I can't access to my internet sticks

[Luca_Pavan]

As I'm having super-low network speed with my ZTE MF90+ (pocket router) I wanted to try connecting with a Vodafone K3806-Z (internet stick) but I can't access any, I have 2 and when I plug them both nothing happens. I should be asked what to do when I plug anything as Removable Devices default settings (that I never changed). Only Disks shows them so they work and contain their software. Even my Momo Design MD-A doesn't work, I think that it misses of the internet software. I plugged all 3 to my laptop with Windows 7 Starter and they work, MomoDesign MD-A works only as mass memory device as it has a button to switch from network to mass memory function. How can fix to access to them?

[DeanG]

The simple answer is these may not work with Linux. Just because they work on Windows they may only work on Windows and not Linux or Mac. It's irrelevant if it they work in Windows.

If you can see them that means the system sees them as files, and you need to go in and tell it to see it as a connection. Then you'll also need to install the driver for them. You may also need to install a driver/software for the company that is providing the service as well, I know Vodafone is big on this. But once again that may not be available for Linux. You will need to go the service provider website to see if they have a linux software for those devices.

My suggestion would be to buy a dongle that works with Linux where you slip in a sim card and bypass any provider software

[Michel]

Maybe you should buy a stick that does work with linux, here in our country they are around 20 euro's and work out of the box.

Bought this one last year for my wife because windows 10 update destroyed my wifes wifi card -> https://www.amazon.nl/TP-Link-3-0-adapter-netwerkadapter-Ondersteunt-T3U/dp/B07M69276N

[Frog]

Try this one .... I wrote a T & G about the one I use and it has been working just fine .... please note there are some dongles that support both WiFi & Bluetooth and some just WiFi ..... the one I have supports both .... choose the one you need ..... I also listed some places where you can get it ..... have a look

A WiFi Dongle For Linux - Zorin

I have noticed quite a few people asking about buying and using a dongle that will work on Zorin ..... I have one and have been using it for at least 4 months ..... With the help of Aravisian who found the drivers on line and made a list of terminal commands we managed to get it install ..... here is how we did it and where to get the dongle ..... Now this dongle comes with WiFi and Bluetooth or if you don't need Bluetooth some places like Newegg and Amazon sell one without Bluetooth .... Fir…

[Mr_Magoo]

Some USB devices are "mode-switch" type devices... when you first plug them in, they act as removable storage which contains the driver files... the USB device then attempts to install those drivers, or if they're already installed, the device does a "mode-switch" to show as the device it's intended to be.

It may be that your device, being unable to install the driver files (because it expects to install to Windows, so the install fails) is never doing that "mode-switch" to show up as the device it's intended to be.

If that's the case, you'd have to search for and manually install the Linux-compatible drivers... if you want to get really leet about it, you could also put those Linux drivers on that removable storage section of the USB device and set it up so it discovers which OS it's installing to, and installs Linux or Windows drivers appropriately.

But once the device sees the drivers are installed and responding, it should "mode-switch" to being the intended device, and should thus work.

Also, make sure you've got usb-modeswitch installed:
sudo apt install usb-modeswitch

It'll install the following packages:

sudo apt search usb-modeswitch
Sorting... Done
Full Text Search... Done
usb-modeswitch/focal,now 2.5.2+repack0-2ubuntu3 amd64 [installed,automatic]
  mode switching tool for controlling "flip flop" USB devices

usb-modeswitch-data/focal,focal,now 20191128-3 all [installed,automatic]
  mode switching data for usb-modeswitch

[Luca_Pavan]

Ok, thanks. Actually I'm using my pocket routers (Wind ZTE MF90+ or Tim MF971V) so looks like I could achieve a bit faster network just by plugging them to the laptop (so now I'm using Ethernet). But I added the post to my Zorin Forum bookmarks so when I'll try again to make my internet sticks work I read your message, thanks.

[swarfendor437]

An Italian managed to get the voda one to work in Ubuntu 10! Use google translate to read this page:.

http://daniele.freeshell.org/rec/k3806-z-hspa-usb-modem-vodafone-italia-e-gnulinux.html

[Luca_Pavan]

Yes, I see, thanks. I'm Italian, too, so I understand it .