Mobile broadband technology, also called wireless wide area network (WWAN) technology, provides mobile Internet connectivity. To use mobile broadband, you need a data card and a data plan with a mobile broadband provider. For more information, see What is mobile broadband?
After you get your device and data plan, make sure you activate your subscriber identity module (SIM) and the mobile broadband service for the SIM. Your mobile operator or device retailer will give you the information to do this.
If you have an external data card, ensure that it's correctly inserted into the laptop. Also ensure that the wireless switch, if present, is turned on. The wireless switch is usually found on the front or side of a laptop. Then, to configure your mobile broadband settings, follow these steps:
To set up a mobile broadband connection for the first time
- Open Connect to a Network by clicking the network icon (
or
) in the notification area.
- Right-click your mobile broadband network, and then click Connect.
- If prompted, type the access point name (APN) or access string, the user name, and the password. (You can find these in the information that came with the device or with your mobile broadband service.)
- Change any autoconnect settings that you want to change, and then click Continue.
To change mobile broadband connection profile properties (APN, access string, user name, password, and autoconnect settings)
- Open Connect to a Network by clicking the network icon (
- Right-click your mobile broadband network, click Properties, and then click the Profile tab.
Note
If the Profile tab isn't available, see "To set up a mobile broadband connection for the first time," above.
, and then clicking