Couple of years back, connecting your mobile Internet device with GNU/Linux required system wizard knowledge where you have to edit all the configuration files, scripts manually. Now with Ubuntu Mobile Broadband applet it has become a child’s play to any average computer user. Today with this how to I’ll show you how easy it is to setup a 3G connection in Ubuntu. At the moment I’m in Sri Lanka so the settings here are for a Sri Lankan Mobile service provider. But you can use this for many countries listed in the applet. And the happy news is, most of the time, you don’t have to put the settings, they are already in the applet itself.!

Connect your mobile device to the PC via the USB. The Mobile Partner Icon will appear in the Desktop.

how to connect wifi and 3g in ubuntu

Mobile broadband applet will appear automatically. It’ll show your connected device too. Select your device and click forward. Then you’ll be prompt to select the country you located. I select Sri Lanka and click forward.

Luckily all the service providers are listed in the box and I only have to select my mobile service provider. As at now, I have a Mobitel Broadband connection and I’m going to select Mobitel from the list.

Next you’ll have to put settings for your connection like apn, user name, password, etc. But I’m leaving those to Ubuntu Mobile broadband applet. If you have custom settings you can enter them here.

Finally, You need to confirm the details. The applet will show you a summery of your connection. If you need to alter any thing, just click Back and go back to previous screens.

Again there is a option to manually enter details to your just created connection. But if you are okay with the settings just hit Apply and you are done.

In the main Ubuntu Main Menu Bar you can click on the network icon and select your Mobile connection. In couple of seconds, you’ll be connected and the signal bars will be shown in the Menu bar. Some times, you’ll not get a DNS IP at once, so just disconnect and reconnect couple of times till you get name servers.

If every thing is fine, You have an IP address issued to you, DNS IP also issued, you can browse the Internet and experience the Fast Mobile Broadband facility with Ubuntu. The most convenient thing in Ubuntu is you don’t have to install any driver for the Mobile Device. It’ll be detected automatically and work out of the box.

If you have any computer related problem, you can ask it at our Question & Answer portal and our experts will answer your queries.

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