"Ubuntu 9.10 for a Lazy Windows XP User" on a SAMSUNG NC10 - Part 3

Well, the "Net" in "Netbook" actually doesn't mean "well-connected office LAN", right? You've gotta be mobile - and still connected - with these babies, haven't you? Right.

The weekend is drawing nigh and I know that at least on Saturday, I will spend almost two hours with my netbook. I figured that it's time for

Part 3. Let's get mobile!

I've got a HUAWEI-based UMTS stick from T-Mobile that works pretty well under Windows and Mac so let's see if it's gonna bring our Koala online. I used the drivers from the stick itself - for those few still unfamiliar with this but nevertheless reading this blog: first time you connect it via USB, it presents itself as a CD-ROM drive containing software for Windows (drivers + mgmt. utility), Mac (drivers + mgmt. utility) and Linux (driver + VERY basic installation manual which you shouldn't need anyway, because: what do you do with a *.tar.gz which is the only file in the Linux driver folder? extract it, and then there's an install.sh in there, even marked as executable text file already. Piece o'cake, even for the lazy Windows user...)

Well, OK, 'nuff said. Let's stick the stick in and install.

My findings here seem to fit well among the other ones. The installer script runs without issue and requires a reboot. After that (the UMTS stick is still connected) I open the Networking mgmt. applet and add a new Wireless Broadband connection using the wizard. It doesn't show any devices on the first screen but allows me to go on setting up my UMTs, so go on I do. T-Mobile is listed among German provides, albeit with an obsolete APN of internet.t-d1.de. I know you don't need to supply an APN name with T-Mobile at all but nevertheless correct it to internet.t-mobile.de just in case. I also punch in my SIM's PIN even if it might be considered a security risk.

Then I pull my Ethernet cable, tell the Networking drop-down to connect, a small animated icon appears and... I'm online. Here at the office, I measure 2,2 Mbit/s downstream and 550 kbit/s upstream which is not that bad at all!

DISCLAIMER: T-Mobile really makes it easy to setup a connection. With other providers like Vodafone, for instance, you might have to specify a lot more info - APN name, DNS server addresses, username, password etc.

I will see if I can VPN into the office tomorrow :)