Configuring Mac OS X for N95 HSDPA

This page is about configuring the Mac OS X to use the N95 HSDPA to access the Internet. In particuar, what I have is Mac OS X, a N95 8GB, and a 3G data plan with SingTel.

Windows users are helped by Nokia’s PC Suite that will figure out all the configuration. Mac users are not so lucky. I had spent some time previously mucking around until I got my Mac to talk to my N73. The N95 is apparently different enough that many of the old things I learnt for the N73 weren’t quite correct anymore.

1. The first thing you need to do is to grab the Modem Scripts applicable for the N95. Head over to Ross Barkman’s Home Page, scroll down to the section on Scripts for Nokia 3.5G (HSDPA) phones. Grab the Nokia 3.5G Scripts. (I avoid linking directly here so that I won’t point you to outdated files.) Follow the instructions to “install” the modem scripts. Basically, you need to dump the scripts into your /Library/Modem Scripts directory.
2. Next, pair your N95 with your Mac. Make sure that your N95’s bluetooth is set to visible, since you will initiate the pairing from your Mac and your phone must be discoverable by your Mac. The pairing process itself is probably quite straight-forward. Just note that on the page to configure your Internet access, make sure that you choose “Nokia HSDPA CID1” for the Modem Script. The Username, Pasword and GPRS CID String tend to vary from operator to operator. See below resources for help if you don’t know what is right for your operator. Look at the screenshots to follow through the setup pages.
3. Basically you’re already done at this point. To connect to the Internet, just start Internet Connect, click Bluetooth, then click Connect.

If you want iSync support, then you need some plugins to enable iSync to recognize your N95 or N95 8GB. Nokia has provided the N95 plugin. Just go to www.nokia.com/mac and search. For the N95 8GB, you have to get some 3rd party plugins such as the one from Paul Reames (it was free previously but it appears to cost £3 now). Install the plugin, then start iSync, then add the N95.

The above worked great. Until I upgraded my N95 8GB from its original version 10.0.021 firmware to version 11.0.026. I think, the N95 8GB was previously identified as an N95-2, and that was what the plugin expected. It is now identified as an N95 8GB. So, short of waiting for the plugin to be updated (or Nokia to release their official plugin), I just edited the MetaClasses.plist file to include this new description. Just seach for N95-2 in the file, you should be able to figure out what to do from there.

Some related resources:

• Ross Barkman’s GPRS Info Page lists useful GPRS configuration information for many telco operators around the world. For Singapore users: The SingTel info is not quite right (Username and Password should be blank). The M1 info is correct. I have no idea about StarHub.

<Work still in progress… will update this when I have time…>