Huawei E173 does not switch to modem mode after uparge to 12.04LTS (in 11.10 worked well out of box)

[Peter Fodrek]

sudo lsusb -vvv

Bus 002 Device 004: ID 12d1:1c0b Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
Device Descriptor:
  bLength 18
  bDescriptorType 1
  bcdUSB 2.00
  bDeviceClass 0 (Defined at Interface level)
  bDeviceSubClass 0
  bDeviceProtocol 0
  bMaxPacketSize0 64
  idVendor 0x12d1 Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
  idProduct 0x1c0b
  bcdDevice 1.02
  iManufacturer 2 HUAWEI
  iProduct 1 HUAWEI Mobile
  iSerial 0
  bNumConfigurations 1
  Configuration Descriptor:
    bLength 9
    bDescriptorType 2
    wTotalLength 55
    bNumInterfaces 2
    bConfigurationValue 1
    iConfiguration 0
    bmAttributes 0x80
      (Bus Powered)
    MaxPower 500mA
    Interface Descriptor:
      bLength 9
      bDescriptorType 4
      bInterfaceNumber 0
      bAlternateSetting 0
      bNumEndpoints 2
      bInterfaceClass 8 Mass Storage
      bInterfaceSubClass 6 SCSI
      bInterfaceProtocol 80 Bulk-Only
      iInterface 0
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength 7
        bDescriptorType 5
        bEndpointAddress 0x0f EP 15 OUT
        bmAttributes 2
          Transfer Type Bulk
          Synch Type None
          Usage Type Data
        wMaxPacketSize 0x0200 1x 512 bytes
        bInterval 0
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength 7
        bDescriptorType 5
        bEndpointAddress 0x8f EP 15 IN
        bmAttributes 2
          Transfer Type Bulk
          Synch Type None
          Usage Type Data
        wMaxPacketSize 0x0200 1x 512 bytes
        bInterval 0
    Interface Descriptor:
      bLength 9
      bDescriptorType 4
      bInterfaceNumber 1
      bAlternateSetting 0
      bNumEndpoints 2
      bInterfaceClass 8 Mass Storage
      bInterfaceSubClass 6 SCSI
      bInterfaceProtocol 80 Bulk-Only
      iInterface 0
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength 7
        bDescriptorType 5
        bEndpointAddress 0x0e EP 14 OUT
        bmAttributes 2
          Transfer Type Bulk
          Synch Type None
          Usage Type Data
        wMaxPacketSize 0x0200 1x 512 bytes
        bInterval 0
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength 7
        bDescriptorType 5
        bEndpointAddress 0x8e EP 14 IN
        bmAttributes 2
          Transfer Type Bulk
          Synch Type None
          Usage Type Data
        wMaxPacketSize 0x0200 1x 512 bytes
        bInterval 0
Device Qualifier (for other device speed):
  bLength 10
  bDescriptorType 6
  bcdUSB 2.00
  bDeviceClass 0 (Defined at Interface level)
  bDeviceSubClass 0
  bDeviceProtocol 0
  bMaxPacketSize0 64
  bNumConfigurations 1
Device Status: 0x0000

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
Package: usb-modeswitch 1.2.3+repack0-1ubuntu2
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-24.38-generic 3.2.16
Uname: Linux 3.2.0-24-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: openafs nvidia wl
ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu7
Architecture: amd64
Date: Tue May 8 19:46:13 2012
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 11.10 "Oneiric Ocelot" - Release amd64 (20111012)
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=sk_SK:sk:cs_CZ:en_GB:en
 TERM=xterm
 PATH=(custom, user)
 LANG=sk_SK.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: usb-modeswitch
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to precise on 2012-04-27 (11 days ago)
mtime.conffile..etc.usb.modeswitch.conf: 2012-05-06T17:28:44.021440

[GreDi (gdeneka)]

Hi,

I have the exact same problem.

The solution is:
* Insert usb modem Huawei E173 into usb port
* As uid root:
modprobe -r usbserial
modprobe -v usbserial vendor=0x12d1 product=0x1c08

This works for me.

[Didier Raboud (odyx)]

Josh: Looks weird to me, these usbserial modprobe's shouldn't be needed, right?

[Josua Dietze (digidietze)]

This problem *may* be related to bug #990337 - driver loading failed there because of an issue with finding "modprobe" on the system. AFAIK this is limited to the C wrapper, so if it is the same problem it is Ubuntu-only.

To be sure, we would need to see a log for the mode switching.

Bug reporter (or someone else with the problem), can you please enable logging in /etc/usb_modeswitch.conf and post the resulting log after the next modem plug-in?

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Josua Dietze (digidietze)]

Again:

Please post a log of the mode-switching process. See post #4.

[Hanine HAMZIOUI (hanynowsky)]

I have the same problem in Ubuntu 12.04 Precise AMD64 under Unity.
The modem connects only if I disconnect it and plug it off then on.
Let's add that the modem does not switch to modem mode in 12.10 Quantal at all.

Output of command : lsusb :
Bus 002 Device 006: ID 12d1:1c05 Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here is the log of: usb_modeswitch found under /var/log :

USB_ModeSwitch log from Thu Sep 27 12:11:07 2012

Using global config file: /etc/usb_modeswitch.conf

Raw args from udev: /2-1.2:1.0

Bus ID for device not given by udev.
 Trying to determine it from kernel name (2-1.2:1.0) ...
Using top device dir /sys/bus/usb/devices/2-1.2

USB dir exists: /sys/bus/usb/devices/2-1.2
Warning: USB attribute "serial" not readable.

SCSI dir exists: /sys/bus/usb/devices/2-1.2
Warning: SCSI attribute "vendor" not readable.
Warning: SCSI attribute "model" not readable.
Warning: SCSI attribute "rev" not readable.
----------------
USB values from sysfs:
  idVendor 12d1
  idProduct 1c0b
  manufacturer HUAWEI
  product HUAWEI Mobile
  serial (null)
  bNumConfigurations 1
----------------
bNumConfigurations is 1 - don't check for active configuration
Found packed config collection /usr/share/usb_modeswitch/configPack.tar.gz
Searching entries named: /usr/share/usb_modeswitch/12d1:1c0b*
Searching overriding entries named: /etc/usb_modeswitch.d/12d1:1c0b*
SCSI attributes not needed, moving on.

Extracting config 12d1:1c0b from collection /usr/share/usb_modeswitch/configPack.tar.gz
config: TargetVendor set to 12d1
config: TargetProduct set to 1c05,1c07,1c08
Driver module is "option", ID path is /sys/bus/usb-serial/drivers/option1
! matched, now switching
Command to be run:
/usr/sbin/usb_modeswitch -I -W -D -s 20 -c /run/usb_modeswitch/current_cfg -u -1 -v 12d1 -p 1c0b 2>&1

Verbose debug output of usb_modeswitch and libusb follows
(Note that some USB errors are expected in the process)
--------------------------------

Reading config file: /run/usb_modeswitch/current_cfg

 * usb_modeswitch: handle USB devices with multiple modes
 * Version 1.2.3 (C) Josua Dietze 2012
 * Based on libusb0 (0.1.12 and above)

 ! PLEASE REPORT NEW CONFIGURATIONS !

DefaultVendor= 0x12d1
DefaultProduct= 0x1c0b
TargetVendor= 0x12d1
TargetProduct= not set
TargetClass= not set
TargetProductList="1c05,1c07,1c08"

DetachStorageOnly=0
HuaweiMode=0
SierraMode=0
SonyMode=0
QisdaMode=0
GCTMode=0
KobilMode=0
SequansMode=0
MobileActionMode=0
CiscoMode=0
MessageEndpoint= not set
MessageContent="55534243123456780000000000000011062000000100000000000000000000"
NeedResponse=0
ResponseEndpoint= not set

InquireDevice disabled
Success check enabled, max. wait time 20 seconds
System integration mode enabled

Looking for target devices ...
  searching devices, found USB ID 12d1:1c0b
   found matching vendor ID
  searching devices, found USB ID 8087:0024
  searching devices, found USB ID 1d6b:0002
  searching devices, found USB ID 0408:2fb1
  searching devices, found USB ID 8087:0024
  searching devices, found USB ID 1d6b:0002
 No devices in target mode or class found
Looking for default devices ......

[Hanine HAMZIOUI (hanynowsky)]

@GreDi (gdeneka) #2
What do you mean by uid root? sudo -s ?

if I type : sudo modprobe -r usbserial

Then I get an error:
Fatal: module usbserial is in use.

[Hanine HAMZIOUI (hanynowsky)]

Bug reported against Ubuntu 12.10 QUantal: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/modemmanager/+bug/1057186
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In a forum, a user ( http://www.draisberghof.de/usb_modeswitch/bb/viewtopic.php?t=960 ) has the same issue and could issue a successful mode switch with this command:

sudo /usr/sbin/usb_modeswitch -I -W -s 10 -c "<path-to>/12d1:1446" -v 12d1 -p 1446

I did the same :
unzipping configPack in /usr/share/usb_modeswitch and type the command:

sudo /usr/sbin/usb_modeswitch -I -W -s 10 -c "/usr/share/usb_modeswitch/configPack/12d1:1c0b" -v 12d1 -p 1c05

but I get a switch mode fail (seet attachment).

[GreDi (gdeneka)]

1) Turn on usb_modeswitch logging
# diff /etc/usb_modeswitch.conf-ORG /etc/usb_modeswitch.conf
19c19
< EnableLogging=0
---
> EnableLogging=1
2) Plug in modem
3) Display log
# less /var/log/usb_modeswitch.log
4) Initiate usbserial module with the following options:
# modprobe -v usbserial vendor=0x12d1 product=0x1c08
5) Now modem works.

[Josua Dietze (digidietze)]

GreDi,

your log shows that this problem is indeed the same as in bug #990337.

A fix is on the way.