Wireless HSDPA broadband in Suse/openSUSE Using Nokia 6120 Mobile Phone as Modem on Three Mobile Australia

HowTo: Install Wireless HSDPA broadband in Suse/openSUSE Using Nokia 6120 Mobile Phone as Modem on Three Mobile Australia

Versions: openSUSE 10.3 and 11.x

The Service: is slow when compared to Bigpond/Telstra's Next G, for both Windows and Linux but of course the Bigpond product cost's proportionately more than Three's

Summary: Using a wireless X-series phone on Three Broadband in openSUSE is practically an out-of-the-box experience. Install Kinternet (connection manager) and smpppd (ppp daemon) plus a few dependent packages and then configure in Yast for essentially a serial modem. It works then, end of story. But it's only easy after the event so I've included the steps and some screenshots to take the uncertainty out of the event.

Linux -vs- Windows, Modem Performance. I performed a quick "all things being equal" upload/download speed tests using the technology at ozspeedtest.com. Within the limits of this poor statistical sample, I conclude the two OSes perform exactly the same.

Three Australia X-Series HSDPA Network

Operating System	Download Line	Download Rate	Upload Line	Upload Rate
openSUSE	892 Kbps	112 KB/s	53 Kbps	6.7 KB/s
Windows XP Pro	881 Kbps	110 KB/s	54 Kbps	6.7 KB/s

For interest, here's the same table for Bigpond's Next G (HSDPA enabled) network using a my BP3-USB (CMOTECH CDMA Technologies) modem:

Telstra Next G HSDPA Network

Operating System	Download Line	Download Rate	Upload Line	Upload Rate
openSUSE	2729 Kbps	341 KB/s	138 Kbps	17.2 KB/s
Windows XP Pro	2259 Kbps	282 KB/s	106 Kbps	13.2 KB/s

It appears that Three's X-Series network underperforms Bigpond's Next G network roughly in proportion to the ongoing costs of the subscriptions. In other words you get what you pay for here.

Prerequisites: Check & if necessary install this software using Yast: ppp, udev, smpppd, wvdial, Kinternet.

smpppd daemon: Check this is running and is configured to start when booting. Goto Yast --> System --> System Services (runlevels) --> Expert Mode. Now make sure smpppd has Running="Yes" and has checkmarks in runlevels 2, 3 & 5.

Modem Settings: The Nokia 6120/USB is set up as a serial ppp dial-up modem using ttyACM0. The pic below left shows pretty much all the settings:

It's easy to miss a config step or miss getting one of the screens. Don't worry. Just press on to the end. Then reopen the modem config session and begin by "edit" of the installed device. In fact I always go through a second time just to make sure and sometimes a third

I use Yast to achieve these settings. Open network devices --> modem --> modem detection/initialising modem settings --> Modem Configuration Overview. <Screenshot>

That screen should show the device Nokia 6120 Classic modem and should state that it's not configured. Highlight the modem and "edit" it. Now you see the Modem Parameters screen, with the modem attached to /dev/ttyACM0. For Three Wireless, I leave the defaults alone as seen here: <Screenshot>

Now click Details to set the Modem Parameter Details. Select the highest option for baud rate. My modem achieves speeds much higher than the limit in Yast, so perhaps that's irrelevant - however that's what I set. Also, enable non-root control of the modem via Kinternet. The rest are empty defaults that I left alone: <Screenshot>

Click OK & then Next to move on to the settings for the Provider. Your provider isn't listed. So click New and add a Provider Name e.g. ThreeMobile. Three Broadband doesn't use a "username" but you can't proceed to Next without one. So put in a dummy, e.g. abcde. Three Broadband uses *99# for a wireless "phone number". You don't need a password; they know your phone. <Screenshot>

Now click Next to arrange connection parameters. Allow to modify DNS when connected and to auto-retrieve DNS. Provide for the Firewall. Note you should set the device to the "external" zone in the Firewall settings. I used an idle time of 5 minutes. Three Broadband charge me for quota-overflows, so I use a time limit whereupon the modem will disconnect. <Screenshot>

In "IP Details" I jut left the defaults as on the screenshot: <Screenshot>

Click Next etc to save your configuration. Activate the link by Kmenu --> KInternet (Dial up), and a network icon will appear in the task bar. Click the icon to connect/disconnect as required. Right click the icon for interesting options/information.

Nokia Tip: When connecting, plug in the USB cable and select "PC Suite" on the phone screen. Then click Kinternet in openSUSE. When disconnecting the phone electrically, switch the phone off electrically before unplugging the USB cable.

If you have feedback I'd be glad to receive it on the email contained in the graphic below. That way I can maybe incorporate some more advice in this HowTo – Thanks.