If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)

Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Mobile Broadband under LINUX

mosel · 2008-03-24 14:52:23

I was surprised to find out how easy it is to establish a broadband internet connection using the Three Data Modem under LINUX. Despite the fact that Three denies support for Linux the hardware operates fine on Fedora, Suse, Ubuntu, Mandriva and Gentoo Linux systems. A detailed information sheet can be found at:…

Options

24-03-2008 3:52pm

#1

mosel

Closed Accounts Posts: 5 ✭

Join Date: March 2008

Posts: 3

I was surprised to find out how easy it is to establish a
broadband internet connection using the Three Data Modem
under LINUX. Despite the fact that Three denies support
for Linux the hardware operates fine on Fedora, Suse, Ubuntu,
Mandriva and Gentoo Linux systems.

A detailed information sheet can be found at:
http://kerry-linux.ie/broadband/three-datamodem.pdf

And the software used to get the connection started is here:
http://kerry-linux.ie/broadband/three.tar

I hope this makes life easier for many of us living in remote
areas and those being on the move from time to time.

Regards

RON

0

Comments

Options
#2 12-04-2008 2:36pm
Orion

Closed Accounts Posts: 12,807 ✭✭✭✭

Join Date: April 2003

Posts: 11744

good job. I've been thinking of getting one of these. I was talking to a guy on the train a few months ago who had the O2 one in Ubuntu. He said it was a pain to set up but once it was it worked perfectly.

0
Options
#3 12-04-2008 2:52pm
mosel

Closed Accounts Posts: 5 ✭

Join Date: March 2008

Posts: 3

Macros42 wrote: »

I was talking to a guy on the train a few months ago who had the O2 one in Ubuntu. He said it was a pain to set up but once it was it worked perfectly.

Any chance you meet that guy again and ask for a copy of the setup being mailed to me?

0
Options
#4 14-04-2008 1:08pm
h57xiucj2z946q

Closed Accounts Posts: 2,267 ✭✭✭

Join Date: September 2006

Posts: 2097

a similar method would probably enable you to use your mobile phone as a modem under linux

0
Options
#5 21-04-2008 3:33pm
bush doctor

Registered Users Posts: 79 ✭✭

Join Date: October 2005

Posts: 64

Just FYI, anyone with a Vodafone modem can use the below driver.

It's in the Ubuntu repositories (vodafone-mobile-connect-card-driver-for-linux) - there are also rpm, deb and source packages on the below website.

Dead easy to use with a nice GUI.

https://forge.vodafonebetavine.net/projects/vodafonemobilec/

0
Options
#6 15-05-2008 9:44pm
croo

Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 1,334 Mod ✭✭✭✭

Join Date: August 2006

Posts: 1312

Originally Posted by Macros42 View Post
I was talking to a guy on the train a few months ago who had the O2 one in Ubuntu. He said it was a pain to set up but once it was it worked perfectly.

Any chance you meet that guy again and ask for a copy of the setup being mailed to me?

I have the o2 E270 modem working in Ubuntu.
I use the vodafone mobile connect software mentioned by Bush Doctor.

There are a couple of things I needed to do however.

Firstly i didn't use the repository version of vmc but installed the latest vmc2 beta 3 from https://forge.vodafonebetavine.net/frs/?group_id=12

Next, the E270 is recognized as a usbstorage device rather than a usb serial (modem) by linux so that needs to be corrected.
I followed the instructions at https://bugs.launchpad.net/debian/+source/hal-info/+bug/105545

I created a file:
/etc/udev/rules.d/50-huawei-e270.rules
and added the single line:
SUBSYSTEM=="usb", SYSFS{idProduct}=="1003", SYSFS{idVendor}=="12d1", RUN+="/opt/vmc/usr/sbin/huaweiAktBbo"
(when I ran the install for the beta3 was installed in /opt/vmc ... so long as huaweiAktBbo is in your path it should be ok.)

then I ran
sudo rmmod option
sudo rmmod usb-storage
sudo modprobe usbserial vendor=0x12d1 product=0x1003

As per instructions I placed these in a script
#/usr/local/bin/start_e270.sh
#!/bin/bash
rmmod option
sleep 2
rmmod -r usb-storage
sleep 2
modprobe usbserial vendor=0x12d1 product=0x1003

Now when I start vmc .. (the install should have created a menu option) the E270 should be recognized as an available device.

To connect to o2 you need do one other thing.
The configuration for the "Service Operators" are defined in the networks.py file of
/opt/vmc/usr/share/vodafone-mobile-connect-card-driver-for-linux/resources/extra directory. To this file I added a new class for the o2 operator as follows:

class O2Ireland(NetworkOperator):
netid = ["27202"]
name = "O2 Ireland"
country = "Ireland"
smsc = "+353868002000"
apn = "open.internet"
username = "gprs"
password = "gprs"
dns1 = "62.40.32.33"
dns2 = "62.40.32.34"

Now (after a vmc2 restart!) you should be able to connect to o2.
One final point; the windows version of the o2 software connects with username & password blank. This caused errors for me but using gprs/gprs worked.

I hope that help some.

I have submitted the o2 Ireland configuration settings (networks.py) to the vmc team to be included in future versions.

0
Advertisement
Options
#7 15-06-2008 6:15pm
Flamed Diving

Closed Accounts Posts: 6,609 ✭✭✭

Join Date: May 2008

Posts: 6336

Forgive me, but I'm new to Linux and I haven't a clue what ye are on about. Care to provide a 'for dummies' explanation? For O2 Broadband?

EDIT: It's actually a E170 I have, so your code might not work.

0
Options
#8 16-06-2008 12:35am
Orion

Closed Accounts Posts: 12,807 ✭✭✭✭

Join Date: April 2003

Posts: 11744

Flamed Diving - what flavour of Linux are you using?

0
Options
#9 16-06-2008 11:38am
Flamed Diving

Closed Accounts Posts: 6,609 ✭✭✭

Join Date: May 2008

Posts: 6336

Sorry.

Ubuntu, the newest one.

0
Options
#10 16-06-2008 12:16pm
croo

Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 1,334 Mod ✭✭✭✭

Join Date: August 2006

Posts: 1312

What have you tried?
What is the specific problem?
Is the device itself recognized?
Did you try the VMC (vodafone mobile connect) application?

Just some starter questions!

0
Options
#11 22-06-2008 2:07pm
jimmyjim11

Registered Users Posts: 256 ✭✭

Join Date: September 2006

Posts: 238

have a look at this thread

http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055283121

0
Advertisement
Options
#12 24-06-2008 1:17pm
An Fear Aniar

Closed Accounts Posts: 1,377 ✭✭✭

Join Date: September 2003

Posts: 1298

I use Gnome-PPP on Ubuntu 8.04 and I can connect the Three USB modem (Huawei E220) and get online within about 2 minutes.

Very easy GUI interface.

Gnome-PPP even detects the modem for me.

No messing with config files or anything.

You can download it here

http://packages.ubuntu.com/hardy/gnome-ppp

stick it on a USB drive and install it in Ubuntu.

.

0
Options
#13 25-06-2008 10:29am
ambasite

Registered Users Posts: 599 ✭✭✭

Join Date: November 2003

Posts: 512

An Fear Aniar wrote: »

I use Gnome-PPP on Ubuntu 8.04 and I can connect the Three USB modem (Huawei E220) and get online within about 2 minutes.

Very easy GUI interface.

Gnome-PPP even detects the modem for me.

No messing with config files or anything.

You can download it here

http://packages.ubuntu.com/hardy/gnome-ppp

stick it on a USB drive and install it in Ubuntu.

.

will this work with Xubuntu 6.06?

0
Options
#14 25-06-2008 12:49pm
Flamed Diving

Closed Accounts Posts: 6,609 ✭✭✭

Join Date: May 2008

Posts: 6336

I tried installing tha AMD64 version of Gnome (which is the processor i have) and it said that I have the wrong one. To be honest, I'm just gonna give up on it and go back to XP, this really isn't worth the hassle. Thanks for your help though.

0
Options
#15 30-06-2008 10:24am
An Fear Aniar

Closed Accounts Posts: 1,377 ✭✭✭

Join Date: September 2003

Posts: 1298

Flamed Diving wrote: »

I tried installing tha AMD64 version of Gnome (which is the processor i have) and it said that I have the wrong one. To be honest, I'm just gonna give up on it and go back to XP, this really isn't worth the hassle. Thanks for your help though.

What are you installing Gnome on?

Did you try:

sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop

.

0
Options
#16 24-07-2008 11:17am
Chrisgtk

Closed Accounts Posts: 5 ✭

Join Date: July 2008

Posts: 5

Does the 3 solution work with o2? If not can anyone suggest one as I have an Asus EEE PC 2 gig RAM with 16 GIG SD card, and I travel a lot!

0
Options
#17 24-07-2008 1:32pm
ethernet

Registered Users Posts: 3,568 ✭✭✭

Join Date: December 2005

Posts: 3517

Chrisgtk wrote: »

Does the 3 solution work with o2? If not can anyone suggest one as I have an Asus EEE PC 2 gig RAM with 16 GIG SD card, and I travel a lot!

I don't see why not. Aren't they all the same (or very similar looking!) Huawei modems? They probably use the same chipset so it should work. Might need to change the 'number' to dial first. Have a poke around the Unix forum. Good chance someone's asked already.

0
Options
#18 24-07-2008 2:22pm
Chrisgtk

Closed Accounts Posts: 5 ✭

Join Date: July 2008

Posts: 5

Thx for that. FYI the modem is a Novatel Ovation MC930D which apparently supports certain versions of Linux. I have a note with them to check whether its OK with Xandros.

0
Options
#19 25-07-2008 11:06am
Chrisgtk

Closed Accounts Posts: 5 ✭

Join Date: July 2008

Posts: 5

ethernet wrote: »

I don't see why not. Aren't they all the same (or very similar looking!) Huawei modems? They probably use the same chipset so it should work. Might need to change the 'number' to dial first. Have a poke around the Unix forum. Good chance someone's asked already.

I've tried using my O2 broadband on my EEE PC using the connection wizard in the Full Desk mode. It does identify GSM connections but it doesn't recognise my modem. O2 aren't any help at all and I need a simple solution (software driver) that doesn't involve reprogramming my PC.

0
Options
#20 25-07-2008 6:25pm
croo

Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 1,334 Mod ✭✭✭✭

Join Date: August 2006

Posts: 1312

I had it working with working with 7.10 but I had problems upgrading 8.04 and I never got to fixing this there (the e620 I had worked right off so I've just used it until now).

But with 7.10 I had found initially the modem wasn't being recognized ... or at least not as a modem but as a usb storage device. One thing to check is, are there 3 new /dev/ttyUSB* when you plug in the modem?
I used the information on this link
https://bugs.launchpad.net/debian/+source/hal-info/+bug/105545
(aimed at 220 but was the same for 270) to ensure the modem was recognized and then all was ok.

0
Options
#21 25-07-2008 6:35pm
Flamed Diving

Closed Accounts Posts: 6,609 ✭✭✭

Join Date: May 2008

Posts: 6336

And this is why I returned to XP.

0
Advertisement
Options
#22 26-07-2008 5:07am
croo

Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 1,334 Mod ✭✭✭✭

Join Date: August 2006

Posts: 1312

Yeah FD, but it can work and many people are using this combination (some I've spoken with in the VMC forums without any issues with their E270 being recognized.)... it just takes a little work if your specific installation of linux is one that is not recognizing the E270 correctly. I think this problem arose because the E270 is actually a USB key too [on which is included the software for windows deployment] and this is how it's is being recognized by some versions of linux (i.e. as a usb key rather than a modem).

I just have other things to work on and as my E620 just worked when I plugged it in and I'm not using the "mobile modem" very often as a mobile modem I just stuck with it rather than spending an afternoon reconfiguring the E270.

And yes right now in this instance because your ISP provided you with drivers & support for XP that's definitely easier to setup ok, but I didn't start using linux so I could use my o2 modem! I started for other reasons which still far out weight using XP.

0
Options
#23 26-07-2008 2:01pm
Flamed Diving

Closed Accounts Posts: 6,609 ✭✭✭

Join Date: May 2008

Posts: 6336

Yeah, I guess it comes down to what you need it for. To me, an OS is there to make my life easier when using a computer. I'm not interested in programming or anything.

0
Options
#24 02-08-2008 9:04pm
Flamed Diving

Closed Accounts Posts: 6,609 ✭✭✭

Join Date: May 2008

Posts: 6336

BTW, anyone figure out how to make this work yet?

0
Options
#25 03-08-2008 10:09am
ethernet

Registered Users Posts: 3,568 ✭✭✭

Join Date: December 2005

Posts: 3517

Flamed Diving wrote: »

BTW, anyone figure out how to make this work yet?

This should help.

0
Options
#26 18-08-2008 9:30pm
An Fear Aniar

Closed Accounts Posts: 1,377 ✭✭✭

Join Date: September 2003

Posts: 1298

It seems support for mobile 3G devices is going to be a priority in the next release of Ubuntu (Intrepid Ibex) due in October.

They're working on this:

Assemble a list of frequently used hardware and 3G providers in the markets with the highest 3G penetration. For this we need to identify the markets with the highest 3G penetration as well as the hardware/service-providers commonly used in those markets. (important)

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/3GNetworkingIntrepid

So, undoubtedly the 3G modem will be plug and play in the next release. It already works with a little tweaking but now they're going to automate the whole process.

.

0
Options
#27 18-08-2008 9:31pm
Flamed Diving

Closed Accounts Posts: 6,609 ✭✭✭

Join Date: May 2008

Posts: 6336

I finally got the bloody thing working anyway.

0
Options
#28 19-08-2008 3:08pm
Sporadic

Closed Accounts Posts: 15 ✭

Join Date: August 2008

Posts: 15

Hi guys,
Ok. I need some help!
I'm a total newbie with Linux and I wanted to give it a try given that I'm sick and tired of Windows and so on. I went for Ubuntu (8.04) and so far I love it. I installed it first at work and it's a breeze, including setting up the internet (LAN). Even I managed to do that in an instant! But... I can't make the internet work with my laptop!
I have Three's datacard, and I've spent a good while trying to get used to Ubuntu first and then trying to set up the damn thing... And my technical knowledge is quite limited.
First I tried the obvious and what seemed to have worked for some people (as I was reading on the forums): going to "system", "modem" and trying to set it up as if it was a normal modem, inputting all the right stuff, passwords, DNS, etc. No joy. "It'd have been too easy" I thought!
Then I did some more googling and tried a number of methods I found here and there, re-writing wvdial.conf, etc. To no avail either.
I eventually downloaded Vodafone's 3G application for Linux and tried that too, changing the required parameters. Dunno if it was because of that or because of something I did earlier but now the datacard seems to connect, I mean, the light stops flashing and remains blue, you know, saying "it's connected"... But nothing happens! Firefox won't open anything, Ubuntu won't get external connectivity... nothing. Just the damn blue light.
I don't know if I'm missing something obvious or if I screwed something up with all my "experiments" (most probably) so...
Could anyone please explain to me how to set up the 3 datacard on Ubuntu as if I was 3 years old? I'll just start from scratch again.

Feeling a bit frustrated here and not wanting to surrender and go back to Windows!

0
Options
#29 19-08-2008 3:11pm
Flamed Diving

Closed Accounts Posts: 6,609 ✭✭✭

Join Date: May 2008

Posts: 6336

Find and install Gnome PPP

Open it, and click 'detect modem'

Enter *99# as the phone number

Enjoy the internet

0
Options
#30 19-08-2008 3:30pm
Chrisgtk

Closed Accounts Posts: 5 ✭

Join Date: July 2008

Posts: 5

Yep, at last I've succumbed to XP! Fed up with all the programming hassle with Linux to get it working properly I have now installed XP SP2 Home edition on my EEE PC. I've also got Office Pro, MS Project, Visio, Mind Manager, Quick Time (for my MP4's), McAfee and still have 1.5 gig left on the flash card.

My 02 mobile boadband works perfectly and with my 16 gig sd card and 2 gig upgrade everything is fine. I would have preferred the 9" larger screen and bigger flash drive version, but what the hell my baby is still beautiful.

Sorry Linux lovers, but I need the functionality of Windows!

0
Advertisement
Options
#31 19-08-2008 6:05pm
Flamed Diving

Closed Accounts Posts: 6,609 ✭✭✭

Join Date: May 2008

Posts: 6336

Chrisgtk wrote: »

Yep, at last I've succumbed to XP! Fed up with all the programming hassle with Linux to get it working properly I have now installed XP SP2 Home edition on my EEE PC. I've also got Office Pro, MS Project, Visio, Mind Manager, Quick Time (for my MP4's), McAfee and still have 1.5 gig left on the flash card.

My 02 mobile boadband works perfectly and with my 16 gig sd card and 2 gig upgrade everything is fine. I would have preferred the 9" larger screen and bigger flash drive version, but what the hell my baby is still beautiful.

Sorry Linux lovers, but I need the functionality of Windows!

Agreed. Linux has a long way to go to meet the userability of XP.

0