Setting Up your Reliance Netconnect Broadband+ connection in Linux

This is a basically just a simple guide on how to use your Reliance Netconnect Broadband+ connection in Linux . I myself am no expert in Linux ,but I managed to configure and connect  my Reliance Evdo in Linux quiet easily .

Ok enough talk lets cut to the chase !

So here’s what you do .

Stuff you Require

1.      USB modem/Data Card with activated connection along with your password and username.

2.      Machine with Linux installed

3.      Linux OS CD

4.      wvdial ( A generic software client in Linux)

To install wvdial

a) If you do have an alternate internet connection in Linux . Open a terminal and type in

sudo apt-get install wvdial (with your alternate internet activated)

b) If you don’t have an alternate internet connection

Go to System->Administration->software sources. Add cd as a source and close . Insert your Linux OS CD .Now open a terminal and type in

sudo apt-get install wvdial

Procedure

Activating your connection

1) First get your connection activated and connect it to the internet using a windows or an Apple   machine . Open up a web page just to make sure that its active .

Pre-Configuration Procedures

2) Boot up Linux

3) Open up a terminal  and key in su (Stands for Super user and it gives you administrative privileges)

4) Plugin your USB modem and unplug any other devices you have installed (including any wired/wireless internet connections you may have).

5)      Next key in lsusb (This command lists all the usb devices currently connected to your system )

Your output should be similar to this

Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 12d1:1412 Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. 
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub

It may vary slightly depending on your modem make (Huawei or quallcom).

6)    Make sure to note down the number that you get . Here for example it would be 12d1:1412

7) Next key in  modprobe usbserial vendor=0x12d1 product=0×1412  ,

make sure that the number you enter for your vendor and product are the number you got for your lsusb command.

Configuring software client wvdial

Now we are going to use wvdial in Linux to connect to the internet .wvdial is just a generic internet client which can be used to connect to any internet connection that requires dialing . For example : your landline Dialup connection or in our case a mobile broadband internet  Its kind of like an all purpose internet client software.

8 ) open up wvdial’s configuration file using this command

gedit /etc/wvdial.conf
9) Paste the below code into the window that pops up ( make sure to enter your relevant details ).

[Dialer Defaults]

Init1 = ATZ

Init2 = ATQ0 V1 E1 S0=0 &C1 &D2 +FCLASS=0

Stupid Mode = 1

Modem Type = USB Modem

ISDN = 0

Phone = #777

New PPPD = yes

Modem = /dev/ttyUSB0 (This may also be dev/ttyUSB2 depending on where you plugged in your device)

Username = 9xxxxxxxxxx (your username, should be a number )

Password = 9xxxxxxxxxx (Your password , should be the same number)

CBaud = 460800

Delete all the comments in the brackets . The fields you should edit are Modem , Username and password the only ones with comment .

Save and exist .

10) That’s it ! your done , that was simple was nt it ?

Fire up a new Terminal and key in sudo wvdial , enter your root password in the password prompt . it should generate a long list of codes finally ending with Primary DNS Secondary DNS . If it does you have got your connection working successfully  ! enjoy.

Closing your connection :

You can disconnect your client by selecting your terminal and pressing Ctrl+C

Note : Before you open up a web page make sure to check that File->Work offline mode is not selected in your firefox . Otherwise FF will not open up web pages even when you are connected to the internet!

Note 2: If you are a newbie its most likely that you have nt yet got your internet connection going , don’t worry keep trying you may only have made small mistakes somewhere. If you want any help just leave in your questions as comments here .

I ll put up a simple trouble shooting tutorial in one of my future posts .

Connecting Reliance Netconnect Broadband+ in Jaunty Jackalope

This was done in Ubuntu Jaunty using the Huawei 168c  modem

PROCEDURE

Just plug it in.

“Preferences>Network Connections> Mobile Broadband” should detect “Auto Mobile Broadband CDMS connection”

select the connection to add phone number “#777″ and you username/ password, both of which should be your 10 digit phone number.

that is all. choose the connection from notification area and enjoy.

in case it does not work. just try the following command on the terminal.

“sudo wvdialconf /etc/wvdial.conf” which will
detect the modem and install it for internet connection.

Update:

Both the Huawei modems i.e EC 168 and EC 1260 work out of the box in Ubuntu Jaunty Jackalope  ! You can use the default Network manager to install the device .

Connecting Reliance Netconnect Broadband+ in Ubuntu Karmic Koala 9.10

If you have upgraded to (or had a fresh install) of Ubuntu 9.10 you would definitely have encountered many problems and bugs . My advice would be to connect to the internet and perform a full update as soon as you can .

If you are a mobile broadband user , connecting to the internet in itself would be a major problem . The revamped network manager in 9.10 is exceptionally buggy and i have read of a lot of complaints from users (across the world) of having had problems with using mobile broadband .Native support is in-built for almost all mobile broadband ISPs (of India) theoretically and yet practically a lot of them dont work .

Problem:

Network manager will detect your modem correctly but will refuse to connect to the internet .

Solution:

A bug report was filed by a Reliance Netconnect Broadband+ user . An update may have been released by the developers as many users have reported that the Network manager started connecting to the internet successfully after an update .

So update your karmic Koala using another connection .

Workaround: (Use Wvdial)

If you like me dont have another connection , boot up windows and download the wvdial software for karmic koala install it in ubuntu and use it to connect to the internet and update your system .

Procedure

1. Download the following files (in windows or any other machine) and install them in ubuntu
If you have an intel processor select the i386 links and in the next page select an Asian server .

Dependencies

http://packages.ubuntu.com/karmic/libwvstreams4.6-base
http://packages.ubuntu.com/karmic/libwvstreams4.6-extras
http://packages.ubuntu.com/karmic/libuniconf4.6
2. next download and install wvdial in your Ubuntu Wvdial
http://packages.ubuntu.com/karmic/wvdial
wvdial is installed in your Ubuntu machine !
3. Now follow this guide to setup your connection using wvdial in ubuntu
http://reliancewireless.wordpress.com/2009/05/01/setting-up-your-reliance-broadband-connection-in-linux/

PS : I am guessing people using the newer Huawei EC1260 modem may have more problems with the network manager .