LMDE - Mobile Broadband Can't Make Connection

[RHTopics]

Linux Mint Debian Edition 201009 Gnome i386

Using LMDE as a Live DVD, Network Manager can not make a mobile broadband connection.

Examining /var/log/syslog, I believe I found the problem which can be seen in this syslog extract:

Sep 12 18:45:58 mint NetworkManager[1939]: <info> Activation (ttyUSB0) starting connection 'Virgin Mobile / Helio connection'
Sep 12 18:45:58 mint NetworkManager[1939]: <info> (ttyUSB0): device state change: 3 -> 4 (reason 0)
Sep 12 18:45:58 mint NetworkManager[1939]: <info> Activation (ttyUSB0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) scheduled...
Sep 12 18:45:58 mint NetworkManager[1939]: <info> Activation (ttyUSB0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) started...
Sep 12 18:45:58 mint NetworkManager[1939]: <info> Activation (ttyUSB0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) complete.
Sep 12 18:45:58 mint modem-manager: Modem /org/freedesktop/ModemManager/Modems/0: state changed (registered -> connecting)
Sep 12 18:45:59 mint modem-manager: Modem /org/freedesktop/ModemManager/Modems/0: state changed (connecting -> connected)
Sep 12 18:45:59 mint NetworkManager[1939]: <info> Activation (ttyUSB0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) scheduled...
Sep 12 18:45:59 mint NetworkManager[1939]: <info> Activation (ttyUSB0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) starting...
Sep 12 18:45:59 mint NetworkManager[1939]: <info> (ttyUSB0): device state change: 4 -> 5 (reason 0)
Sep 12 18:45:59 mint NetworkManager[1939]: <info> Activation (ttyUSB0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) successful.
Sep 12 18:45:59 mint NetworkManager[1939]: <info> Activation (ttyUSB0) Stage 3 of 5 (IP Configure Start) scheduled.
Sep 12 18:45:59 mint NetworkManager[1939]: <info> Activation (ttyUSB0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) complete.
Sep 12 18:45:59 mint NetworkManager[1939]: <info> Activation (ttyUSB0) Stage 3 of 5 (IP Configure Start) started...
Sep 12 18:45:59 mint NetworkManager[1939]: <info> (ttyUSB0): device state change: 5 -> 7 (reason 0)
Sep 12 18:45:59 mint NetworkManager[1939]: <info> starting PPP connection
Sep 12 18:45:59 mint NetworkManager[1939]: <info> pppd started with pid 3240
Sep 12 18:45:59 mint NetworkManager[1939]: <info> Activation (ttyUSB0) Stage 3 of 5 (IP Configure Start) complete.
Sep 12 18:46:02 mint pppd[3240]: Plugin /usr/lib/pppd/2.4.5/nm-pppd-plugin.so is for pppd version 2.4.5, this is 2.4.4
Sep 12 18:46:02 mint NetworkManager[1939]: <warn> pppd pid 3240 exited with error: pppd options error
Sep 12 18:46:20 mint NetworkManager[1939]: <warn> pppd timed out or didn't initialize our dbus module

My mobile device is a Virgin Mobile Broadband2Go USB modem ( Novatel MC760).

I posted a message on the forum about this problem: http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=141&t=55058

One person responded that was using a Huawei E170 had the same experience.

Based on the syslog extract from above, I would think this would affect any one trying to use mobile broadband with the Live DVD.

[Ikey Doherty (ikey)]

I've confirmed this myself using this modem:
 Bus 001 Device 002: ID 12d1:1003 Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. E220 HSDPA Modem / E270 HSDPA/HSUPA Modem
I'm on the 3 network.
I've issued a complete guide on the Linux Mint forums for resolving this major problem,
which affects all Mobile Broadband, Dialup and PPPoE users, leaving them with absolutely
no connectivity upon boot or even on the livedvd.

Please read the following guide: http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=141&t=55320
It uses some complicated commands and is not newb-friendly in the slightest, however
its about the most sane fix at this moment.

On the LiveDVD the wrong version of ppp is installed, and does not match to what
network-manager requires. However, the network-manager package should have
selected the right version of ppp. I'll have to look into this deeply and decide
whether its a packaging fault or a distro maintainer fault.

For the mean time please consult the guide and I'll get back to you as soon
as I've made my decision.

Many thanks for reporting this bug, I'm sorry you were unable to connect
but by reporting this bug you are making Linux Mint a better distribution.

Kind Regards,
Ikey Doherty

[RHTopics (tyrht01)]

Ikey,

Thank you for the quick response to my bug report.

I found a work around solution until a new DVD iso has been released:

Using another way to get on the Internet:

    Do a "sudo apt-get install ppp" from a terminal window to install the latest version of ppp.

This will upgrade the following packages:

    network-manager-pptp
    network-manager-pptp-gnome
    ppp

Doing this allows mobile broadband to work using Network Manager.

I have saved these 3 packages on a USB stick so I will not have to download them again.

Thank you,

Robert

[Ikey Doherty (ikey)]

@RHTopics: No problem. BTW that was the purpose of my guide :)
It deals with people who cannot connect to the internet. But yes, thats
the exact command you need. I'm seriously thinking its a package issue
with -pptp but I need to pick them apart first.

[RHTopics (tyrht01)]

@Ikey: I should have read your guide before posting my comment. They do cover the same area.

Just to make sure what I posted would work after copying the 3 packages from
 /var/cache/apt/archives to an USB stick, I did the following steps:

    - rebooted the Live DVD
    - copied the 3 packages from the USB stick to /var/cache/apt/archives
    - did a "sudo apt-get install ppp"

I was then able to use Network Manager to make an Internet connection.

[Linuxexperte (andrea-koeth)]

hi people,

this can be a bug in network-manager, that I also found because also WLAN does not work for rt3090 or even rt2860-cards by default.

I found out, that this could be this thing here in NetowrkManager.conf:

    [main]
    plugins=ifupdown,keyfile
    dns=dnsmasq

    [ifupdown]
    managed=false

This last line is wrong! Ther you have to set the "fals" to "true".

Save these changes and retry to connect your mobile-devices.

Greetings
Linuxexperte