As easy as GPRS

I have experienced the pains of getting the Nokia 6230 to work as a GPRS modem under XP. And I was prepared for something worse in Linux, partially because there seems to be no readily available drivers to start with.
A lot of clicks with the Modem section in the Admin hardware control got nowhere. Trying the kppp utility also didn't result in anything workable.
Then a little google and I came to this site http://microdotsagamedev.wordpress.com/2007/12/11/usb-mobile-phone-modem-under-linux/ .

What is great about this site is that, unlike the many that are thrown up, the data is offered in the most briefest and clearest manner. The crux of the solution, as mentioned on the site, are these lines (most of which are cut and pasted) :

open /etc/wvdial.conf file as root (use Kate or anyother text editor).
delete everything from the file except the ‘Dialer Defaults’ heading (if there is none add one enclosed with ‘[' and ']‘) and add the following (Phone, Username and Password will be different depending on provider)
Modem = /dev/ttyACM0
Phone = *99#
Modem Type = USB Modem
Baud = 115200
Dial Attempts = 2
Username = vdata
Password = vdata

Save the file

Plug in your USB data cable ( Phone must be on… snigger :D )
* Exec the following at any point, root or not to establish an internet connection.
sudo wvdial


That's it.

It is hard to believe that all the gui fiddling was needed to effect this change, when it could have been done just this way!!!