Good news re HSDPA/3G for Linux

drivers etc on the way soon

http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/08/29 ... _linux_3g/

 

Thank god- it's long over due!

I really wanted Linux but nearly bottled it for XP so I could get connected easily. I held out anyway, and bought Linux but was beginning to doubt it, since no-one has been able to provide a simple, generic way of getting these things to work.

I think that'll be my next purchase when they release the update.

Well spotted!

 

A week after first attempting to connect my Aspire on Linux to Huawei E169G on the 3 Network I succeeded!

Tried virtually everything posted by users and in the end I think (!?!) the resolution was:

Downloaded and installed Vodaphone Connect Card ALL i386 version from Betavine.
Opened Terminal and keyed in "sudo vodafone-mobile-connect-card-driver-for-linux".
Software ran and found it's own settings for the modem.
Shutdown the Acer with the Huawei dongle still plugged in.
Re-started the Acer with the Huawei dongle still plugged in.
Opened Terminal and ran "sudo vodafone-mobile-connect-card-driver-for-linux".
And at this point the thing ran a connection and told me that my DNS settings were wrong.
I then pressed the disconnect button on the Connect Card screen and then pressed the connect button and it all now works fine!

So in the end I think the whole thing is pure trial and error!! Plug and play in just 86 hours!

Regards,
Andrew.

 

Unfortunately, the Vodafone Mobile Connect doesn't support my Novatel MC950D.

This modem is Linux friendly, but you need to tweak the way the system sees it, full details here: http://www4.sprint.com/pcsbusiness/down ... _Guide.pdf

Trouble is, Linpus has the crucial usbserial driver set not to cope well with generic USB devices, which is why everyone following the instructions linked above find it doesn't work - they get a 'no such parameter Vendor' error message.

What has to be done is to recompile the usbserial driver module with a config_usb_serial_generic=y flag set. But how?

Google got me to modifying the Makefile and Kconfig files in the usbserial source-code folder:

/usr/src/kernels/2.6.25.14-69.fc8-i586/drivers/usb/serial

But attempts to build a new module using make - which I had to 'yum install make' first - told me there was 'nothing to be done'. Aaaargh!

Please, are there *any* AA1 owners who have enough Linux smarts to talk the rest of us through the correct procedure step by step?

 

I managed to get a modified usbserial.ko for AAO Linpus, and I just followed the instructions given at http://www.aspireoneuser.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=608. The only modification I did was to enable generic USB serial in the .config file.

Code:

CONFIG_USB_SERIAL_GENERIC=y

Note however that I did the build on a separate computer, since I didn't want to clutter the small disk in the AAO with dev-packages (the separate computer had debian 4 installed and not any fedora-based OS, but that did not seem to matter). And yes, I finally did manage to get my Huawei E220 modem up and running! But it took a lot of trial-and-error, and I haven't been able to fully automate the task.

Just one remark. You said you use kernel version 2.6.25.14-69, however the AAO Linpus uses 2.6.23.9 (as described in the link above). I suppose it is a bad idea mixing kernel versions like that.

 

Joaer:

Thanks for that. Care to upload the revised usbserial.ko?

Interesting point about the different kernel versions - source folder and OS binary code. What was Acer thinking, I wonder.

 

Certainly. And as always, use it at your own risk and I will accept no liability for any loss or damage caused by using this module. I can mention that after a failed attempt to setup the modem, the computer completely froze and after cold restart I ended up in a state where I had to reinstall my AA1. I don't believe that this module is directly responsible, but now you have been warned. :mrgreen:

PS. I had to gzip the module, because the forum did not allow any ko-files to be attached. Just ungzip it to full 33891 bytes (original usbserial.ko is 31717 bytes).

 

Hello All,
I'm also new to linux but found that Ellamsak's way above worked for me the only problem I have now is that I have to type ""sudo vodafone-mobile-connect-card-driver-for-linux" into the terminal window to get it to work. It is shown in the advanced desktop menu when I right click but it dose not run and I'm to new to linux to work out how to get an Icon on the Aspires front end. Can anyone help with the icon's or running from the advanced desktop?

Cheers
Bryson

 

Hi

I am new here and new to linux os. I purchased the Acer Aspire one last week and was very pleased with it, I was amazed at how quick I was able to connect to my wireless internet connection and it is so much faster than my windows laptop/desktop.

As I do a lot of traveling I realised that I needed to get a 3g connection as I am a vodafone customer and they advised me that I could connect with my AA1 running linux I decided to go with them, big mistake! I have tried every possible forum there is and dowloaded all of the drives etc that I need to be able to connect to the internet, but still no success. I realise that a lot of the advise is for really techno minded people and being a complete novice it went straight over my head. Please this is my last attempt could any one give me a step by step idiots guide on how I get this thing to run? I would be most greatful. Or do I need to wait for acer to produce the driver download that I have read about or do I need to purchase a external dvd rom drive to get the software to run, or should I cut my loses and send the 3g connection back to vodaphone.

Micky

 

Mickey,
first thing is to know which modem you have. If it is the E220 then setup takes all of 3 mins following instructions posted very clearly elsewhere on this forum. If you have the E169 or other model then you could be looking at problems, judging bu what has been posted on here. But the connection methods vary by modem model.

 

Hi dippergt750

Thank you so much for your reply. My model number is a:E172 I guess this is the one that is going to be more difficult to connect.

Micky

 

Did you try Vodafone's own forum? http://forum.vodafone.co.uk/index.php?s ... st&p=45088. I put a step by step guide on there for someone last week, but admittedly I've only got a E272 to test with and I don't know if the Vodafone beta software works as well with the E172 or not.

 

Hi Woogal

I tried your post from the Vodafone website and it worked so far, but when I put the usb stick in and try to run the software a red box appears with a picture of a penguin, at the top of the box it reads vodafone mobile connect card driver for linux 2.0. beta3 and at the bottom of the screen a blue light runs back and forth stating 'authenticating', and the box just hangs there for ages. In the right hand corner of the AA1 task bar is a vodafone Icon when I press on that a box appears with GPRS 3G info on it and mail icons when I press on any of them it states that it isn't connected. I have contacted vodafone but they just tell you to look at the forums, I am in the process of canceling vodafone as this is very frustrating!
If I purchased an external cd rom drive for the AA1 would I then be able to download the vodafone 3g software or would I have the same problems?

Micky

 

Watch the instructions......boot the AAO......THEN plug the stick in.........THEN run the vodafone front end. If it detects the modem like that, then it will work, if not then you have problems.

 

First of all - great forum - great site and great input
I have got my connection working - BUT - and I am NOT a novice so please bear with me

First I would like to say the solution on the Vodafone website by woogal is very correct - From my experience I have to do this a few times before I got it to work.

Also you have to put web web as the username and password and internet as the apn when u create the profile on the Vodafone software.

HOwever, - can someone please tell me why I keep getting, what are clearly, DEFUNCT DNS entries in my /etc/resolv.conf file everytime I connect the Vodafone dongle. ---(pasted below) I know there are workarounds but I want to know if there any work arounds? Also if not - what would be IDEAL Vodafone DNS Entries that I might have to end up using as static?

Thanks again to everyone including woogal.

nameserver 10.203.65.68
nameserver 10.203.65.68

 

Ok hello there again folks.. I am now writing this using the Vodafone 3G - FINALLY I am officially truly mobile. Wow...a real pain but hey the sense of achievement is great.

I got it to work with the Vodafone DNS rather than any open DNS servers.
I am not sure if this has been mentioned but I have had to do it on my machine :
Linux keeps pinging the E220 because it is also a storage USB drive. I picked this up from either this forum or another one -
I have had to create an entry using this exact command

sudo vim /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist

and then write at the bottom put the following line in (to blacklist the usb-storage module)
blacklist usb-storage
and then I have had to issue
sudo rmmod usb-storage also

Thanks and keep up the good work all

 

Hi, this blacklist method will disable all possible usb-storage devices.
In my case ( a ZTE MF628 ) simply 'ejecting' the 'cd-rom' was enough to get the device in it's modem-state.
I think that many people are initially confused by this 'double identity' of these devices.
Ideally a so-called 'udev-rule' should take care of this kind of situation.
For those interested: man udev, after you have installed the man-pages.. :mrgreen:

--Japser.

 

True - but you can easily re-enable the USB-STORAGE option by putting a #in that same line
Regards -Amar

 

Could anybody help me please.
I have put all the information in the terminal box as indicated, and it ran various jargon and stated that all was good then at the end it reads 'insert users allowed to use this application (space separated):
Any ideas what I should put for it to run ,I have come to a blank.
This my last attempt before I send the 3G back to Vodafone.

 

Have you tried user "user"? That is the default user id on the AA1. Please let us know if you succeed. I never did get Vodafones stuff to work.