Telstra Turbo card (MF332 HSDPA Data Card) not supported

[Mark Carbonaro]

Binary package hint: network-manager

Attempting to use Telstra "Turbo card" in Ubuntu 8.10 without success. The card is detected and the "New Mobile Broadband" window appears to configure it, but on connection it immediately disconnects logging the following to daemon.log

Oct 31 14:37:33 itxtgmarkc NetworkManager: <info> Activation (ttyUSB0) starting connection 'Telstra (3G data pack)'
Oct 31 14:37:33 itxtgmarkc NetworkManager: <info> (ttyUSB0): device state change: 3 -> 4
Oct 31 14:37:33 itxtgmarkc NetworkManager: <info> Activation (ttyUSB0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) scheduled...
Oct 31 14:37:33 itxtgmarkc NetworkManager: <info> Activation (ttyUSB0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) started...
Oct 31 14:37:33 itxtgmarkc NetworkManager: <debug> [1225424253.408817] nm_serial_device_open(): (ttyUSB0) opening device...
Oct 31 14:37:33 itxtgmarkc NetworkManager: <info> Activation (ttyUSB0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) complete.
Oct 31 14:37:33 itxtgmarkc NetworkManager: <WARN> init_done(): Modem initialization failed
Oct 31 14:37:33 itxtgmarkc NetworkManager: <info> (ttyUSB0): device state change: 4 -> 9
Oct 31 14:37:33 itxtgmarkc NetworkManager: <debug> [1225424253.588735] nm_serial_device_close(): Closing device 'ttyUSB0'
Oct 31 14:37:33 itxtgmarkc NetworkManager: <info> Marking connection 'Telstra (3G data pack)' invalid.
Oct 31 14:37:33 itxtgmarkc NetworkManager: <info> Activation (ttyUSB0) failed.
Oct 31 14:37:33 itxtgmarkc NetworkManager: <info> (ttyUSB0): device state change: 9 -> 3
Oct 31 14:37:33 itxtgmarkc NetworkManager: <info> (ttyUSB0): deactivating device (reason: 0).
Oct 31 14:37:33 itxtgmarkc NetworkManager: nm_system_device_flush_ip4_routes_with_iface: assertion `iface_idx >= 0' failed
Oct 31 14:37:33 itxtgmarkc NetworkManager: nm_system_device_flush_ip4_addresses_with_iface: assertion `iface_idx >= 0' failed

This card is very popular in Australia, our small company has around 20 of these cards so it would be nice to get support added.

Below is the output of "lshal -u `hal-find-by-capability --capability modem`"

udi = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/usb_device_19d2_1_noserial_if0_serial_usb_0'
  info.capabilities = {'serial', 'modem'} (string list)
  info.category = 'serial' (string)
  info.parent = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/usb_device_19d2_1_noserial_if0' (string)
  info.product = 'ZTE CDMA Technologies MSM' (string)
  info.subsystem = 'tty' (string)
  info.udi = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/usb_device_19d2_1_noserial_if0_serial_usb_0' (string)
  linux.device_file = '/dev/ttyUSB0' (string)
  linux.hotplug_type = 2 (0x2) (int)
  linux.subsystem = 'tty' (string)
  linux.sysfs_path = '/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1e.0/0000:03:0b.0/0000:04:00.0/usb6/6-1/6-1:1.0/ttyUSB0/tty/ttyUSB0' (string)
  modem.command_sets = {'GSM-07.07', 'GSM-07.05'} (string list)
  serial.device = '/dev/ttyUSB0' (string)
  serial.originating_device = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/usb_device_19d2_1_noserial_if0' (string)
  serial.port = 0 (0x0) (int)
  serial.type = 'usb' (string)

[Alexander Sack (asac)]

please attach the serial log as described here:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/DebuggingNetworkManager#Serial%20Log%20(Mobile%20Broadband)

[Mark Carbonaro (mark-carbonaro)]

Attached is the serial log as requested

[Mark Carbonaro (mark-carbonaro)]

I found this forum post about getting the card working manually...

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=645115&r=10596608#r10596608

I have gotten this working on another linux machine manually, it was a pain and certainly not a convenient way to do it, but it would be nice to have it work automagically via network-manager. =)

[Alexander Sack (asac)]

is ttyUSB0 the right interface at all?

[Mark Carbonaro (mark-carbonaro)]

I think so, but looking at dmesg I noticed that when I connect the device I get two USB serial devices (ttyUSB0 and ttyUSB1) as can be seen below.

I have connected to both via minicom and they both respond to "AT" with "OK".

Using ttyUSB0 I did the following:
input: AT+CPIN?
response: +CPIN: SIM PIN
response:
response: OK
input: AT+CPIN=9999
response: OK
input: AT&F
response: +ZDONR: "Not Found"
response:
response: +ZPASR: "No Service"
response:
response: +ZDONR: "Telstra",505,1,"CS_ONLY","ROAM_OFF"
response:
response: +ZPASR: "UMTS"
response:
response: +ZDONR: "Telstra",505,1,"CS_ONLY","ROAM_OFF"
response:
response: +ZPASR: "UMTS"
response:
response: +ZDONR: "Telstra",505,1,"CS_PS","ROAM_OFF"
response:
response: +ZPASR: "UMTS"
response:
response: +ZUSIMR:2
.. the above response is repeated every second
input: ATD*99#
response: CONNECT

After the CONNECT I no longer get any response from minicom key inputs. So I fired up another instance of minicom connected to ttyUSB1 and I was able to enter commands all the while getting "+ZUSIMR:2" echoed to the screen. So I issued an ath on ttyUSB1 and ttyUSB0 start responding again (and outputting "+ZUSIMR:2").

I also tried the same thing swapping ttyUSB0 and ttyUSB1, it didn't make any difference.

So hopefully to answer your questions, I believe ttyUSB0 would be valid.

dmeg output:
Nov 3 11:38:21 itxtgmarkc kernel: [ 7863.256112] pccard: CardBus card inserted into slot 0
Nov 3 11:38:21 itxtgmarkc kernel: [ 7863.256291] pci 0000:04:00.0: PME# supported from D0 D1 D2 D3hot
Nov 3 11:38:21 itxtgmarkc kernel: [ 7863.256301] pci 0000:04:00.0: PME# disabled
Nov 3 11:38:21 itxtgmarkc kernel: [ 7863.258305] ohci_hcd 0000:04:00.0: enabling device (0000 -> 0002)
Nov 3 11:38:21 itxtgmarkc kernel: [ 7863.258419] ohci_hcd 0000:04:00.0: PCI INT A -> GSI 21 (level, low) -> IRQ 21
Nov 3 11:38:21 itxtgmarkc kernel: [ 7863.258463] ohci_hcd 0000:04:00.0: OHCI Host Controller
Nov 3 11:38:21 itxtgmarkc kernel: [ 7863.262576] ohci_hcd 0000:04:00.0: new USB bus registered, assigned bus number 6
Nov 3 11:38:21 itxtgmarkc kernel: [ 7863.264515] ohci_hcd 0000:04:00.0: irq 21, io mem 0xc8000000
Nov 3 11:38:21 itxtgmarkc kernel: [ 7863.322295] usb usb6: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
Nov 3 11:38:21 itxtgmarkc kernel: [ 7863.323061] hub 6-0:1.0: USB hub found
Nov 3 11:38:21 itxtgmarkc kernel: [ 7863.323361] hub 6-0:1.0: 3 ports detected
Nov 3 11:38:26 itxtgmarkc kernel: [ 7867.745901] usb 6-1: new full speed USB device using ohci_hcd and address 2
Nov 3 11:38:26 itxtgmarkc kernel: [ 7867.974917] usb 6-1: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
Nov 3 11:38:26 itxtgmarkc kernel: [ 7867.978521] option 6-1:1.0: GSM modem (1-port) converter detected
Nov 3 11:38:26 itxtgmarkc kernel: [ 7867.980485] usb 6-1: GSM modem (1-port) converter now attached to ttyUSB0
Nov 3 11:38:26 itxtgmarkc kernel: [ 7867.993464] option 6-1:1.1: GSM modem (1-port) converter detected
Nov 3 11:38:26 itxtgmarkc kernel: [ 7867.994069] usb 6-1: GSM modem (1-port) converter now attached to ttyUSB1

[geoffScott (geoffs)]

I've had this card working perfectly for about 1 year using this:
cat /etc/ppp/peers/ppp0
connect "/usr/sbin/chat -v -f /etc/chatscripts/ppp0"
/dev/ttyUSB0
115200
user "<email address hidden>"
defaultroute

persist

usepeerdns

plus the following here:

:/$ cat /etc/chatscripts/ppp0
ABORT BUSY
ABORT 'NO CARRIER'
ABORT ERROR
REPORT CONNECT
TIMEOUT 10
"" "AT+CPIN?"
READY-AT+CPIN=4644-OK "AT&F"
OK "ATE1"
OK "AT+CGDCONT=1,\042IP\042,\042telstra.pcpack\042"
SAY "Calling Telstra NextG\n"
TIMEOUT 60
OK "ATD*99#"
CONNECT \c

surely with this info network manager can be made to work?

[JRobbo (n-launchpad-jrobbo-com)]

I've actually managed to get this going, but it takes a little bit of fiddling to get it going. Once you are connected though, it works fine.

I identified 3 separate problems with trying to get my MF332 going using NetworkManager in Ubuntu 8.10

1) I found that I had to disable the PIN on the SIM card. The only way I know how to do that is by using the Telstra Turbo Card Manager in Windows XP, under options-> security settings. This only needs to be done once

2) The second problem is that sometimes (but not always), after plugging the modem in, it needs to be reset, otherwise it just sits there sending back a short string every second or 2. I've just been using the miniterm in KPPP to reset it, but I suspect that simply typing "echo ATZ >> /dev/ttyUSB0" will do it too, although I am yet to confirm this

3) The third problem is that sometimes (but again not always) it would connect successfully, but I could not get anywhere on the web. It turns out that the dns server addresses were not being updated in /etc/resolv.conf. Unfortunately, NetworkManager overwrites this file, so you can't just set and forget. If you manage to connect, but can't reach any websites, you either need to try disconnecting/reconnecting to see if the dns servers got added (cat /etc/resolv.conf) or manually enter "nameserver 203.50.2.71" and "nameserver 139.130.4.4" to /etc/resolv.conf each time.

I will do some more investigation into this to see if I can automate, but at least it's working for now. I'm typing this message now while using my MF332 modem.

Cheers

John

[Alexander Sack (asac)]

geoffScott wrote:
> I've had this card working perfectly for about 1 year using this:
> cat /etc/ppp/peers/ppp0
> connect "/usr/sbin/chat -v -f /etc/chatscripts/ppp0"
> /dev/ttyUSB0
> 115200
> user "<email address hidden>"
> defaultroute
>
> persist
>
> usepeerdns
>
> plus the following here:
>
> :/$ cat /etc/chatscripts/ppp0
> ABORT BUSY
> ABORT 'NO CARRIER'
> ABORT ERROR
> REPORT CONNECT
> TIMEOUT 10
> "" "AT+CPIN?"
> READY-AT+CPIN=4644-OK "AT&F"
> OK "ATE1"
> OK "AT+CGDCONT=1,\042IP\042,\042telstra.pcpack\042"
> SAY "Calling Telstra NextG\n"
> TIMEOUT 60
> OK "ATD*99#"
> CONNECT \c
>
> surely with this info network manager can be made to work?
>
>
networkmanager cannot do special stuff for specific drivers yet. we have
to wait for modemmanager for that.

you can stop NM and then start it with NM_SERIAL_DEBUG=1 set in env. to
get AT commands NM actually sends. please check what happens if you use
those.

[Victor Vargas (kamus)]

Since this report have a long time without activity, could you check (if is possible) in latest version included in Karmic if this issue is still happening? Thanks in advance.

[Mark Carbonaro (mark-carbonaro)]

I just checked with 9.10 and it's not working, same status as before.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for network-manager (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]