Internet dongles - main

10 May 2012


      I have a Vodafone dongle - an early-is one which gives me 1 GB of 
data-transfer for £15.
While this may seem expensive, it has its advantages...
Firstly, the early models had rollover, and my first fifteen quid kept 
me in touch for six months - very little web browsing, true, so mostly 
e-mail and Usenet. Even now, I'd seldom use one GB in a month, so I was 
relatively happy.
I say 'relatively' because I only have a GPRS signal where I live, so 
I'm not tempted to wade amongst the websites.
Then...
It stopped working on the Eee, though it was fine on the Acer when it 
was in XP mode. I don't like using it under XP because it means I must 
keep AVG up to date, and that download alone takes a vast bite out of 
available credit, not to mention the clockface.
Earlier, I'd become used to doing some shopping, finding wi-fi in The 
Fat Cat and elsewhere, or connecting over 3G with the dongle. When the 
dongle stopped talking to the Eee, and I couldn't get it to work with 
Squeeze (on the Acer), I just spent ages drinking tea and noshing cakes, 
sausage and/or bacon sandwiches etc in the Tea Room (*Highly recommended*).
Recently, I stuck the dongle in the Eee's USB port, and lo! It worked.
And its still working (touch wood).
Anyone got any idea why/how the Eee refused to play nicely for - oh - 
nine months or more?
-- 
Tony Anson
www.girolle.co.uk/