Help please installing mobile broadband on a netbook with Linux - Australia
 

Hi, I'm totally new to Linux and netbooks and not much good with computers full stop so please bear with me.

I'm in Australia. I live in an area which isn't covered by mobile networks (despite the guarantees of certain companies). I have ADSL broadband to my home but cannot get mobile phone coverage.

Recently I purchased a netbook (Asus Eee PC 701SDX)and thus far have managed to get a wireless router installed to my Bigpond ASDL Gateway so that I can use my netbook in other rooms of my house. Don't ask me how I did it, or to do it again because I have no idea, all I know is that it works! :)

Now, what I'd like to be able to do is to access wireless prepaid broadband so that I have a fully functioning netbook when I travel to areas that do get coverage. I do this on a regular basis, ie weekly, so the extra expense is valid.

I went into Dick Smith and they seemed to have no idea what I was explaining to them and I came away with a Next G prepaid pack which is of course, of little value to me because it doesn't support Linux.

Could somebody please advise me what I need to get to be able to use prepaid mobile broadband?

Many thanks in advance and my apologies for the longwinded post.

USB Mobile broadband dongles are well supported on recent Linux kernels (>2.6.20) which I expect the Eee has. The application that creates the connection is called wvdial. I suggest you find out what mobile dongles are available and then Google for exact setup steps for the device you buy (it will only be a handful of settings).