My company has over 100 Panasonic CF-19 Toughbooks with MC7750 modules. With these we are using VZAccess Manager Enterprise v7.10. This is the latest version so far. The reason for the enterprise version is the ability to lock down the software from the users so they cannot make any changes.
We just purchased over 80 new CF-19 Toughbooks which now come with GOBI 5000 modules (according to the label on the bottom).
VZAccess Manager does not detect these modules. Panasonic directed me to their FTP site to download the driver for this module and the Sierra Wireless Watcher software R12.0.1309.3 Build 3974.03. Once I installed this software I can see that the device is MC7355. Is this the same as GOBI 5000?
The problem with the Sierra Wireless Watcher software is that it exposes all Options to the user. These laptops have multiple users (police vehicles) and we want to prevent them from making any changes. Is there any way to lock down Sierra Wireless Watcher so that it is more or less used as an indication that the laptop is connected or disconnected from the network when the user is logged in? I know that the Watcher (or VZAccess Manager, for that matter) is not really needed but the Public Safety Department requirements are to indicate whether the Verizon Wireless connection is up or down.
Are you sure you even need a connection manager in this application? Windows can connect to mobile broadband on its own. You just set the APN and username/password if needed and you are good to go. I have tried this with my mc7700 on AT&T 4G broadband (apn “broadband”) and it works fine.
Could someone point me to Sierra Wireless Watcher software R12.0.1309.3 Build 3974.03 mentioned in the OP? The toughbook directory on the Panasonic FTP server is no longer accessible. I have 3728 and am using AT&T on MC7700 QMI. Is it worth it to upgrade?
Correct… Windows can handle the MC7355 without a connection manager.
However in our application the computer is locked down. Everything in the Windows tray, except for the clock, is turned off. As such there is nothing to indicate the status of the connection when this lockdown is in effect. The only indication the user has when the mobile broadband connection is disconnected for whatever reason is that the VPN connection closes. These are mobile units, and without an indication of the broadband connection status the user would have to keep trying to reconnect to VPN until successful.
So far I was unable to find any software that would serve as such an indicator without giving the user access to the file system and other computer or software settings.
