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Thread: Mobile Broadband Newbie!

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    Mobile Broadband Newbie!

    I have zero mobile internet access for either my phone (Nokia N95-8GB) or my netbook (Acer Aspire One, Linux). Truth be told I know just a bit more than zero about how to obtain it! - I've never had a need for it.

    I'm due to be somewhere for just over a week which doesn't have any form of wi-fi or wired access, and doesn't have coffeee shops/internet cafes etc. Some form of internet access, basic or slow etc would be a huge benefit.

    As this is a short term need I wouldn't be looking to tie myself down to any form of contract longer than a month.

    Browsing on the N95 is painful the times I have used it so I'm more keen to use the netbook. This seems to have two problems:

    1. It's running Linux.
    2. The area I will be in has poor coverage on most networks I've looked at.

    So, can anyone help?! (Otherwise it's cold turkey for a week lol).

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    Re: Mobile Broadband Newbie!

    No wired access? What about a telephone line? For basic access use a dial up modem service.

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    Re: Mobile Broadband Newbie!

    It's a holiday flat, I very much doubt they have an phone line :/

    Thanks for the suggestion though.

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    Re: Mobile Broadband Newbie!

    Most of the USB GSM dongles play very well wirth Linux - I use Vodaphone's. Problem is that they are usually on 12 month contract. You might be able to buy one SIM free and get a montly contact SIM only and just use it for the month. However set up costs would be high - the modem would e expensive. Tethering is another option, using the phone as a modem, but you are unlikely to find Linux drivers. Do you have data allowance on your current plan? If so you may find that might be an option for email etc.
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    Re: Mobile Broadband Newbie!

    Thanks Peter

    My current plan does not include any data allowance, it's an eons old Orange PAYG account. I am considering this though: http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/tesc...h-500-m/748781

    Which would get me 500mb data.

    However, I don't know if I can use it with my Vodafone branded N95, currently with Orange Sim lol, and I have no idea how I'd go about teathering it to a laptop, especially one running Linux.

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    Re: Mobile Broadband Newbie!

    A lot depends on the phone. If it uses the standard modem AT set then you might be able to use a terminal program to set up a connection via USB - better still if the phone has a serrial connection (like my very old Motorola before it died) But if the phone needs a specific driver on the host computer, it is unlikely to be supported.

    I say unlikely, but not impossible. I don't know which distro you are using, but certainly Fedora has some support for mobiles - so I would expect that others may too. But unless you have a phone where someone has developed driver (or the mfr has) you may be out of luck.

    The USB dongles are different - they are nearly all made by Huwei (sp!) and there are OS drivers for them. I'm using my USB stick now on FC13 - no need to install drivers - I just plugged it in and it connected. You might find one on an auction site from and then get a sim on a short contract.

    Other than that, something like BT openzone (or whatever it is called this week) or some other subscription or public wi-fi network.
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    Re: Mobile Broadband Newbie!

    Linux actually has fantastic phone modem support. I plugged my phone in to ubuntu and a popup from network manager asked me if i wanted to connect. if I wanted to use my phone as a modem on windows i would of had to install software from Sony Ericsson.

    I find linux hardware support better than windows for everything.

    for windows you have to install drivers for stuff which includes crappy bloated software. with linux you get drivers pre installed integrated in to the desktop environment.

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    Re: Mobile Broadband Newbie!

    My version of Linux is Linpus Lite on the AA1. I'm not much of a linux user but compared to what I have used (Knoppix, Puppy etc) I think it's a bit rubbish!

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    Re: Mobile Broadband Newbie!

    I've never needed to connect a 'phone as a modem - but (iodre) that is interesting to hear.
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    Re: Mobile Broadband Newbie!

    maplins are selling 3g donles for £14.99 ATM.. you can download Huawei's generic software "mobile partner" and unlock your donlge for about 4 euros here! http://www.dc-unlocker.com/

    when unlocked you can use any sim card world wide! i use virgin, it's free for me but it costs 30p per day usually. good it you only use it say once a week.. if using more consider a iphone or blackberry sim with 500mb or 1gb per month included on a 30 rolling contract from o2.

    use these settings to put in the "moblie partner" software... it is surprisingly easy

    Network: APN: User Name: Password:
    3 three.co.uk guest guest
    JerseyTelecom pepper abc abc
    O2 mobile.o2.co.uk web password
    O2 (faster) mobile.o2.co.uk faster password
    O2 (pre-pay) payandgo.o2.co.uk payandgo payandgo
    Orange orangeinternet user pass
    Orange (Payg) orangewap Multimedia Orange
    T-Mobile general.t-mobile.uk user pass
    Virgin Mobile goto.virginmobile.com user [space]
    Vodafone (con) internet web webs
    Vodafone (payg) pp.vodafone.co.uk wap wap
    Last edited by j1979; 02-09-2010 at 04:24 AM.

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    Re: Mobile Broadband Newbie!

    If your netbook has Bluetooth you can connect that to the phone - it helps to have a reasonably modern Linux distro on it (ie less than 3 years old). It should be fairly straightforward. Bluetooth's top speed is about 900kbps so you'll only get that, but it does mean you can put the phone somewhere with better signal (such as the windowsill) if you're in a marginal area.

    Whatever access device you have, I'd definitely make sure it's unlocked... it makes switching network much easier when you go somewhere with better coverage or cheaper deals. It's a good idea to use PAYG for data, so if you overreach your credit it just stops working, rather than charging you hundreds of pounds.

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