(SOLVED) 3g dongle

Although I am a complete newbie re linux I have been so impressed with Zorin 7 that I installed it on my friend's astonishingly slow laptop running windows 7. He and his wife are off to Spain for a month and they use a 3G dongle to connect to the internet. It worked reasonably well with windows 7. I appreciate that there could be problems with Zorin and there is a suggestion that sakis3g needs to be installed. Is this correct? If this is so where can I download sakis3g and how do I set it up?

Hi, madvinegar is the expert for this - please be patient - hope he's along soon!

I came across this advice from a posting by madvinegar. Unfortunately when I double click to run after allowing it to execute as a program, nothing happens in the new window that opens.

Posting by mad vinegar shown below
The other method I have found which is very easy and helpful is to install and run "sakis3g" program.
I can give the link to download it so you can do that from another PC that actually has internet connection and then transfer it to the PC that does not have internet connection via a USB stick.
You just download it, right click it > properties > allow executing as a program and then double click it to run it.
You follow a set of easy questions and hopefully at the end you get connected. It has the option to even create a desktop shortcut which you can use to connect/disconnect. I think its much easier than modeswitch. Maybe I should prepare a guide about it at some point.
It is completely separate though from network manager (unlike modeswitch). This is no big deal ofcourse.

The link is here: http://ubuntuone.com/483w3IX72DN3lOlGFcrxQK
I have uploaded it onto my ubuntu one account.

I should have mentioned in my previous posting that I am trying out sakis3g on my own computer running Zorin but I do not have any usb dongle attached.

Hi,

this might help:

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=6054

I don't know how myself!.

Hope it helps.

Regards Wolfman

Have you executed this step:
right click it > properties > allow executing as a program and then double click it to run it.

The sakis3g file is just a script that you run. You do not actually "install" it. But you can create a shortcut or launcher for it. (there is an option for this to be done automatically).

Even if you don't have a dongle plugged in, the script should open. You will just not see your dongle in the list of options.

I have downloaded the Sakis3g from your recommended site, right clicked and got the required permission. When I double click I am presented with a new window showing the file Sakis3g.

Madvinegar, I saw from a previous posting of yours that I can use modeswitch. I have installed two modeswitch files from the Software Center on my friend's computer. Is this the correct way to install the latest modeswitch files?

Just a minute because I think I just understood what your problem is with the sakis3g file.
Open nautilus. From the top menu go to edit > preferences > 2nd tab named "behavior" > and choose from the options of "executable files" either "ask every time" or "execute executable files when opened".

Click close, and exit.
Then try to run (double-click) the sakis3g file again and hopefully it will run.

I have finally got the menu connect to 3G, copy to desktop etc. Many thanks.

So, just to understand. You followed my advises about the sakis3g file? And you got the sakis3g running and used it to connect the dongle? (not modeswitch).

Can we mark the topic as solved?

As I mentioned before I installed Zorin on a friend's computer and I wanted to check out sakis3g on my own computer running Zorin so I could install sakis3g on his. I do not have a 3G dongle attached to my computer. He is off to Spain for a month and he uses a PAYG 3G dongle. I have been told that most PAYG dongles sold by the main network providers, Three, Orange, O2 run well with Linux. I just wanted to make sure that all was in place prior to going to Spain.
You can mark it as SOLVED. thanks again.

60 blue jewels to madvinegar - oh tis the season to be jolly, lets make it 120 blue jewels for excellent consistency!