can indeed be a troublesome device to get to work sometimes.
edit: updated with more info.