How do I get my T-Mobile GPRS dongle to work to get internet

Message

windowsuser · #1 Post by **windowsuser** » Sat 13 Mar 2010, 11:20

Ok, I am a newbie at Linux. Just now, after 2 days managed to boot into Puppy.
Now, I need to get my mobile broadband to work using my T-Mobile dongle (comes with web'n'walk manger) I selected setup>wireless internet using GPRS, then I entered my internet settings and it then gives a message to connect using the PGPRS in the Network menu.

But, there is no option in the Network menu for PGPRS.
What should I do?

dejan555 · #2 Post by **dejan555** » Sat 13 Mar 2010, 11:24

Refresh menus in terminal

Code: Select all

fixmenus && jwm -restart

Or type "pgprs-connect" in terminal and hit enter

windowsuser · #3 Post by **windowsuser** » Sat 13 Mar 2010, 11:29

Geez, that was a fast reply. Just what I was hoping for (after not getting a reply to my first question here I wasn't impressed, but now that has changed).

I will try it.

dejan555 · #4 Post by **dejan555** » Sat 13 Mar 2010, 11:33

There's a lot of stuff going on forum, we have a lot of new users every day, community is very kind and helpfull but with all that load on forum some posts may be skipped not noticed. Also, there's usually already somewhere answered.

windowsuser · #5 Post by **windowsuser** » Sat 13 Mar 2010, 11:54

Thanks. That worked and I got the PGPRS option listed, BUT when I try to connect it give me the message 'connection script failed'

After the 'defining PDP context'....... it gives another line about a script then it says 'status =0x3'

Do I have to somehow change a script or install another, and if so, how would I do that?

dejan555 · #6 Post by **dejan555** » Sat 13 Mar 2010, 11:57

Just try again, it usually has that error when trying to connect for the first time. If your modem is recognized and you entered correct device in setup dialog then should connect.

windowsuser · #7 Post by **windowsuser** » Sat 13 Mar 2010, 12:38

Tried a few times, same result. I am wondering if the card is recognised correctly. It shows 'ZCOptionHSUPA modem size 58 MB'

I have a Globetrotter GI4xx modem according to WindowsXP. It is a T-Mobile USB model 530 and should support HSDPA, the faster speed.

Also, it's weird it shows the size as 58MB. It's like it is recognising the memory card in the dongle.

I don't know what to do now. Also, I noticed the 'PGPRS setup' option does not do anything anylonger. I don't know if that is normal once it is set up.

windowsuser · #8 Post by **windowsuser** » Sat 13 Mar 2010, 13:51

Having googled and searched this forum again I think my problem is that the modem is being seen as a CD ROm. So, it looks like I need to download the usb_modeswitch file along with the pupdial-wireless file.

However, after reading the following page, it says Puppy 4.31 already has the downloads incorporated. So, how do I proceed to use modeswitch.
Any help appreciated.

http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=37828

dejan555 · #9 Post by **dejan555** » Sat 13 Mar 2010, 14:11

Best to ask in that thread then see if your exact model is mentioned there and if someone has it working.

looseSCREWorTWO · #10 Post by **looseSCREWorTWO** » Sun 14 Mar 2010, 06:06

G'day Windowsuser,
I also am a refugee from the world of Windows, and you are 100 percent right - most Operating Systems see a GPRS Modem as a CD. Windows XP certainly does. Puppy 4.2.1 also does and I know that because if I open up Pmount it shows the CD Drive as sr0 and my Huawei GPRS Modem as sr1. I've got the Modem working with Puppy 4.2.1 but it was "fiddly". I think the BIOS is involved somehow and also the version of Puppy you're using, plus whether it's a Retro Puppy or a non-retro Puppy.

GPRS Modems are catered-for in Puppy 4.2.1 onwards, so my approach was to

A.
Download the following Puppies:
4.2.1
4.2.1 Retro
4.3.1
4.3.1 Retro

B.
Run the md5sum program to ensure I had an error-free download of each one, then burn it to a CD

C.
Trying booting from each of the above Puppy CDs, then plug in the GPRS Modem and see if that Puppy could detect it. I find that Puppy 4.2.1 CAN detect it (via Pmount) but Puppy 4.2.1 Retro CANNOT detect it. Yet I have been able to get the Modem working under 4.2.1 Retro as well.

D. I then installed the 3G_Pupdial PET and the USB_Modeswitch PET and eventually I got the GPRS Modem working.

On some PCs the Modem needs to be plugged in at Boot-Up so that Puppy can detect it properly, but on other PCs, Puppy prefers to Boot without the Modem then have it plugged in when you're ready to use it.

I think it's a matter of trying out the different combinations of variables and eventually you'll get there.

windowsuser · #11 Post by **windowsuser** » Sun 14 Mar 2010, 08:02

Hi, Thanks. I'm glad to see someone with similar background solving the issue.

I am going to try that; the reason I didn't do it before is because over on the other 3g thread they mention this to another poster:
"You say you are using puppy 4.3.1 but have also installed 3G_pupdial-wireless 12! That is for older puppy versions and has the same capabilities as are built into 4.3.1. Please do not use either with puppy 4.3.1."

So, I may try their new pup files first (working in the dark here as maybe the poster's problem is too different to mine, but I noticed modeswitch mentioned in the filename of one of them). This thing has made me lose sleep.

windowsuser · #12 Post by **windowsuser** » Sun 14 Mar 2010, 09:46

Tried both ways with 4.31 and it doesn't work.
The thing is I am not sure if the config file has my modem listed, although I tried those that looked similar. Mine is a Globetrotter modem GI4xx according to Windows XP, and it is a T-mobile USB stick 530. It supports HSDPA according to the box description.

I am thinking to cut my losses (too much time spent) and try Linux Mint instead on my 1.8GHZ Mobile Celeron laptop, 512KB RAM. Then I will wait another 6 months for Puppy to get things right then try that again if I am in the mood. I will definitely try Puppy at some time on my older machine, Pentium MMX, 198MB RAM, although my impressions so far are mixed.

Thanks for your help.

Incidentally, I'm not too impressed with Puppy boot time. It's only 5 seconds faster than XP on frugal install (although shut down in half the time). I'm hoping it's much better relatively on my older machine which has Win95 and be able to get wireless working on that one. Also, no sound when playing HD .wmv file, and the video is a tad slower than Windows Media Player. What's very nice though is my cpu seems to throttle less, and less hard drive spin. I really wanted this to work as I like the idea of Linux use when on the internet for security purposes, and for the much talked about stability.
As an aside, Windows 7 blows everything away I have looked at so far, although I have yet to try any of the full distros.

dejan555 · #13 Post by **dejan555** » Sun 14 Mar 2010, 10:06

windowsuser, if it's recognized it will be listed in pgprs setup you have to put correct device in first field where it says /dev/yourmodem replace with /dev/ttyUSB0 (that's usually the one)

See attached screenshot

windowsuser · #14 Post by **windowsuser** » Mon 15 Mar 2010, 06:54

I had tried to do that, but cannot get into the PGPRS setup; the menu doesn't come up when clicked on. and, I think the modem is simply not detected as it gives the CD drive icon and modem name is wrong. I should have asked before if when switching correctly if the icon changes and the modem name changes, I was guessing it would.

dejan555 · #15 Post by **dejan555** » Mon 15 Mar 2010, 07:16

Oh, might be that gtk dialog bug that causes not to show up. Install this fix:
pgprs-1.3-patched.pet

windowsuser · #16 Post by **windowsuser** » Mon 15 Mar 2010, 08:28

Thnks. I got the setup menu back with that install. However, the USB modem is not detected. I get detected devices:dev/ttySO
I guess that's just the internal dial-up modem I have, not the USB.
I did try typing USB0, but of course no response.

tubby · #17 Post by **tubby** » Mon 15 Mar 2010, 08:56

Have you tried the Pupdial modem dial up in the network pulldown?, if so what response did you get?.

windowsuser · #18 Post by **windowsuser** » Mon 15 Mar 2010, 09:59

yes, I did try the pupdial. I got the response that modem detected, which appeared to be the internal dialup modem instead of the USB modem.

I checked that the modem is in hardware system info and it does show Globetrotter HSUPA modem, so it's definitely recognised as in the hardware.
I haven't edited any files in /udev. I have looked and don't know which of those files to edit for my modem, if any. I reinstalled the pup fix package so the cd icon no longer appears on the desktop (i.e. no modem showing on desktop) before trying pupdial and PGPRS setup.

tubby · #19 Post by **tubby** » Mon 15 Mar 2010, 15:36

Try a hot replug of the usb dongle, then do a reprobe sometimes it takes a couple of replugs and probes for the dongle to be recognised with WvDial.

rerwin · #20 Post by **rerwin** » Wed 17 Mar 2010, 03:35

windowsuser,
I just now found your posting in the 3G_pupdidal thread and responded here: http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 667#401667
The "Internet by dialup or wireless modem" option of the "connect" desktop icon is a separate function from the GPRS option below it. The dialup option is intended to be completely automatic in getting the modem switched and detected, for use in PupDial. You normally should not have to edit any files. With my latest updates, you can get a diagnostic file that can help me solve whatever is stopping the modem from being detected. But also follow the advice of those who have experience with those modems (as I do not have one).
Richard

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