How to configure BSNL EVDO on Linux

BSNL EVDO was India's first 3G wireless broadband service. I have been a fan of EV-DO for a long time. BSNL by default doesn't have any support for linux. In this howto, I will show two ways to configure BSNL EVDO USB modem on your Linux system - a Graphical method using Network Manager and other using wvdial.

So, lets begin with the easiest and the fastest way, using Network Manager.

Configure and Setup EVDO on Ubuntu or Fedora using Network Manager.

Before beginning, please note that this method is only applicable to Network Manager 0.7.x and 0.8 or above. Now, follow the steps below to get it running.

1. First of all we need to install the usb-modeswitch package to make our device being detected as a usb modem. Issue the following command to install the packages.

[chia]$ sudo apt-get install usb-modeswitch usb-modeswitch-data   # For Debian/Ubuntu Based distro

[chia]$ su -c 'yum install usb_modeswitch usb_modeswitch-data'    # For Fedora Based distro

2. Now, right click on the Network Manger icon (at the top panel, right corner) and click edit connections.

3. Select the mobile broadband tab and click add. This will start a wizard. If the wizard shows the name of your device then it means, it is able to detect it. Wait for the Network Manager to detect your modem.

4. Now, proceed and select the country and the connection ( in our case India and BSNL respectively) and finish the setup.

4. Now you will be able to run your internet. Optionally you can add nameservers, by editing the network connections.

In case the above method doesn't work for you - an old Network Manager or if you are working on console, you can use wvdial to setup the EVDO usb modem.

Setup BSNL EVDO USB modem on your Ubuntu or Fedora using wvdial

1. Install wvdial on your linux.

[chia]$ su -c 'yum install wvdial'

If you don't have access to internet through linux yet, download the wvdial rpm for your distro. You have to install libpcap, libwvstreams, ppp as its dependency.

2. Once you are finished installing wvdial we can now configure the settings. Edit the wvdial configuration file, /etc/wvdial.conf

[chia]$ su -c 'vim /etc/wvdial.conf'

3. Exactly copy paste the following lines

[Dialer Defaults]

Modem=/dev/ttyUSB0
Baud=115200
Dial Command = ATDT
Baud=115200
Dial Command = ATDT
init1=ATZ
init2=AT+CRM=1
Flow Control= Hardware (CRTSCTS)
Username = username
Password = password
Phone = #777
Stupid Mode = 1

4. Replace the username and phone password with the evdo no.

5. Now open resolv.conf

[chia]$ vim /etc/resolv.conf

6. Add the following lines

nameserver 218.248.240.181
nameserver 208.67.220.220

Now run the wvdial command and enjoy :)

[chia]$ wvdial