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3G Wireless Dongle with Linux Mint 9 Isadora

shutter
Community Veteran
Posts: 22,206
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Registered: ‎06-11-2007

3G Wireless Dongle with Linux Mint 9 Isadora

I have just installed Linux Mint 9 Isadora on my spare laptop, (to take/keep in the car). and want to use my 3G wireless dongle.... however I cannot seem to be able to get it to "Install" itself
I have it installed on my main laptop, and it works ok... (Vista Home Premium installed).
the Setup.exe file has a wine glass as it`s icon... if that means anything .... Noddy`s guide to get it working please... Undecided
22 REPLIES 22
ReedRichards
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Registered: ‎14-07-2009

Re: 3G Wireless Dongle with Linux Mint 9 Isadora

I doubt whether it is Linux compatible, but perhaps I'm wrong.  Exactly which 3G dongle do you have on which network?
shutter
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Re: 3G Wireless Dongle with Linux Mint 9 Isadora

HUAWEI mobile broadband  on Three... 
ReedRichards
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Re: 3G Wireless Dongle with Linux Mint 9 Isadora

Waldo
Grafter
Posts: 473
Registered: ‎01-08-2007

Re: 3G Wireless Dongle with Linux Mint 9 Isadora

Plug the dongle into your machine, open a terminal and type dmesg

[ 1911.744146] usb 2-1: new full speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 7
[ 1911.913669] option 2-1:1.0: GSM modem (1-port) converter detected
[ 1911.914252] usb 2-1: GSM modem (1-port) converter now attached to ttyUSB0
[ 1911.931687] option 2-1:1.1: GSM modem (1-port) converter detected
[ 1911.933496] usb 2-1: GSM modem (1-port) converter now attached to ttyUSB1
[ 1911.949633] scsi13 : usb-storage 2-1:1.2
[ 1912.956430] scsi 13:0:0:0: CD-ROM            HUAWEI  Mass Storage    2.31 PQ: 0 ANSI: 2

if you see something like the above, the kernel recognises it as a modem.  That's it as far as 'installing' it goes.
Assuming you're using NetworkManager:
Right-click on the network icon in the panel and select Edit Connections...
Click on the Mobile Broadband tab
Click on Add and fill in the details
The new network will be available from the NetworkManager menu.
shutter
Community Veteran
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Registered: ‎06-11-2007

Re: 3G Wireless Dongle with Linux Mint 9 Isadora

Thanks guys... will have a mess around and see if I can understand it all. and hopefully get it to work...  Smiley
KenA
Grafter
Posts: 92
Registered: ‎28-08-2007

Re: 3G Wireless Dongle with Linux Mint 9 Isadora

The wine glass icon indicates that Mint recognises the program as a Windows executable.
For many such programs, you can install Wine (sudo apt-get install wine), which allows some Windows programs to be run on linux, however this does not usually work for device drivers, and so Waldo's advice is the best solution.

Incidentally, I don't use such a dongle myself, but I'm visiting my daughter who has a device about the size of a small mobile phone which provides both a 3G data service and also WiFi, so she just turns that on, and any laptop in the house can connect wirelessly to it, and in turn get 3G data to the internet.  I don't know the make, however, and she doesn't stay in the UK.
shutter
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Re: 3G Wireless Dongle with Linux Mint 9 Isadora

Have managed to get to the "new connections" page.... but got tired, and not thinking straight due to family circumstances, need to find the other info from my no`1 laptop, before I can proceed to the final screenshot !... It may take some time....  Wink
shutter
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Re: 3G Wireless Dongle with Linux Mint 9 Isadora

OK...  On "edit connections" I have a box with "connection name" and 3 Internet 1
clicked on the Mobile Broadband  Tab... and have
Basic
Number    *99#  in a box to enter my number... the number I have on the invoice starts of +447427XXXXXXX  do I enter all that number AFTER the *99# or do I remove the *99# and then enter "just the number as 07427XXXXXX or +447427XXXX ?
There is also a box for Username and Password... but I don`t remember putting them in on my Windows laptop, do I need to find this info before I get the next page and a working dongle.
I contacted 3G to ask for assistance, and after getting the automatic runaround finally got to speak to a gentleman of Indian (?) origin, who informed me that they do not support Linux for setting up the dongle, only Windows as a help line !...
So this seems to be the only place I can get any help...... Roll_eyes
MisterW
Superuser
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Re: 3G Wireless Dongle with Linux Mint 9 Isadora

Quote
Number    *99#  in a box to enter my number... the number I have on the invoice starts of +447427XXXXXXX  do I enter all that number AFTER the *99# or do I remove the *99# and then enter "just the number as 07427XXXXXX or +447427XXXX ?

Just leave the number as *99# and you can leave userid & password blank.

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

shutter
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Re: 3G Wireless Dongle with Linux Mint 9 Isadora

Ok.. Done that...clicked "Apply"  ......  but still does not appear on "left click on the list of available connections"....
Waldo
Grafter
Posts: 473
Registered: ‎01-08-2007

Re: 3G Wireless Dongle with Linux Mint 9 Isadora

Is your dongle properly recognised as a modem?
Booting Mint 9 from a USB stick and plugging in my dongle (an old E220) I was online after a couple of mouse clicks.
HairyMcbiker
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Re: 3G Wireless Dongle with Linux Mint 9 Isadora

I used to use my old 3 dongle on my lt's so it should work.
Just plug it in, and look in the network manager under Mobile Broadband. Then just choose 3 (PAYG or Subs) and that should be it.
When you want to connect choose Mobile Broadband and it should just connect.
If that fails then look at the Vodaphone Mobile Connect package (I used to have to use that in V8 or earlier)
shutter
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Registered: ‎06-11-2007

Re: 3G Wireless Dongle with Linux Mint 9 Isadora

Have been out all day.  just booted up and plugged in the 3 dongle, but it does not appear in the listing of available connections on the two screens at the bottom right of screen...
In Network Manager, it shows as 3 Connect, and an icon appears on the desktop.
In Network Manager it shows (as a list)
Folder title          disk1
Folder title            Promt info
Wine glass        icon AutoRun.exe
small pic icon    AutoRun.ico
page icon            AUTORUN.INF
wine glass icon DataCard_Setup.exe
wineglass icon DataCard_Setup64.exe
wineglass icon Pronmptinfo.exe
wineglass icon  ResetDevice.exe
page icon          SysConfig.dat
MisterW
Superuser
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Re: 3G Wireless Dongle with Linux Mint 9 Isadora

@shutter, That's just the pseudo CD part of the device. These devices are recognised initally as a CD device which auto installs the software on a WIndows box and then switches the device to modem mode. On a Linux box, obviously the CD is no use because it contains only Windows software, they are normally switched to modem mode automatically and seen as both a modem and a CD drive. You seem to be only seeing the CD part and therefore it looks like LInux is not recognising the device as a modem. What make & model of device is it ? ( should be written on it somewhere ) OR can you post the dmesg output from inserting it as suggested by Waldo earlier, all the messages after the
Quote
...new full speed USB device...

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.