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(Telstra) Wireless Broadband USB Modem under Linux?



 
 
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  #1  
Old October 3rd, 2008, 03:57 PM posted to aus.comms.mobile,rec.travel.australia+nz
Frank Slootweg
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 275
Default (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
  #2  
Old October 3rd, 2008, 04:26 PM posted to aus.comms.mobile,rec.travel.australia+nz
Will Kemp
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 6
Default (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.
  #3  
Old October 3rd, 2008, 07:15 PM posted to aus.comms.mobile,rec.travel.australia+nz,aus.computers.linux
Frank Slootweg
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 275
Default (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.

  #4  
Old October 4th, 2008, 10:16 AM posted to aus.comms.mobile,rec.travel.australia+nz,aus.computers.linux
Sandgroper[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1
Default (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



  #5  
Old October 4th, 2008, 11:22 AM posted to aus.comms.mobile,rec.travel.australia+nz,aus.computers.linux
Will Kemp
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 6
Default (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.
  #6  
Old October 4th, 2008, 08:17 PM posted to aus.comms.mobile,rec.travel.australia+nz,aus.computers.linux
Frank Slootweg
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 275
Default (Telstra) Wireless Broadband USB Modem under Linux?

First of all thanks to all respondents!

Will Kemp wrote:
[...]

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.


Earlier I said that I would prefer not to buy an UMTS/3G phone, but
I've since reconsidered:

My current Dutch GSM phone with pre-paid Telstra SIM, has very bad
coverage, especially in the rural/outback areas where we intend to go.
And a NextG pre-paid phone seems to cost about the same as the Telstra
Wireless Broadband USB Modem ($149), so I might as well buy a NextG
pre-paid phone and kill two birds with one stone, better coverage for
normal voice calls (and SMS) and broadband Internet for my Linux mini-
notebook.

I've studied the information on Telstra's Pre-Paid Mobile Broadband page
(http://www.telstra.com.au/telstraprepaidplus/broadband/unplanned.html
and it looks like the Samsung A411 ($149) and LG TU500 ($179) NextG
Pre-Paid phones will give the best rural coverage (Telstra Blue Tick
handset) and offer Bluetooth and Internet (see [1] below).

But now the problem/questions for/from this clueless newbie:

How to proceed from here?

The NextG phones apparently have a USB connection to the notebook, but
the software which comes with the phone is again for (MS-)Windows. What
do I need to do on the Linux side? (My mini-notebook has three USB
ports, so the hardware side is not a problem.)

And about the Bluetooth connection which you mention: The Telstra
information talks about "Stereo Bluetooth" i.e. for things like audio
headsets, but what about the Bluetooth phone-to-computer connection
which you mention, can these phones do that, and if so, what do I need
to do on the Linux side?

My mini-notebook does not have Bluetooth, so I will have to buy/use a
Bluetooth USB-'stick' for that. Would that be easy to configure/use
under Linux?

N.B. An added complication is that I have to prepare, configure, etc.
this stuff at home in The Netherlands, *without* the phone, NextG
network, etc., because I can only buy the phone on arrival in Oz. And
once I am in Oz, I have no (other) Internet access, so I can't lookup
things on the web before the mobile Internet connection works, Catch-22.

Sorry for these newbie questions, but *this* stuff is completely new
for me.

BTW, my Linux version in Linplus Linux Lite, which is based on
(Red Hat) Fedora (http://www.linpus.com and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linpus_Linux).

FYI, I have extensive professional UNIX (HP-UX) experience, but
practically no Linux experience. I have sufficient hardwired and WiFi
networking experience, but the latter only on (MS-)Windows. Same for
USB. I have no Bluetooth experience.

Again thanks in advance for any and all response. And thanks for
reading this far! :-)

[1]
https://shop.telstra.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10001&catalogId=11651&categoryId=30920
  #7  
Old October 4th, 2008, 08:42 PM posted to aus.comms.mobile,rec.travel.australia+nz,aus.computers.linux
Polly the Parrot
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 4
Default (Telstra) Wireless Broadband USB Modem under Linux?

On Sat, 04 Oct 2008 21:17:07 +0200 Frank Slootweg
wrote:

My mini-notebook does not have Bluetooth, so I will have to buy/use a
Bluetooth USB-'stick' for that. Would that be easy to configure/use
under Linux?


What distro do you have?
  #8  
Old October 4th, 2008, 08:48 PM posted to aus.comms.mobile,rec.travel.australia+nz,aus.computers.linux
Frank Slootweg
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 275
Default (Telstra) Wireless Broadband USB Modem under Linux?

Polly the Parrot wrote:
On Sat, 04 Oct 2008 21:17:07 +0200 Frank Slootweg
wrote:

My mini-notebook does not have Bluetooth, so I will have to buy/use a
Bluetooth USB-'stick' for that. Would that be easy to configure/use
under Linux?


What distro do you have?


That was hidden somewhere in my longish article! :-) :

BTW, my Linux version in Linplus Linux Lite, which is based on
(Red Hat) Fedora (http://www.linpus.com and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linpus_Linux).

  #9  
Old October 4th, 2008, 09:09 PM posted to aus.comms.mobile,rec.travel.australia+nz,aus.computers.linux
Polly the Parrot
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 4
Default (Telstra) Wireless Broadband USB Modem under Linux?

On Sat, 04 Oct 2008 21:48:51 +0200 Frank Slootweg
wrote:

That was hidden somewhere in my longish article! :-) :


Too lazy to look for it! ;-)

BTW, my Linux version in Linplus Linux Lite, which is based on
(Red Hat) Fedora (http://www.linpus.com and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linpus_Linux).


May have driver, why not ask in redhat ng?

  #10  
Old October 4th, 2008, 09:55 PM posted to aus.comms.mobile,rec.travel.australia+nz,aus.computers.linux
Will Kemp
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 6
Default (Telstra) Wireless Broadband USB Modem under Linux?

Frank Slootweg wrote:
First of all thanks to all respondents!

Will Kemp wrote:
[...]

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.


Earlier I said that I would prefer not to buy an UMTS/3G phone, but
I've since reconsidered:

My current Dutch GSM phone with pre-paid Telstra SIM, has very bad
coverage, especially in the rural/outback areas where we intend to go.
And a NextG pre-paid phone seems to cost about the same as the Telstra
Wireless Broadband USB Modem ($149), so I might as well buy a NextG
pre-paid phone and kill two birds with one stone, better coverage for
normal voice calls (and SMS) and broadband Internet for my Linux mini-
notebook.

I've studied the information on Telstra's Pre-Paid Mobile Broadband page
(http://www.telstra.com.au/telstraprepaidplus/broadband/unplanned.html
and it looks like the Samsung A411 ($149) and LG TU500 ($179) NextG
Pre-Paid phones will give the best rural coverage (Telstra Blue Tick
handset) and offer Bluetooth and Internet (see [1] below).

But now the problem/questions for/from this clueless newbie:

How to proceed from here?

The NextG phones apparently have a USB connection to the notebook, but
the software which comes with the phone is again for (MS-)Windows. What
do I need to do on the Linux side? (My mini-notebook has three USB
ports, so the hardware side is not a problem.)

And about the Bluetooth connection which you mention: The Telstra
information talks about "Stereo Bluetooth" i.e. for things like audio
headsets, but what about the Bluetooth phone-to-computer connection
which you mention, can these phones do that, and if so, what do I need
to do on the Linux side?

My mini-notebook does not have Bluetooth, so I will have to buy/use a
Bluetooth USB-'stick' for that. Would that be easy to configure/use
under Linux?


I think so, if you get the right one. However, that depends on whether
or not there's decent bluetooth support in the distro you're using (if
it's what comes pre-installed on the computer, and the computer hasn't
got bluetooth, it may not have it. You'll need to ask about that in a
forum that's specific to that distro.

Last time i did it was about a year ago and i was using fedora 8. It was
reasonably easy, although it took me a little while to work it out. Of
course, i intended to write it up at the time, but i didn't - and now i
can't remember clearly what it involved.

Basically, the phone acts as a modem - which is a standard bluetooth
service. You have to pair the computer and the mobile, using hciattach
(with the help of hcitool to find the phone's bluetooth address). This
creates a pty (pseudo tty). Then you use something like wvdial to
connect to the modem/phone via the pty and dial. The principle's simple
really, but it's not necessarily easy to work it out.

The above is my recollection from a year ago - i'd recommend googling
connect internet bluetooth linux 'mobile phone" or something along

those lines. You'll need to find the code to "dial" for an internet
connection over telstra NextG (although i think that's standard and not
provider or network dependent). I got it off the web somewhere, when i
did it. I'm sure i documented it somewhere, but i can't find it now!

N.B. An added complication is that I have to prepare, configure, etc.
this stuff at home in The Netherlands, *without* the phone, NextG
network, etc., because I can only buy the phone on arrival in Oz. And
once I am in Oz, I have no (other) Internet access, so I can't lookup
things on the web before the mobile Internet connection works, Catch-22.


Lots of libaries have internet access and there are internet places in
all major towns.
 




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