WWAN Network Connectivity

This guide is written for people who want to use their UMTS/HSPA/EVDO Card with Gentoo Linux. The first part of this guide will tell you what kernel options you will need to get the hardware working. The next part will be the configuration for the datacard to establish a ppp connection to your provider. A couple of configuration examples are given for different providers.

Kernel configuration
USB to Serial converter for the Modem is necessary. To establish the PPP connection to the provider, ppp support also has to be enabled in the kernel.

Recompile the kernel and reboot or/and load the newly enabled modules.

Hardware detection
After loading the necessary modules, plug the modem and wait for a few seconds and check that ttyUSB* devices are created.

usbserial: USB Serial support registered for GSM modem (1-port) option: USB Driver for GSM modems: v0.7.2 option 4-1:1.0: GSM modem (1-port) converter detected usb 4-1: GSM modem (1-port) converter now attached to ttyUSB0 option 4-1:1.1: GSM modem (1-port) converter detected usb 4-1: GSM modem (1-port) converter now attached to ttyUSB1

In this case ttyUSB0/1 are created, this might differ if you already have others usb/serial controllers pluged. Check that devices are actually created.

crw-rw 1 root uucp 188, 0 2009-03-15 17:48 /dev/ttyUSB0 crw-rw 1 root uucp 188, 1 2009-03-15 17:48 /dev/ttyUSB1

Vendor and Product ID can be found by typing lsusb command

Bus 004 Device 003: ID 12d1:1003 Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. E220 HSDPA Modem

Last thing to do regarding hardware is to make sure that the user has access to serial port, it has to be a member of the uucp group.

In some cases you'll need to use sys-apps/usb_modeswitch software to disable an embedded usb storage

KDE kppp
You need have net-dialup/ppp first.

In Model table, add a new model at /dev/ttyUSB0 (or others), Flow control set to Hardware, termination = CR and speed = 460800. Add extra command at Modem table if you need enter PIN password

AT+CPIN= [your PIN]

Add a new account and tel number please refer for wvdail session as your telcom setting. For Chunghwa Telcom is

*99#

Input both Username and password are dummy.

Vodafone
Vodafone provide a nice UI interface write in python, but only one version seems to work (sometimes) with gentoo

https://forge.betavine.net/frs/download.php/267/vodafone-mobile-connect-card-driver-for-linux-2.0.beta3.tar.gz

wvdial
You need have net-dialup/ppp first.

To establish the connection emerge wvdial if not done yet and edit its configuration file with root priviledges. If /etc/wvdial.conf does not exist you can run wvdialconf to generate one. Below is an example of a configuration used for SFR network in France, you will have to search for a configuration that suits your provider:

For Fonic in Germany, the following /etc/wvdial.conf may work for you:

For Rogers Wireless in Canada with the Sierra Wireless AirPrime MC7700 WWAN card, the following /etc/wvdial.conf may work for you:

To connect your usb modem, first unlock it by transmitting the PIN:

Then, connect to your provider

For SFR in France you may have to use this /etc/wvdial.conf if the previous one doesn't work for you:

Again, you have to the following to connect:

This is for Australia's Network 3 (Three):

This is for Finland's Network Saunalahti:

For Chunghwa Telcom (中華電信) Taiwan :

For Vodafone Italy :

Now it's time to establish the connection, open a console with your user and run wvdial.

--> WvDial: Internet dialer version 1.60 --> Initializing modem. --> Sending: AT+CPIN=6451 AT+CPIN=6451 OK --> Sending: ATQ0 V1 E1 S0=0 &C1 &D2 ATQ0 V1 E1 S0=0 &C1 &D2 OK --> Sending: AT+CGDCONT=16,"IP","websfr" AT+CGDCONT=16,"IP","websfr" OK --> Modem initialized. --> Sending: ATDT*99***16# --> Waiting for carrier. ATDT*99***16# CONNECT --> Carrier detected. Waiting for prompt. --> Don't know what to do! Starting pppd and hoping for the best. --> Starting pppd at Sun Mar 15 18:16:10 2009 --> Warning: Could not modify /etc/ppp/pap-secrets: Permission denied --> --> PAP (Password Authentication Protocol) may be flaky. --> Warning: Could not modify /etc/ppp/chap-secrets: Permission denied --> --> CHAP (Challenge Handshake) may be flaky. --> Pid of pppd: 7930 --> Using interface ppp0 --> pppd: ¨·[06][08]½[06][08]Ø·[06][08] --> pppd: ¨·[06][08]½[06][08]Ø·[06][08] --> pppd: ¨·[06][08]½[06][08]Ø·[06][08] --> pppd: ¨·[06][08]½[06][08]Ø·[06][08] --> pppd: ¨·[06][08]½[06][08]Ø·[06][08] --> local IP address 10.162.164.227 --> pppd: ¨·[06][08]½[06][08]Ø·[06][08] --> remote IP address 10.64.64.64 --> pppd: ¨·[06][08]½[06][08]Ø·[06][08] --> primary  DNS address 172.20.2.39 --> pppd: ¨·[06][08]½[06][08]Ø·[06][08] --> secondary DNS address 172.20.2.10 --> pppd: ¨·[06][08]½[06][08]Ø·[06][08]

Connection is now established, you can check that the network interface is up and it has an ip address:

ppp0     Link encap:Point-to-Point Protocol inet addr:10.162.164.227 P-t-P:10.64.64.64  Mask:255.255.255.255 UP POINTOPOINT RUNNING NOARP MULTICAST MTU:1500  Metric:1 RX packets:44 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0 TX packets:55 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0 collisions:0 txqueuelen:3 RX bytes:17688 (17.2 KiB) TX bytes:6282 (6.1 KiB)

The modem should have a fixed green light if connected in 2G, a blue light if connected in 3G, you should now be connected to the internet.

Gnome Network Manager

 * 1) Edit Connections in Network Manager icon
 * 2) Select Mobile BroadBand Tab and add a new connection
 * 3) Select your operator

For Vodafone Italy change the original APN in: web.omnitel.it