Dang'd if I know how, but I've succesfully installed Virtualbox, and installed XP in it,running well.
But no internet. Doesn't see HUAWEI usb modem.
I've looked around, but nothing has worked.
Someone says, just have net connected before going in to VM, but no.
And NAT is the network setting, as it seems it should be.
Out of ideas right now.
Do you have one maybe?
One glitch in installing XP was lack of ServicePack2 disk, and it said it needed it for iexplore. I just carried on. Relevant?

(This is all to get my ex-XP WindozLiveBackup files reconstructed with their Restore program!
It's a curly path, but I'm learning things, I sure wouldnt have guessed even 2 months ago that I'd be messing with VMs now.) Linux is groovy.

Does VB see *any* USB devices? Have you added or filtered out your HUAWEI usb modem?

Hover over the little USB icon in the bottom right, then right click it. Do you see the HUAWEI in the list?

from what i know:
as long you got internet access from the host(which is linux, ubuntu?) there is no need for the guest operation system (windows XP) to recognize the ubs-modem. its getting emulated.

i would try to change -> Settings, Network, Advanced, Adapter_Type (exact path depends on the VirtualBox version you are running, just check what is there).
if that doesn't work i would try another version of VirtualBox.

I don't }think{ the guest networking will work if the host is not using some kind of Ethernet connection (wired or wireless). I seem to recall it refused to work for me where the host OS was connecting to the net via PPP/USB rather than an Ethernet adaptor. That may have changed, it may be I never set it up correctly.

Quick replies there, thanks, I'll be back after trying these.

Much progress.
First, I found Filters box and pressed the Add button, and it made Huawei entry!

Then down to bottom right, and Huwaei showed up faded out

Then found Adapters so I could change to something a little more familiar, but they were now faded out too.

Then I found HUAWEI in CD/DVD tab as mass storage device and clicked on it, and up came OptusWirelessBroadband wizard, remember it well from xp days! Clicked on Connect, but "Device disconnected or unavailable"
I remember this too from XP days!! It meant I had to fill in its little details like 'Access Point' ("Connect") again.

USB symbol down bottom says none connected.
and dvd/cd thing says Can't mount Huwaei dev sr2,** although it was called sr1 in the other box where I first found it.

**I copied something to paste in here, but it seems to have slipped off the tray.

Much progress, thanks, there certainly wasnt much going on before the clues.

sorry, yes, Ubuntu

are you using VirtualBox OSE or PUEL? USB Support is only available in PUEL, If you are using PUEL, check your user priveledges

Still no luck, but time for sleep

ah, just saw you Bret, googling PUEL now

It's Sun Virtualbox, and don't know the answer, but i'll look for.

I don't know if spampig's idea (that the guest can't connect to the Internet via the host if the host is connecting to the Internet via PPP/USB rather than an Ethernet adaptor) is correct or not, but I think it likely that if the HUAWEI USB modem is attached to the guest then the host will no longer be able to use it.

There's a similar situation if the host has a USB mouse. If it is attached to the guest as a USB device then the mouse does not work on the host. The USB mouse works just fine on the guest and host if nothing is configured.

The excellent and detailed VirtualBox User Manual says nothing about USB modems so I expect they do not create any specific requirements. Networking is all about encapsulation and layers. VirtualBox does not need to know anything about the hardware underneath the IP layer of the protocol stack. It is therefore unlikely (but not impossible!) that VirtualBox has to be configured in a special way when the host is using a USB modem.

If widda is able to do the things he described in post #6 then he has the PUEL version.

All is useful, thanks all, and I see I missed one thing way down there, "Check User Privileges", - that was mentioned much in the Howto s.
Well it means I've still got something to try!

I did the user/group thing.
But I also realised: I don't think I've set up a proper internet connection in case XP does need that. Can't seem to do it, must have forgotten how.
I've tried connecting while host is connected, and when not.
Now to sleep