How to use ZTE 3G USB dongle modem?

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davelectronic
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How to use ZTE 3G USB dongle modem?

#1 Post by davelectronic »

Hi to the community.
My first post as a newbie, wanting to update and move forward with my new Lucid Puppy installation to the HDD, ive googled this a fare bit but nothing as yet.

So how can i configure or connect a usb modem ZTE dongle to the system, ive seen things like pull the drivers off Windows, but cant see that working, can anyone help me get connected please.

Many Thanks.

Dave. :)

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nilsonmorales
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#2 Post by nilsonmorales »

good people can help in irc chat channel #puppylinux
see this post http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=68086

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davelectronic
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#3 Post by davelectronic »

Thanks for the link, but i am not multiple lingual, i was looking into this i found, but unsure if its usable for what i am looking for, link below, thanks for looking, feed back appreciated. :)

http://www.backtrack-linux.org/forums/s ... hp?t=39211

http://www.sakis3g.org/

Thanks for looking. :)

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Semme
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#4 Post by Semme »

Hi Dave, Welcome to Puppy. Have you tried PupDial inside the "connect" icon on your desktop?
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Fossil
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#5 Post by Fossil »

Hi Dave,
Welcome. I see you are using Lucid: more info on your computer system does help - laptop, desktop, etc. Your locality in the world might give a slightly different result depending upon local providers, but I've had success using a ZTE MF112 3G modem using this method. I'm in the UK.
Click on 'Connect'.
Internet Connection Wizard. Choose 'Internet dialup, analog or wireless modem'.
Pupdial test. The modem should be detected.

Account 1.
Phone Access number. *99# (that's, star 99 hash, no spaces )
Username. 3g
Wireless APN. 3internet
Password. 3g

Tick box Auto Reconnect.

A short USB extension lead with the modem clear of the computer and of any obstructions, preferably close to a window or higher in the house/loft, gives a stronger signal.

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davelectronic
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#6 Post by davelectronic »

Thanks for the greetings guys.
Ok sorry ive been a while, more detail as you say, yes the 3G Dongle is a ZTE MF627 on three net work, i use it on Windows XP and Vista, straight forward for that.

More on my systems, ive two Compaq Ipaq light legacy machines from around 2000 millennium, they where running Windows NT as work stations.

A bit of TLC to bring them back into service, good strip clean, new heat sink compound re seat the CPU's maxed out the memory to 512 MB the CPU speed is 500 MHZ Pentium III in both units, 4 MB Video memory, no upgrade options as no slots SFF systems, but ideal host for puppy i think.

Since installing puppy on clean 40 GB HDD the systems are very responsive and run the applications very well.

As so far ive managed some progress, i put the dongle in boot up go to the desk top connect and was presented with a window showing dial up detail, and the dongle was detected, but there is one string of drivers already but it says the last driver is absent, i was given the option to scan the system interfaces to look for the hard ware and missing driver.

Then once the scan finished i was shown another window with a huge list of drivers in it, none as yet fit the missing one, ive tried lots that look viable with the option to unload them if they don't work, ive also been offered a window option to in put the driver manually, so its not a dead end, ive searched my Windows Vista program files and found the driver files, but no idea which one it is that's missing.

I don't know if a manually in put driver could be unmounted or not, so ive hit a wall, i have tried removing the dongle boot with it in place and waited for start up to settle then introduced it then, but still the same out come.

The scan network wizard is seeing other hardware, Ethernet is one example it see's the sound system plus loads of other driver, ive also tried the probe which searches for the driver, it makes a guesstimate at best, then says no new devices found, so i unmounted it, that's it really as far as ive got, one driver between the no connection, very frustrating, i have googled it to death for an answer, but found only snippets here and there.

I am a hardware tech not a computer IT programer, if i need to put complex binary and other data in and work it out i doubt i can do it.

Late starter in the world of computing IT etc. Long post i know but its a tall order, cant the ace's in IT just expand a bit and allow more infrastructure for wireless connectivity.

Thanks for looking and your help guys.

Dave. :?

PS. Ive just had a brain storm, my youngest daughter ran the uninstall on the dongle some time ago as no connection, know when i install it on a Windows platform after installation it offers an update, bird step i think it is, this might explain the missing driver in the dongles hard ware, as i think her method of uninstall pulled a driver from the dongle, its reinstalled by update in Windows, but as no connection in puppy it can't update.

Windows does it automatically but Linux Puppy needs it all for the install to work, that might explain why the network module scan drew a blank.

I have a second dongle same network different model, that's got to be the next route to follow, thanks for reading all the above, i will report back soon with good developments i hope.

Dave. :)

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Semme
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#7 Post by Semme »

Hi Dave- I think your modem requires the *option* driver. Could we see output from lsmod and dmesg with it plugged..

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davelectronic
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#8 Post by davelectronic »

Hi Semme.
I don't know what lsmod and dmesg are, sorry to sound illiterate, but this is my first venture in to any Linux distro, ive never used it before, my first attempt was going to be Ubuntu, but i saw puppy and was taken straight away with its tiny foot print on any drive, and it could run from a live CD from the system Ram, more i read more i was hooked, i love the interface and all the app's, just need to get over this connection issue.

If you can tell me what lsmod and dmesg are i can post some screen shots if you think it will help.

Anyway 02.42 now well late, i will be back soon, thanks for all your help.

Dave. :)

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Semme
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#9 Post by Semme »

Dave- open the "console" icon on your desktop. Enter the following one at a time, followed by enter:

Code: Select all

dmesg > dmesg.txt
gzip dmesg.txt
lsmod > lsmod.txt
gzip lsmod.txt
Then open that "file" folder- your home folder /root.

Inside you'll find both text files- gzipped (gz extension).

In your reply window you select choose >>

dbl-clk "root" under places >>

clk your files (one at a time), OK >>

then "add attachment."

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#10 Post by muggins »

Dave,

if pupdial doesn't work straight away with your modem, perhaps thread could be useful.

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davelectronic
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#11 Post by davelectronic »

Hi again, been busy repairing Vista daughter screwed up, done now.
Any way thanks for the link muggins but ive not got round to trying Semme's idea first.

I have had a browse and found the link below on the next step, it looks like i need the software download in there, not 100% thoe.

Kind of thinking if auto run of the dongle is a problem how can Linux see it as its a Window deployed function, again not sure but i thought it would not pose a issue, disabling auto run i don't mind trying, but i don't wont to totally wreck a good dongle.

For me Linux started on another forum struggling to install puppy, the good folk there helped me with the ISO side of things, i think this is again another bridge to cross, i will get there in the end.

My biggest understanding is in electronics and hardware issues, never done much command stuff, only run exe to edit registry or turn of programs running in the back ground, don't or not sure what a hyper terminal is , but always willing to give it a go.

Some screen shots of the dongle files and info i could find, the link is the deactivate auto run thing, thanks for looking and your help to you all.

Dave. :)

PS. I will try these ideas in the next few days.

http://3g-modem.wetpaint.com/page/execu ... er+Windows

This looked quit good site on the subject, if i need to do it. :)
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davelectronic
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#12 Post by davelectronic »

Don't know what happened to the pic's, sorry. :?

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Semme
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#13 Post by Semme »

Say Dave.. if you open that console thingy and type in: uname -r

.. whaddaya get? You didn't include the Pup version you're run'n..

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davelectronic
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#14 Post by davelectronic »

Hi Semme.
I went to the latest puppy download site and downloaded the latest lucid puppy version, there was puppy slacko is it called and wary as well, but i had studied lucid puppy as it looked easier for a beginner not as easy as Ubuntu but offered what i was after for a couple of older machines.

I only have one PC on the table at the moment a Vista machine, i put together the other machines in a temp arrangement when using or doing this puppy thing, ive got illness to deal with so my energy resources are limited, but will put a puppy machine on again in the next day or so.

When i fire it up i will see what version it was, i should have wrote the version on the CD Rom, stupid i did not. I knew puppy had some hurdles to get over during install but felt i could sought it out ok, one problem was i tried install on NTFS first, silly mistake, any one reading this partition your drive using EX2 or EX3 its the only stable way.

Be back again soon Semme with more positive information i hope. :)

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Fossil
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#15 Post by Fossil »

Dave,
When the dongle is first plugged in, it is seen as a self-booting CD. The idea being to install all the Windows drivers and desktop control system. Under Linux the Window drivers are not necessary.
What you must do is to change the CD listing to the wifi dongle part. Have you tried removing the dongle then replugging it? If already mounted, right-click, unmount. Remove dongle, reinsert. Are there now two CD mount icons on the desktop?

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davelectronic
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#16 Post by davelectronic »

Hi Fossil.
Ive removed and reinserted the dongle, it see's it as a mass storage devise as it does have a 4 GB micro SD card in it, that all comes up and files i have stored on it.

The mount and unmount thing ive not tried yet, no its not leaving two icons on the desk top just one usb devise icon, it is the dongle as i can access the micro SD card from it.

As i say i just don't want to screw up a perfectly good 3G dongle where ive done it wrong or cant reverse the process, i am tempted to buy a new one, dongle that is, as the one i have has a driver missing, during install windows auto updates this, but Linux can't.

I do have a second ZTE 3G dongle, but not totally sure the drivers not missing on that, if my kids can't get a connection at busy internet traffic the kids think uninstall and reinstall this removes the drivers if its connected, well one driver called bird step, the dongle wont connect to windows with out it.

Ive tried to think how can i put the single driver back in its proper place in the dongles memory flash drive or what ever it uses for its software storage.

To cut a long story short puppy is telling me on the screen in a window that one single driver string is missing, i think it might connect if it was there.

The whole Linux thing is totally different in it lay out and the way it works, i am so use to windows its going to take time to get the fundamentals right, anyway i will try it with the second dongle, it will either work or it wont, if that driver is missing it might have to be a new dongle. :)

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tallboy
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#17 Post by tallboy »

Hi davelectronic; my symphaties!
I have a ZTE MF636 USB modem of the type that doubles as a memory stick, that I use on a remote old linuxbox, and the only distro I find to operate satisfactory regarding that modem, is dpup485.

The modem have to be plugged in after startup, and then comes up as a CD-drive. I then click on the CD icon to mount it, and then immediately right-click on the icon, and choose unmunt in the menu. The icon then disappears, and after some time reappears as a USB-stick symbol.

Beware, when I say in the text that I have to wait for a minute, it is because I have to, maybe my linuxbox is too slow! If I do follow up too soon, I get a message 'The modem is busy' or similar! Yeah, right! :roll:

In the Internet connection wizard, I choose 'Internet by dialup analog or wireless modem', where the window happily inform me that modem is selected and is available on /dev/ttyUSB0. I set all the fields requiring necessary info, and I finish off by testing the ttyUSB0, which now reports: Sorry, no modem is found!

I then have to close the internet connection window, and then open the /etc/wvdial.conf file, and set the first line to start with /dev/ttyUSB2 instead of /dev/ttyUSB0, and save. I don't know if this is universal, or just my ttyUSB setup. The wizard reads the /etc/wvdial.conf file when it opens.

After giving the system a minute ot two to think things through, I open the internet connection window again, and Hey Presto! I now have a modem at ttyUSB2. Choose stupid mode, click the connect button, and wait and see what happens! It usually comes up with a pid, but that disappears, and it refuses to connect - I cannot remember the exact text. Then I click the 'Disconnect, or stop trying' button. After another minute or so, this time without shutting the window, I try connecting again, and again if necessary, until I succeed.

The problem with many of the late puppys, like squeezed 499.2, slacko 5.3 something lucid 5.xxx, wary5xx, racy5xxx - god knows how many I tried - is that some have some kind of builtin automatic modem detection, that of course don't detect those modems, and don't have any alternative ways to get the modem recognized, either as a CD-drive or USB stick. The modem simply don't show on the desktop at all! Those puppys that can detect manually, don't! Very frustrating!

BTW, I always run off a live CD/DVD, nothing stored on harddisk.

I also asked in an earlier post, if having USB1 or USB2 is significant in this matter, but as far as I recall, got no reply.

Image

tallboy

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davelectronic
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#18 Post by davelectronic »

Hi there Tallboy.
A lot of your post sounds familiar, i don't know if you mean your USB 1 / USB 2 in this thread, i can't see a post on it, for my connection on the said machine its USB 1.

I don't know why more support in the operating system does not exist, as wireless is popular now days, if all fails ive a plan B, its to try a wireless router that supports USB 3G dongles, there is a glitch there, the WiFi end in the PC if USB or Ethernet often uses Windows drivers in its set up, so it could in theory pose the same problems.

Yes as you say all very frustrating, i have seen others say they use 3G internet dongles fine in puppy, what is it there doing i am not ? i don't know not sure at this stage.

Ive googled loads of web pages looking for a way forward, all from unlocking dongles to AT commands to halt auto runs from the dongle.

How hard could it be to add software like a universal installer that recognizes all dongle software / hardware, it probably will catch up at some point, but the question is when.

Until then its keep looking for a fix to get connected, ive always used wireless connectivity and don't plan on running out to sign up to a contract internet connection, portable lap top users of Linux must want to use wireless, but hit the same wall.

I will keep trying, including disabling auto run and other idea's, on another machine blank at the moment i had planned another distro Ubuntu or mint, but not doing yet as i would need to install a graphics card driver, but no internet connection equals no driver for it, any way if i get a result i will post update progress on the issue. :)

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Fossil
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#19 Post by Fossil »

Dave,
Just to recap.
To cut a long story short puppy is telling me on the screen in a window that one single driver string is missing, i think it might connect if it was there.
Windows drivers are not necessary when using the dongle under Linux. A 'single driver string is missing'. What do you mean? Is this an AT command? Can you please post a screen capture of this command using Puppy Linux.
Using Lupu 528.
Go to, Menu.
Graphic.
Mtpaint-snapshot screen capture.
Screen - choose 10 seconds or Now. Choose and click.
MTpaint will show the captured desktop image.
Go into MTpaint. Image. The image needs to be resized.
Scale image. New. Input, 800
Okay.
Save As (call it what you like).
Change PNG to JPG. JPEG quality 70.
This ain't a work of art, just a way of verifying whatever is on the screen.
Attach image to your next post.

With regard a 3G dongle attached to a wired/wireless router. I'm using a TP-LINK, TL-MR3220.
The dongle is attached to a four metre powered USB2 cable located in the attic. The cable snakes down the attic stairs to the TP-LINK router. From there, the connection is hard wired, by ethernet cable, to the computer.
To clarify setup. There is no need for Windows drivers to setup the router. Most routers can be initiated by going into a browser and inputting a web address. In the case of the TP-LINK it's, http://192.168.1.1. Press Enter, a new screen appears, then input the User name and Password - usually admin, and again, admin. A series of menus follow. Fill in the boxes with the details - and that's it. With the dongle inserted it works like a normal setup.

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#20 Post by muggins »

I don't know why more support in the operating system does not exist, as wireless is popular now days
Dave,

googling linux MF627 throws up in excess of 300,000 hits. So why is it that the wifi dongle makers are so reluctant to make their devices work transparently with linux? Instead it's up to volunteer hackers, to reverse engineer their software, enabling it to work with linux.

Anyway, as you're aware, these devices need to switch from being storage devices, to modems. Rereading the first page of this thread, I'm still unclear whether you've tried pupdial?

Menu>Setup>Internet Connection Wizard>Internet by dialog analog or wireless modem

Forum member Rerwin has done heaps of work to try & make these devices work better with pupdial. Yet there can still be some problems with them being detected wrongly.

With my Usb modem, some puppies will see it as using the wrong ttyUSB port, so I need to click under the Test/Select button to get the right port detected. Also, sometimes you may need to click Choose>Erase...then Probe to properly detect your modem.

Another problem getiing these devices working with linux is correct ID. If you go to Menu>SystemHardInfo>USB, then select your modem, what does HardInfo say the device's VendorID & ProductID is?

( Note: Most of these devices will have one set of vendor & product ID's for their mass storage mode, and another when in modem phase. )

Another thread, where Superchook got an mf627 working with puppy, is here.

Lastly, I'm not sure whether the Sakis3G-Gui pet, by reckrhodes in this thread is relevant to your device.
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