I'm still a newbie, have settled with Linux Mint(Gloria), and I have a question to ask. Why isn't "Auto Mobile Connection (CDMA)" included with ALL Linux distros? I would've stayed with PCLinuxOS if my wireless broadband would work. Ubuntu, Xubuntu and Mint has this option. Why can't all the rest do the same? It took me going through several distros to find this option. Is there a secret package I don't know about? This should be a simple add on to any Linux distro. These kind of things are what discourages some potential Linux users. It didn't me, I kept searching for the right distro until I found a home.

No, but almost all network managers do have a "select the AP to which you want to connect" pop-up that displays when you left-click on the manager icon in the task bar. (By default, the right end of the top bar if using GNOME, bottom if using KDE.) Both the NetworkManager and wicd implement that feature - I use wicd on Ubuntu and Fedora 11, NetworkManager on Fedora 12.

Once you've connected to an AP, the password is usually saved in a "wallet," and you will usually be automatically connected to the strongest AP to which you've previously connected.

Since I never heard of an "Auto Mobile Connection (CDMA)," I don't know if the above answers your question, but I hope it helps. If not, please describe the features you want that are not provided by the standard tools available in most distributions.

(Note that distributions like Fedora will not distribute propitiatory software, so wireless hardware requiring such drivers will not work "out of the box" with them. Ubuntu, distributed from Spain, in the EU, where software copyrights are not recognized, does distribute some "non-free" drivers - if you enable the "non-free" repository.)

In Ubuntu, where you make your wireless choice, if you have a mobile broadband modem, the choice I described will show as a connection for you to go to. Depending on how many signals are out there, the wi-fi signals show up, too. It's near the upper right corner of the home (start up) screen. You simply click onto the connection you want. Mint works the same way, it's based upon Ubuntu. Most of the time when I start up my laptop, it usually connects to the strongest unsecured network. That's why after start up, I have to uncheck enable wireless, to keep from piggybacking from my neighbor. Then, I click onto the same place to enable "Auto Mobile Broadband" connection. This is the simplest broadband connection I've had on any laptop. And it works perfectly, without me installing any drivers. There has to be someone out there who knows what I'm talking about. It's probably one of the best out of the box features that the distro has, is networking at the home screen. I will have to tryout what you described the next time I run PCLinuxOS on live CD. Thanks for your suggestion. That's what we're here for, to learn from each other.