Huawei modem only intermittently detected on Lenovo E550

[Duncan Bayne]

I'm running Mint 17.1 Rebecca, 64-bit cinnamon. Kernel details:

Linux duncan-thinkpad-edge 3.13.0-37-generic #64-Ubuntu SMP Mon Sep 22 21:28:38 UTC 2014 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

I have configured a mobile broadband connection using an Optus-branded Huawei USB modem (ID 12d1:1506 Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. E398 LTE/UMTS/GSM Modem/Networkcard). This device works reliably on a Lenovo L520, running the same version of Linux Mint.

However, on my Lenovo E550, the modem is only rarely detected correctly upon plugging in. Occasionally, I see the following message in the GUI, but it's usually silent failure:

"(1) Creating object for path '/org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/ActiveConnection/8' failed in libnm-glib."

The workaround is to wait a while, unplug it, and plug it back in. After around half a dozen attempts, it's detected and I can connect to the network.

Output from dmesg when it works:

[ 34.656621] usb 2-3: new high-speed USB device number 4 using xhci_hcd
[ 34.673672] usb 2-3: New USB device found, idVendor=12d1, idProduct=14fe
[ 34.673681] usb 2-3: New USB device strings: Mfr=2, Product=1, SerialNumber=0
[ 34.673686] usb 2-3: Product: HUAWEI Mobile
[ 34.673690] usb 2-3: Manufacturer: HUAWEI Technology
[ 34.748486] usb-storage 2-3:1.0: USB Mass Storage device detected
[ 34.748537] scsi3 : usb-storage 2-3:1.0
[ 34.748591] usb-storage 2-3:1.1: USB Mass Storage device detected
[ 34.748621] scsi4 : usb-storage 2-3:1.1
[ 34.748675] usbcore: registered new interface driver usb-storage
[ 35.747717] scsi 3:0:0:0: CD-ROM HUAWEI Mass Storage 2.31 PQ: 0 ANSI: 2
[ 35.747932] scsi 4:0:0:0: Direct-Access HUAWEI TF CARD Storage 2.31 PQ: 0 ANSI: 2
[ 35.749008] sr1: scsi-1 drive
[ 35.749554] sr 3:0:0:0: Attached scsi CD-ROM sr1
[ 35.750240] sr 3:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg2 type 5
[ 35.750760] sd 4:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg3 type 0
[ 35.758426] sd 4:0:0:0: [sdb] Attached SCSI removable disk
[ 35.760758] systemd-udevd[2534]: Failed to apply ACL on /dev/sr1: No such file or directory
[ 35.760768] systemd-udevd[2534]: Failed to apply ACL on /dev/sr1: No such file or directory
[ 35.767982] usb 2-3: USB disconnect, device number 4
[ 66.020719] usb 2-3: new high-speed USB device number 5 using xhci_hcd
[ 66.037852] usb 2-3: New USB device found, idVendor=12d1, idProduct=1506
[ 66.037861] usb 2-3: New USB device strings: Mfr=2, Product=1, SerialNumber=0
[ 66.037866] usb 2-3: Product: HUAWEI Mobile
[ 66.037870] usb 2-3: Manufacturer: HUAWEI Technology
[ 66.043117] usb-storage 2-3:1.3: USB Mass Storage device detected
[ 66.043481] scsi5 : usb-storage 2-3:1.3
[ 66.043788] usb-storage 2-3:1.4: USB Mass Storage device detected
[ 66.043990] scsi6 : usb-storage 2-3:1.4
[ 66.044950] systemd-udevd[2534]: timeout 'cdrom_id --lock-media /dev/sr1'
[ 66.048601] systemd-udevd[2534]: Failed to apply ACL on /dev/sr1: No such file or directory
[ 66.048618] systemd-udevd[2534]: Failed to apply ACL on /dev/sr1: No such file or directory
[ 66.076741] usbcore: registered new interface driver usbserial
[ 66.076756] usbcore: registered new interface driver usbserial_generic
[ 66.076767] usbserial: USB Serial support registered for generic
[ 66.083218] usbcore: registered new interface driver option
[ 66.083228] usbserial: USB Serial support registered for GSM modem (1-port)
[ 66.083285] option 2-3:1.0: GSM modem (1-port) converter detected
[ 66.083344] usb 2-3: GSM modem (1-port) converter now attached to ttyUSB0
[ 66.083358] option 2-3:1.1: GSM modem (1-port) converter detected
[ 66.083393] usb 2-3: GSM modem (1-port) converter now attached to ttyUSB1
[ 66.087093] usbcore: registered new interface driver cdc_ncm
[ 66.089030] usbcore: registered new interface driver cdc_wdm
[ 66.092213] huawei_cdc_ncm 2-3:1.2: MAC-Address: 0c:5b:8f:27:9a:64
[ 66.092262] huawei_cdc_ncm 2-3:1.2: cdc-wdm0: USB WDM device
[ 66.092458] huawei_cdc_ncm 2-3:1.2 wwan0: register 'huawei_cdc_ncm' at usb-0000:00:14.0-3, Huawei CDC NCM device, 0c:5b:8f:27:9a:64
[ 66.092488] usbcore: registered new interface driver huawei_cdc_ncm
[ 67.039772] scsi 6:0:0:0: Direct-Access HUAWEI TF CARD Storage 2.31 PQ: 0 ANSI: 2
[ 67.039913] scsi 5:0:0:0: CD-ROM HUAWEI Mass Storage 2.31 PQ: 0 ANSI: 2
[ 67.039935] sd 6:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg2 type 0
[ 67.041096] sr1: scsi-1 drive
[ 67.041157] sd 6:0:0:0: [sdb] Attached SCSI removable disk
[ 67.041221] sr 5:0:0:0: Attached scsi CD-ROM sr1
[ 67.041292] sr 5:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg3 type 5

Output from dmesg when it *doesn't* work:

[ 2443.540434] usb 2-3: new high-speed USB device number 7 using xhci_hcd
[ 2443.557048] usb 2-3: New USB device found, idVendor=12d1, idProduct=14fe
[ 2443.557051] usb 2-3: New USB device strings: Mfr=2, Product=1, SerialNumber=0
[ 2443.557053] usb 2-3: Product: HUAWEI Mobile
[ 2443.557054] usb 2-3: Manufacturer: HUAWEI Technology
[ 2443.597276] usb-storage 2-3:1.0: USB Mass Storage device detected
[ 2443.597339] scsi9 : usb-storage 2-3:1.0
[ 2443.597448] usb-storage 2-3:1.1: USB Mass Storage device detected
[ 2443.597488] scsi10 : usb-storage 2-3:1.1
[ 2444.597972] scsi 9:0:0:0: CD-ROM HUAWEI Mass Storage 2.31 PQ: 0 ANSI: 2
[ 2444.598171] scsi 10:0:0:0: Direct-Access HUAWEI TF CARD Storage 2.31 PQ: 0 ANSI: 2
[ 2444.598982] sr1: scsi-1 drive
[ 2444.599498] sr 9:0:0:0: Attached scsi CD-ROM sr1
[ 2444.600460] sr 9:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg2 type 5
[ 2444.600679] sd 10:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg3 type 0
[ 2444.603354] sd 10:0:0:0: [sdb] Attached SCSI removable disk
[ 2444.632598] quiet_error: 4 callbacks suppressed
[ 2444.632602] Buffer I/O error on device sr1, logical block 16
[ 2444.632607] Buffer I/O error on device sr1, logical block 16
[ 2444.632619] Buffer I/O error on device sr1, logical block 16
[ 2444.632622] Buffer I/O error on device sr1, logical block 16
[ 2444.632626] Buffer I/O error on device sr1, logical block 16
[ 2444.632630] Buffer I/O error on device sr1, logical block 8
[ 2444.632634] Buffer I/O error on device sr1, logical block 8
[ 2444.632636] Buffer I/O error on device sr1, logical block 8
[ 2444.632639] Buffer I/O error on device sr1, logical block 8
[ 2444.632642] Buffer I/O error on device sr1, logical block 8
[ 2444.637146] systemd-udevd[10386]: Failed to apply ACL on /dev/sr1: No such file or directory
[ 2444.637159] systemd-udevd[10386]: Failed to apply ACL on /dev/sr1: No such file or directory
[ 2444.650270] systemd-udevd[10386]: Failed to apply ACL on /dev/sr1: No such file or directory
[ 2444.650278] systemd-udevd[10386]: Failed to apply ACL on /dev/sr1: No such file or directory

[Duncan Bayne (dhgbayne)]

I've noticed that when things do start working, the following also crops up in dmesg, at least sometimes:

[10354.823013] init: usb-modeswitch-upstart main process (12180) terminated with status 1

May be relevant.

[Duncan Bayne (dhgbayne)]

I can confirm this behaviour still happens on 17.2 on the E550, and still doesn't happen on 17.2 on the L520.

[Duncan Bayne (dhgbayne)]

I've upgraded the kernel to:

Linux duncan-e550 4.2.1-040201-generic #201509211431 SMP Mon Sep 21 18:34:44 UTC 2015 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

.... which fixed a few other issues with the machine like suspend / resume behaviour, but the intermittent modem detection persists.

[Duncan Bayne (dhgbayne)]

I've upgraded to a fresh installation of Linux Mint 17.3, and the bug persists.

Linux duncan-e550 3.19.0-59-generic #66~14.04.1-Ubuntu SMP Fri May 13 17:27:10 UTC 2016 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

[Duncan Bayne (dhgbayne)]

I thought I'd take a look at the ModemManager logs while reproducing the bug.

ModemManager[3865]: <warn> (ttyUSB0): could not re-acquire serial port lock: (5) Input/output error

At this point I tried removing and inserting the device several times, monitoring dmesg inbetween, to see if the modeswitch happened. dmesg showed that it was mounting as a USB drive, but nothing more.

I then killed ModemManager, which restarted:

ModemManager[11409]: <info> ModemManager (version 1.0.0) starting...
ModemManager[11409]: <warn> Couldn't find support for device at '/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:19.0': not supported by any plugin
ModemManager[11409]: <warn> Couldn't find support for device at '/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1c.2/0000:04:00.0': not supported by any plugin

I then removed and reinserted the device several times. dmesg again showed that it was mounting as a USB drive, and tellingly there were _no_ additional ModemManager logs during this time.

Eventually (perhaps on the sixth attempt?) the modeswitch happened and the modem became available. ModemManager logs at this point looked like:

ModemManager[11409]: <warn> (ttyUSB1): port attributes not fully set
ModemManager[11409]: <warn> (ttyUSB0): port attributes not fully set
(ModemManager:11409): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 18 was not found when attempting to remove it
(ModemManager:11409): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 20 was not found when attempting to remove it
ModemManager[11409]: <warn> (ttyUSB1): port attributes not fully set
(ModemManager:11409): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 25 was not found when attempting to remove it
ModemManager[11409]: <info> Creating modem with plugin 'Huawei' and '2' ports
ModemManager[11409]: <warn> (ttyUSB1): port attributes not fully set
ModemManager[11409]: <info> Modem for device at '/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb1/1-3' successfully created
ModemManager[11409]: <warn> couldn't load Supported Modes: 'Couldn't retrieve supported modes'
ModemManager[11409]: <warn> couldn't load list of Own Numbers: 'Not found'
ModemManager[11409]: Invalid mobile equipment error code: 50
ModemManager[11409]: <info> Modem: state changed (unknown -> disabled)

[Duncan Bayne (dhgbayne)]

I've been unable to reproduce this, so far, on the same hardware with Linux Mint 18 (Rosa).

Linux duncan-e550 4.4.0-21-generic #37-Ubuntu SMP Mon Apr 18 18:33:37 UTC 2016 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

[Duncan Bayne (dhgbayne)]

Turns out I can reproduce it on Linux Mint 18 (Rosa). It's just rarer than on 17.3.

[Jethro_uk (jethro-uk)]

Have noticed this with a K4511 on an HP ProBook 650-G1 running 64-bit 17.3 Mint

http://www.debianuserforums.org/viewtopic.php?f=56&t=3528&p=31962#p31962