Dongle for Unix eeePC 901 - NW for Italy

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  • neutral

    by Eleanor at 12:19 on 25 Jun 2009 | registered | 1 postReport abuse

    I have a eee PC 901 with Unix OS and need to go to Italy regularly.
    Which Dongle will work with my Netbook?
    Wich network offers the best broadband deal abroad?
    Many thanks.

  • Matt - EditorEditor - Matt

    by Matt at 14:20 on 29 Jun 2009 | registered | 771 postsReport abuse

    Hi Eleanor,
    The current situation with mobile broadband dongles and the Linux operating system is not as straightforward as we'd like considering the popularity of netbooks. No dongles are sold as being 'Linux compatible', but most will work, with varying degrees of messing around required.

    The Huawei E160 and E160G mobile dongles are common and they will work out of the box with some versions of Linux (such as the popular Ubuntu), just plug it in and set up the modem through Linux. The E169G is another common type, and that does work but only after some special configuration.

    3 currently use the ZTE MF627 which will connect to Linux but is potentially far more complex to set up.

    The network provider should tell you the make and model of the dongle on their web site so you can Google it beforehand, if not just give them a call or pop into a store and ask to see one. In fact, it may be worth taking your EeePC into a store and asking to try one out first.

    Regarding international use of mobile broadband, before June 30th we would have said that 3 was your best choice as you could have roamed on 3 Italy with exactly the same data allowance and call costs. Sadly that option is no longer available.

    You won't be able to use your standard data allowance abroad, so you're faced with paying an extra charge. With some providers this will be a per-MB cost, and it can be extremely high. You've probably heard the horror stories of people who have gone abroad and racked up tens of thousands on mobile data roaming charges, but if your usage is very light then this may not be too unreasonable.

    There are business travel packages which offer a more reasonable cost per-MB, but you may find that these aren't intended for people who are staying for any length of time in another country and the price could be prohibitively high if you're going to be staying in Italy for a while. Also be aware that they will not usually allow you to use Skype or instant messaging applications, so that would be an extra charge.

    We'd recommend calling T-mobile, Orange, 3 and Vodafone to discuss their best international deals. Ideally you would be looking for a package that includes a set MB per day or month for a flat fee to avoid nasty surprises in the bill, but failing that you'll need to look for whoever has the very lowest charge per-MB.

  • neutral

    by pascale at 14:37 on 12 Jul 2009Report abuse

    I have exactly the same issue, eleanor. I go to France regularly and want to use a dongle for my Toshiba netbook. I have talked to 3, Vodafone and O2. So far 3 would be the only dongle that could be used in France (and also the cheapest USB Modem stick to buy) but there is a charge of £1.25 per mb on top while abroad.
    As Matt said this could be a very expensive business and I am still looking for a better alternative.

  • unhappy

    by Mary Smith at 18:11 on 16 Jul 2009Report abuse

    In June, in the UK, I bought a 12GB broadband dongle from 3, that I was told I could use for the next 12 months in Italy, France and Australia. I paid £97.+ for it from The Carphone Warehouse in Ashford, UK.

    Today, I found out that it is not so simple. In UK each MB used costs only 15p -- quite cheap, actually, for broadband conectivity: assuming you are in an area where there are not too many 3 users.

    In France and Italy each megabite I would have used under 3's plan would have cost me £1.25.

    In Australia each MB used would haver cost me an exorbitant £3.00! 2000% MORE EXPENSIVE IN AUSTRALIA than in the UK.

    I returned my 12 GB dongle today.

    Do not pay for 3's 12 GB broadband dongle in the UK if you want to use it in either Europe OR Australia.

    It is a complete ripoff!




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