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From: Theo Markettos on 13 Jun 2010 20:02
In uk.comp.os.linux Mark Hobley <markhobley(a)yahoo.donottypethisbit.co> wrote:
> Hmmm, the three mobile network detects that I am using a three mobile
> broadband modem (I guess via hardware authentication), so there is no
> authentication client side.

There's no hardware authentication as such, but your SIM card identifies who
you are so there's no need for a username and password. If you move your
SIM to another device you'll continue to use your existing account without
any credentials.

Some networks use nominal credentials (eg user='networkname',
password='networkname') but I don't know if these are actually necessary -
all the networks I've used will accept anything.

It /is/ possible to determine the model of hardware from the IMEI - and in
theory this could be used to select which devices may be permitted or not.
I don't think this is an exact science though. The only case I know of this
happening is that Three UK block 2G phones (because 2G fallback costs them
money, so they'd rather you had a phone at least capable of 3G)

> I am not sure how to switch to port 587 (in this case my mail client is
> Debian reportbug, which makes a direct connection via smtp.)

By default it seems to use sendmail or whatever fulfills that function on
your machine. If you want it to send direct, you need to add:
--smtphost=HOST[:PORT]
to the command line. You can also configure this permanently if you wish.

Theo
From: The Natural Philosopher on 13 Jun 2010 20:17
Theo Markettos wrote:
> In uk.comp.os.linux Mark Hobley <markhobley(a)yahoo.donottypethisbit.co> wrote:
>> Hmmm, the three mobile network detects that I am using a three mobile
>> broadband modem (I guess via hardware authentication), so there is no
>> authentication client side.
>
> There's no hardware authentication as such, but your SIM card identifies who
> you are so there's no need for a username and password. If you move your
> SIM to another device you'll continue to use your existing account without
> any credentials.
>
> Some networks use nominal credentials (eg user='networkname',
> password='networkname') but I don't know if these are actually necessary -
> all the networks I've used will accept anything.
>

Thi sis true of 3 mobile in the UK, at least, when I tried it.

> It /is/ possible to determine the model of hardware from the IMEI - and in
> theory this could be used to select which devices may be permitted or not.
> I don't think this is an exact science though. The only case I know of this
> happening is that Three UK block 2G phones (because 2G fallback costs them
> money, so they'd rather you had a phone at least capable of 3G)
>
>> I am not sure how to switch to port 587 (in this case my mail client is
>> Debian reportbug, which makes a direct connection via smtp.)
>
> By default it seems to use sendmail or whatever fulfills that function on
> your machine. If you want it to send direct, you need to add:
> --smtphost=HOST[:PORT]
> to the command line. You can also configure this permanently if you wish.
>

One thing I did find, is that 3 mobiles DNS servers were not fit for
purpose. I installed BIND as a local DNS proxy server.

I was on the one occasion I found a signal strong enough and of
sufficient quality to actually have an internet connection, able to send
and receive mail from icedove AFAICR with no other issues of configuration.

OTOH maybe I used a webmail service from my (normal) ISP. I don't recall.,

frankly the whole affair merely proved to me that where I needed mobile
internet - away from my usual places of work - it didn't actually work.

I returned the loaned dongle to its owner, who wryly observed 'didn't
work for you, either huh?' :-)

> Theo
From: Chris Whelan on 14 Jun 2010 03:10
On Mon, 14 Jun 2010 01:17:58 +0100, The Natural Philosopher wrote:

[...]

> frankly the whole affair merely proved to me that where I needed mobile
> internet - away from my usual places of work - it didn't actually work.

This mirrors my experience with an o2 device at a number of locations.

The Vodaphone one I've replaced it with has more success, although
nowhere near 100%.

Chris

--
Remove prejudice to reply.
From: Theo Markettos on 14 Jun 2010 05:43
In uk.comp.os.linux The Natural Philosopher <tnp(a)invalid.invalid> wrote:
> One thing I did find, is that 3 mobiles DNS servers were not fit for
> purpose. I installed BIND as a local DNS proxy server.

Yes, that's a problem with several mobile networks. I don't know
particularly why, but the DNS machines tend to be vastly overloaded and it's
quicker to go direct. If you can't run your own server, Google Public DNS
and OpenDNS can be a lot quicker than the network's DNS.

> I was on the one occasion I found a signal strong enough and of
> sufficient quality to actually have an internet connection, able to send
> and receive mail from icedove AFAICR with no other issues of configuration.
>
> OTOH maybe I used a webmail service from my (normal) ISP. I don't recall.,
>
> frankly the whole affair merely proved to me that where I needed mobile
> internet - away from my usual places of work - it didn't actually work.

I think it depends. In many of the places I use mobile broadband there is
an existing internet connection, but it's easier just to whip out the laptop
and press 'connect' rather than try to find the right person to tell me
the wifi key.

If you're trying to use it in rural Suffolk then you might be pushing it.
Rural areas can be a bit marginal, if you have any signal at all, so
resorting to tricks like hanging the dongle on a USB cable out the window
can be required.

Theo
From: Martin Liddle on 14 Jun 2010 06:43
In message <aAw*U5xbt(a)news.chiark.greenend.org.uk>, Theo Markettos
<theom+news(a)chiark.greenend.org.uk> writes
>
>If you're trying to use it in rural Suffolk then you might be pushing it.
>Rural areas can be a bit marginal, if you have any signal at all, so
>resorting to tricks like hanging the dongle on a USB cable out the window
>can be required.
>
You can also get signal boosters (basically an aerial and an inductive
coupler) to help in marginal areas. For my purposes Vodafone pay as you
go works very well.
--
Martin Liddle, Tynemouth Computer Services, 3 Kentmere Way,
Staveley, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, S43 3TW.
Web site: <http://www.tynecomp.co.uk>.
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