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A couple of months ago I was able to get the 3 network's PCMCIA card working for Internet access from my Ubuntu (Debian based) Linux laptop. I received a question about it, so I thought I'd make some notes here in case they're of use to someone else as well.

The logs on my laptop have all rotated, so I don't have details on the PCMCIA (CardBus) device anymore ;-(

From memory, apart from the slightly strange PPP config, I needed to install just one package:
apt-get install pcmcia-cs

I suggest that you install that package, then go along to a shop and see if info appears in /var/log/daemon.log or /var/log/messages You should end up with a virtual /dev/ttyS1 serial device. A friend of mine runs OneClickAway (222 Grote St, Adelaide) who sells cards and the 3 service, so you could ask for him as I'm sure he'd let you try it in the shop. Ask for Richard Kaye 8413 9100, and mention my name.

As for the PPP config, it's pretty standard, but the chatscript is quite wierd (I had to snoop the serial port on the windows box to get some details, and merge them with another config on the net I found for the Orange 3 network in the UK). Here's what I have for config files:

/etc/ppp/peers/three_gee


# This optionfile was generated by pppconfig 2.3.2.
#
#
noauth
connect "/usr/sbin/chat -v -f /etc/chatscripts/three_gee"
debug
/dev/ttyS1
460800
defaultroute
noipdefault
user any
password any
usepeerdns


/etc/chatscripts/three_gee


# This chatfile was generated by pppconfig 2.3.2.
# Please do not delete any of the comments. Pppconfig needs them.
#
# ispauth chat
# abortstring
ABORT BUSY ABORT 'NO CARRIER' ABORT VOICE ABORT 'NO DIALTONE' ABORT 'NO DIALTONE' ABORT 'NO ANSWER' ABORT DELAYED
# modeminit
'' ATZ
# Check SIM pin should return ready
OK-AT-OK "AT+CPIN?"
# Check the whether 3G or GPRS
OK-AT-OK "AT$NWRAT?"
# Set +CGEE to 2
OK-AT-OK "AT+CMEE=2"
# Setup PDP? in +CGDCONT
OK-AT-OK 'AT+CGDCONT=3,"IP","orangeinternet"'
# Setup +CGEQREG
OK-AT-OK 'AT+CGEQREQ=3,3,64,384,0,0,2,0,"0E0","0E0",3,0,0'
# Attached to Orange network, will return 1
OK-AT-OK 'AT+CGATT?'
# ispnumber
OK-AT-OK 'ATD*98#'


Note:

• This is for the 3 network in Australia
• The chatscript forces the card to use the 3G network *only*. GPRS
  is not used. If you enable GPRS then you could be up for a whopping great big bill from your telco.

• The username and password are not important as it is the calling number that identifies the user from the 3 network's point of view.