But, when you will ask for demo on Black Modem (Because i have to confirm that whether it’s working on Ubuntu 9.04 or not), they will say “Sirji, you have to buy that one, we don’t have that modem for demo”. After doing inquiry at 6 different reliance world in three different state about white modem, i finally decided to on black modem. I decided that i will do the hack with modem to work with Ubuntu 9.04.

Black Modem is Huawei EC1260. I could not find any confirmation of that modem on Ubuntu 9.04 (Yeah my poor searching capability ). There is another black modem from ZTE, but it was also not available in Reliance Web World. But their official site is mentioning about it. Finally i bought Huawei EC1260 by giving 3500 INR. I was eager to try on Ubuntu 9.04. After inserting Huawei EC1260 in my laptop’s USB slot, There was big smile on my face. Here is pictorial view which will help you to configure Huawei EC1260 on Ubuntu 9.04, provided by Reliance Communications to use their Netconnect – Broadband+ service.

Insert modem:

Reliance Netconnect Broadband+ Huawei EC1260 Modem on Ubuntu 9.04

Configure Reliance Netconnect Broadband+ service

Connect to the Internet:

You can also use the wvdial to configure the modem. Use wvdialconf command to detect modem and generate the “/etc/wvdial.conf” file.

person@CANONICALDESK:-$ sudo wvdialconf
Editing `/etc/wvdial.conf'.

Scanning your serial ports for a modem.

Modem Port Scan<*1>: S0   S1   S2   S3
ttyUSB0: Device or resource busy
Modem Port Scan<*1>: USB0
WvModem<*1>: Cannot get information for serial port.
ttyUSB1<*1>: ATQ0 V1 E1 -- failed with 2400 baud, next try: 9600 baud
ttyUSB1<*1>: ATQ0 V1 E1 -- failed with 9600 baud, next try: 9600 baud
ttyUSB1<*1>: ATQ0 V1 E1 -- and failed too at 115200, giving up.
WvModem<*1>: Cannot get information for serial port.
ttyUSB2<*1>: ATQ0 V1 E1 -- OK
ttyUSB2<*1>: ATQ0 V1 E1 Z -- OK
ttyUSB2<*1>: ATQ0 V1 E1 S0=0 -- OK
ttyUSB2<*1>: ATQ0 V1 E1 S0=0 &C1 -- OK
ttyUSB2<*1>: ATQ0 V1 E1 S0=0 &C1 &D2 -- OK
ttyUSB2<*1>: ATQ0 V1 E1 S0=0 &C1 &D2 +FCLASS=0 -- OK
ttyUSB2<*1>: Modem Identifier: ATI -- Manufacturer: +GMI: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD
ttyUSB2<*1>: Speed 9600: AT -- OK
ttyUSB2<*1>: Max speed is 9600; that should be safe.
ttyUSB2<*1>: ATQ0 V1 E1 S0=0 &C1 &D2 +FCLASS=0 -- OK

Found a modem on /dev/ttyUSB2.
Modem configuration written to /etc/wvdial.conf.
ttyUSB2: Speed 9600; init "ATQ0 V1 E1 S0=0 &C1 &D2 +FCLASS=0"
person@CANONICALDESK:-$

Here is modified the wvdial.conf to connect Reliance Netconnect – Broadband+ service.

person@CANONICALDESK:~$ sudo cat /etc/wvdial.conf

[Dialer Defaults]
Init1 = ATZ
Init2 = ATQ0 V1 E1 S0=0 &C1 &D2 +FCLASS=0
Password = 93XXXXXXXX
Phone = #777
Modem Type = Analog Modem
Stupid Mode = 1
SetVolume = 0
Baud = 9600
Dial Command = ATDT
Modem = /dev/ttyUSB2
ISDN = 0
Username = 93XXXXXXXX
FlowControl = Hardware (CRTSCTS)
person@CANONICALDESK:~$

Now dial the service:

person@CANONICALDESK:~$ sudo wvdial
--> WvDial: Internet dialer version 1.60
--> Cannot get information for serial port.
--> Initializing modem.
--> Sending: ATZ
ATZ
OK
--> Sending: ATQ0 V1 E1 S0=0 &C1 &D2 +FCLASS=0
ATQ0 V1 E1 S0=0 &C1 &D2 +FCLASS=0
OK
--> Modem initialized.
--> Sending: ATDT#777
--> Waiting for carrier.
ATDT#777
CONNECT
--> Carrier detected.  Starting PPP immediately.
--> Starting pppd at Fri Jul  3 02:27:50 2009
--> Pid of pppd: 24176
--> Using interface ppp0
--> pppd: ?gv[08]
--> pppd: ?gv[08]
--> pppd: ?gv[08]
--> pppd: ?gv[08]
--> pppd: ?gv[08]
--> local  IP address 115.XXX.XXX.XXX
--> pppd: ?gv[08]
--> remote IP address 220.XXX.XXX.XXX
--> pppd: ?gv[08]
--> primary   DNS address 202.XXX.XXX.XXX
--> pppd: ?gv[08]
--> secondary DNS address 202.XXX.XXX.XXX
--> pppd: ?gv[08]

@ Bangalore

Reliance Netconnect – Broadband+ service test resutl using Speed Test @ Bangalore

@Ahmedabad

Reliance Netconnect – Broadband+ service test resutl using Speed Test @ Ahmedabad

Conclusion:

Overall +1 to Reliance Netconnect – Broadband+ service because it’s coverage in 35 Cities of India (It includes my Alpha Home) compare to other competitor provider. I am not expecting what they are claiming, but it’s giving boost up to my work while roaming. Increases my productivity in field and make it double while electricity crisis at Beta Home . I have subscribed to 10 GB Day + 10 GB Night Plan, But tracking of usage is very poor and not very well supported with Reliance Mycare. At last, i would say something is better then nothing

So, here is my way to keep track of bandwidth usage using vnstat in Ubuntu.

Q. What is vnstat?
A. vnStat is a console-based network traffic monitor for Linux and BSD that keeps a log of network traffic for the selected
    interface(s).

Simply install the vnstat from Ubuntu repository with you favorite installation method ( synaptic / aptitude / apt-get / …). I am apt-get fan.

person@CANONICALDESK:~$ sudo apt-get install vnstat

Now, as i said i want to keep track of bandwidth usage of my Reliance Netconnect Broadband+ service. Which is always running to ‘ppp0′ interface. So first create the database of ‘ppp0′ for vnstat.

person@CANONICALDESK:~$ sudo vnstat -u -i ppp0

Error:

Unable to read database "/var/lib/vnstat/ppp0".

-> A new database has been created.

person@CANONICALDESK:~$

You can also discover more option using “vnstat -h”. Now every five minutes vnstat will run through cron to track the detail usage of bandwidth (TX + RX @ ppp0). I am not sure when i am going to shutdown / hibernate / sleep my machine. Still i want as much accurate result as i can. Because of that i have decreased the default 5 minutes schedule time to 1 minute for vnstat. Here is my modified vnstat cron script.

person@CANONICALDESK:~$ cat /etc/cron.d/vnstat

# /etc/cron.d/vnstat: crontab entries for the vnstat package

* *	* * *	root	if [ -x /usr/bin/vnstat ] && [ `ls /var/lib/vnstat/ | wc -l` -ge 1 ]; then /usr/bin/vnstat -u; fi

person@CANONICALDESK:~$

Time to take reports. We can also check / compare bandwidth usage with Reliance Mycare on-line report, which never generated for me

Monthly Rport:

person@CANONICALDESK:~$ vnstat -i ppp0 -m

 ppp0  /  monthly

   month         rx      |      tx      |   total
-------------------------+--------------+--------------------------------------
  Jul '09       1.00 GB  |    63.47 MB  |     1.06 GB   %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%:
-------------------------+--------------+--------------------------------------
 estimated      2.69 GB  |      169 MB  |     2.85 GB
person@CANONICALDESK:~$

Weekly Report:

person@CANONICALDESK:~$ vnstat -i ppp0 -w

	ppp0  /  weekly

	                    rx      |       tx      |    total
	----------------------------+---------------+--------------
	  last 7 days    418.01 MB  |     39.00 MB  |    457.01 MB
	    last week    606.37 MB  |     24.46 MB  |    630.83 MB
	 current week    418.01 MB  |     39.00 MB  |    457.01 MB
	----------------------------+---------------+--------------
	    estimated       447 MB  |        41 MB  |       488 MB
person@CANONICALDESK:~$

Daily Report:

person@CANONICALDESK:~$ vnstat -i ppp0 -d

 ppp0  /  daily

    day         rx      |     tx      |  total
------------------------+-------------+----------------------------------------
   03.07.    251.93 MB  |   11.99 MB  |  263.92 MB   %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%:
   04.07.    354.43 MB  |   12.48 MB  |  366.91 MB   %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%:
   09.07.    140.25 MB  |   19.11 MB  |  159.36 MB   %%%%%%%%%:
   10.07.     60.12 MB  |   10.25 MB  |   70.37 MB   %%%:
   11.07.    148.81 MB  |    6.27 MB  |  155.08 MB   %%%%%%%%%%
   12.07.     68.83 MB  |    3.39 MB  |   72.22 MB   %%%%
------------------------+-------------+----------------------------------------
 estimated      124 MB  |       5 MB  |     129 MB
person@CANONICALDESK:~$

Hourly Report:

person@CANONICALDESK:~$ vnstat -i ppp0 -h
 ppp0                                                                     13:09
  ^                                                                    r
  |                                                                    r
  |                                                                    r
  |                                                                    r
  |                                                                    r
  |                                                                    r
  |                                                                    r
  |                                                                    r
  |                                                                    r
  |                                                                    r
 -+--------------------------------------------------------------------------->
  |  14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13    

 h   rx (kB)    tx (kB)      h   rx (kB)    tx (kB)      h   rx (kB)    tx (kB)
14          0          0    22          0          0    06          0          0
15          0          0    23          0          0    07          0          0
16          0          0    00          0          0    08          0          0
17          0          0    01          0          0    09          0          0
18          0          0    02          0          0    10          0          0
19          0          0    03          0          0    11          0          0
20          0          0    04          0          0    12      70595       3506
21          0          0    05          0          0    13        311        108
person@CANONICALDESK:~$

I think above reports are sufficient to make argument against unfair bill right . There is also web base support for this application. Please do “Google” for more information.

Update:

If you want to stick with latest version of vnstat. Then please follow this

Hindi Language Installation on Ubuntu 9.04

Note: Before starting upgrade to Ubuntu 9.10 Beta please turn of all your compiz effect. Because it may happen that it can break your existing system. Ubuntu 9.10 Beta contains the new Intel video driver architecture for testing. My system contains Nividia graphics card. I don’t want to take any risk. Also i would advise to take the backup from your existing system to be at safer side. Also Ubuntu beta contains Upstart so please make sure that you have Ubuntu 9.10 LiveCD. Here is complete information about Ubuntu 9.10 Beta Release

Step – 1:

Before starting upgrade process, please make sure that your machine is connected with very well internet connectivity. Also make sure that your system is up-to-date with latest Ubuntu 9.04 updates. If you have not done, please do that.

Launch Ubuntu update manager

Launch Ubuntu update manager

Get up-to-date status

Step – 2

Now, time to start upgrade process.

Start the Ubuntu upgrade process

Launch upgrade process

Ubuntu Beta Release Notes

Step – 3:

So, now time for Distribution Upgrade Process.

Distribution Upgrade

Disabled Third Party Repository Notification

Setting-up new software channels for Ubuntu 9.10 Beta

Actual upgrade statistics

Downloading new packages...

Installing new downloaded packages...

Upgrading old configuration files...

Cleaning process...

Finish the upgrade process

Observation:
If everything goes fine, your system will boot in newly upgraded Ubuntu 9.10 Beta with newly introduced Ubuntu xsplash base boot screen. I got the success. But I have found some problem in compiz (My compiz effect was running during upgrade process). My system was performing slowly. I have Nvidia GeForce Go 7400. I have simply remove the compiz using

sudo apt-get remove compiz*

Tip:
You may not see the new Desktop look of 9.10 beta, i would suggest to create new Desktop User and then login with that user to experience new look

Update:
Latest update of 9.10 (Beta) has solved my compiz problem with Nvidia card as i have written earlier. Before update i had:

-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   41192 2009-10-05 20:35 compiz_1%3a0.8.3+git20091005-0ubuntu5_all.deb
compiz_1%3a0.8.3+git20091005-0ubuntu5_all.deb

In today’s update:

-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   41418 2009-10-16 18:34 compiz_1%3a0.8.4-0ubuntu1_all.deb

Now compiz + Nvidia (Version 185) + Ubuntu 9.10 Beta (Upate on 2009-10-16) Rocks

One good news that new Reliance Netconnect Broadband+ entry has been included in Ubuntu NetworkMangaer 3G list. I will post more review in next blog, till then bye…

Update:

Reliance NetConnect Broadband+ on Ubuntu 9.10 (Karmic Koala) Beta

I just got Dell Mini 10v a day before. I just downloaded the UMR (Ubuntu Moblin Remix) image from dell download section. Burn it on USB. Boot Dell Mini 10v with USB, and installation will start. This is Developer Edition so don’t expect that everything will work. Installation will erase all you previous data if you are trying on your existing machine. Dell is first OEM who ships pre-installed UMR (Ubuntu Moblin Remix). More information is available here about Installation.

Here is screen shots of UMR direct from Dell Mini 10v. Of-course i have just completed this post from UMR

UMR Installation from USB

UMR :: My Space

UMR :: Applications

UMR :: Zones

UMR :: Media