Mobile Broadband

[DesktopMan]

That's not exactly true - the E220 needs a special tool (huaweiAktBbo) to switch between storage and serial if the kernel is too old; this is currently the case on my Zaurus. "Kernel support" does not mean a dedicated module; the support was rolled into usbserial about 2.6.20.

Good to know. I guess the kernels I used just randomly happened to be >= 2.6.20.

Totally unrelated, what's up with quotes on the forum?

 

[pelrun]

They're broken. :lol:

 

[Tor]

Just to concur - the E220 indeed needs the huaweiAktBbo tool to switch to the correct mode, if you have the older kernels that I used in the beginning. So, with older kernels you could get it to work with a combination of setup, user-space tools and usb filtering. And sometimes just luck. It's easier with new kernels.

Anyway, getting them to work isn't a major turn-off, it's more that they suck power and a couple of other annoyances. I will stick to the phone+BT even though I own an E220 and I have a data plan contract with it. The former is just easier and less hassle.

 

[Chip]

If anyone is interested I posted some stuff on Mobile Broadband with the Pandora on my weblog (blogs.distant-earth.com).
Good stuff. Out of curiosity, was the hub you used self powered or externally powered?

 

[mali]

This!
CODE
http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/13/huawei-announces-i-mo-hspa-modem-with-wifi/


No USB needed, it works with Wifi, too

 

[Chip]

No USB needed, it works with Wifi, too
It's still USB powered, and presumably you will still need to communicate with it via USB to establish the wireless network connection. It looks like a neat little device, but it's not exactly a standalone hotspot.

 

[mali]

Hmm, you might be right. The article is very thin, maybe at MWC more details are unveiled

 

[Prometheus]

The press release linked to in the Engadget article seems to imply that it can be used as a hotspot - unless I completely misread it...

Either way, I want one. :lol:

 

[Chip]

It can be used as a hotspot, it is just not standalone

You still need to plug it into a computer of some sort for power and to manage the connection. It's not like you just hit a switch and it knows what number to dial.

 

[Prometheus]

Fair point. Do pardon my common sense's brief vacation, there, please. :lol: (It was somewhat thrown off by the wording of the press release. )

 

[gruso]

If you could connect it via a hub for one-time setup, then connect it direct for USB power only after that, it would be ideal.

Effectively running two wifi chipsets and a HSDPA modem will hammer the battery a little. We'd probably have to wait for new drivers, too. Still, a promising prospect for 2010.

 

[Bronek]

Any idea whether Pandora (or Linux in general) will work with Motorola 3G phones? Already tried google many times, but it's confused by "Motorola" and only serves phones and nothing about compatibility with Linux.

 

[gruso]

You mean for Bluetooth tethering as a modem? No hands on experience myself, but I've been researching tethering and the general consensus is that most phones will work. Pretty much anything your Windows computer can tether to, Linux can too.

 

[Bronek]

You mean for Bluetooth tethering as a modem? No hands on experience myself, but I've been researching tethering and the general consensus is that most phones will work. Pretty much anything your Windows computer can tether to, Linux can too.

Thanks. I actually think about USB tethering. Motos have standard USB socket. Bluetooth will be nice, too. Well, I suppose I just have to wait

 

[Tinnus]

You still need to plug it into a computer of some sort for power and to manage the connection. It's not like you just hit a switch and it knows what number to dial.

For power you could use some of those outlet-to-USB chargerthingies. And you could have to plug it to a PC only once to do the initial setups, it could well do the 'connection management' and stuff itself. Although it's probably just a modem+wifi stick in one case.

 

[kollau]

Hm, just got the E160. Hopefully there will be some way to get online

 

[foft]

Why is the hub needed? Doesn't the Pandora have a powered USB2 port?

USB2.0 supports 1.1 and 1.0 devices - or its supposed to! As I understand it anyway...

 

[DJWillis]

Why is the hub needed? Doesn't the Pandora have a powered USB2 port?

USB2.0 supports 1.1 and 1.0 devices - or its supposed to! As I understand it anyway...

Nope, the Pandora USB 2 PHY is EHCI only (i.e. USB2 high-speed) so to connect 1.0/1.1 (OHCI/UHCI) devices a hub is needed to deal with the step down side of things.

In other news I have just arranged to buy and borrow a selection of USB 3G dongles to try them on the Pandora and see if any of the latest ones are recognised as USB2 high-speed devices.

 

[foft]

So no direct plugging in keyboards or mice then, most of which are 1.1 or less... Thats a real shame. Well still happier to have 2.0 than 1.1 or 1.0

Hmmmm. Wonder if they are any "right angle" usb hubs... Might make the stick easier to plug in anyway.


Edit: Perhaps something like this - wonder if there is a single port version! "http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.1148\"

 

[mali]

Mice and keyboards could work on the OTG port, if the power requirements are low enough.
Edit:
Personally I consider checking the available free space in the stylus compartment and eventually put an USB hub chip there and rewire the USB port. Then it would also be possible to connect a cam to it, that could be placed above the left speaker(there is a small space available, that can be seen on one of the pics in MWeston's photo bucket).