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How do I activate my Sierra Wireless MC8355 data card?

Windows 8 on ThinkPads
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barrywohl
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How do I activate my Sierra Wireless MC8355 data card?

#1 Post by barrywohl » Mon Oct 01, 2012 12:59 pm

I'm running Windows 8 RP x64 on my new X230T, waiting for my RTM copy after October 26th.
I ordered my new X230T with an AT&T Sierra Wireless data card.
Device Manager shows a modem named: Sierra Wireless MC8355 Gobi(TM) 3000 HS-USB Modem 9013
Today, I called AT&T and set up a mobile share account so my laptop can share a data plan with my smart phone.
AT&T registered the IMEI number and the SIM Card to my account and issued a "telephone number" for my data card.
I've gone to Settings / Wireless and I can see the data card, but I'm confused as to how to "activate it" to test it out.
Barry in Sheridan, WY
First Thinkpad 755CX in 1995. First IBM: PC 1982 8088 w 64K RAM, dual floppy. Currently in use:
X230T with Win8Pro x64, i7, 500gb ssd; W700 WUXGA RAID 1 Blu-Ray W7Pro x64, occasionally a T61p with Win7Pro x64

GomJabbar
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Re: How do I activate my Sierra Wireless MC8355 data card?

#2 Post by GomJabbar » Thu Oct 04, 2012 3:52 am

You might try installing http://support.lenovo.com/en_US/downloa ... D=DS015016

No guarantees though.

But first you might see if the device shows up Networking and Sharing Center (if that's what it's called in W8).

Hotkey combo "Fn+F5" might bring it up to turn on and off if you install Hotkey Features for Windows 8 and reboot.
http://support.lenovo.com/en_US/downloa ... D=DS031705

Here you can peruse all the drivers currently available for the X230t.
http://support.lenovo.com/en_US/researc ... D=HT073838
DKB

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Re: How do I activate my Sierra Wireless MC8355 data card?

#3 Post by Puppy » Fri Oct 05, 2012 3:45 am

There is Windows 8 beta driver for Gobi 3000 http://support.lenovo.com/en_US/downloa ... D=HT072084
ThinkPad (1992 - 2012): R51, X31, X220
Huawei MateBook 13

barrywohl
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Re: How do I activate my Sierra Wireless MC8355 data card?

#4 Post by barrywohl » Thu Oct 11, 2012 7:25 am

I've invalidated two SIM cards so far.
Before I run Access Connections, Windows 8 RP recognizes the Sierra Wireless card and the SIM but doesn't connect.

Then I run Access Connections and that software asks me if I want to provision the WWAN card. I say yes, and it interrupts and asks me to run Lenovo Mobile Broadband Connect. I run that and it says, "no valid card installed" and after that Windows 8 tells me I have no SIM card installed. The SIM card never works again.

AT&T is overnighting me my fourth SIM card. (They sent me a microSIM instead of a SIM one time but overnighted me a replacement.) I'm thinking of deferring this project until after I install the RTM version of Windows 8.

Meanwhile I've changed my AT&T Wireless account away from Mobile Share and I think I'll use the Lenovo-AT&T deal to buy wireless wan access when I need it. It turns out, AT&T told me, that if I use AT&T's "buy a session" that it is good for "one billing cycle" so if you activate "buy a session" half way through a billing cycle you get 1/2 a month instead of one month to use it. Also AT&T tells me, I'll need a new SIM card each time I use "buy a session" from AT&T, but not if I buy my sessions through Lenovo.
First Thinkpad 755CX in 1995. First IBM: PC 1982 8088 w 64K RAM, dual floppy. Currently in use:
X230T with Win8Pro x64, i7, 500gb ssd; W700 WUXGA RAID 1 Blu-Ray W7Pro x64, occasionally a T61p with Win7Pro x64

thinkpadfan23
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Re: How do I activate my Sierra Wireless MC8355 data card?

#5 Post by thinkpadfan23 » Thu Nov 01, 2012 8:13 am

I'm facing the exact same issue. Just upgraded my x220 - Win 7 ultimate to Windows 8 (RTM - retail version) and can't seem to find Win 8 drivers for the Sierra Wireless MC8355 card. Also, even if I had the drivers, not sure how to activate my SIM as I believe the software to do that is Lenovo Broadband Activation.

I emailed Sierra Wireless to ask them about Win 8 drivers but haven't heard back. I've tried Lenovo's beta drivers, they install and everything looks good in device manager, but Win 8 can't communicate with the card.

Any suggestions?

Thanks...

barrywohl
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Re: How do I activate my Sierra Wireless MC8355 data card?

#6 Post by barrywohl » Thu Nov 01, 2012 10:38 am

I am also, now, running Windows 8 Pro x64 with the Sierra Wireless driver from Lenovo 8awt16ww.exe designed for Windows XP to Windows 7. The difference between me and thinkpadfan23 is that I've never used a broadband wireless card before in a laptop so I'm very newbie/clueless.

Barry
First Thinkpad 755CX in 1995. First IBM: PC 1982 8088 w 64K RAM, dual floppy. Currently in use:
X230T with Win8Pro x64, i7, 500gb ssd; W700 WUXGA RAID 1 Blu-Ray W7Pro x64, occasionally a T61p with Win7Pro x64

thinkpadfan23
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Re: How do I activate my Sierra Wireless MC8355 data card?

#7 Post by thinkpadfan23 » Thu Nov 01, 2012 11:38 am

barrywohl wrote:I am also, now, running Windows 8 Pro x64 with the Sierra Wireless driver from Lenovo 8awt16ww.exe designed for Windows XP to Windows 7. The difference between me and thinkpadfan23 is that I've never used a broadband wireless card before in a laptop so I'm very newbie/clueless.

Barry

Is it working?

barrywohl
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Re: How do I activate my Sierra Wireless MC8355 data card?

#8 Post by barrywohl » Thu Nov 01, 2012 4:54 pm

no.
First Thinkpad 755CX in 1995. First IBM: PC 1982 8088 w 64K RAM, dual floppy. Currently in use:
X230T with Win8Pro x64, i7, 500gb ssd; W700 WUXGA RAID 1 Blu-Ray W7Pro x64, occasionally a T61p with Win7Pro x64

Spikecat
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Re: How do I activate my Sierra Wireless MC8355 data card?

#9 Post by Spikecat » Sun Nov 11, 2012 4:54 pm

Hi

As anyone solved this mystery. My IT knowledge is limited. I have followed the advice on this page but my X230T still won't connect to mobile broadband. All worked fine until I upgraded to Windows 8. I have tried downloading the Lenovo beta drivers but it's not working.

All advice welcome and gratefully received.

Thanks.

GomJabbar
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Re: How do I activate my Sierra Wireless MC8355 data card?

#10 Post by GomJabbar » Sun Nov 11, 2012 5:22 pm

First I would try Windows Update to see if a suitable driver shows up as available.

Don't know if this would work, but I remember when I upgraded from XP to Vista and later to Windows 7 on my T42, there were a couple of driver packages that would not install correctly, but it was possible to install the driver in Device Manager and have it working.

Open: Control Panel > System > Device Manager > Action > Add legacy hardware. Put the search location as C:\DRIVERS\WIN\<WWAN subdirectory> (or one of it's subdirectories). You might try different versions of the driver; XP, Vista, or Win 7. If the driver installs, it will probably will require a reboot before it could work.
DKB

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Re: How do I activate my Sierra Wireless MC8355 data card?

#11 Post by Spikecat » Sun Nov 11, 2012 5:42 pm

Thanks for the advice

AS I said I have limited IT knowledge. I have tried to follow your advice within device manager - but I am stuck as to what category of hardware I should be installing ?

I can see the Gobi in the hardware list but I think (?) the problem lies with the unknown device ?

Thanks again.

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Re: How do I activate my Sierra Wireless MC8355 data card?

#12 Post by GomJabbar » Sun Nov 11, 2012 6:44 pm

Try installing it as a Network Adapter (as a guess). IIRC, my older Sierra Wireless Aircard was installed as a Network Adapter. You should be able to update the driver from Unknown Device.

Currently I am using a Sierra Wireless Elevate 4G wireless hotspot (AT&T). It's great. I can put it near a window for the best reception and connect to it wirelessly via WiFi. No need to install any drivers.
DKB

barrywohl
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Re: How do I activate my Sierra Wireless MC8355 data card?

#13 Post by barrywohl » Mon Nov 12, 2012 8:18 pm

I called Lenovo EasyServ today and downloaded and installed Lenovo Broadband Connection Manager aka Lenovo Broadband Activation Setup. It gave an error message, "There is not a supported wireless WAN card installed in this computer. This setup cannot continue."
The file from Lenovo was twa31ww.exe and it is installed under software drivers as WANlite 3.0.

Support said that Lenovo Broadband Connection Manager does not work under Windows 8 and Lenovo has no plans to release a Windows 8 version. The technician, Dwayne, advised me to go through the carrier, AT&T.

He did show me that I should be able to do a broadband connection directly with the Windows 8 Network and Sharing Center in control panel. I have to get registered with AT&T and enter my: username, password, connection name.

I'm not sure if this is right. It seems to me AT&T Wireless wants to register my SIM card to my MEIC and wants to give me a phone number.

Too bad. The Lenovo short term account system fit me fell. I will try with AT&T next.
First Thinkpad 755CX in 1995. First IBM: PC 1982 8088 w 64K RAM, dual floppy. Currently in use:
X230T with Win8Pro x64, i7, 500gb ssd; W700 WUXGA RAID 1 Blu-Ray W7Pro x64, occasionally a T61p with Win7Pro x64

barrywohl
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Re: How do I activate my Sierra Wireless MC8355 data card?

#14 Post by barrywohl » Thu Mar 07, 2013 11:12 pm

Another two hours spent trying to set up a data plan with this car, and still no success.
I'm using the Windows 7 driver for the Sierra Wireless MC8355.

I got AT&T to set up a data plan, activate the account and then with tech support, I entered an initialization string in the driver advanced settings and set up a dial up account with Windows 8 Network and Sharing. It looked right but it didn't work. AT&T tech support thought it was the lack of a Windows 8 specific driver. I still can't find one on the sierrawireless.com site or any other site.

Barry
First Thinkpad 755CX in 1995. First IBM: PC 1982 8088 w 64K RAM, dual floppy. Currently in use:
X230T with Win8Pro x64, i7, 500gb ssd; W700 WUXGA RAID 1 Blu-Ray W7Pro x64, occasionally a T61p with Win7Pro x64

GomJabbar
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Re: How do I activate my Sierra Wireless MC8355 data card?

#15 Post by GomJabbar » Fri Mar 08, 2013 1:31 pm

I see this:
Microsoft wrote:The following applications or devices have to be reinstalled on the release version of Windows 8:
Vodafone K4505-Z (ZTE)
Sierra Wireless MC8355 - Gobi 3000
Rapid Start Manager
Lexmark x2470
Claro (Brazil) E173 (Huawei)
Virtual Machine Manager Self-Service Client
Vodafone Mobile Broadband Lite
AU KDDI HID01 (HITACHI)
AT&T Momentum 4G (Sierra)
cFosSpeed
Calendar Creator (Calendrier Créateur) French
VMWare Workstation Tech Preview German
Abbyy PDF Transformer Pro Spain_Spanish
VMWare Workstation 9
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2739971

Also this:
http://forums.lenovo.com/t5/T400-T500-a ... d-p/908405
DKB

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Re: How do I activate my Sierra Wireless MC8355 data card?

#16 Post by karotlopj » Sun May 16, 2021 6:08 am

Coming to this topic a little late (8 years since last post...), i am in the same boat. Came across this link

Lenovo Mobile Broadband Activation for Windows 7https://support.lenovo.com/us/en/downlo ... t-notebook

which looked like just what I needed but it doesn't cover the UK.

Just wondered if anyone in the UK had ever managed to get one of these working...
My ThinkPad Graveyard:
600 * 2, X220, X61 * 2, T61

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