(Telstra) Wireless Broadband USB Modem under Linux?
 

[Crossposted to aus.comms.mobile and rec.travel.australia+nz. Somewhat
off-topic for the latter, but this is for travel in Oz. I hope that
aus.comms.mobile is the right group for this kind of question.]

Has anyone any idea whether or not the Telstra Wireless Broadband USB
Modem will work on a Linux system?

See:

http://www.telstra.com.au/telstraprepaidplus/broadband/prepaidwireless.html

The site and Getting Started Guide mention only "PC" (which actually
means (MS-)*Windows*) and Mac. I asked Telstra, but they only said

Telstra Pre-Paid Wireless Broadband USB modem works on a Mac and a PC
only. Linux is currently not included.

which is kind of unspecific. I.e. does it really not *work* or is it
'just' *unsupported*?

I realize that the *Connection Manager* will not work, because it's a
Windows/MAC executable, but I am wondering wether the USB Modem
*itself*, i.e. the hardware, will work with Linux' standard network
or/and USB drivers.

You're probably wondering why the heck anyone would want to travel
with a mobile *Linux* system, but nowadays many 'netbooks'/
mini-notebooks are equipped with Linux, because Linux requires less
resources and can run from a rugged Solid State Disk (SSD) instead of
from a fragile normal hard-disk. (The latter was my main consideration,
because we're going to rattle on many thousands of kms of unsealed roads
in the outback.)

I have such a mini-notebook, an Acer Aspire One with 8GB SSD, a fine
machine. If you're interested, see the links below [1].

Thanks in advance for any and all responses.

BTW, I also have a question on public WiFi Wireless Hotspots in Oz.
What would be the best aus.* group to ask such a question?

[1]
http://www.acer.com.au/acer/akc/netbook.nsf/Page/Home_Netbook?open&current=8.6&ms=expand&
http://global.acer.com/products/netbook/asone.htm
http://www.acer.com/aspireone

(Telstra) Wireless Broadband USB Modem under Linux?
 

Frank Slootweg wrote:
[Crossposted to aus.comms.mobile and rec.travel.australia+nz. Somewhat
off-topic for the latter, but this is for travel in Oz. I hope that
aus.comms.mobile is the right group for this kind of question.]

Has anyone any idea whether or not the Telstra Wireless Broadband USB
Modem will work on a Linux system?

See:

http://www.telstra.com.au/telstraprepaidplus/broadband/prepaidwireless.html

The site and Getting Started Guide mention only "PC" (which actually
means (MS-)*Windows*) and Mac. I asked Telstra, but they only said

Telstra Pre-Paid Wireless Broadband USB modem works on a Mac and a PC
only. Linux is currently not included.

which is kind of unspecific. I.e. does it really not *work* or is it
'just' *unsupported*?

I realize that the *Connection Manager* will not work, because it's a
Windows/MAC executable, but I am wondering wether the USB Modem
*itself*, i.e. the hardware, will work with Linux' standard network
or/and USB drivers.

You should try asking on aus.computers.linux too.

An alternative is to use a mobile phone with bluetooth and connect to
the net via bluetooth on the laptop and the mobile. That will definitely
work with Linux. I've done it without problems on Telstra's "NextG" network.

You're probably wondering why the heck anyone would want to travel
with a mobile *Linux* system,

No. I've been travelling with Linux notebooks, all over the world, for
13 years now.

but nowadays many 'netbooks'/
mini-notebooks are equipped with Linux, because Linux requires less
resources and can run from a rugged Solid State Disk (SSD) instead of
from a fragile normal hard-disk. (The latter was my main consideration,
because we're going to rattle on many thousands of kms of unsealed roads
in the outback.)

Possibly a reasonable concern, but i just wrap mine in my bedroll and
i've never had any problems.

(Telstra) Wireless Broadband USB Modem under Linux?
 

On Fri, 03 Oct 2008 16:57:28 +0200 Frank Slootweg
wrote:

Has anyone any idea whether or not the Telstra Wireless Broadband USB
Modem will work on a Linux system?

I would be pleased if it did, but AFAIAA, no drivers, nor are there likely
to be any.

(Telstra) Wireless Broadband USB Modem under Linux?
 

[aus.computers.linux added.]

Polly the Parrot wrote:
On Fri, 03 Oct 2008 16:57:28 +0200 Frank Slootweg
wrote:

Has anyone any idea whether or not the Telstra Wireless Broadband USB
Modem will work on a Linux system?

I would be pleased if it did, but AFAIAA, no drivers, nor are there likely
to be any.

Of course Telstra does not supply any Linux drivers, but I wonder
whether any device *specific* - i.e. for this USB UMTS Modem - drivers
are required? Wouldn't the USB Modem handle the UMTS-specific stuff and
the USB side just look like *any* USB network connection, i.e. like for
example a WiFi USB 'stick' (that's assuming that Linux has 'built-in'
driver support for such sticks)?

I admit that I'm guessing here. On Windows there's 'built-in' - i.e.
no extra software needed - driver support for a lot of devices. I
realize that Linux is both different and less universal, but AFAIK it
has built-in driver support for quite a few common USB devices, so I'm
hoping that includes USB network 'sticks'.

(Telstra) Wireless Broadband USB Modem under Linux?
 

[aus.computers.linux added.]

Will Kemp wrote:
Frank Slootweg wrote:
[Crossposted to aus.comms.mobile and rec.travel.australia+nz. Somewhat
off-topic for the latter, but this is for travel in Oz. I hope that
aus.comms.mobile is the right group for this kind of question.]

Has anyone any idea whether or not the Telstra Wireless Broadband USB
Modem will work on a Linux system?

See:

http://www.telstra.com.au/telstraprepaidplus/broadband/prepaidwireless.html

The site and Getting Started Guide mention only "PC" (which actually
means (MS-)*Windows*) and Mac. I asked Telstra, but they only said

Telstra Pre-Paid Wireless Broadband USB modem works on a Mac and a PC
only. Linux is currently not included.

which is kind of unspecific. I.e. does it really not *work* or is it
'just' *unsupported*?

I realize that the *Connection Manager* will not work, because it's a
Windows/MAC executable, but I am wondering wether the USB Modem
*itself*, i.e. the hardware, will work with Linux' standard network
or/and USB drivers.

You should try asking on aus.computers.linux too.

Thanks. I took the liberty of crossposting this to
aus.computers.linux, so that audience can see what this is about, and
can hopefully help.

An alternative is to use a mobile phone with bluetooth and connect to
the net via bluetooth on the laptop and the mobile. That will definitely
work with Linux. I've done it without problems on Telstra's "NextG" network.

I would prefer not to buy an UMTS/3G phone and AFAIK my (Acer Aspire
One) mini-notebook doesn't have a bluetooth connection, so that might
lead to a different (for a Bluetooth USB 'stick') driver problem, but
that is probably easier to solve. I'll keep this path in mind as a
possible alternative. Thanks for the suggestion.

You're probably wondering why the heck anyone would want to travel
with a mobile *Linux* system,

No. I've been travelling with Linux notebooks, all over the world, for
13 years now.

but nowadays many 'netbooks'/
mini-notebooks are equipped with Linux, because Linux requires less
resources and can run from a rugged Solid State Disk (SSD) instead of
from a fragile normal hard-disk. (The latter was my main consideration,
because we're going to rattle on many thousands of kms of unsealed roads
in the outback.)

Possibly a reasonable concern, but i just wrap mine in my bedroll and
i've never had any problems.

(Telstra) Wireless Broadband USB Modem under Linux?
 

Frank Slootweg wrote:
[Crossposted to aus.comms.mobile and rec.travel.australia+nz. Somewhat
off-topic for the latter, but this is for travel in Oz. I hope that
aus.comms.mobile is the right group for this kind of question.]

You'd likely be a lot better with aus.comms and aus.computers, I've added them.

Has anyone any idea whether or not the Telstra Wireless Broadband USB
Modem will work on a Linux system?

See:

http://www.telstra.com.au/telstraprepaidplus/broadband/prepaidwireless.html

The site and Getting Started Guide mention only "PC" (which actually
means (MS-)*Windows*) and Mac. I asked Telstra, but they only said

Telstra Pre-Paid Wireless Broadband USB modem works on a Mac and a PC
only. Linux is currently not included.

which is kind of unspecific. I.e. does it really not *work* or is it
'just' *unsupported*?

I realize that the *Connection Manager* will not work, because it's a
Windows/MAC executable, but I am wondering wether the USB Modem
*itself*, i.e. the hardware, will work with Linux' standard network
or/and USB drivers.

You're probably wondering why the heck anyone would want to travel
with a mobile *Linux* system, but nowadays many 'netbooks'/
mini-notebooks are equipped with Linux, because Linux requires less
resources and can run from a rugged Solid State Disk (SSD) instead of
from a fragile normal hard-disk. (The latter was my main
consideration, because we're going to rattle on many thousands of kms
of unsealed roads in the outback.)

I have such a mini-notebook, an Acer Aspire One with 8GB SSD, a fine
machine. If you're interested, see the links below [1].

Thanks in advance for any and all responses.

BTW, I also have a question on public WiFi Wireless Hotspots in Oz.
What would be the best aus.* group to ask such a question?

[1]
http://www.acer.com.au/acer/akc/netbook.nsf/Page/Home_Netbook?open&current=8.6&ms=expand&
http://global.acer.com/products/netbook/asone.htm
http://www.acer.com/aspireone

(Telstra) Wireless Broadband USB Modem under Linux?
 

"Frank Slootweg" wrote in message
b.home.nl...
[aus.computers.linux added.]

Thanks. I took the liberty of crossposting this to
aus.computers.linux, so that audience can see what this is about, and
can hopefully help.

An alternative is to use a mobile phone with bluetooth and connect to
the net via bluetooth on the laptop and the mobile. That will definitely
work with Linux. I've done it without problems on Telstra's "NextG"
network.

I would prefer not to buy an UMTS/3G phone and AFAIK my (Acer Aspire
One) mini-notebook doesn't have a bluetooth connection, so that might
lead to a different (for a Bluetooth USB 'stick') driver problem, but
that is probably easier to solve. I'll keep this path in mind as a
possible alternative. Thanks for the suggestion.


These links might be of help.

Whirlpool
http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum....cfm?t=1061996

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum...s.cfm?t=897808

http://quozl.linux.org.au/bp3-usb/#configuring-kernel

http://oozie.fm.interia.pl/pro/huawei-e220/


--
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naked DSL ?
No thanks , I like to wear clothes when I use my computer


Sandgroper
------------------------------------
Remove KNICKERS to Email

(Telstra) Wireless Broadband USB Modem under Linux?
 

Sandgroper wrote:
"Frank Slootweg" wrote in message
b.home.nl...
[aus.computers.linux added.]

Thanks. I took the liberty of crossposting this to
aus.computers.linux, so that audience can see what this is about, and
can hopefully help.

An alternative is to use a mobile phone with bluetooth and connect to
the net via bluetooth on the laptop and the mobile. That will definitely
work with Linux. I've done it without problems on Telstra's "NextG"
network.
I would prefer not to buy an UMTS/3G phone and AFAIK my (Acer Aspire
One) mini-notebook doesn't have a bluetooth connection, so that might
lead to a different (for a Bluetooth USB 'stick') driver problem, but
that is probably easier to solve. I'll keep this path in mind as a
possible alternative. Thanks for the suggestion.


These links might be of help.

Whirlpool
http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum....cfm?t=1061996

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum...s.cfm?t=897808

http://quozl.linux.org.au/bp3-usb/#configuring-kernel

http://oozie.fm.interia.pl/pro/huawei-e220/

Interesting...

The OP needs to bear in mind though, in relation to that last link, that
Telstra's NextG network, annoyingly, operates on 850MHz - and it looks
like that Huawei-e220 doesn't.

I don't know how much coverage Optus's 900MHz/2100MHz network's got now,
or where the OP is intending to travel to, but it could be worth
considering.

(Telstra) Wireless Broadband USB Modem under Linux?
 

"Frank Slootweg" wrote in message
b.home.nl...

Has anyone any idea whether or not the Telstra Wireless Broadband USB
Modem will work on a Linux system?


Frank

If you are doing your usual thing and hiring a 4WD the question I would have
to ask of you is this. Is it worth even thinking about a wireless connection
seeing as you will be out of range most of the time?
If you are desperate to be connected then I would think about a satellite
dish. But that would be big bucks.

Where will you be going this time?

Gerrit

(Telstra) Wireless Broadband USB Modem under Linux?
 

[aus.computers.linux not added this time, because this is rather
off-topic for that group.]

Gerrit wrote:

"Frank Slootweg" wrote in message
b.home.nl...

Has anyone any idea whether or not the Telstra Wireless Broadband USB
Modem will work on a Linux system?


Frank

If you are doing your usual thing and hiring a 4WD the question I would have
to ask of you is this. Is it worth even thinking about a wireless connection
seeing as you will be out of range most of the time?
If you are desperate to be connected then I would think about a satellite
dish. But that would be big bucks.

Where will you be going this time?

Gerrit,

Thanks for your concern/warning.

I understand - also from looking at (Telstra's) coverage charts - that
3G/NextG/UMTS/whatever coverage in rural/outback areas is much, much
better than GSM coverage. GSM (i.e. GPRS) coverage would indeed be
rather useless.

We will be going basically 'everywhere', especially unsealed roads/
tracks in rural/outback areas in (SA,) NSW, QLD, NT and WA.

We have no real 'need' to be connected, but I'd like to try what's
it's like to have a laptop/mini-notebook with us. I always stayed
cleared from much technology on our trips, only GPS, EPIRB and GSM
mobile. But with these sexy mini-notebooks, I could no longer control
myself. I'm only human, you know! :-)

Frank