Werx Limited

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Posts Tagged ubuntu

Getting internet access on the road

Oct 27

Posted by wes in general | No Comments

This weekend we took another trip back to Augusta, GA to visit family. On the way I decided to continue wrestling with my phone (Palm Treo 755p) and netbook (Asus Aspire One with Ubuntu’s Netbook remix distribution) in order to connect to the internet.

This isn’t something new or unique. I’ve managed to do it before with Windows quite easily but this was my first time trying this using Linux.

While it wasn’t as simple to setup and connect as it was under Windows, using this Bluetooth dial-up guide for Ubuntu and these scripts for Verizon I managed to connect and surf the web all the way from Atlanta to Augusta and back again.

One caveat I found, however, is with the rfcomm0 device. The tutorial walks you through creating the rfcomm0  device using configuration files. What I found is that the built-in bluetooth support in Gnome (blueman) worked just fine to create this device.

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Ubuntu netbook remix review

Aug 6

Posted by wes in general, it industry | 2 Comments

Spurred on by a friend of mine, I recently converted my Acer Aspire One netbook over to Ubuntu Linux, specifically the Netbook Remix version.

Before I made the switch permanent, I was able to try out a “live” version of the Ubuntu system and was pleased to find that it not only picked up all the hardware in my netbook properly but that it also picked up the Bluetooth nano device I use to connect my mouse, phone, headphones, etc. I was also pleasantly surprised to find that proprietary things like mp3  playback and video codecs weren’t hard to find and install.

I was so impressed that I decided to switch my laptop over, even though the contract I am currently on requires Windows-specific plugins. What I found, though, is that even installing the Linux version of Paralells, Sun’s VirtualBox, was relatively painless.

I’ve always loved Debain but have shied away from it as a primary operating system (apart from servers, that is) because of my memories of poor hardware support in Linux distributions of the past. Not any more, though! I think Ubuntu (as well as other distros) are proving they have what it takes to compete in a real way.

The only thing left to figure out, however, is what I’m going to do to sync my phone (Treo 755p) and figure out how to use my phone as a modem via bluetooth. Oh well, what’s life without a challenge?

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