R i g h t a r d i a: Ubuntu Linux and Wirelesss broadband

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Ubuntu Linux and Wirelesss broadband

A Tea Party relative showed up with some bad malware on a Windows XP PC I had set up for him two years ago on a Pentium 5 Dell GX260. He had a Fake Trojan that only Malware Bytes could remove.

The Fake Trojan disabled task manager, msconfig and also prevented programs form executing. It reset the browser to a non-working proxy address. This malware also hides out in the System Restore volume which you had better disable it and follow with a reboot if you get this bad boy.

The malware produces a Ransomware screen that indicates your PC is infected with all kinds of bad malware, viruses and Trojans on your PC. It brought back all the XP Pro nightmares I remember before I switched to Linux.

I was able to get rid of the malware with Malware Bytes, but the malware returned after one day probably because I hadn't disabled the system recovery volume. After It came back, I could only get into Safe Mode.

I advised my relative that I could install Linux but I was not sure if I could get his broadband modem to work which is a Hua Wei Web Rocket (UMG 1831). He was using T-Mobile for the broadband HSPA+ service.

I tired to install the modem by it didn't come up. I called T-Mobile number for Hot Spot assistance and the Tier 2 brushed me off with "we don't support Linux." I eventually got to account rep because I was looking for a user name and password, He referred me to a Tier 3 who suggested I use GPMS for both the name and the password. I also tried using the modem's phone number.

I had also found an article on the Hua Wei web rocket and Ubuntu 10.04.

See http://forums.t-mobile.com/t5/Laptop-Stick-Help/FYI-Rocket-USB-Laptop-Stick-Huawei-UMG1831-Works-Under-Ubuntu-10/td-p/377151

I installed Ubuntu 10.10 known as Maverick Meerkat with the Web rocket plugged itno the USB port. I was hoping it would grab a driver during the install process.

The broadband device did -in fact, pickup a driver

I removed the user name, password and phone number IAW the article I had found on the web rocket and used the default shown below:

The network still did not come up so I rebooted. Upon the reboot I got a message that the broadband network was active and the Ubuntu network aplet changed:

The T-Mobile wireless network now worked. According to Ubuntu, the T-Mobile network is actually a GSM network.

This install process is simpler for Ubuntu 10.10 than for 10.04.

Once you plug in the web rocket into a USB port, a blue light starts blinking on it. After the modem becomes active, the blue light is on solid.

Subscribe to the Rightardia feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/UFPYA Netcraft rank: 5841 http://toolbar.netcraft.com/site_report?url=http://rightardia.blogspot.com