Many people have problems with the installing or the operation of the Apollo software on their computer. Here is a work-around that does not implement the Apollo compress, spoofing or initialization but still allows the connection to the Iridium PPP data service. It is written as if you are putting it on Windows, but it could be used on anything that uses a PPP stack.

Add a modem to your system

Settingsà Control Panelà Modemsà Add Modem

Check to add modem yourself, select Standard 9600 bps modem for the 9500 unit or

19,200 for the 9505 unit, click done

Data format is 8,1,N with Hardware flow control

After the Modem is added to your list of modem, select it, configure it for the correct COM port (typically COM1), then go to the advanced setting and add this initialization string

at+cbst=71,0,1

Settingsà Networkà Make new Connection

Using the setup Wizard

Select Dial to Internetà Set up Manuallyà Connect thru Modemà

Select the Standard Modem (the modem you just added)à

Enter the number to the Iridium ISP as the telephone numberà 008816000022 (yes, this is the correct #)

Unclick "use area code"

Enter the login information as;

username = the your telephone Number (e.g., 88163101234)

password = password

The Iridium ISP does dynamic IP assignment so no other Internet settings are necessary.

Note-- that depending on the specific PPP stack that they use, you may also need to disable compression. Certain PPP implementations will work with compression on and others won't.

Settingsà Networkingà Iridium nameà Propertiesà PPP (settings)

Uncheck the compression boxà finished

**For the 9505, you many have to open a terminal connection to the modem and to an AT command to clear the buffer before the initialization string.