Installing a Vodafone 3G data card?

(I have the USB one
http://www.vodafonebusinessshop.co.uk/img/features/laptop_MainImg.jpg)

I am using Ubtunu at the moment but may make a switch to a diffrent distro in a few weeks.
This is my first swing at Linux for a while but I can remember basic stuff. I am only currently able to access the net using this dongle (on windows).

Now to the question. How do I get that dongle to work, currently it finds the hadware as a usb device so all I really have to do is tell Linux what to do with it.
Any help would be great.

 

For anyone else wanting to know in future:
Taken from: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=262867&highlight=Huawei's

The Huawei E220 is a USB 'dongle' for HSDPA connection through (for me, anyway) the Vodaphone network in New Zealand.

When inserted into a Ubuntu OS, it is immediately detected as a SCSI/CDROM type bulk storage device, and the files that are used by Windows appear attached to the filesystem similar to any other USB storage device.

Close any window that might be showing you those files. Then unmount the device (eject the CDROM icon you'll find on the desktop created when you inserted the device).

All commands I give here are just the commands - you will likely need to put 'sudo' in front of them so you have the permissions of root to carry them out...

Insert the device and give it a chance to settle down (enjoy watching the lights flash...)

When you insert the device and it gets recognised as a storage device, it will have created /dev/ttyUSB0. You can see that with:

ls -la /dev/ttyU*

You will likely only see one entry: ttyUSB0.

To make the modem work, you must first remove the module that is used for usb-storage devices. You can do that with:

rmmod usb-storage

If you are told it is in use, that is an indication you didn't close windows and eject the device first.

This next command may not be absolutely necessary, but it won't hurt anything (heh, heh...):

rmmod usb-serial

You are now going to re-insert that module, but giving the specific details of your modem. First, make sure you have the right details by using:

lsusb

You should see an entry similar to this in the output:

Bus 004 Device 004: ID 12d1:1003

The Bus and/or Device number might be different for you, but the important part is the ID. If yours is not 12d1:1003, you'll need to modify the next command, but I *think* it will be either that or 12d1:1001...

This command will insert the module with the device specific details:

modprobe usbserial vendor=0x12d1 product=0x1003

Now, remove the device, wait a bit for things to settle, and then plug it back in.

I *think* you may now have maybe three entries if you do:

ls -la /dev/ttyU*

Basically, what has been done is that you have removed the initial inclination to treat the device only as a bulk storage (removing the module that handles that). You've also manually caused the recognition of the device (using the modprobe command). So that when you re-plugged it, it should now be able to work with the *modem* part of the device addressing it as /dev/ttyUSB0, rather than that being the bulk storage device.

Use a text editor such as pico to edit or create if necessary the file to handle the dialling configuration. My /etc/wvdial.conf file looks like this:

# wvdial for Vodacom Data. Created by Tazz_tux
# Version 1.0

# Change Log:
#
# Added support for HSDPA.
# Added Headers and version control.

[Dialer Defaults]
Phone = *99***1#
Username = username
Password = password
Stupid Mode = 1
Dial Command = ATDT

[Dialer hsdpa]
Modem = /dev/ttyUSB0
Baud = 460800
Init2 = ATZ
Init3 = ATQ0 V1 E1 S0=0 &C1 &D2 +FCLASS=0
ISDN = 0
Modem Type = Analog Modem


I've only put in the relevant sections - the full file can be found at the address below this posting.

You can dial the modem with:

wvdial hsdpa

If all is happy, you'll see the messages in the terminal window to show how it is connecting, your IP address, your remote gateway and 2 nameservers the network provides for you.

Do remember the various need for 'sudo' unless you change ownerships/permissions. In particular, if it looks like you've connected but are not able to connect to any sites, etc, look for a message telling you that /etc/ppp/pap-secrets and /etc/ppp/chap-secrets are not able to be written to - that may well indicate that you for sure need to run the wvdial command as sudo (If you are running it as a normal user, that user would need to have the ability to write to those files for the connection to be able to work...)

I am writing this while standing on the shoulders of the knowledgeable and the helpful. In particular, see http://www.mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?t=21726 - Post 1 in that thread, and Tazz_Tux who wrote and maintains it, has been invaluable. Go there if for no other reason than to get the latest version of wvdial.conf

Enjoy your Huawei E220 under Ubuntu!