Help Newbie struggling with Mobile Broadband Connection

pinkskull · 07-18-2009, 11:07 AM

Hi First of all i am really sorry if this has already been answered but i cannot find anyway to get my 3 mobile Broadband USB to connect to my linux system. I have done somethings i have found on sites like typed sudo lsusb into the terminal window and it found the usb.
I have downloaded modeswitch and wvdial but when i input sudo usb_modeswitch it say Bash command not found and when i input sudo wvdial conf it say's device or resource busy.

I have been trying to connect this now for 2 weeks and really could do with some help what am i ddoing wrong?

tredegar · 07-18-2009, 11:27 AM

I had one of those, and got it working, but 3's coverage was terrible, and I gave it away.

Anyway, instructions for usb_modeswitch are here
Download and install it by following the instructions.
You also need to install libusb
usb_modeswitch should end up being in the directory /sbin

Tell us your dongle-type ( plug it in, wait 5sec then tell us what the output of lsusb is ). That'll tell you (and us) its VendID and ProdID as hex codes.

Run usb_modeswitch by giving its full path name:

Code:

sudo  /sbin/usb_modeswitch

Then

Code:

sudo /sbin/modprobe usbserial vendor=<YourDefaultVendID> product=<YourDefaultProdID> maxSize=4096

Then look in the directory /dev/
Do you see /dev/USBtty0 /dev/USBtty1 and /dev/USBtty2 (I think that's what they were called, maybe it was ttyUSB0 etc)

If so, usb_modeswitch has worked, and it is time to configure wvdial

Please tell us your distro (Eg Ubuntu 9.10), otherwise it is much more difficult to help you.

And welcome to LQ!

pinkskull · 07-18-2009, 11:57 AM

Thank you for your help

I'm afraid i've no idea what distro i've got or how to find out?
Also how do i save the usb modeswitch to sbin?

Really sorry i've no idea what i'm doing

pinkskull · 07-18-2009, 12:00 PM

Sorry also i have done the lsusb and it's Huawei E220 3G Modem

Hope thats what you required?

tredegar · 07-18-2009, 12:25 PM

Quote:

I'm afraid i've no idea what distro i've got or how to find out?

If you don't know your distro, you didn't install it yourself.

So you probably have bought a PC with linux pre-installed. Eg An Acer Aspire One, or an EEE-something. Am I correct?

What is your PC brand/model ? (Then we can google which linux distro it comes with by default).

There are hundreds of linux "distros", all subtly different, yet strangely alike. It helps us help you if we know what you have in front of you.

Quote:

Really sorry i've no idea what i'm doing

Please don't apologise, we all had to start somewhere (at the beginning, where you are now). Linux gets much easier as you begin to understand how it works, and unlike MS and Apple, linux encourages you to find out how it works.

Quote:

Sorry also i have done the lsusb and it's Huawei E220 3G Modem

Well done, but what we want to know is those hex numbers:

Code:

tred@vaio:~$ lsusb
Bus 005 Device 001: ID 0000:0000
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 0000:0000
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 0000:0000
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 046d:c03f Logitech, Inc. UltraX Optical Mouse
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 0000:0000
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 0a12:0001 Cambridge Silicon Radio, Ltd Bluetooth Dongle (HCI mode)
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 0000:0000
tred@vaio:~$

The first thing we need to establish is your linux distro, then those numbers of your Huawei.

pinkskull · 07-18-2009, 12:38 PM

Oh thank you you are kind
Ok yes it came with linux already on it it is the acer aspire one. Pink one if it helps?
The codes that came up are 12d1 : 1003 Huawei E220 3G Modem it also says 064e : d101 Acer crystal eye webcam

I hope this has been of use

tredegar · 07-18-2009, 01:25 PM

Quote:

I hope this has been of use

It has. Sort of.

I'm quite good with helping people with the EEEs from Asus (as I have one), but BAD at help with the AAO (which is runing "Linpus" linux, so now you know your "distro").

I don't have the time to learn linpus, but the LQ user farslayer has an AAO, and many good AAO links in his signature at the end of his posts here.

So I suggest you use the SEARCH button of Linux Questions (at the top). Click "Advanced Search", enter farslayer in the "Search for posts by" box then [search] - his links will help you.

It's not that I do not want to help, but I think you'll find better help from the AAO links he has posted. It is quite likely that someone with an AAO and a Huawei E220 has already solved your problem, and posted a "HOWTO make the AAO work with Huawei E220". So, why reinvent the wheel?

The E220 works "out of the box" with most modern distros, but linpus seems a bit "strange" to me, and I have never used it or an AAO.

Of course, if you get stuck, you are very welcome to come back here and we'll do our best. You have made an excellent start (by taking the time to find out about usb_modeswitch etc) and I am sure you'll come to enjoy and appreciate the benefits of linux.

Meanwhile, good luck.

tredegar · 07-19-2009, 02:48 AM

An update:

Looks like the AAO will work with the E220 without too much messing about.
See these links:
http://www.linux.com/archive/forums/...07?startnum=61
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...8/#post3270924

This was my (working) /etc/wvdial.conf for 3 in the UK:

Code:

[Dialer Defaults]
Modem = /dev/ttyUSB0
Init1 = ATZ
Init2 = ATQ0 V1 E1 S0=0 &C1 &D2 +FCLASS=0
Stupid Mode = 1
Modem Type = Analog Modem
Phone = *99#
Dial Command = ATDT
ISDN = 0
Username = three
IniInit1 = ATZ
Password = three
Baud = 9600

[Dialer three]
Init2 = ATZ
Init3 = ATE0 V1 &D2 &C1 S0=0 +IFC=2,2
Init5 = AT+CGDCONT=1,”IP”,”3internet”
Modem Type = Analog Modem
ISDN = 0
Phone = *99#
Modem = /dev/ttyUSB0
Username = three
Dial Command = ATDT
Stupid Mode = 1
Password = three
Baud = 460800

pinkskull · 07-19-2009, 01:54 PM

thank you for your help i read all info i have found and managed to get mobile partner which has success found my mobile broadband but now i'm getting an error message everytime i try connecting and it offers me to redial or cancel any idea if i'm doing something wrong?

tredegar · 07-19-2009, 04:20 PM

Quote:

i read all info i have found and managed to get mobile partner which has success found my mobile broadband but now i'm getting an error message

What "all info" did you "read" (please post links)

What "error message", exactly, are you receiving?

And, as an aside, here on LQ we would prefer you take the trouble to use capitals, punctuate and post literate posts. "txt spk s nt k ".

You get the idea? You have a keyboard so use it.

If you cannot be bothered to do this (but perhaps your life is even busier than ours) we cannot be bothered to decipher your posts.

Quote:

everytime i try connecting...

.. with what, exactly ?

If you don't give us the information we need to help you help yourself, we cannot help you further.

pinkskull · 07-20-2009, 06:26 AM

You really are the rudest human being possible not everyone's life is as easy as you seem to think!!!!!!!!!!!

See exclamation mark works well

I meant all INFORMATION that you yourself had advised me to look at so if you BOTHERED paying attention to the advice you give it doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure out that!!!!!!!

Plus i have already said using the Mobile Partner APPLICATION but doesn't seem you have a clue what that is either.

And the error box literally said error redail or cancel so i could not provide more INFORMATION on that.

I have without your help and rudeness maqnaged to connect it all up myself.

AS TO TXT SPK I DIDN'T EXACTLY USE TXT SPK I HAVE NO IDEA ON TXT SPK ONLY THE BASICS SO WHY DON'T YOU JUST TRY BEING POLITE ANY GUEST READING THIS WOULD BE PUT OFF BY YOUR RUDENESS

THANKS BUT NO THANKS I WILL NEVER USE THIS SITE EVER AGAIN

linus72 · 07-20-2009, 06:47 AM

LOL
it's monday guys
We can work this out

Only way to work this out
is start over

Pinkskull, this is the BEST linux forum
there aren't any others that compare

Many senior members here get irritated when people
don't give them enough info,
This is not because their assholes

It means they have to write like 80 additional posts
per day just saying
"Please give more info
we need more info"

Now, back on subject

I have no wireless, so can't help
but I did search under mobile broadband on the search box above
( http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...archid=3384001 )

pinkskull · 07-20-2009, 06:55 AM

AS i have already said i have solved the problem by myself.

I explained earlier on in my post that i did not know what information would be required from me as i've never had linux before and never tried using a mobile broadband dongle but it doesn't matter now.

One thing that does make me laugh though is that you say you frequently have to reply to loads asking for more information which wastes time but tredegar had plenty of time to write such a nasty reply to myself. Thanks for giving me somethin to smile about though.

tredegar · 07-20-2009, 11:22 AM

pinkskull, it was not my intention to be rude, if my post was interpreted as such, I apologise.

Quote:

Plus i have already said using the Mobile Partner APPLICATION but doesn't seem you have a clue what that is"

To be fair, you just said "Mobile Partner", and you are quite right, I have never heard of it, and it's not in the list of > 25,000 applications available for my distro. For all I knew it is a system whereby if you can't get a singal from "3", you could use some other "Mobile Partner".
But now I know.

I thought I worked pretty hard for you: Guessing your PC, finding you appropriate links, posting my wvdial.conf ... and txt spk does give me a headache.

So, please "lighten up" a little.

Quote:

AS i have already said i have solved the problem by myself.

Congratulations!

Now it would be helpful if you would post the steps you took to get your Huawei working with your AAO, google knows this site well, and your solution will help others with the same problem using a search engine to try to find an answer.

pinkskull · 07-22-2009, 10:56 AM

I except your apology i do grately except the work you put in to help me. Thank you for all you did.

On the case of providing a step by step for others i'm afraid i'd love to help others with the Acer Aspire One to connect mobile broadband but i honestly haven't the fainest idea what i did that ended up working if i did i would i'm sorry but i will try to help others who post if i can.

Thank you again