Beginners beginner

[mcnaugg]

Hi there

I have been using windows since its inception so I am, I think, reasonably at home with windows and its workings (as an end user) etc but I know nothing about Linux and Ubuntu other that the names.

Some time ago I updated to Vista and as a result became totally ********** off with the system. So I have obtained a copy of Ubuntu 9.04 Desktop Edition from Canonical and have installed it on a spare PC which has XP installed. I chose to install Ubuntu inside windows as I didn't want to clean the PC just yet.

The PC is a P4 Celeron with 1m Ram, 80meg HD and DVD. I use Iburst Wireless to connect to the Internet via UTD Desktop Modem.

I have loaded Ubunu with out any problem and those programs that were installed by default seems to run OK. However I cannot get the modem to connect, in fact I'm not sure if the modem is recognised. From searches on the net, from my main PC, it seems that the Modem should use the RJ45(ethernet) connection rather than the USB. I have changed from USB to RJ45 and I am still able to connect to the Web via windows so the modem connection is working.
From the “How to” directory on the Wiki.Ubuntu-za web site I have read the article on setting up an Iburst modem on Ubuntu Intrepid. Is Intrepid the same as 9.04 and are the instructions still valid?


I realise that the Linux systems use a completely different approach than windows so I am struggling to understand some of the commands which seem to be simialar to Windows Command line instructions. For instance in the Iburst Modem How To set up, it says - “sudo apt-get install linux-headers-2.6.27-7-generic'.


Question: from where do I do this command?


Any help would be gratefully accepted.


Gareth

[lisati]

I'm not familiar with the iBurst modem but found this thread which might be helpful: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1145369

[mcnaugg]

I have just found a local (South African) web site for Ubuntu so I have posted a message there as I suspect that the modem I use maybe peculiar to South Africa.

Many thanks for the reply.

Gareth

[SabreWolfy]

Any luck with this yet? Are you using a normal dial-up modem?

[Flash858]

This may be a moot point, but as no one has answered your specific question yet, the place you enter commands is the "terminal". It is the Linux equivelent of the "command prompt" in Windows, and can be found by selecting the Accessories menu...

[mcnaugg]

Hi there

I have had a number of replies to my original query but so far I have not been able to get my Iburst modem connected.
I think the main problem is that I have been brought up on Microsoft (XT, AT etc) and have become blinkered when trying to use another system. I have no doubt that Ubuntu/Linux is a viable system but I am an end user, not a computer technician, and also there are no Linux users in my small circle of friends on whom I can prevail. Forums like this are great but there comes a time when you need to be able to plonk the PC on somebodies desk and say "Fix it".

Please don't get me wrong since I have a quite a few replies trying to help but I think that what I should perhaps do is to obtain a basic book on Linux because I don't understand expressions such as sudo and pppoconf and therefore don't have a clue.

Again thanks to all those who have tried to help.

Gareth

[SabreWolfy]

How is the modem connected to the PC? You mentioned earlier something about an ethernet connection or a USB connection?

[carml]

Originally Posted by mcnaugg Please don't get me wrong since I have a quite a few replies trying to help but I think that what I should perhaps do is to obtain a basic book on Linux because I don't understand expressions such as sudo and pppoconf and therefore don't have a clue. Again thanks to all those who have tried to help. Gareth

Sudo is the command you use for administrative tasks,pppoeconf is a wizard to set up a PPPoe Modem i.e. to establish a connection in which Username and Password is required,this kind of connetion is the one used frequently at home.
If someone asks you to type something in a terminal,just go to Applications->Accessories->Terminal and type there what they ask you.
I hope I clarified you some doubts,if there are any more,just ask and someone will answer you.

[mcnaugg]

Hi there SabreWolfy

The modem is a IBurst wireless broadband modem, which is normally connected via USB in windows. There is also a RJ45 (Ethernet) connection which can be used. When used in windows there is a piece of software supplied which puts a "Dashboard" on the screen which is used to connect to the wireless broadband and also gives an indication of the amount of "Data" remaining, in my case I have a 1Gig package.

When I contaced IBurst regarding a Linux driver they were not very forth coming except to say that due to all of the various versions of Linux I should visit Sourceforge for a driver.

[SabreWolfy]

Open a terminal window (Applications --> Accessories --> Terminal) and type

lsusb

and then copy the output and paste it into a new message here.

I presume you are using Wireless iBurst, not ADSL iBurst?