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I downloaded my Cricket device for Internet and it won’t allow me to use it on two accounts from the same laptop. Can this be fixed? Someone told me that my HP Windows Vista has a default program to keep multiple users from using the same program on the same device. This does not make any sense. Anyone have a solution besides returning the product?

The Cricket Broadband Modem

The Cricket Broadband Modem should work on any compatible computer that you set up with the appropriate software, including a single computer with multiple accounts. However, you may need to install the Cricket software twice in order for the other user account to recognize the modem.

Windows User Accounts

I’m not sure about the “default program” that keeps multiple users from using devices on a computer. I wonder though if perhaps the software and drivers that Cricket needs did not fully install. For example, when installing software, it’s not unusual to be prompted to make the software available to all users or only the current user.

What type of user accounts are you using? If the second account is a guest account or one with restricted privileges that too could be part of the problem. Try booting your computer up into the user account that does not currently recognize the Cricket device (without the device in place). Once loaded, insert the device into a USB port and see if the computer starts the installation wizard. If so, allow the software and drivers to be loaded into the account.

Uninstall Device

If the user account doesn’t respond, go to Control Panel > Device Manager and see if you can find the Cricket device in the list. If so, right click it and choose Uninstall. Then reboot the computer. When it boots up and detects the Cricket device, Windows should automatically start loading the appropriate drivers.

Cricket Broadband Software

You may need to download and install the Cricket software from the MyCricket.com Web site. First, check to see if you have it installed. Depending on the Cricket modem you have the location varies.

The location for UM100C modems is as follows:

C:\Program Files\Cricket\QuickLinkMobile\QuickLinkMobile.exe

The location for A600 modemsis:

C:\Program Files\Cricket\CricketBroadband\CricketBroadband.exe

If the software is installed, you may be able to drag and drop a shortcut onto the desktop of the other user. If it is not installed, download UM100C software here or A600 software here. Mac software is also available here.

Hopefully one of these suggestions will get your device to work for all users on your computer. If not, contact Cricket support for further help.

I connect to the Internet with Cricket Wireless Broadband on my desktop. How can I connect a second computer, my laptop, to maximize my Internet experience?

Cricket Wireless

Cricket Wireless Broadband is a little bit different than some of the other wireless broadband services that I’ve encountered. Rather than having a broadband modem that you connect to your home’s network or to the computer itself, Cricket Wireless uses a small USB device that installs directly to your computer or laptop. The tag line for Cricket says “Plug in. Click. Connect.” After viewing the Cricket Wireless demo, it looks like it really is that simple: plug in, click a few installation buttons, and connect wirelessly to the Internet.

However, this doesn’t lend itself to Internet connection sharing as well as some of the more traditional broadband services such as cable modems. In a cable modem situation, you’d connect the modem to a wired or wireless router and then you could connect multiple computers to the router, all of which can then access the Internet via the shared modem.

Options for Sharing Cricket Wireless

It looks as though you must activate your computer for use with the Cricket device which makes sense. What’s not clear is whether the Cricket device can be used on several computers. For example, I have a “Rhapsody to Go” MP3 player that I can use with three different computers. Each computer must be registered on my account. Once registered, I can connect the device to any of the three computers and download unlimited music to the device. I imagine that a similar feature is offered with the Cricket Wireless modem.

Here’s what I would try. Since your PC is already established, try removing the Cricket modem and installing it on your laptop. When prompted to activate the laptop, does a message appear? What does it say? It might say something like, “You must first deactivate your desktop computer” which would mean that the modem only allows one computer on the account. On the other hand, if the message says something like, “Activating second computer, one license remaining” then you could go ahead with the installation and then swap out the modem depending on which computer you want to use at any given time. Since Cricket advertises that you can take your Cricket wherever you go, I would assume that you’d be able to install it on both devices. In fact, one of the site’s FAQs says that “you can take your Internet with you from your home desktop to your laptop at the park.”

Hopefully, swapping the modem back and forth will work for you. If you want both the desktop and the laptop to connect at the same time, you may be able to share the modem over your home network or use a USB hub.