Novatel Ovation MC551 User Manual

©2011 Novatel Wireless, Inc. All rights reserved. The information contained in this document is subject to change without notice and
should not be construed as a commitment by Novatel Wireless, Inc.

Patents and Licenses

Visit www.novatelwireless.com/patents for a complete list of all Novatel Wireless patents.

Software License

Proprietary Rights Provisions:

The software drivers provided with this product are copyrighted by Novatel Wireless and/or Novatel Wireless’ suppliers.
Although copyrighted, the software drivers are unpublished and embody valuable trade secrets proprietary to Novatel
Wireless and/or Novatel Wireless’ suppliers. The disassembly, decompilation, and/or Reverse Engineering of the software
drivers for any purpose is strictly prohibited by international law. The copying of the software drivers, except for a reasonable
number of back-up copies, is strictly prohibited by international law. It is forbidden by international law to provide access
to the software drivers to any person for any purpose other than processing the internal data for the intended use of the
software drivers.

U.S. Government Restricted Rights Clause:

The software drivers are classied as “Commercial Computing device Software” and the U.S. Government is acquiring only
“Restricted Rights” in the software drivers and their Documentation.

U.S. Government Export Administration Act Compliance Clause:

It is forbidden by US law to export, license or otherwise transfer the software drivers or Derivative Works to any country where
such transfer is prohibited by the United States Export Administration Act, or any successor legislation, or in violation of the
laws of any other country.

Trademarks and Service Marks

Novatel Wireless is a trademark of Novatel Wireless, Inc., and the other trademarks, logos, and service marks (collectively the
“Trademarks”) used in this user manual are the property of Novatel Wireless or their respective owners. Nothing contained in
this user manual should be construed as granting by implication, estoppel, or otherwise, a license or right of use of Novatel
Wireless or any other Trademark displayed in this user manual without the written permission of Novatel Wireless or its
respective owners.

• Ovation, the Ovation logo, Novatel Wireless, and the Novatel Wireless logo are all trademarks of Novatel Wireless, Inc.

• MobiLinkTM is a trademark of Novatel Wireless.

• Microsoft® and Windows® are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft® Corporation in the United States

and/or other countries.

• Apple® and Mac® are registered trademarks of Apple, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

• LTE™ is a trademark of ETSI.

The names of actual companies and products mentioned in this user manual may be the trademarks of their respective
owners.

Novatel Wireless Revision History

Part Number Revision Description Date

90026302 R1 Initial release 28June2011

FCC ID: PKRNVWMC551
IC ID: 3229B-MC551

PN: 90026302 R1 28June2011
Please visit www.novatelwireless.com for the latest information about your device.

Contents

Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Package Contents ....................................................................... 2

System Requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Components ................................................................................ 3

LED States. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Caring for Your Device ....................................................................... 5

Using the MC551 Modem. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Using the Device for the First Time ........................................................... 7

Install the 4G SIM Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Install the Software ...................................................................... 9

Properly Insert the Device in Your Computer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Set Up the Software ....................................................................11

Activate Your Device .................................................................... 11

Properly Remove the Device from Your Computer .......................................12

Using the Device After Setup is Complete ................................................... 13

Connect To and Disconnect From the Network. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Accessories. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Lanyard Accessory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Accessing the User Guides ..................................................................15

Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Common Problems and Solutions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Technical Support ..........................................................................19

Product Specications and Regulatory Information ...................... 20

Product Specications ......................................................................21

General ................................................................................21

Technology/Bands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Environmental. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Regulatory Statements .....................................................................22

Federal Communications Commission Notice (FCC – United States) ..................22

RF Exposure/Specic Absorption Rate (SAR) Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Wireless Communications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Limited Warranty and Liability ..............................................................25

Safety Hazards. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Glossary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Overview

Components

Caring for Your Device

Getting Started

1

2

Overview

Congratulations on purchasing the Ovation MC551 4G LTE USB modem.

Before installing the MobiLink software and drivers, review this manual, which outlines the features
of the MC551 modem hardware and is backward compatible to 3G CDMA networks, ensuring
reliable coverage when you need it most.

This 4G LTE USB modem enables you to connect at high speeds to the Internet, your corporate
Intranet, and your email while you’re away from the oce.

Package Contents

The MC551 modem package includes:

• MC551 modem

• MobiLink software (included on the installation CD)

• MC551 User Guide (included on the installation CD)

• MobiLink Software User Guide (included on the installation CD)

• Quick Reference Guide

• Lanyard (See Lanyard Accessory on page 14.)

System Requirements

• Supported operating systems

• Windows® XP Home, Professional or Tablet (SP3) (32-Bit)

• Windows® Vista (SP2) (32/64-Bit)

• Windows® 7 (32/64-Bit)

• Mac OS® X v10.4 or higher

• Linux®

• USB port: Type A, v1.1 supported; v2.0 high speed recommended

• Hard drive: 100 MB free hard disk space

• Memory: 128 MB

• Internet browser software: e.g., Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher, Firefox, Safari,
Opera, Chrome

3

Components

➊ LED indicator: This indicates the device is connected to 3G or 4G Mobile Broadband

networks; it also indicates when the device has an error or has no service available. (See LED

States on page 4.)

➋ USB connector: This connects to your computer through a type A USB port. The hinge

design makes it easier to connect to computers.

➌ Accessory hook: This attaches to the lanyard accessory (included in the box) for portability.

(See Lanyard Accessory on page 14.)

➍ Back panel (removable): This covers the 4G SIM card slot. Insert a ngernail into the divot

closest to the USB connector to remove the back panel.

➎ 4G SIM card slot: Insert the 4G SIM card into the spring-loaded SIM card slot. (See Install the

4G SIM Card on page 8.)

4

LED States

The LED indicates the modem status.

LED Color Status Description

No Light The device is powered o or otherwise is not getting power.

Green Solid

Slow
blinking

Intermittent
blinking

The modem is powered on but is not transmitting or receiving
data.

The modem is searching for a 3G data network.

The modem is transmitting or receiving data on a 3G data
network; the blink rate is proportional to the data speed.

Blue Solid

Slow
blinking

Intermittent
blinking

The modem is powered on but is not transmitting or receiving
data.

The modem is searching for a 4G data network.

The modem is transmitting or receiving data on a 4G data
network; the blink rate is proportional to the data speed.

Red Solid Service error or SIM card error; no service is available.

Yellow Solid Error; reinsert the modem.

5

Caring for Your Device

Like any electronic device, the modem must be handled with care to ensure reliable operation.
Novatel Wireless recommends the following guidelines:

• Protect the device from liquids, dust, and excessive temperatures.

• Do not apply adhesive labels to the device; they might cause the device to overheat or alter
antenna performance.

• The USB connector should plug easily into your computer’s standard type A USB port.
Forcing the device into a port might damage the connector.

• Remove the device from your computer before transporting it.

• Store the device in a safe place when not in use.

Using the Device for the First Time

Using the Device After Setup is Complete

Accessories

Accessing the User Guides

Using the MC551 Modem

2

7

Using the Device for the First Time

IMPORTANT Do not connect the device to a USB hub, as it might not provide sufficient

power.

See the Quick Reference Guide included in the box and the MobiLink Software User Guide for
additional information about installing the MobiLink software.

To get started, follow these steps.

➊ Conrm your computer meets the minimum system requirements. (See System

Requirements on page 2.)

➋ Insert the 4G SIM Card and ensure the SIM Card is activated. (See Install the 4G SIM Card on

page 8.)

➌ Install the MobiLink software. (See Install the Software on page 9.)

➍ Connect the device to your computer. (See Properly Insert the Device in Your Computer on

page 10.)

➎ Set up the MobiLink software. (See Set Up the Software on page 11.)

IMPORTANT The device requires an activated SIM Card with a network operator to function.

Activation must be performed within a network operator’s coverage area.

8

Install the 4G SIM Card

To open the case and install your new activated 4G SIM Card, follow these steps.

Note A Subscriber Identity Module (SIM Card) is a smartcard that houses personal information, such as

your mobile phone number, calling plan, account information, and content, such as contacts, text
messages, and call history.

➊ Open the protective cover. Look for a small divot at the end of the back panel closest to the

USB Connector, into which you can insert a ngernail.

➋ Insert the 4G SIM Card with the contact points (typically gold-colored) facing toward the

device. Position the card with the notched corner as circled below and slide the card into the
slot.

➌ Gently push the 4G SIM Card forward until the spring catches and the card remains securely

in the slot.

➍ Replace the back panel on the device.

Tip! The SIM Card must remain in the wireless device when in use.