[ubuntu-uk] Mobile Broadband dongles?

[Stuart Ward]

The dongle needs to be supported by the kernel, and the networking
software, Network-Manager in most cases.

>From my experience the Huawei dongles are well supported in Linux, the
ZTE ones are not as well supported, and in my opinion not as well
engineered.

The best option is to take your laptop into a shop and ask to try the
dongle, most shops have demo units you can try.

The other alternative is a MiFi type unit, these use WiFi to interface
with your lappy and can connect to other things that support WiFi like
a kindle?

Last option is to go for a Android phone that allows WiFi Hotspot from
a provider that allows tethering. This is wht I do and it works very
well. Benefit is that I only have one contract.

When I was working in the industry I tried to convince marketing bozos
that they should at least have a page on the support forms that state
which dongles work with Linux, the problem was that although the
dongle works, they have their own (crap) software on the dongle that
does the connecting and show adverts and the like.

This would possible run under wine, but why anyone would do that is beyond me.

If it works in network -Manager, plug the dongle in and see it it
turns up in the network manager list of connections.

See: http://live.gnome.org/NetworkManager/MobileBroadband



-- Stuart Ward M +44 7782325143



On 14 October 2011 07:03, Barry Titterton
<barry.titterton at mail.adsl4less.com> wrote:
> On Thu, 2011-10-13 at 16:28 +0100, Gordon wrote:
>> Thanks to all who responded - my problem is, when looking at mobile
>> broadband deals, there's no technical detail on the dongles (or other
>> kit) at all. All they say is "compatible with PC (by which I take it
>> they mean Windows) or MAC".
>> How do I find out what the dongles actually are?
>>
>
> You could always pop into your local phone company shop, explain your
> problem and ask to have a look at an example of the dongle that you are
> interested in. You can then make a note of the manufacturer and part
> number that is printed on the label on the back of the device. Google is
> then your friend. Shop staff are usually helpful if they think they are
> going to get a sale in the future.
>
> Barry T
>
>
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