How to connect Aircel GPRS in Ubuntu Linux

Older versions of the Ubuntu linux has very less support for USB modems. This was the major problem that prevents you from connecting the mobile broadband internet facility provided by means of gprs.Linux versions were back in automatically detecting the USB modems in the mobile phones… But the new 9.04 version of Ubuntu linux (some previous versions also ) comes up with many facilities to overcome this problems…

Let me get into the matter… Here i am sharing my experiences when i tried to connect Aircel gprs using my Nokia 5200… the following procedures may be applicable to almost all java based phones.

Inorder to connect aircel gprs in your computer, first connect your phone to the computer through the data cable and select the nokia mode. Then the Network manager in Ubuntu will automatically detect the presence of phone. It will automatically starts a Mobile broadband configuration wizard…

Go through the pictures to get the step by step procedure..

One of the problems that I faced while the connection process is the list of mobile broadband ISPs provided did not contain Aircel. No problem!!! select the Airtel from the list, so that u can edit the connection later. Also the number that we have to dial in Aircel and Airtel are almost the same.

After the wizard completes right click on the network manager icon on the top panel and perform as shown in the pictures below..

Select the ‘edit connections'

Choose the Mobile broadband tab and select the ‘Airtel’ and click on the edit button

Change the following ….

Connection name : Aircel

Number : *99#

APN  : aircelgprs      (in lower case)

Leave the remaining spaces untouched and click ‘apply’…

Click on the IPv4 Settings tab and enter the value in the DNS field as in figure.

      8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4  

Each are primary and secondary dns addresses respectively seperated by the a comma. Please  remember we have started from configuration of airtel. So the dns addresses are also belonging to airtel. Here in this step we replace this with google's  public dns. Read more about dns on 

http://1024bitez.blogspot.com/2010/04/something-about-domain-name-servers.html

 

Click on the network manager icon on the top panel and select Aircel to dial the connection.

Then the icon of the Network manager will show that the connection is active soon. If you put your mouse over the icon u get a pop up  ” Mobile broadband connection ‘Aircel’ active”

That's all about the connecting Aircel in the Ubuntu linux, enjoy the power of mobile internet.