[PLUG] Problem using a T-mobile Z915 Hotspot on a Linux machine

Richard Owlett rowlett at cloud85.net
Thu Jun 15 23:03:14 UTC 2017


On 06/15/2017 03:07 PM, Bill Barry wrote:
> On Thu, Jun 15, 2017 at 12:40 PM, Richard Owlett <rowlett at cloud85.net>
> wrote:
>
>> About a year ago my local ISP terminated dial-up service and was not
>> marketing wideband to home users. I decided against any type of fixed
>> point of service (i.e. telco, cable, or satellite). I looked for a "cell
>> network modem" (proper term?). The closest thing I could find from a
>> provider with a physically local presence was the Z915. Having only 1
>> machine I have no use for its WiFi capability. For connecting to the
>> internet the hardware aspects are fine. My OS is Debian Stretch.
>>
>> My problem occurs when you mistype a URL. Instead of being given a
>> simple error message and leaving the URL visible for editing it
>> transfers you the most inane page of suggested places to go.
>>
>> Initially I was looking for a way to block the inane site. Someone on a
>> T-mobile oriented USENET list provided me with a list of numeric IPs for
>> that site, but being a Windows only user could not suggest "howto". I
>> couldn't find any Linux related info that did not assume presume a
>> server was being discussed, not a single machine home user.
>>
>> A alternate suggestion was using a public DNS. I don't think the Linux
>> suggestions I found would work in my case. Apparently my
>> /etc/resolv.conf contains only the IP of the Z915 itself.
>>
>> Am I even looking in the right place(s)?
>> TIA
>>

> Yes, the fact that your resolv.conf only contains the ip of the
> z915 is the problem. Remove that line and add a couple of lines
> for public nameservers.
>
> nameserver 8.8.8.8
> nameserver 8.8.4.4

That resolv.conf is the problem is not unexpected.
If I enter the numeric IP # referenced in resolv.conf into the browser's 
address bar I see the screen used to access the setup of the Z915 - as 
if I had entered http://www.mobile.hotspot/index.html .

Two things caused me word my subject line as I did (hoping for a 
response from a Z915 user):
1. Would using a "foreign" DNS cause me problems with T-mobile?
2. Without a numeric IP in resolv.conf, how would my OS know how/where 
to access the Z915?

>
> Those are the Google nameservers.

Anything with Google makes me wary.

> If you prefer other nameservers,
> There are some suggestions here:
> https://www.lifewire.com/free-and-public-dns-servers-2626062

I'll browse it to see if any have a "better" privacy statement than 
Google's.
Thanks.






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