Android 2.2 USB Tethering Tips

[comprookie2000]

With an Android 2.2 (Froyo) it is easy to tether your phone to your Gentoo box.
First enable the modules you need;
Device Drivers
USB Network Adaptors

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Device Drivers --->
  [*] Network device support --->
    USB Network Adapters --->
      [*] Multi-purpose USB Networking Framework
        <*> CDC Ethernet support
        <*> CDC EEM support
        <*> Simple USB Network Links (CDC Ethernet subset)
          [*] Embedded ARM Linux links
  [*] USB Support --->
    <*> USB Modem (CDC ACM) support
    <*> USB Wireless Device Management support

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lsmod
Module                  Size  Used by
rndis_host              5868  0 
cdc_ether               4265  1 rndis_host
usbnet                 16196  2 rndis_host,cdc_ether
mii                     4038  1 usbnet

The interface shows up as usb0

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usb0      Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr fa:c6:01:4c:4b:71  
          BROADCAST MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000 
          RX bytes:0 (0.0 B)  TX bytes:0 (0.0 B)

dmesg

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scsi 10:0:0:0: Direct-Access     Google,  Inc.Nexus One         PQ: 0 ANSI: 2
sd 10:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg3 type 0
sd 10:0:0:0: [sdc] Attached SCSI removable disk
usb 1-7: USB disconnect, address 10
usb 1-7: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 11
usbcore: registered new interface driver cdc_ether
rndis_host 1-7:1.0: usb0: register 'rndis_host' at usb-0000:00:02.1-7, RNDIS device, fa:c6:01:4c:4b:71
usbcore: registered new interface driver rndis_host

Next on your phone or device enable USB Tethering.
That is when you can see from dmesg that the device changed from a usb storage device to new interface driver.
Then it is as simple as;

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dhcpcd usb0

Thanks to bugmenot
http://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-84 ... ering.html

[likewhoa]

thanks for this.

[andriy155]

Thanks a lot! This really helped me with my Nokia N900. Apparently, you need the same driver (enable the same module in kernel) for N900 and it works.

[NeddySeagoon]

comprookie2000,

Thanks - I was trying to use the USB Gadget Interface, which always failed to load.

[billium]

Thanks comprookie2000 .. this also worked for me on a Nexus One, Gingerbread.

[stemer]

What about reverse USB tethering? Have anyone tried to do that with Network Manager? I.e. I want to share my wire connected laptop with my Android 2.2 phone through USB cable. I have HTC Desire Z and USB tethering works flawlessly, but I cannot do it in the other way.

PS. Sorry for my bad english

[tbD]

I have enabled all the kernel option mentioned. I first did them inline as the post showed * not M.
I also tried modules since the post showed lsmod.

In both cases the usb interface was not established (I did make the net.usb0-->net.lo symlink).

When I tell the phone to connect as a disk, that works perfectly. But when I tell it to support mobile broadband, I do not get the dmesg output shown and dhcpcd usb0 fails. I believe this is all due to my not getting the usb0 interface. I am running 2.6.39 on a ~amd64 gentoo system.

My phone is an htc droid incredible.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
allan

[Gusar]

Ah, so that's how this works with Android - rndis_host (with it's dependencies cdc_ether and usbnet). Good to know in case I'll need it. On my old Nokia phone you'd instead use usbserial, which would give you a /dev/ttyUSB0 and then you'd use ppp with that. Worked with bluetooth to, except the device was /dev/rfcomm0 in that case.

Quite funny, considering the text in the kernel config says rndis shouldn't be used because it's some evil Microsoft thingy.

[swathe]

I normally use the wifi tether but I will definitely give this a go, thanks.

[Martux]

Very nice, thanks. I also compiled everything into the kernel but usb0 isn't showing up.
Dmesg is not showing any switch when tethering is enabled.
Android 2.3.4 CM7 and gentoo-sources-2.6.39-r2 ~amd64 here.
Anything missing?

[stelth]

Very nice, thanks. I also compiled everything into the kernel but usb0 isn't showing up.
Dmesg is not showing any switch when tethering is enabled.
Android 2.3.4 CM7 and gentoo-sources-2.6.39-r2 ~amd64 here.
Anything missing?

I had enabled all of the modules in the original post and couldn't get usb0 to show up either. I slimmed it down to just:

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CONFIG_USB_USBNET=m
CONFIG_USB_NET_CDCETHER=m
CONFIG_USB_NET_RNDIS_HOST=m

and it came right up.

They're the options under:

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│     -> Device Drivers                                                            
│       -> Network device support (NETDEVICES [=y])
│         -> USB Network Adapters

EDIT:
If you get the choice on the phone for either Mac OSX or Windows tethering, choose Windows tethering.

[Martux]

Thanks!
Even if I compile in as modules, everything loads fine except rndis_host.
I cannot seem to find this one. Even a grep over the kernel config file showed no result.
Where is this little bugger hidden?

[Gusar]

Where is this little bugger hidden?

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-> Device Drivers
  -> Network device support
    -> USB Network Adapters
      -> Multi-purpose USB Networking Framework
        -> Host for RNDIS and ActiveSync devices (EXPERIMENTAL)

[Martux]

There is no such option under my 2.6.39-gentoo-r2 kernel

[comprookie2000]

How about this;
http://linuxcrazy.com/downloads/Screens ... -linux.png

[SlashBeast]

Click '/' in menuconfig and type what you are looking for, like RNDIS_HOST then look at 'depends on' line, here you see what you need to enable to have it, sometimes option may be not visiable in menuconfig until you enable some deps. Very common.

[phd]

I confirm that the usb tethering from HTC WildFire works.
For a new udev I have a symlink net.lo to net.enp0s29f7u2 . I activate internet by means

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dhcpcd enp0s29f7u2

By the way, in my case the following options are not essential

[] USB Support --->
<> USB Modem (CDC ACM) support
<> USB Wireless Device Management support

[Martux]

Back from vacation.
Well, I can search the kernel config for
CONFIG_USB_NET_RNDIS_HOST
and it will show where to find it:

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Symbol: USB_NET_RNDIS_HOST [=n]                                            │   
  │ Type  : tristate                                                           │   
  │ Prompt: Host for RNDIS and ActiveSync devices (EXPERIMENTAL)               │   
  │   Defined at drivers/net/usb/Kconfig:277                                   │  
  │   Depends on: NETDEVICES [=y] && USB [=y] && NET [=y] && USB_USBNET [=y] & │   
  │   Location:                                                                │   
  │     -> Device Drivers                                                      │   
  │       -> Network device support (NETDEVICES [=y])                          │   
  │         -> USB Network Adapters                                            │   
  │           -> Multi-purpose USB Networking Framework (USB_USBNET [=y])      │   
  │   Selects: USB_NET_CDCETHER [=y]                                           │   
  │   Selected by: USB_NET_RNDIS_WLAN [=n] && NETDEVICES [=y] && WLAN [=y] 

But when I browse there, it isn't there
I suppose my config is somewhat broken, I always generate a new kernel config with "make oldconfig".
Is there any way to repair it, without having to configure the whole kernel?

[comprookie2000]

Are you sure you are satisfying;
"Depends on: NETDEVICES [=y] && USB [=y] && NET [=y] && USB_USBNET [=y] "

[Martux]

Seems so:
cat/usr/src/linux/.config gave this:

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CONFIG_USB_USBNET=y
CONFIG_NET=y
CONFIG_NETDEVICES=y

[Martux]

A grep for CONFIG_USB_NET_RNDIS_HOST gives nothing.

[comprookie2000]

try;
<M> Multi-purpose USB Networking Framework
that should then open up so you can see;
<M> Host for RNDIS and ActiveSync devices (EXPERIMENTAL)

This is from 3.0.0

[Martux]

Yes, I believe you that it should be there, but it isn't
This is all I get to see under "USB Network Adapters ":

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<M> Multi-purpose USB Networking Framework                                                           │ │   
  │ │                               < >   ASIX AX88xxx Based USB 2.0 Ethernet Adapters                                                   │ │   
  │ │                               <M>   CDC Ethernet support (smart devices such as cable modems)                                      │ │   
  │ │                               <M>   CDC NCM support                                                                                │ │   
  │ │                               < >   Davicom DM9601 based USB 1.1 10/100 ethernet devices                                           │ │   
  │ │                               < >   SMSC LAN75XX based USB 2.0 gigabit ethernet devices                                            │ │   
  │ │                               < >   SMSC LAN95XX based USB 2.0 10/100 ethernet devices                                             │ │   
  │ │                               < >   GeneSys GL620USB-A based cables                                                                │ │   
  │ │                               < >   NetChip 1080 based cables (Laplink, ...)                                                       │ │   
  │ │                               < >   MosChip MCS7830 based Ethernet adapters                                                        │ │   
  │ │                               <M>   Simple USB Network Links (CDC Ethernet subset)                                                 │ │   
  │ │                               [ ]     ALi M5632 based 'USB 2.0 Data Link' cables                                                   │ │   
  │ │                               [ ]     AnchorChips 2720 based cables (Xircom PGUNET, ...)                                           │ │   
  │ │                               [*]     eTEK based host-to-host cables (Advance, Belkin, ...)                                        │ │   
  │ │                               [*]     Embedded ARM Linux links (iPaq, ...)                                                         │ │   
  │ │                               [ ]     Epson 2888 based firmware (DEVELOPMENT)                                                      │ │   
  │ │                               < >   Sharp Zaurus (stock ROMs) and compatible                                                       │ │   
  │ │                               < >   Conexant CX82310 USB ethernet port                                                             │ │   
  │ │                               < >   Samsung Kalmia based LTE USB modem                                                             │ │   
  │ └───────────────────────────────v(+)───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
< >   Samsung Kalmia based LTE USB modem                                                             │ │   
  │ │                               < > Option USB High Speed Mobile Devices                                                             │ │   
  │ │                               < > Intellon PLC based usb adapter                                                                   │ │   
  │ │                               < > Apple iPhone USB Ethernet driver                                                                 │ │   
  │ │                               < > USB-to-WWAN Driver for Sierra Wireless modems                                                    │ │   
  │ │                               < > LG VL600 modem dongle            

Probably my config is really messed, this is from 3.9 too... Is there a way to insert those options manually in the configuration file?

[comprookie2000]

do any (EXPERIMENTAL) drivers show up, maybe there is an option to open them up not sure

[Martux]

There are only those options available that are shown in my last post