Sprint and CLEAR 4G and Mac Compatibility

We love Macs here at 3G/4Gstore.com and 4G/EVDOinfo.com, and we know that many of you out there love them just as much as we do. For that reason, we aim to provide as much information as possible to better support Mac users.

Like the early days of mobile broadband service, 4G device offerings were not Mac savvy. Thankfully, options that include Mac OS X software are becoming available quicker than with 3G service.  This article contains the latest 4G and Mac compatibility information and links to further resources.

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OSX Snow Leopard Compatibility:

Diehard Mac OS X users probably will not be surprised to hear that none of the currently available 4G USB modems are recognized by Mac OS X's built in WWAN drivers. Thankfully, there are 4G USB modems out now (or planned for release soon) that will come with connection manager software that should even work with Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard.

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Sprint 4G and Mac:

Sprint's first 4G device was the u300 3G/4G combo modem (not including their earlier/discontinued Xohm products). As of the publish date of this article, Sprint has still not released OS X compatible connection manager software for the u300 and we suspect they never will. Instead, we are recommending the Sprint U301 3G/4G hybrid modem which is compatible with Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard & 10.6 Snow Leopard. The latest Mac OSX Snow Leopard version of Sprint SmartView should be available from Sprint.com/download

Sprint also has an exciting new product called the "OverDrive" -- a 3G/4G portable hotspot that features an informative LCD screen and a built-in rechargeable battery that allows for up to 4 hours of truly portable use. Mac users can use the OverDrive via WiFi on any Airport/WiFi enabled Mac, or Mac Leopard & Snow Leopard users can additionally connect via USB cable if needed.

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CLEAR 4G and Mac:

CLEAR has three USB modem options: the 4G only Motorola w100, the PXU1900 [4G only], and the same 3G/4G u300 combo modem that Sprint uses. Mac OS X users who are considering CLEAR 4G service should stick to the w100 or PXU1900 because like Sprint, there is no OS X software for the CLEAR u300. At this time, no one at CLEAR has been able to tell us if they will switch to the new u301 that Sprint has, but our gut says they probably will. You can find the latest Mac OS X CLEAR connection manager software at http://www.clear.com/support/download

CLEAR also offers service that includes their "Home Modem", a router that serves up 4G through a single ethernet port. The Home Modem works great with Apple's Airport base stations, or can even directly connected to a Mac's LAN/ethernet port. No special software is needed to administer the router... its done using a web browser and can even be administered using Safari!

CLEAR is also now offering service that includes their "Home Modem Series M", a router that serves up 4G through a single ethernet port. The Home Modem works great with Apple's Airport base stations, or can even directly connected to a Mac's LAN/ethernet port. No special software is needed to administer the router... its done using a web browser and can even be administered using Safari! Note: This unit can only be used in one of the following markets: Portland, Atlanta, Milledgeville, Salem, Chicago, Bellingham, All Texas Markets, Boise, Honolulu, Maui, Kitsap, Seattle, Snohomish, Tacoma, and Houston.

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MacBook Air:

The single USB port on the Air caused quite a stir when it was introduced for a couple reasons. Not only was it the sole USB port on the device, but it was recessed in such a way that many devices couldn't connect to it. For some time now, we've maintained an article that illustrates which 3G modems physically work with the MacBook Air, and when there are more options available, we plan on publishing a similar article showing which 4G USB modems physically work with the MBA as well. For now, MacBook Air users should be warned that none of the available 4G USB modems (by themselves) work with the recessed USB port of the MacBook Air, BUT the w100 ships with a flex-adapter that works great.

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4G Routers:

Considering a CLEAR or Sprint 4G or 3G/4G modem and wondering which routers are compatible? The line of Cradlepoint 4G routers is compatible with a variety of modems (and Cradlepoint releases firmware updates often to support even MORE devices!)

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Discuss the Macintosh and 4G on 4GForums.

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