If you are following me in this blog, you might be aware of that I switched to Ubuntu 10.04 last week. On changing, I had to give some effort to make sure my Reliance Netconnect broadband connection working in Ubuntu. Here’s how I did it, based on referring several sources and forums in the internet.
Method 1: The Out-Of-The-Box method
Getting internet connection working in this method is really a child’s play. Just follow these steps:
- The MUST thing first – Buy a Reliance Netconnect broadband USB device!
Most probably it would be a huawei device and I assume it is. - Plug-it in any available USB port.
- Ubuntu 10.04 should detect your device now. Now go to System -> Preferences -> Network connections and select the Mobile Broadband tab. You’ll see something like this:
- From the above step, just follow whatever the wizard says (don’t worry! the wizard won’t ask you to jump from the building). Select India in Providers Country page and select Reliance in Provider page respectively.
- In the last window, give a name to the connection (Reliance for example) and then enter your USB device number which is nothing but the mobile number in the user name and password fields (yes, both are same). In the Number field, type #777 if it is not already there.
- If you want, you can check the Connect automatically check box.
- Now, click apply and you’re done. The connection should work now. If you didn’t select connect automatically then you can click on the network icon on the Ubuntu top bar and select your connection which you created just now.
Unfortunately, the above method did not work for me. So, I researched (googled, to be accurate) a bit more and found another way.
Method 2: The Do-It-Yourself way:
Since Ubuntu couldn’t come to my rescue, I have to make my hands dirty to get the connection working. Followed these steps:
- In order to manually connect with Reliance netconnect broadband we need two packages: wvdial (tool to make connections from a modem) and gnome-ppp (front end to the wvdial).
- These two packages have few dependencies too. Means you need to install all of them. Since you do not have an active internet connection yet on your machine, you cant apt-get anything. So, get a help from your friend who *might* be having an internet connection system and download the below packages.
- Now bring the above downloaded files to your machine and install them (right click and select Open with GDebi package installer) in the above given order.
- Now open terminal window and give the command lsusb which will list all USB devices attached to the laptop,. You must see the Hauwei device listed there. And then give the command dmesg to see which port our model actually using. It would be something like TTYUSB0, TTYUSB1, etc.
- Now give the command sudo gnome-ppp to start the wvdial front end utility.
- Now go to setup and in that window select the modem port (/dev/ttyUSB0 for example, which you must have seen in the 4th step using dmesg command) in the Device field and click detect. Your modem must be detected now. Then select Type as USB Modem and select the maximum available speed for the speed field.
- Click close and come back to the gnome-ppp front window. Enter the username and password (which is your device number), #777 for the number and click connect. Now you should be connected.
- Here after, whenever you want to connect to internet, just open gnone-ppp and click connect. The settings must have been saved already.
Fortunately, the above methid did work for me, because of which you are now seeing this post!
Hi! I'm Veera Sundar. I am a web application developer. I usually build the application end-to-end using Java on the back-end and JavaScript on the front end. 
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Hi, I followed the steps that u gave to connect reliance in ubuntu(thank u 4 that)
…now i could connect it in ubuntu but in the network manager notifications it shows as if it is not connected( but i could browse)….I could browse in ubuntu through my reliance datacard but i couldnt install packages…
please give me the solution…..
Thanks.. the first method worked with Ubundu 11.10, without any trouble…
Resp. Sir ;
I have followed ur all steps but Ubuntu is unable to find the broadband Device also when i click on connect a message appears like ” You are offline Now Network is Disconnected ” .
Plz help me for this problem
I have Ubuntu 10 ….
-Amit
try upgrading your Ubuntu to latest versions. In Ubuntu 11, the broadband connects without any additional setups/issues.
I use 11.04 64bit.
When i try to install the above packages using:- right click -> install with “Ubuntu Software Centre” (i dont have “GDebi”). But Ubuntu Software Centre reports “Wrong Architecture- i386″ error.
Pl help.
Hi, I am using ubuntu 11.10 on a 32-bit PC. I could connect Reliance Netconnect using 1st method without any hitch. Thanks .
Any idea how to check data sent/received during current session. Thanks
Hi,
Even for me first method worked. But the problem is notification icon is showing 1x. How can I change it to Broadband+.
wvdial also working for me but cannot see the traffic since needed software is not installed.
Thanks
Venu.
Hi…
im using ubuntu 10.04 lts and installed my reliance broadband usb modem by 1st method with out any prob ..
everything was fine till yesterday .. now the plan got changed from 3.1 Mbps to 144 kbps.
and now its not connecting
i have dual boot in my laptop Windows 7 and ubuntu 10.04 my usb modem gets connected IN WINDOWS 7.. how can i make it to work on my ubuntu??? plz help.
else i have to wait for my broadband plan reset then only it works with 3.1 Mbps
for mini laptop users i recommend ubuntu
i loveeee it ..
its fast
its stable
SAMSUNG N-148(Mini)
Sir
My name is densingh,using ubuntu 10.04. I tried first method.but i failed.Then i tried the second method using the 5 supporting files as u mentioned.But during the modem detection window,could not detect my usb modem.In that window,there are options such as /dev/modem
/dev/ttso
/dev/tts1
/dev/tts2
/dev/tts3
I used all,but didn’t detect my modem.Can you help me to install.My phone no is 8590025314
the same thing is happaning with me also . i cannot upgrade ubuntu 10.04 to 11.10 for some reasons
.please help me out .
Hey guys,
Try to upgrade to Ubuntu 11.10 version. The OS itself having pre configured setup for all broadband types reliance,aircel,tata etc…
Dash home -> network connections -> mobile broadband -> Add -> continue [first step]-> india -> Reliance [ur connection]->dialer username pwd …
all set dial it connect it
Ubuntu unity 11.10 rocks
thanks,
Gobi
Ubuntu rocks
sir
i am using ubuntu 11.10 i connected with mobile broadband connection but i like to use it by using reliance software i have installed the reliance software by wine 1.2 and the software worked but my device is not recoganised by it how can i make my device to be recoganised please do the needful to me
This post has been a life saver for me as I was looking for a solution to run Reliance on Ubuntu for months, practically. Thanks a ton for this post.
Dude u r a life saver!!!…2nd Method worked thnx a lot!!!!!!!!!!!!!
sir,
i can’t detect my device first….
the msg comes like “no modem was found on your system”
plz sir , help me …..
if possible mail me…..
thank you…..:-)
thanks yaar…….
the second option worked for me but the problem is that i am unable to install packages
i am having ubuntu 11.10
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