HSOconnect a PyGTK Connection Manager

As you can see the application is very simple.

Visit the HSOconnect Support Forum

I have stopped active development of packages for HSOconnect. You can still get updates from the forum that are compatible with Python 2.6, support Quicksilver and the Icon 515.

The older packages ar still available here:

Download the latest version (latest version has experimental support for Quicksilver)

You also need the hsolink package.

Useful How-Tos:

Installing HSOconnect on Ubuntu 8.x

Installing HSOconnect on Fedora 9

Introduction

HSOconnect is an easy to use connection manager that is designed to work with Option's latest HSDPA and HSUPA modems. Use HSOconnect to quickly connect to the Internet using your modem.

Start up HSOconnect and it will keep looking for a device until you plug one in. If your SIM requires a PIN code; HSOconnect will ask you to enter it.

Connecting to the Internet

Click the Connect button and the program will automatically connect you to the Internet. While connected the amount of data sent and received is displayed. Click on the Connect button again to disconnect from the Internet.

If you minimise HSOconnect move your mouse over the name to view how the connection is going.

You cannot connect to the Internet until the modem is registered on a network.

Menus

Configure...

Select 3G Mode

This menu item allows you to configure how the modem will switch between 2G and3G networks. With standard settings (“3G preferred”) the modem will choose the best connection automatically.

Normally there is no need to adjust this setting. However; sometimes when you work in a fringe coverage area your connection to the Internet can be more reliable if the modem is set to “2G only” or “3G only” modes.

Each time the program is started the operating mode is reset to “3G preferred”.

Automatic Network Selection

You normally want the modem to search for networks automatically when you are located within your Service Providers network coverage area. If you have been travelling to another country and used Manual Network Selection make sure you select “Automatic Network Selection” when you return home.

Manual Network Selection

Use this menu option if you are operating the modem outside of your Service Providers network or if your modem is able to detect foreign networks and is switching to them automatically (e.g. “Registered Roaming” state).

Use this menu item and HSOconnect will request the modem to list all networks that can be detected. The modem will search all frequencies for networks and this may take a while.

When the search is complete HSOconnect will display a list of detected networks for you to choose from.

Note: HSOconnect will list all networks detected even networks that will reject a registration attempts if selected (Forbidden networks).

Language Selection

Select the language you want to use. This version of HSOconnect only has English text but demonstrates how this option would work.

Note: This menu option does not appear if only one language is provided (.default).

Languages can be added by creating language sub-directories in the /usr/share/HSOconnect/configuration/languages.

Preferences

This menu option displays a dialog for you to modify how HSOconnect works:

• Warn User when roaming. This setting causes a pop-up window to appear whenever the registration state changes to “roaming”. This warning helps you to keep your connection costs minimised.

• Show Quick-Switch buttons. Setting this option causes additional buttons to appear. These buttons are used to send commands to the modem. The commands are defined in the GUI configuration file for the connection profile being used. The commands can be a list of AT commands separated by a '|'. In addition the special commands “!#connect” and “!#disconnect” can be used. For example !#disconnect|AT_OPSYS=1,2|!#connect causes the modem to disconnect, set the mode to 3G mode and then reconnect. The Quick-Switch buttons are experimental. Two buttons have been predefined to set the mode to 2G or 3G and connect to the Internet.

• Warn User when Transfer Limit exceeded. A warning appears when the total amount of data transferred exceeds the “Transfer Limit”.

• Connect Attempt timeout. This value is the amount of time (in seconds) the program will keep trying to connect to the Internet before giving up.

• Default operating Mode. This setting allows you to configure the default setting of the modem each time the program is started.

(The program will restart with the new settings if you make a change and click “OK”)

Reset Transfer Limit to Zero

This option resets the running count of data transferred back to zero. Typically you would use this at the beginning of the month to help monitor your usage.

The total and the time/date it was reset are recorded in the Data Transfer log.

Profile

Select Profile

Various Profiles can be defined. A Profile is the combination of an Internet connection description and the GUI configuration.

Selecting a new Profile cause the application to restart with the new Profile (connections will be terminated). Two profiles are provided as examples.

[Note: This option does not appear if only one Profile (.default) is defined.]

Profiles are located here: /usr/share/HSOconnect/configuration/profiles

Edit Connection Profile

This allows the editing of the Internet connection details for the currently selected Profile.

Do not forget - to connect to the Internet you need to have correctly configured connection profile.

The key information you need is your APN, username and password.

Copy Profile

This allows an existing Profile to be copied.

Help

View Connection Log

View a record of the data transferred in an external program. This file is stored in /usr/share/HSOconnect/hsoc.log. HSOconnect uses a program as defined in the HSOconnect.cfg file.

Notes

HSOconnect is written in Python. Python is an interpreted language. This means that the source code for HSOconnect is the executable. When you download and install the HSOconnect package it will install in to two directories:

/usr/share/HSOconnect - this is where all the configuration data (languages, user interface images etc) and log files are stored. There is no code in this directory.

/usr/lib/python2.?/site-packages/hsoc  - this is where all the source code is stored. (The python directory used depends on the version of HSOconnect you install)