Document on Wireless Modem Installation and Configuration

[acottag]

Hello!

I am a recent user of FreeBSD.

I believe that there is a growing interest for FreeBSD as a Desktop and
Laptop OS; for such, it would be desirable to support wireless access to
internet.

It seems that there is a need for a document concerning installation and
configuration of cellular - wireless modems, as mobile communications
are more and more required in IT, such a document to follow on FreeBSD
standards of quality and completeness.

I am willing to develop such a document, with all the possible support
from the FreeBSD Community; for such, this announcement will serve as a
starting
point for communicating with the Community for gathering first contacts.

A copy of this announcement will be posted in duplicate in the following
communication channels:

* FreeBSD Mailing List "FreeBSD Documents", freebsd-doc@FreeBSD.org
* FreeBSD Forum "Feedback", at http://forums.freebsd.org
* FreeBSD Usenet Newsgroup "Announce", comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.announce

I would like to thank to the moderators for all the suggestions and
observations on the the best use of the above communication channels, as
well for the their comprehension on any situation they understand
deserves to be pointed out.

With best regards,
Antonio.

[aragon]

Curious to know which devices and/or drivers are in your documentation plans?

[acottag]

Hello!

Thank you for your interest on the topic.
It probably makes sense to consider the devices supported by the "u3g" driver, as a first approach.

All the best.

[SirDice]

More or less related to this, lots of phones allow tethering. Using bluetooth to connect to the phone and using the phone as a dialup modem to connect to a 3G network. I did this in the past but it was rather a PITA to setup. Perhaps this could be added too?

[acottag]

Yes. The suggestion to consider using cellular devices with modem capabilities would consist of two parts, as well.

The first part to be to achieve a connection of the DTE - Data Terminal Equipment - computer, to the DCE - Data Communications Equipment - modem; the second part being the connection of the DTE to the internet.

In this case of using bluetooth enabled devices, the first part is to connect the computer to modem over the bluetooth protocol.

[SirDice]

I'd be happy to test and/or help out with the bluetooth tethering bit.

[acottag]

Hello!

It's been a while on the issue of getting the usb wireless - cellular - 3g modem to work (please see http://forums.freebsd.org/showthread.php?t=12829)

I would appreciate help on this particular issue, getting a wireless modem configuration, in order to continue developing the document proposed and described in the first post of this thread

The task isn't so well documented, and I believe configuring this device it's almost a basic one; still, it's a previous requirement to get a internet connection.

I understand that I should be more knowledgeable in OS administration - and familiar with the Handbook; nonetheless it seems that connecting to internet with this modem devices is growing in importance, as mobile computing gets more ubiquous. Also for pratical reasons, in order to replace the former OS for FreeBSD I need a working internet access.

At this very moment, I am trying to figure if there are any kernel modules to be loaded (umodem and others), in order to get the modem recognized by the system with ifconfig.

See you soon,
Alexandre.