The E220 is good. Try to avoid the ones with the nasty, vicious, 
anti-competitive horror that is the pseudo-CDROM with Windows drivers 
embedded on them. It slows down the initialization of the dongle and is 
just a stupid mis-feature.
Avoid the E160 for the moment. Seems rather unreliable to me.
The Orange ICON 225 is pretty good, rather different to the Huawei ones. 
There is a driver for it called HSO which will be in the kernel soonish. 
There are a few issues with different versions of the driver causing 
kernel oops on disconnect, but the very latest driver from the kernel 
tree is good.
Alan.
Jim Kissel wrote:
> Isaac Close wrote:
>   
>> hallo folks,
>>
>> Quick question, anyone have experience with those usb mobile broadband thingys ?
>>
>> I've heard of someone using a vodafone doobrey on a linux laptop with instant joy, could this really be true ? All info appreciated.
>>     
>
> Three.co.uk currently have the best deals for data plans, for both 
> pay-as-you-go and contract, but shop around before you sign up.
>
> I have a Huawai E220 for Three.  Looks like a pillbox with a 6 inch USB 
> cable attached.  The same is available from other networks.  the E220 
> works out of the box.  No messing.  Most/all distros.
>
> Next is the Huawai E169.  Looks like a over-size USB thumb drive.  I've 
> heard reports that it works with Linux but no direct experience.
>
> Next isthe Huawai E160. Similar to the E169 but smaller. Don't know its 
> compatibility with Linux.
>
> There are non-Huawai products, but I've no experience with them.
>
>   
-- 
Alan Bell
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