ZTE USB modem and wvdial

[ilovebeer]

Hey all, I have a plug in ZTE proprietry usb modem that i'm trying to get going with wvdial. unfortunately under linux it's not recognised as a modem so wvdialconf reports no modem found. here is the relevant lsusb -v output.

Bus 008 Device 002: ID 19d2:0031
Device Descriptor:
bLength 18
bDescriptorType 1
bcdUSB 2.00
bDeviceClass 0 (Defined at Interface level)
bDeviceSubClass 0
bDeviceProtocol 0
bMaxPacketSize0 64
idVendor 0x19d2
idProduct 0x0031
bcdDevice 0.00
iManufacturer 2 ZTE, Incorporated
iProduct 1 ZTE CDMA Technologies MSM
iSerial 3 1234567890ABCDEF
bNumConfigurations 1
Configuration Descriptor:
bLength 9
bDescriptorType 2
wTotalLength 138
bNumInterfaces 5
bConfigurationValue 1
iConfiguration 4 Qualcomm Configuration
bmAttributes 0xa0
(Bus Powered)
Remote Wakeup
MaxPower 500mA
Interface Descriptor:
bLength 9
bDescriptorType 4
bInterfaceNumber 0
bAlternateSetting 0
bNumEndpoints 2
bInterfaceClass 255 Vendor Specific Class
bInterfaceSubClass 255 Vendor Specific Subclass
bInterfaceProtocol 255 Vendor Specific Protocol

I've spent a couple of days on this with no joy! Could someone please push me in the right direction, even just to get this recognised as a modem by wvdial. After that should be relatively easy. Possibly with a few kernel selections that I've missed.
I've done the usual with usbserial etcetera with no result.
Naturally it works under Vista but if i have to use Vista much longer I might do some harm to this computer
Anybody got the Bigpond 7.2 ZTE usb modem stick working under Linux? I'm getting so desperate I'm thinking of installing gentoo in windows with Virtualbox so at least i'll be in familiar territory.
Thanks

[NeddySeagoon]

ilovebeer,

google says

Code: Select all

# prompt: USB Option PCMCIA serial driver
# type: tristate
# depends on: CONFIG_USB_SERIAL && CONFIG_USB_OHCI_HCD && CONFIG_PCCARD
# defined in drivers/usb/serial/Kconfig
# found in Linux Kernels: before 2.6.12 version still available on 2.6.27 release

Your device 19d2:0031 is listed there so if you fix your kernel, it should JustWork.

[ilovebeer]

Hey thanks for replying Neddy. I had most of those options selected except ohci_hcd. Unfortunately the device is still not recognised as a modem. Anyway, I'll just keep fiddling away until I make some progress.
Thanks

[NeddySeagoon]

ilovebeer,

CONFIG_USB_OHCI_HCD is only if you have non intel/via USB 1.
It really means it wants USB 1 support on.

When it works, udev should create you a new USB serial device. You modem will be on the end of that.

[ilovebeer]

Hey all, YAHOO! Haven't got it working properly yet but at least I now have /dev/ttyUSB0. The module usb_storage needs to be unloaded before allowing the device to be detected correctly. Then I have to rmmod option usbserial... then modprobe usbserial vendor 0x19d2 product 0x0031 option. It's then that I get /dev/ttyUSB0... but the device needs a cold boot to reset properly. However a cold boot still loads usb_storage and thus the problem continues.

How can I stop usb_storage from being loaded at startup? &&
How can I make the appends to usbserial permanent on boot?

UPDATE: This thread http://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-720605.html shows a related problem of mine. *sigh*

Thanks for your help so far.
ilb

[NeddySeagoon]

ilovebeer,

You can blacklist usbstorage, so udev will not load it,

To pass options to a module at boot time, you make a file in /etc/modules.d/ any name you like, and put the options this file
Look in the file /etc/modules.conf for hints in the syntax. This file is made by concating all the files in /etc/modules.d/* at boot.

emerge minicom and talk to your modem on /dev/ttyUSB0
When you type

Code: Select all

at

it should return

Code: Select all

ok

Code: Select all

atdt<number>

will make it dial a number. Google the Hays command set and play with it.

When minicom works, move on to wvdial.

[ilovebeer]

Thanks Neddy, your info will be valuable as soon as i resolve my loading option module problem http://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-720605.html. Thanks for your assistance.
ilb

[Jefferies]

I had the same problem. Here is a solution. It is useful after full installation (sorry) - but it might be instructive:

Code: Select all

gedit /etc/wvdial.conf 

Edit the wvdial.conf file to:

Code: Select all

[Dialer Defaults]
modem = /dev/ttyUSB0
Phone = #<number>
Username = <username>
Password = <password>
New PPPD = yes
[Dialer mdsl]
Stupid Mode = on
Modem = /dev/ttyUSB0
Baud = 9216000
Init = ATZ

Phone = #<phone number>
Username = <username>
Password = <username>
New PPPD = yes 

As an example, here in Sudan (! ) , I configure wvdial.conf as follows:

Code: Select all

[Dialer Defaults]
modem = /dev/ttyUSB0
Phone = #777
Username =sudani
Password =sudani
New PPPD = yes
[Dialer mdsl]
Stupid Mode = on
Modem = /dev/ttyUSB0
Baud = 9216000
Init = ATZ

Phone = #777
Username = sudani
Password = sudani
New PPPD = yes   

The phone number, username and password are those given by the provider, natch.

To start connection:

Code: Select all

wvdial mdsl

To close connection CTL C

But better is to use Gnome-ppp.

It works for me.

[ilovebeer]

Thanks Jefferies, that'll be helpful when I get the modem working.
UPDATE: A few bizarre things happening now. The zte modem is only recognised if i boot from windows straight into gentoo! Obviously Windows imparts something to the modem that sticks for the first boot into Linux because wvdialconf recognises the modem but then the modem fails to respond with wvdial. Then the devices ttyUSB0-4 disappear! A reboot does not bring ttyUSB0-4 back again with all the same modules present! Only a boot into windows and then a boot straight into Linux will bring ttyUSB0-4 back! I suppose I've got a lot of searching to do I'll post any advances I have but appreciate any ideas you may have. thanks
ilb

[NeddySeagoon]

ilovebeer,

I suspect that windows provides firmware, or the USB ID of the device changes.
Do a cold boot into linux and run lsusb ... note the vendor and device IDs of the modem
Do a cold boot into windows then a reboot (without power cycling) into Linux.
Look at the the Vendor and device IDs. are they the same as the first time ?

Google confirms that many ZTE USB modems need firmware - get the right firmware for yours and put it in /lib/firmware

[ilovebeer]

Right on the money Neddy!

In Windows as follows vendor=0x19d2 product=0x0031
In Linux as follows vendor=0x19d2 product=0x2000 which is what I've been loading it with.

But all this means?

Thanks for firmware tip I'll start looking.

ilb

[NeddySeagoon]

ilovebeer,

This means the device ID changes when the firmware is loaded.

[kupusc]

Hi,

Your device is recognized as an usb storage. I had exactly the same problem with my ZTE MF100 modem. You should disable the storage option in the modem's chipset via AT commands. Then you will not need any hacking in modules.

Code: Select all

AT+ZCDRUN=8

if I remember correctly.

[pa4wdh]

Hi,

It seems you're having trouble with a fancy feature called "ZeroCD", this feature emulates a CD-ROM device to the host operating system which contains software to control the modem. However, i never saw any software for GNU/Linux there.

I have a ZTE MF638 stick here, for which i made a description in my GPRS HOWTO: http://www.xs4all.nl/~ernstagn/GPRS-HOW ... tml#ss3.14

The story in short:
- Your kernel needs SCSI and SCSI CD-ROM support in order to see your CD-ROM device (and of course the USB OPTION driver mentioned in this topic for the tty's)
- You can use the eject command (sys-apps/eject) to make it switch to "modem mode"
- After that you can use any PPP tool to make a dail-in connection

If your modem behaves the same as my MF628 you don't need any firmware.

Best regards,
pa4wdh