Cannot install Mobile Broadband on Linux Mint

[ColourOz]

I have a computer with Linux Mint 18.3 and purchased a "Huawei LTE Wingle E8372" mobile broadband wi-fi adapter from the local Telstra (Australia) store. I know little about Linux commands and cannot get the computer to recognise the adapter. I tried to install modeswitch, but tells me that it is already installed. Installation on Windows works fine as it has a program installed on the adapter for Windows. Does anyone know how to install this adapter in Linux? Help would be much appreciated.

[jan5678]

Hi

Maybe this will work for you:
https://gist.github.com/guseppiguliano/614055d0bc260f5ea305d71439a03790

Or this:
https://askubuntu.com/questions/790893/huawei-usb-4g-modem-not-detected

Make sure that your system is up to date and maybe it needs the latest kernel updates for this modem to be recognized
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade

[Hoser Rob]

You may have better luck here: https://forums.linuxmint.com

BTW, in Mint, don't use apt upgrade. Mint is Ubuntu based (unless it's LMDE) but it's not Ubuntu. Using apt upgrade can cause things to be pulled in from the Ubuntu repos that shouldn't be in a Mint system. Problems this can cause are hard to diagnose.

[jan5678]

@hoser rob

Ubuntu AND mint use the same official ubuntu repo, so there is nothing wrong with apt upgrade

[Hoser Rob]

@hoser rob

Ubuntu AND mint use the same official ubuntu repo, so there is nothing wrong with apt upgrade

They don't use the exact same repos, you don't know what you're talking about. What I described is a well known issue to anyone who does.

[jan5678]

You are right about exact repo's, Mint uses it's own repo in combination with ubuntu repo

This is in a standard install always the case, so why would that be a problem? If it would be a problem why will the developer of mint put it in the software sources?

I'm only try to help the OP to install the device, so start with a up to date system will prevent al lot of unnecessary problems

[edit] i'm relatively new to Linux and have about 2 year experience, so i'm not a Linux guru but i do like to learn something if i'm mistaking.

you don't know what you're talking about

isn't helping much, neither to the OP or me

[Hoser Rob]

You are right about exact repo's, Mint uses it's own repo in combination with ubuntu repo

This is in a standard install always the case, so why would that be a problem? If it would be a problem why will the developer of mint put it in the software sources?

I'm only try to help the OP to install the device, so start with a up to date system will prevent al lot of unnecessary problems

[edit] i'm relatively new to Linux and have about 2 year experience, so i'm not a Linux guru but i do like to learn something if i'm mistaking.

you don't know what you're talking about

isn't helping much, neither to the OP or me

I'm not interested in helping you, only the OP, and preventing he/she from damaging their system with your bad advice IS helping the OP.

[jan5678]

@hoser rob

The master has spoken..

I never asked you to help me!

I personally used sudo apt upgrade several times on my mint 18.3 machine and never had a problem.

Funny.. we are bitching around here wile the OP never responded back...
So this has to stop.

[ColourOz]

Thanks everyone, but the reason I have not responded earlier is that I fail to see an answer to my problem. Also, I have had a hard drive problem on my Linux ultrabook so decided to take it to the store I purchased it as it is under warranty, which was a very, very bad mistake as they have 'damaged' my computer and thrown away the original packaging and deny responsibility, so at present my mind is elsewhere until all this is sorted.

[sharkbite]

Hi ColourOz...

While Telstra does not officially support Linux for its dongles...
It's not impossible to set up.


head on over to the Telstra crowd support page here for a possible solution.

https://crowdsupport.telstra.com.au/t5/Mobile-Broadband/Linux-support-on-USB-mobile-br...and/m-p/103678