Most of you have probably used a dial-up connection or wired connection to access the resources available on the World Wide Web. But what if you’d just bought a new desktop or laptop and you don’t have the resources (router, modem, etc) to connect to the Internet. I’ll cover the three possible methods you could remedy that along with pros + cons and take note when I say portable you should get the humor because desktops just don’t blend in 😛
Three Portable Ways To Connect Ubuntu Or Derivatives To The Internet
a) WLAN
Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) also called Wi-Fi is the simplest method anybody could set it up. What you need to know is if the owner of the network provided a free a hotspot around your area otherwise you’ll have to pay a rental fee per month and that varies from region to region. Otherwise, you could get a free hotspot in the following areas: library, café, hotels, etc legally.To enable Wi-Fi click on the Network Manager applet and select “Enable Wi-Fi”.
ProUsually, it’s free and users don’t have to pay for the connection
Con
Can’t be that reliable on developing countries.
b) USB dongles
This type of wireless connection is classified in the category “Mobile Broadband” and is portable, efficient and reliable. However, do note that you need to recharge your data pack to a cellular network before consuming bytes of data only to find later you’ve used up your talk-time credits. Another thing you need to consider is the dongle itself; does it support my Operating System (Ubuntu)?
The above image shows the system requirements and you can see the difference, one lacking support for Ubuntu (on the right) and the other supporting multiple Operating Systems (on the left). And just don’t fend off yet if you’re on a desktop environment other than Unity any commercial products that indicate support for “Ubuntu” applies to all regardless of the desktop environment (KDE, XFCE, LXDE) you’re on.Sadly, Linux users struggle with installation on most of the cheap and medium priced affordable USB dongles and that’s a huge drawback when other platforms: Windows and OS X, gets the Graphical User Interface front-end to install the wireless card and manage it later. You’ll have to research and maybe tinker with the script files (that came with the wireless card) before you actually get to “browsing the Internet” part.
Pro
Optimum performance on the 3G network.
Con
Scripts don’t help at certain times because of network at “fringe state”
c) Android tethering
You probably have heard about Android as “powered by the Linux kernel” or “the heavily modified version of Linux for smartphones”. Ahem! That gives you the opportunity to access the cellular broadband connection on your new desktop or laptop using its wired feature called tethering. In case you are not sure about USB dongles but own an Android phone, this is the best solution available.Take out your USB cable from the charger and connect it to your computer. Then you’ll get this typical screen below –
De-select what was the default (in the case above it’s MTP) and choose USB tethering. Open your data connection plus don’t forget to enable networking on your computer too.You’re done and can browse the rich resources available on the Internet. If you want “smiles” browsing the web, better make sure you are on 4G or more.
Pro
Guaranteed that you’re on 3G/4G constantly
Con
The battery is the concern if you don’t have a decent device.
Conclusion
Well, that’s it and I hope the above three portable ways have been educational to you. And let me know if I missed out anything in the comments section below. Happy browsing.
