[include in live-cd] wvdial (1.60.1+nmu2)

[Sarfaraz19]

Mobile broadband is a happening thing these days...i find the Gnome NetworkManager Applet incompetent at properly configuring my connections ..maybe it needs a bit of tweaking..i m in INdia and Many mobile broadband connection on many networks like AIrcel,AirTel,Idea wont work even though it shows connection established...There is no data transfer across the established network..so i installed wvdial and everything was a breeze..it was there preinstalled ON hardy disc but not on Jaunty so i request you to kindly include it this time.I dont know how to configure pppd config files i would rather use the intelligent weave dialer..I believe many novices users like me will feel the same.Thanking you in anticipation.

[Brian Murray (brian-murray)]

*** This is an automated message ***

This bug is tagged needs-packaging which identifies it as a request for a new package in Ubuntu. As a part of the managing needs-packaging bug reports specification, https://wiki.ubuntu.com/QATeam/Specs/NeedsPackagingBugs, all needs-packaging bug reports have Wishlist importance. Subsequently, I'm setting this bug's status to Wishlist.

[Sarfaraz19 (sarfaraz19)]

Hey i don't know if this will work out but i really do love this wvdial if unfortunately connection breaks it redials it on its own....i really want this in the new Upcoming release..Luv ubuntu Anyways though.. its the future of desktop computing.............

[t0p (mtop6867)]

Okay, I'm adding my name to this request, as no devs seem to have deigned to reply: *please include wvdial on the cd for the next release of Ubuntu (Lucid).

Since Breezy, I have been able to connect to the internet via wvdial. But for sme reason, wvdial has not been included since Jaunty. Maybe people aren't posting here about it: but if you go look at Ubuntuforums.org, you will see users complaining that wvdial has gone and it's really hard to set up dial-up connections now. It's also hard if, like me, you use a cellphone "as a modem". Maybe the devs think everyone has broadband. But we don't all have broadband. There are a lot of dial-up users out here, and wvdial makes our lives much easier.

I don't understand *why* wvdial is no longer included on the CDs. It's a pretty small program, so I can't imagine that it just had to go because the devs needed the disk space. Can someone please explain *why* wvdial was dumped?

[Tom Pino (metalsmith-rangeweb)]

There are an qwful lot of folks all over the world that use dial up. I am in the states and I just got DSL for the first time in 12 years.

I am hoping to be going somewhere where dial up is the only choice again.

This county has very limited DSL. When I get back on a ranch (unemployed ranch hand) dial up will be all there is. Get better tools for us so we can connect.

[GeorgeVita (8-launchpad-mhnyma-com)]

Often new 3g modems are manufactured. All of them have a 'basic' compatible level similar to 'old-fashioned' dial up modems, the AT commands set. As wvdial is the most described connection program with a lot of examples, it is essential to include it into any release. Internet connection is the #1 need for a today's computer system.

Alternative methods like pppconfig are more difficult and less documented.

>>> a simple 'search' within ubuntuforums.org can show the facts.

Regards,
George

[jijo (jijotr)]

A BIG YES FOR WVDIAL. wvdial is the easiest way to configure mobile broadband connections, which the network manager fails most of the time. Why should a breezy little cutie like wvdial to be avoided. I don't understand. I LOVE UBUNTU. And i want wvdial to be included in the next edition 10.04.

[G4JC (gaming4jc2)]

WE HAVE TO GET THIS INTO LUCID!!
Without it there's no way to human readably connect using a modem. 35% of Americans still use Dial-Up!
http://www.webmasterworld.com/webmaster/4087174.htm

At the very least this needs to be on the repo that is shipped with the CD. While we're at it, where's Gnome-PPP?

[Steve Langasek (vorlon)]

The rationale for removing wvdial from the LiveCD is given in the logs for the seeds at lp:~ubuntu-core-dev/ubuntu-seeds/platform.lucid/:

revno: 1287
committer: Steve Langasek <email address hidden>
branch nick: platform.jaunty
timestamp: Thu 2009-01-15 04:20:01 -0800
message:
  move wvdial from desktop-common to supported-hardware-desktop - there's no
  longer a reason to install it by default without gnome-network-admin.

Once the GUI went away it was no longer appropriate to include it as another moving part in the default system install.

However, it is still in main as a supported software component, and it's appropriate to add it back into the LiveCD as an optional, installable component, space allowing.

(wvdial takes up approximately 920KiB, with its dependencies; so ultimately we'll want to replace this with something smaller that integrates properly with the desktop, but for now it appears we have the space.)

[Steve Langasek (vorlon)]

wvdial is now seeded in the liveCD bundled archive.

[G4JC (gaming4jc2)]

Just got a chance to go to a high-speed place and download today's LiveCD daily snapshot of Lucid. It works wonderfull, thanks for fixing. I've written a small tutorial on how to detect your modem and connect with wvdial on my blog here: http://g4jc.net84.net/wordpress/2010/03/ubuntu-lucid-lynx-to-include-wvdial-and-how-to-dial-up/

[Sarfaraz19 (sarfaraz19)]

And theres More

i wrote a utility that configure wvdial (easier than manually editing the file ) and its also allows You to CONNECT and DIAL internet THROUGH your CELLPHONE....NO Hassles involved ...DO CHECK IT OUT...

http://code.google.com/p/linuxshellscripts/

[G4JC (gaming4jc2)]

I just tested Ubuntu Lucid Beta 1, and it's not on the disk... has it been removed? Or is it just not going to be included until the final? Considering it was in the daily snapshot, I was concerned to find it removed in the official beta...

[GeorgeVita (8-launchpad-mhnyma-com)]

Hi G4JC,
wvdial exists on later daily live images, dates after comment #9 from Steve Langasek.
You can check http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/daily-live/20100406/lucid-desktop-i386.list as also the arriving LL beta 2!
Regards,
George

[GeorgeVita (8-launchpad-mhnyma-com)]

Just tested LL beta 2 and found that:
wvdial and dependencies exist on liveCD image but are NOT installed by default.
You must install wvdial via System > Administration > Synaptic Package Manager
or using the terminal command: sudo apt-get install wvdial

As this adds some 'extra action', could it be possible to:

>>> wvdial must be installed by default on LiveCD of Ubuntu LL <<<

Regards,
George

[GeorgeVita (8-launchpad-mhnyma-com)]

Finally:
Although wvdial and dependencies are included into CD of 10.04 are NOT installed by default!

Suppose a user needs wvdial to connect an unsupported modem without alternate internet connection:

You do not need to download them, just use the .iso or LiveCD or LiveUSB following the procedure below:

1. right click ubuntu-10.04-desktop-i386.iso and 'open with archive mounter'
(or mount LiveCD/LiveUSB)
2. right click on icon created (from 1) to 'browse folder'
3. create a folder on Desktop (ex. named 'wvdial')
4. copy into that folder all 4 .deb files that exist into .iso/LiveCD/LiveUSB
... /pool/main/w/wvdial
and /pool/main/w/wvstreams
5. use System > Administration > Synaptic Package Manager
and then from menu File > Add downloaded packages > double click Desktop and then the folder you created at point #3 (ex. wvdial), click open, follow instructions to install

(above procedure is fully tested, other ways may work also, 'sudo apt-get install wvdial' & normal Synaptic Package Manager options cause troubles).

Regards,
George

[G4JC (gaming4jc2)]

I'd also like to add the package was "not" included in the alternate install CD. Which I was under the assumption would have it since it contains even more packages. Such a pity...

[Dimitri John Ledkov (xnox)]

Have things improved since?

These days, I find that Mifi dongles are popular and that most mobile phones are able to tether internet via Bluetooth, USB, or direct Wi-Fi connection. I also found that network-manager applet was sufficient enough to connect to the internet for me.

Currently, I do not believe that we have enough developers who rely on such an internet connection, and thus we cannot adequately support this package and I would like to propose to move this package back into the universe.

Regards,

Dimitri.