Novatel/Verizon USB760 with Slackware

johnac923 · 01-15-2010, 10:53 AM

Does anyone have experience/success with the USB760 3G modem with slackware? could you describe how you made it work?

slacker_et · 01-15-2010, 11:33 AM

I've gotten a Virgin Mobile Broadband usb modem; which is a Novatel USB modem; to work with Slackware 12.1, Slackware 13.0, Ubuntu 9.10, and OpenSuse 11.1.

I found out how to get it to work with Linux by:
1) Reading the Reviews on Best Buy's website.

2) Which lead me to this howto:
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sourc...aM2j2Nha7fL1-Q

3) Following that guide to setup the modem in Ubuntu 9.10 allowed me to see exactly how it worked.

4) At which point I was able to get it working in Slackware by:
4a) Inserting a modprobe line into rc.local
4b) "Eject" the device when it appeared on my desktop.
4c) Then finally using kppp to dial then modem.

Sorry; but I'm nowhere's near my laptop. So I can't be more specific.

--ET

johnac923 · 01-22-2010, 05:01 PM

ok I have followed the instructions in this post http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p...ghlight=usb760 and I have gotten the usb760 to work with ubuntu. I tried the same process in Slackware and no luck. The only difference is the lack of Network Manager (I use wicd in Slackware.) the previous poster mentioned kppp but can someone explain how to configure it in this case? Thanks

slacker_et · 01-22-2010, 06:45 PM

For my Virgin Mobile.

This is what I placed in my Slackware 13.0's /etc/rc.d/rc.local

Code:

# Load usbserial module required for Virgin Mobile broadband modem
echo 'Loading usbserial module for Virgin Mobile broadband modem: modprobe usbserial vendor=0x1410 product=0x6002'
modprobe usbserial vendor=0x1410 product=0x6002

I originally setup kppp in Slackware 12.1. Then shortly afterwards I installed Slackware 13.0 on the same laptop.
For 13.0 I cheated and simply copied my $HOME/.kde/share/config/kppprc to the Slackware 13.0.

Here are the current kppp settings in my Slackware 13.0; and the steps I think I originally followed to configure kppp:

Code:

1) Start kppp.
2) Select "Configure" --> "New Account".
3) Enter some meaningful name for the account.
4) For "Phone Number" to dial; enter "#777".
5) For "Login Id" I entered my broadband account#.
Which for Virgin Mobile was a phone number.
6) For "Password" I entered my PIN for that account.
7) Save that Account.
8) Select "Modems" --> "New Modem" --> "Device".
9) Enter some meaningful name for the modem.
10) Select the appropiate device. Mine was: /dev/ttyUSB0
11) Save that modem.
12) Instead of having to hunt through the Start Menu every time I wanted to use the modem. I created a shortcut to kppp on the taskbar.

To start a broadband connection using the modem; I follow these steps:

Code:

1) Find the icon for the broadband usb device.
If first shows up as a mounted removable filesystem.
Originally mine appeared on my Desktop in KDE as "Virgin Mobile Broadband" or some thing similar.
But after switching to Gnome; it's now appearing as a CD-ROM drive in my "Computer" icon.
2) Select that icon and select "Eject Volume".
The kernel/Slackware will now see the device as a usb modem.
3) Start Kppp
4) Select the Account that you created above.
5) Select connect.

At this point kppp should dial the modem and start a connection.

--ET

johnac923 · 01-23-2010, 08:11 AM

thanks for your help

rixter@pjmconsulting.us · 05-09-2010, 12:18 PM

Zoom has created a cheap, easy-to-use 3g wireless router. It has a USB port for use as a WAN port, and works with 99% of the USB 3G modems out there... As an alternative, it also has an ethernet just in case you have a DSL also... The wireless is 802.11n, first generation at 150MB...

On the down side, that particular device only has ONE LAN ethernet port, which you can solve by hooking up a USB hub with an uplink port on it...

In addition, there is a portable model available, in case you want to get together with a bunch of other laptop-owning geeks (like myself) and go to the woods and hack the planet... Of course, Solar Panel Backpacks would also be a good buy on that particular mission...

This device works really well, and your linux machine will hook up to it by whatever means really well using DHCP...

There are some higher-end solutions along this line, but this one seems the most cost effective. You can search for 3G routers on your favorite search engine. I found the best deal at Amazon...

Hope that helps...

magicm · 06-14-2010, 04:19 PM

I've tried (as close as I understand) what was suggested, and I still can't seem to get kppp to find my Novatel/Verizon USB760 with SW13.1. Could something more basic be listed or pointed to?
Thx ahead of time.

tronayne · 06-15-2010, 08:43 AM

Slackware 13.1 has USB-ModeSwitch included (don't know if it's installed or not, look for /var/log/packages/usb_modeswitch-1.1.2-x86_64-1 if you have 64-bit or without the "x86_64" if you're using 32-bit).

If you have not done so, run netconfig (as root) and select loopback.

I have this same device plugged into a Dell Inspiron 1750, it show up in KPPP as USBtty0 (in the drop-down modem configure list), yours may vary -- test with the "query modem" selection to see if you get a response in KPPP. When you plug it in, there will be all sorts of entries created in /var/log/messages; if you (as root) run tail -f /var/log/messages then plug in the modem, you'll see the activity. It should look something like this:

Code:

Jun 15 09:09:48 pita acpid: client connected from 4435[0:100]                                             
Jun 15 09:09:48 pita acpid: 1 client rule loaded                                                          
Jun 15 09:09:48 pita kernel: [drm] Initialized drm 1.1.0 20060810                                         
Jun 15 09:09:48 pita kernel: pci 0000:00:02.0: PCI INT A -> GSI 16 (level, low) -> IRQ 16                 
Jun 15 09:09:48 pita kernel: [drm] MTRR allocation failed.  Graphics performance may suffer.              
Jun 15 09:09:48 pita kernel: [drm] Initialized i915 1.6.0 20080730 on minor 0                             
Jun 15 09:10:20 pita kernel: usb 6-1: new full speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 2              
Jun 15 09:10:20 pita kernel: usb 6-1: New USB device found, idVendor=1410, idProduct=5030                 
Jun 15 09:10:20 pita kernel: usb 6-1: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=4            
Jun 15 09:10:20 pita kernel: usb 6-1: Product: Novatel Wireless CDMA                                      
Jun 15 09:10:20 pita kernel: usb 6-1: Manufacturer: Novatel Wireless Inc.                                 
Jun 15 09:10:20 pita kernel: usb 6-1: SerialNumber: 091160391840000                                       
Jun 15 09:10:20 pita kernel: usb 6-1: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice                               
Jun 15 09:10:21 pita kernel: scsi7 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices                          
Jun 15 09:10:21 pita kernel: scsi8 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices                          
Jun 15 09:10:21 pita usb_modeswitch: switching 1410:5030 (Novatel Wireless Inc.: )                        
Jun 15 09:10:21 pita kernel: usb 6-1: USB disconnect, address 2                                           
Jun 15 09:10:23 pita kernel: usb 6-1: new full speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 3              
Jun 15 09:10:23 pita kernel: usb 6-1: New USB device found, idVendor=1410, idProduct=6000                 
Jun 15 09:10:23 pita kernel: usb 6-1: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=4            
Jun 15 09:10:23 pita kernel: usb 6-1: Product: Novatel Wireless CDMA                                      
Jun 15 09:10:23 pita kernel: usb 6-1: Manufacturer: Novatel Wireless Inc.
Jun 15 09:10:23 pita kernel: usb 6-1: SerialNumber: 091160391841000
Jun 15 09:10:23 pita kernel: usb 6-1: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
Jun 15 09:10:23 pita kernel: scsi9 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices
Jun 15 09:10:23 pita kernel: scsi10 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices
Jun 15 09:10:23 pita kernel: usbcore: registered new interface driver usbserial
Jun 15 09:10:23 pita kernel: USB Serial support registered for generic
Jun 15 09:10:23 pita kernel: usbcore: registered new interface driver usbserial_generic
Jun 15 09:10:23 pita kernel: usbserial: USB Serial Driver core
Jun 15 09:10:23 pita kernel: USB Serial support registered for GSM modem (1-port)
Jun 15 09:10:23 pita kernel: option 6-1:1.0: GSM modem (1-port) converter detected
Jun 15 09:10:23 pita kernel: usb 6-1: GSM modem (1-port) converter now attached to ttyUSB0
Jun 15 09:10:23 pita kernel: option 6-1:1.1: GSM modem (1-port) converter detected
Jun 15 09:10:23 pita kernel: usb 6-1: GSM modem (1-port) converter now attached to ttyUSB1
Jun 15 09:10:23 pita kernel: option 6-1:1.2: GSM modem (1-port) converter detected
Jun 15 09:10:23 pita kernel: usb 6-1: GSM modem (1-port) converter now attached to ttyUSB2
Jun 15 09:10:23 pita kernel: option 6-1:1.3: GSM modem (1-port) converter detected
Jun 15 09:10:23 pita kernel: usb 6-1: GSM modem (1-port) converter now attached to ttyUSB3
Jun 15 09:10:23 pita kernel: usbcore: registered new interface driver option
Jun 15 09:10:23 pita kernel: option: v0.7.2:USB Driver for GSM modems
Jun 15 09:10:23 pita usb_modeswitch: switched to 1410:6000 (Novatel Wireless Inc.: )
Jun 15 09:10:28 pita kernel: scsi 9:0:0:0: Direct-Access     Novatel  MMC Storage      2.31 PQ: 0 ANSI: 2
Jun 15 09:10:28 pita kernel: sd 9:0:0:0: [sdc] Attached SCSI removable disk
Jun 15 09:10:28 pita kernel: sd 9:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg3 type 0
Jun 15 09:10:28 pita kernel: scsi 10:0:0:0: CD-ROM            Novatel  Mass Storage     1.00 PQ: 0 ANSI: 2
Jun 15 09:10:28 pita kernel: sr 10:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg4 type 5
Jun 15 09:10:28 pita kernel: sr: Sense Key : 0x0 [current]
Jun 15 09:10:28 pita kernel: sr: ASC=0x0 ASCQ=0x0
Jun 15 09:10:53 pita kernel: PPP generic driver version 2.4.2
Jun 15 09:10:53 pita pppd[4833]: pppd 2.4.4 started by trona, uid 1000
Jun 15 09:10:53 pita pppd[4833]: Using interface ppp0
Jun 15 09:10:53 pita pppd[4833]: Connect: ppp0 <--> /dev/ttyUSB0
Jun 15 09:10:53 pita kernel: PPP BSD Compression module registered
Jun 15 09:10:53 pita kernel: PPP Deflate Compression module registered
Jun 15 09:10:53 pita pppd[4833]: local  IP address 75.219.234.82
Jun 15 09:10:53 pita pppd[4833]: remote IP address 66.174.160.64
Jun 15 09:10:53 pita pppd[4833]: primary   DNS address 66.174.95.44
Jun 15 09:10:53 pita pppd[4833]: secondary DNS address 66.174.92.14

I'm still at Slackware 13.0 (disk hasn't come yet) but, so far, the modem works just fine with USB-ModemSwitch installed.

Hope this helps some.

magicm · 06-15-2010, 03:39 PM

I do have USB-ModeSwitch installed (thank you); but still no luck. I reran netconfig and selected loopback. Whenever I try in kppp, it cannot open the modem. I still have XP dual-booted on my ThinkPad T42, and can use the USB760 from there. But it is frustrating.

tronayne · 06-16-2010, 07:19 AM

I'm sorry, I gave the device bassackwards; on my laptop, the device is /dev/ttyUSB0 when the modem is plugged in.

Now, this may not matter one way or the other but just in case see if your userid is in these groups (just enter groups and hit the return)

Code:

users lp floppy audio video cdrom plugdev power usbfs netdev scanner vboxusers cvsusers

(you can ignore scanner, vboxusers and cvsusers but not the others).

When you plug the modem in, it should sit there for a few seconds then the light should come on steady green (the light will slowly blink green when you get a connection, but your probably already know that). If it's red, pull the modem, wait a minute and then plug it back in. You may also want to reboot the system just for grins.

If you're using KPPP, first thing to do is set the modem and you don't need to fiddle with any settings except the device (as above); leave the rest of the settings at default. It may take a reboot before you start setting up, but you ought to be able to use the query modem function in KPPP when you've got the "right" USB port selected (and, who knows what that will actually be but my bet is on /dev/ttyUSB0 as the most probable).

You also need to set your cell phone number as the login, #777 as the number to dial and so on.

Anyway, USB_ModeSwitch pretty much "just works" with this modem (at least on my system). I have noticed that -- when the modem is not in use -- the indicator light will turn red after quite a while (my system is never turned off) and I need to unplug, wait and plug back in. Dunno why. I have also learned that it's not such a hot idea to boot with the modem plugged in (also dunno why); boot it, wait till you're logged in and ready to go then plug in the modem seems to be a better way for who knows what reason.

Hope this helps some.