[willy30]

I need a small light 3G-HSDPA Router that TRULY IS MOBILE INTERNATIONALLY, as I travel a lot, often only short time in different countries. I therefore try share existing 3G-HSDPA/UMTS accounts. To conveniently share 3G I want a 3G Wireless-N router. However, I read unlike with PSTN/DSL modem/routers where you browse to 'management console' to input a set of parameters particular to network carrier and personal account, the situation with 3G Routers is far from clear, with many products requiring 'firmware upgrades' to achieve/maintain compatibility with even current Network/Modem combinations. The result being a 3GRouter you buy may not work, or may soon not work, rendering it obsolete or dependant on the maker keep upgrading the firmware... seems like backward step on DSL.

Grateful if you throw light on this, and advise WHAT are the relevant parameters, and how to easily acquire them from the various 3G-HSDPA/UMTS Network Providors, without having to ask for this info manually (not that easy in a foreign language, & where I haven't bought a 3G contract). Examples of 3G parameters I heard may need are 'APN'. PPPtype, PIN. Where I am currently in Brazil, I want to share a 3G account with TIM/ONDA MSA405HS Network/USB-Modem combination. From their Windows Logon App, I can see phone no. '*99***1#', IMEI#, IMSI#, CHAP Protocol, Auto DNS, but not much else. I seem to remember with DSL you needed more; which PPP protocol used, UserName and Password etc. (both parent companies are Italian, but TIM's Brazil site is ww.tim.com.br, also,think T-Mobile have loose association)

Do you know a free utility to 'sniff' all the parameters (pref in human-friendly format rather than hex dumps) necessary to complete a log-on to the ISP when the USB modem is plugged directly into the laptop, so that I can email those parameters and values to prospective 3G Router vendor to assess compatibility. Thanking you in advance.

[Hands0n]

Hi willy30 - Welcome to Talk3G. I'll try and help if I can.

What you are asking for is not, as far as I am aware, commercially available. Essentially you are looking for something that will "packet sniff" the air-side of the 3G connection. That is strongly encrypted, although the algorithm is not unknown and I dare say that there is technology out there capable of performing such sniffing, but that it is also likely to be very specialised and therefore expensive.

The 3G/WiFi routers that you are referring to are a fairly new breed. They are usually locked to one single service provider (SP locked) in a similar manner to a regular handset.

No doubt there are SIM-free units available from the likes of Expansys (such as the Top Global MB6000 3G Phoebus 3G/Wi-Fi Wireless Router (http://www.expansys.com/d.aspx?i=133366). I would expect these to be fully configurable by you for your purposes and able to be used on any 3G UMTS network on the planet.

So, turning to your quest for the parameters to use. This really should not be that difficult. Those that you already describe are quite common and with a little familiarisation and experimentation you would be able to work out quickly what is required. It is usually quite a simple arrangement, they're not locked down heavily. There is no real need to as all of the true security relates to the SIM being used.

The authentication is more often than not CHAP as anything else is too complex for the regular mobile handset that will also use the service.

The "dial string" again is usually *99***1# - or some slight variant of it.

Now the really good news - mostly all of what you are looking for can be found on Ross Barkman's GPRS/UMTS Info Page (http://www.taniwha.org.uk/gprs.html) - there is a ton of information there for the reading.

The page I have indicated contains information listed by Country and containing Network, APN, Username, Passord, DNS (if any required), SMTP server and Notes. Several Brazil SPs are listed.

Although that website is mainly for Mac and Linux users, the actual parameters are going to be the same that you would need to enter into your 3G/WiFi router.

I hope this has been of some help to you. If you find any further valuable resources please do post them on here also.