Specifications

manufacturer:	ZTE
model:	K3565-Z
interface:	USB 2.0 (A plug)
chipset:	Qualcomm MSM6246
GSM frequency bands:	850, 900, 1800, 1900
UMTS frequency bands:	900, 2100
HSDPA:	3,6 MBit/s
HSUPA:	-
EDGE:	+
GPRS:	57,6 KBit//s
CSD:	?
connector for ext. antenna:	-
connector type:	-
internal antenna diversity:	+
voice telephony:	-
NAND-flashmemory:	+
microSD-drive:	+ (up to 8GB)
rebranded versions:	-

Vodafone K3565
Vodafone sells two different versions of the K3565:

• K3565-H which is a Huawei E160X (Rev.2 models carry the hardware ID "K3565")
• K3565-Z which is produced by ZTE (no equivalent in ZTE's product range)

Those two version are not only produced by two different companies, but they are also technically totally different. Since the K3565-Z was introduced by Vodafone only in 2009, the earlier version from Huawei was only designated K3565 (without "-H"). However some sellers omit the extension (-H or -Z), so you should be careful during purchase and better check the label on the back of the box.




Debranding Vodafone K3565-Z
The K3565-Z comes with an installer for Vodafone's dashboard ("Vodafone Mobile Connect" ) in it's flashmemory, which will start installation of the dashboard automatically after plugging the modem into your computer. The Vodafone dashboard takes up relatively much resources on your system and it refuses to connect to other networks than Vodafone's. So if you want to use another network or just a thinner dashboard, you need to use an unbranded one. You can either just download and install such on your computer (see "Dashboard" below) or, if you want your device to have ready installation files for an unbranded dashboard permanently, use one of the following debranding methods:



soft method
With this method the flashmemory will remain untouched, it's easily reversible and so you won't risk to void your warranty. However you will permanently need a microSD-card, if you want your dashboard & drivers on the stick.
Basicly you just switch off the flashmemory, from which usually the branded dashboard is being installed after plugging in, and instead store the installation files for an unbranded dashboard on a microSD-card in the microSD-slot. Afterwards the microSD-card/drive will replace the flashmemory.

1. Disable the flashmemory by executing the following AT-command: AT+ZCDRUN=8 (see: how to execute AT-commands)
   note: in some cases you might first need to unmount the flashmemory by "safely remove hardware" and stop the "USB Mass Storage Device" in order the AT-command to take effect.
   
   
2. Put a microSD-card in your microSD-drive an format it with FAT32
   
   
3. download this file (containing an unbranded dashboard inlcuding drivers and autorun files)
   
   
4. extract the contents from the downloaded RAR file to the root of the microSD-drive
   
   
5. That's it. After unplugging and replugging your modem, the unbranded ZTE dashboard should install automatically from your microSD drive.

To revert this soft debranding just remove or format the microSD-card and reactivate the flashmemory by executing the following AT-command: AT+ZCDRUN=9 (see: how to execute AT-commands)




hard method
please note that by debranding your device by the hard method you probably lose your warranty!
With the hard method the flashmemory of the modem will be changed persistently. This is also reversible, if you backup the original content of your flashmemory (also described in the following instructions). However if your device breaks down before or during restoring the original content of the flashmemory warranty claims may be refused.

1. Install the original dashboard from your device, because later operations will require all drivers to be installed.
   
   
2. Download QPST and install it.
   
   
3. Click "Start", "Programs", "QPST" and start "QPST" Configuration" and select the "Ports" tab
   
   
   
4. Now click "Add New Port"
   
   
   
5. Find and chose the port labeled "USB/QC Diagnostic" and click "OK".
   note: If more than one "USB/QC Diagnostic" port appears, you have to find the correct one by trying each one. If you got the wrong one the "Phone selection" in step 7 won't show the "Unknown" phone but will be empty.
   
   
   
6. Chose "Start Clients" from the menu and click "EFS EXPLORER"
   
   
   
7. In the following dialog you should see an "Unknown" phone, which you select and then confirm with "OK".
   
   
   
   Now QPST will read the EFS filesystem of your device:
   
   
   
8. When QPST has finished reading it will show up several files. Now you might first want to back up the existing content of the flashdrive, which is stored in the file "ZTEMODEM.ISO". Therefore right-click "ZTEMODEM.ISO" chose "Copy File from Phone"...
   
   
   
   
   and chose a destination where the file should be saved and click "OK".
   
   
   Now QPST will backup ZTEMODEM.ISO to the selected folder, which may take up to ~30 minutes.
   note: keep this downloaded backup version of ZTEMODEM.ISO in a safe place - you might need it one day!
   
   
   
9. After the backup has finished, right-click "ZTEMODEM.ISO" and select "delete".
   
   
   
10. After the old ZTEMODEM.ISO has been deleted, insert this one (NEW VERSION August 2010) [mirror 1 - mirror 2 - mirror 3 - mirror 4 - mirror 5] by drag & drop (extract ISO from RAR first!). It contains the unbranded "ZTE Join Air" dashboard (version 1.00.0B02, English and German) with preconfigured settings for most German operators, a separate "Driver" folder with drivers (including installer DPInst.exe), MWconn 5.6 (an alterative dashboard) and MDMA 1.0.0.30a, a monitoring tool with USSD-support. Unfortunatley it lacks MacOS-support.
    backup of original ZTEMODEM.ISO: ZTEMODEM.ISO from Vodafone K3565-Z (VMC 9.4.2.14731)
    
    
    
11. Wait until the new ZTEMODEM.ISO has been written to your device and then close QPST EFS Explorer. When asked wether to reset the device click "Yes".
    
    
    
    
12. That's it. Now your modem should contain the new dashboard.

rebranding
To rebrand your device just follow the debranding instructions above but use the backup of original ZTEMODEM.ISO: ZTEMODEM.ISO from Vodafone K3565-Z (VMC 9.4.2.14731).


dashboard
Instead of permanently debranding your modem (and so probably losing warranty), you can also manually install and use an unbranded dashboard from any ZTE modem. However since the drivers for all other ZTE devices are incompatible with the K3565-Z, the drivers, which will be installed with those unbranded dashboards won't work. So you either need to additionally install drivers for the K3565-Z manually or download and install this modified unbranded dashboard, which will install appropriate drivers for the K3565-Z right "out of the box": download here




If none of the previous works
Some K3565-Z are internally SIM-Locked, and it's not enough to change the connection software.
In the previous points, all you have done is change the ZTEMODEM.ISO (that brings the vodafone software for your computer to connect), with another custom ZTEMODEM.ISO that has a JOIN Air (ZTE unbranded connection manager) and other software inside.
This ZTEMODEM.ISO is mounted as a CD drive when you plug the dongle, but it isnt the firmware of the dongle.

• Detect SIM-Lock

Plug in the dongle with a non-Vodafone SIM card. If after the previous steps, JOIN Air keeps saying "Invalid USIM".

Or if, sending AT command AT+ZSEC? to the dongle the response is "2, 2" or something different as the normal response with a vodafone SIM-Card, then your dongle is SIM-Locked.

• Unlocking by code
  

I think you could get an unlock code from some web pages, that calculate it from the imei or with a tool like , but I havent been able to insert the code in the dongle as an AT command. Maybe there is another method for unlocking dongles with this codes. You have to look for "ZTE K3565-Z NCK code" and things like that.
You will find programs and videos like this where you can download packs of "Code calculators" for some 3g modems.

I usually dont trust any of this programs and I always run them under a virtual machine like virtualbox (how to use a virtual machine explained in the next step)

• Unlocking by program.

There is a tool called dc-unlocker that was the only thing that worked for me after all previous points in this page. you have to buy credits for unlocking devices, but there are some cracked versions of the tool around the internet and the forums. If you like the tool or you are going to be paid for the unlocking, you SHOULD consider buy some credits and support the development of this tool, cause its really well done.

Steps:

• Download and Install Virtualbox. Its a free and opensource virtual machine environment, where you can create "virtual" Computers and run them under your real computer, as if it were in a different hardware.
  
• Create a new virtualMachine with the wizard, and install Windows XP in it.
• You will need a windows XP CD-Rom or ISO image. There are lots of information on the internet, if you havent done this ever.
  
• Preferabilly make the machine cant access internet with a "Host-Only" adapter.
  

• Install virtualbox Guest Additions in the virtualmachine.
  

Guest additions are tools that run inside the virtual Machine that make your life easyer, and the user experience faster and less confusing.
It doesnt need to be windows XP. Ive installed WXP because its a "light" windows for computers of these days, and runs well inside a virtual machine. (Keep in mind that you are runing two windows at the same time in the same hardware, runing two windows 7 on an old PC may slow down the things too much...)

• Create a shared folder with your virtual machine. Its a folder on your physical machine where you can put files that virtual machine will see and viceversa. There is a lot of information about this too.
  

Now you have the VirtualMachine prepared to the dongle unlocking.

• Plug in the dongle on your PC

You will see the drive being detected by your host operating system. Close all 3g modem management applitations (vodafone mobile connect, join air, qpst, putty, etc... anything that could be talking with the dongle).
Wait until it is completelly detected and stoped.

• Connect the dongle to your virtualMachine

Click on the USB connector at the bottom bar and check the 3g modem.

This removes the dongle from the physical machine (your host machine) and makes the dongle "visible" to your virtual machine.

• Install the 3g modem software inside the virtual machine. I've installed the vodafones software, but any drivers may be ok (ZTEs, the ones that come in the drive after replazing ZTEMODEM.ISO in the previous points,.. etc..)
• The important thing is that you have installed in your virtual system this devices:

Now you now the Diagnostics port is on COM3. To see where is the Modem port right click on the Modem device > properties > Modem.

In my case the Modem Port is COM6

• Download dc-unlocker (from here or from what ever location you found it... ;) ) into your shared folder. But DONT open it in your host machine.
• Install dc-unlocker INSIDE the virtual machine.

If the shared folder is working properly, you can find the installer here:


If the file you downloaded is compresed you would need to uncompress it on the host machine and leave the uncompresed files in the shared folder, or install 7z or winrar inside your virtual machine.

• Open dc-unlocker and fill the parameters

The instructions tells you to insert a valid sim card, but i hadnt one, and made the unlocking with a non-vodafone card. It worked perfectly.

Fill username and password to get your credits, maybe you need to give internet access to your virtualmachine restoring the network adapter, maybe you can use an username from here, maybe you can buy some credits and trust dc-unlocker software and you wont need all of this virtual-machine stuffs..

After unlocking with this method i hadnt any problems again. Now JOIN Air hasnt said "Invalid (U)SIM" again. But I obviously dont take any responsability of anything said in this point.

drivers
Windows drivers only: download here


installation and usage under MacOS X
Following is tested on OS X 10.6.2.

• Download the connection manager (from this website). It is for some device called MF626, which seems to be the same.
  Do not install this package but instead only ./Contents/Packages/drv.pkg (can be reached by e.g. right-click - show package contents).
• Now plug in the UMTS-stick and wait for the ZeroCD-crap to be mounted. Eject the device in the Finder. Ignore any "found new devices"-messages for now.
• Open Terminal.app and run sudo screen /dev/tty.ZTEUSBATPort.
  Type: at+zcdrun=8, press enter. You should receive "Close autorun state result(0:FAIL 1:SUCCESS):1". The annoying flash-drive is now disabled.
• Now open System Preferences and choose "ZTEUSBModem". Go through Advanced - Modem and choose "Generic" as vendor and "GPRS (GSM/3G)" as device. Don't forget to enter the APN if your provider requires you to do so.
• Use *99# as phone number.

Linux after debranding via the Hard method
If you have removed the ZTEMODEM.iso you will have problems under Debian Lenny
To solve this issue run following script to initialize the Modem.

debserver:/# lsusb
Bus 005 Device 003: ID 19d2:0016 ONDA Communication S.p.A.

debserver:/# ./script.sh 19d2 0016

Script:

#!/bin/bash
VID="$1"
PID="$2"
PATH=/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin
modprobe -a option
echo "0x${VID} 0x${PID}" > /sys/bus/usb-serial/drivers/option1/new_id


dismantle
Dismantling the K3565-Z is easy and doesn't pose any difficulties.

1. Remove seals next to the USB-connector and open both screws.


2. Open housing by separating both halves of the housing with your fingernail.





dismantled

front


back



PCB layout



ZTE Unlock solution: Cracked dc-unlocker only for ZTE modems


http://www.filestube.com/4b5a583aedc983b703e9,g/unlock-modem-dccrap.html tested 100%