Cell C Modem and Linux?

[garyc]

I was wondering if anyone here has used the Cell C modems on a Gnome based Linux distribution, and if everything worked out OK? The modem of interest is the 21 Mb/s USB speed stick that comes with their new 5GB data promotion bundle.

 

[ponder]

It's a rebranded Huawei device, either the E1820 or E182E both of which are supported by Linux. Getting them to work though could be easy or require a bit of elbow grease as some just work while other require a bit of fiddling around.

 

[avert]

after using pppdconfig to configure the modem connection

You might have to install usb_modeswitch from the repos if you are an ubuntu user or http://www.draisberghof.de/usb_modeswitch compiling from source works too.

usb_modeswitch -c /etc/usb_modeswitch.conf
wait a few seconds
lsusb to see if it is recognised
pon mtn

well, thats what i do for my huawei anyway

 

[milomak]

does the gnome network thingy not pick it up?

which kernel are you running? - uname -a

plug it in. and then run lsusb and post the results here

 

[garyc]

does the gnome network thingy not pick it up?

which kernel are you running? - uname -a

plug it in. and then run lsusb and post the results here

I haven't bought the device yet, decided to ask if it would work first. If it is a Huawei then it probably will work, even if a little effort is required. With the Cell C internet offering being rolled out in Gauteng this looks very tempting.

 

[Other Pineapple Smurf]

Well Ubuntu 10.10 has all the UDEV rules installed by default - it should just be plug 'n play

* I did some googling and greping to double check that the Vendor & Product ID is in the UDEV rules of 10.10

 

[Jab]

Have anyone used these modems with firewall os's like Ipcop or Smoothwall?

 

[K3NS31]

The older Huawei's definitely worked perfectly with multiple versions of Ubuntu. Being a widely used brand, I see no reason why the new one wouldn't just work too. Why don't you burn a LiveCD, then ask the guys at the cell C shop if you can plug one into a laptop or PC booted from it?

 

[w1z4rd]

Ive tested the 7mbs and the 21mbs modem in linux and both of them work fine with Ubuntu. Ubuntu has that little manager that automatically picked up all the settings so there was absolutely no effort required on my side to set it up. It just worked.

 

[garyc]

Thanks to everyone for the help. It looks like this should work well.

 

[72859]

CellC Speedstick and Ubuntu Desktop 10.10 "Maverick Meerkat"

I was wondering if anyone here has used the Cell C modems on a Gnome based Linux distribution, and if everything worked out OK? The modem of interest is the 21 Mb/s USB speed stick that comes with their new 5GB data promotion bundle.

Went to a CellC shop and plugged in Modem and noticed the wireless manager found the Huwaai Modem and asked for Country and network etc. Tried to connect and it asked for password. Thought it was sudo password but not. Noticed the phone number was *99# (expected) and username/login name was Cellcis. Password was empty and CellC staff said no password was needed but this did not work. So tried 0000, 1234, 12345, 00000, password, user, Cellcis, internet, cellcis, Internet and a whole host of obvious ones but no luck. So if someone knows the password then it may work.

Also did an lsusb and it came up as vendor=0x12d1 and product=0x14ac for modprobe (ie: sudo modprobe usbserial vendor=0x12d1 and product=0x14ac - like Neotel NeoConnect Prime) also set up pppconfig and did sudo pon CellC but still password needed. So we need the username and password from the CellC folk and I think all will be well.....

Sent using my NeoTel Prime Connect under Ubuntu Linus Desktop 10.10

 

[72859]

also the data bundle for 60GB can be bought for R1 999 = (R1 999)/(60*1024) = R0.033/MB. My MWeb 5GB bundle is R0.036/MB without the Telkom ADSL line rental fee. So much cheaper and 21Mb/sec max but 12Mb/sec ave vs Telkom 0.384Mb/sec so much better even than my NeoTel R0.08/MB

 

[Tun@]

Went to a CellC shop and plugged in Modem and noticed the wireless manager found the Huwaai Modem and asked for Country and network etc. Tried to connect and it asked for password. Thought it was sudo password but not. Noticed the phone number was *99# (expected) and username/login name was Cellcis. Password was empty and CellC staff said no password was needed but this did not work. So tried 0000, 1234, 12345, 00000, password, user, Cellcis, internet, cellcis, Internet and a whole host of obvious ones but no luck. So if someone knows the password then it may work.

Also did an lsusb and it came up as vendor=0x12d1 and product=0x14ac for modprobe (ie: sudo modprobe usbserial vendor=0x12d1 and product=0x14ac - like Neotel NeoConnect Prime) also set up pppconfig and did sudo pon CellC but still password needed. So we need the username and password from the CellC folk and I think all will be well.....

Sent using my NeoTel Prime Connect under Ubuntu Linus Desktop 10.10

Just remove the Cellcis from username box & it will connect, also had that happen.

 

[72859]

Just remove the Cellcis from username box & it will connect, also had that happen.

Thanks Tun@. Much appreciated!

See u r in Richards Bay. I am in Umhlanga. Just gotten rid of Win7 after trying to dual boot and loosing it! Running WinXP in virtual box for iTunes for iPhone synch. If I could synch my iPhone in Ubuntu would ditch Win XP completely.

 

[Tun@]

Ok your just down the road there.
Yeah i also have Win7 loaded in VMware in my Ubuntu 10.10/macbuntu install - i like keeping with Outlook .pst files for emails/addresses etc....Crossover was a fail.
Getting VMware to install vrs Virtualbox was like a crash course in grade 1 linux for me but got it working in the end,newbie nightmare but how one learns i guess.

 

[carelvdm]

Hi - I'm using the Cell C speedstick (7.2Mbps) with Ubuntu 10.10 - works lekker lekker but how do I check my usage? Can you do it on Cell C website?

 

[Other Pineapple Smurf]

I use "vnstat" to track my usage in Ubuntu. Its command line but really great. You can also install "vnstati" which will output a graph of your usage. I've used it with great success the last 2 years.

 

[martin white]

Just bought it today and got it up and running on Kubuntu 10.10 in about 10 minutes. Wasn't sure how initially, but entered: *99# for "Number" and "internet" for APN. It rocks! go CELL C!

 

[The_Unbeliever]

I installed mine (E1820). Two nights ago Ubuntu refused to pick it up, had to do a bit of twiddling, got it working again.

Yesterday night, nothing.

Tonight, after running an update for chromium and other components (haven't seen which) it works again.

Seems I've got the iffy bug with me Anybody want the iffy bug?

Works the one moment, the other it just won't although lsusb picks it up...



And it's not the dongle, it works 100% in Vista/XP, which I refuse to use.

 

[ocky]

General question.
I have never used one of these and want to ask what the security is like. I am currently behind a router on Ubuntu and CentOS.
How easily can these things be hacked and would you have any qualms doing say internet banking using the USB modem ?
Sorry for potentially stupid question, but I know that I know nothing.