GPRS Modems

[nap44]

Hi All,
I've been trying most of the Puppy Linux versions for some time now. The size and included software suits what I use my computer for. Web browsing, Skype, Email and photo manipulation.

However, I'm defeated every time, by the inability to connect my Wireless dongle using the Optus 3g network on my Acer Aspire One netbook (or my laptop for that matter). The connection dialogue box seems comprehensive enough, maybe a little confusing, but trying to get the 3G to work is a nightmare. I use Linux Mint 8 and 9 as my main operating systems (with XP also installed in a dual boot configuration). These systems connect perfectly every time.

I see a fair bit of discussion about this on the forum, so I believe others have the same problem. As I see it, Puppy is a perfect OS for these smaller computers, so the ability to easily connect using GPRS 3G must be countered as a top priority. A good deal of attention is given to getting dial up modems to work, but I don't know of anybody who uses dial up any more. Good for older computers and less advantaged areas but there is a need to cater for more modern machines in more populated areas IMHO.

Netbooks in particular need portability and connection ease. But it seems this part of the operating system is the most ignored, as every new release seems encumbered by the same problem. Have never been successful in any Puppy version using a 3G dongle!

Given this, could anyone suggest why the network managers used in Mint could not be packaged up as a pet and available as a user install. They just work in Mint every time and the setup is easy. It's the only thing lacking in Puppy. Am I missing something in my summation or under stating a complex problem?

Would welcome any thoughts on this.
Cheers,
Ric

[nap44]

Well, very disappointing! Must be just too darn hard!

Just for interest, tried Mint, Peppermint and PCLinuxOS and using NetworkManager and after choosing the appropriate APN and password, connected to 3G network without a hitch. Simple interface that does not confuse the user!

Now why can't Puppy do that?

[dejan555]

pgprs-setup is not really confusing it has just the fields needed for your connection details (modem device, APN, username, password, dial number, pin code)

(Connect Icon on desk -> Connect by gprs 3g modem)

If your modem is recognized by system I don't see the problem, check here for more info about 3g in puppy, although rerwin uses that bigger dialog PupDial for connect but it doesn't matter as long as your modem is properly recognized.
What's the correct model number of it?

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

[potong]

nap44:

Fluppy may be the distro for you.

It's very well suited to the Acer Aspire One netbook and I found the range of software pre-configured especially usefull.

As to connecting your GPRS dongle this thread and my own input may get you started.

Alternatively, I first got my dongle working by using the "Internet by wireless GPRS modem" button in the connect wizard.

The method I used is as follows:

• 1) Boot Fluppy with dongle inserted in USB port.
  2) After everything has settled, mount (left click) the USB dongle which BTW may appear as a cd/dvd icon.
  3) Unmount (right click on the above icon and choose unmount) the dongle.
  4) wait 30 seconds for the system to settle
  5) Click on connect wizard icon on desktop
  6) Click on "internet by wireless GPRS modem" button
  7) You should see that some devices have been detected, if not re-probe (you may need to unplug and re-insert the dongle and start from step 2)
  8) Enter /dev/ttyUSB2 in the Serial Modem Device File entry
  9) Fill in the remaining details for you dongle (as you did for Mint etc)
  10) Click OK
  11) Click OK on popup
  12) Click on connect wizard icon on desktop
  13) Check GPRS connect radio button
  14) Click on connect wizard icon on desktop
  15) You should see a terminal window and details of you connection attempt
  16) If no joy, try again from step 5 (right click on the connect icon and choose wizard) and at step 8 enter another device (try /dev/ttyUSB?)

Good Luck

HTH

Potong

[nap44]

Hope returns!

Fluppy is indeed my kind of pup. However still no 3G connection.

My system has found two devices /dev/ttyUSB0 and /dev/USB/ttyUSB0.
Both of these must be my dongle as they disappear if I remove the dongle.

I don't know which one is correct, but neither work. My dongle also has a 32Mb storage space on it so maybe the second one refers to this space.

I can mount and unmount the dongle by left and right clicking on it. It is shown as sr1 on the desktop and I can see the contents in file manager.

I removed the user name and password but I get a message saying it is required so have reinstated these even though my ISP says they can be left blank. Also, should I be trying to connect with sr1 mounted or unmounted. Not clear on this although again neither work.

My ISP says I need *99# which works OK in Mint. Now I have introduced another problem. I deleted the Phone PIN no 1234 as I don't know what this is. Now when I rerun the Internet Connection Wizard and click Internet by wireless GPRS modem, the dialogue box just disappears and now I can't see it to change the settings. I'll have to reboot and start again.

Also before the dialogue disappeared, clicking on the antenna icon on the desktop caused a message to appear at the top of the page "please add a profile to connect WIFI". What does this mean. If I click configure I can see my wireless router but no GPRS.

I'm just going around in circles and Puppy is not helping me at all just making me more confused. Help!

[potong]

nap44:

I think you're very nearly there!

My system has found two devices /dev/ttyUSB0 and /dev/USB/ttyUSB0.
Both of these must be my dongle as they disappear if I remove the dongle.

I don't know which one is correct, but neither work. My dongle also has a 32Mb storage space on it so maybe the second one refers to this space.

The /dev/ttyUSB0 refers to the storage device, the modem is on another device probably ttyUSB2.

Now enter:

8) Enter /dev/ttyUSB2 in the Serial Modem Device File entry

as per my instructions.

To get the connect wizard back

16) If no joy, try again from step 5 (right click on the connect icon and choose wizard) and at step 8 enter another device (try /dev/ttyUSB?)

The PIN number is needed if you enabled this security (probably when in windows), if you didn't set it don't worry just leave it as 1234, it'll fail when the modem instructions are sent but won't prevent you getting an internet connection.

Look carefully at the terminal output when you connect using pgprs-connect. If *99# does not work as the phone number try *99***1#.

If you're worried about corrupting your pup_save, enter puppy pfix=ram on boot up and make a separate pup_save file until you get it all working.

HTH

Potong

[nap44]

Hi potong,
You have been very helpful.

This is where I'm at. Partial success so far.

These are the only devices found when using probe.
/dev/ttyUSB0 and /dev/USB/ttyUSB0.

What has confused me so far is the wording on the internet connection wizard. The right hand side is headed Desktop/tray with a number of options. When I selected GPRS connect, I expected to see an icon in the tray but it just means as described that this connection will start when the existing connect icon is clicked. Maybe the heading should be removed completely to avoid this confusion.

Anyway, clicked GPRS connect, then OK. Dialogue box disappears.
Clicked connect on the desktop. Dialogue box opened up as below.

Press CTRL-C to close the connection at any stage!
defining PDP context ...
ATZ
OK
AT
OK
AT+CPIN="1234"
ERROR
Script /etc/ppp/peers/gprs-connect-chatmm finished (pid 520), status = 0x9
Connect script failed
Exit status is 0
DISCONNECTED

Press ENTER to quit
Press r ENTER to reconnect/try again

Pressed r and the above repeated above data.
Pressed r again and a whole heap of connection information appeared ending in my local and remote IP addresses.

The modem light is a solid blue which indicates to me that I have a connection. Reading these notes says I am connected.

At this point do I just leave this window open whilst on the net? Or can I close it. I've just left it open at the moment.

BUT. Clicking on the browser (CHrome) opens it up showing the Google chrome Welcome and themes but when I click on them or the puppeee page they fail. I can't access say Google or any other pages.

What could be wrong now. The modem is still showing a solid blue connection. So some progress but not yet successful.

Any thoughts!
Cheers




Using /dev/usb/ttyUSB0.

[nap44]

I've still got the pgrs box open showing I have a connection, but if I right click the connect icon on the desktop, the internet connection wizard has a dot in the GnomePPP section and not in the GPRS Connect where I put it.

Also, is CTRL-C the only way to disconnect. Maybe the Connect icon should change it's description to "disconnect" when a connection is current. I have two icons in the task bar .... a world connected to a computer and a wireless tower that obviously relate to my wireless router. It's very confusing.

I have no other way to test if or why my brower does not work so I'm going to use my wired connection to install Seamonkey and see if that works.

[potong]

nap44:

Have you entered /dev/ttyUSB2 yet?

Potong

p.s. Although p/fluppy only identifies /dev/ttyUSB0 and /dev/USB/ttyUSB0 and hasn't found /dev/ttyUSB2, you can force it to accept it.
p.p.s Please show th output from the pgprs-connect.

[nap44]

Hi potong,
Yes!

Message on command line:
/usb/sbin/pppd: in file /etc/ppp/peers/gprsmm: unrecognized option /dev/ttyUSB2
Exit status is 0
DISCONNECTED

A clue!
When I use pgrs-connect (I assume that is the window that opens when I click the connect icon), and put a dot in GPRS connect under the Desktop/tray and enter r to retry, the dot moves back to the first option of GnomePPP. So I think this has something to do with the failure. How can I get it to stick on the GPRS setting. Also I need to enter r twice. The first fails and the second says it's connected but no server can be found on the web.

Cheers!

[rerwin]

A good deal of attention is given to getting dial up modems to work, but I don't know of anybody who uses dial up any more.

This is where you "took a wrong turn." In puppy, 3G wireless is dialup. Pupdial has been extended from wired dialup phone modems to the USB wireless (cellphone system) modems.

It frustrates me to see you struggling with the GPRS connect option, when pupdial should do most of the work automatically. Note, however, it is still a work in progress. I could help you if you try that and send me diagnostic info if you still have problems.

Fluppy should be nearly up to date, so is a good starting place. The latest adjustments are being done in the wary development effort, if that will work for you. Some of the current problems involve interaction/interference among multiple dialup modems in the same machine, particularly a built-in and a wireless. Another is timing. The wireless modems can be slow to get started and can require a two-step procedure, which puppy should handle. But the modems behave quite differently, sometimes, making a set of scripts very complicated in order to keep up with them.

I do not, myself, have a wireless modem, so rely on user feedback so I can solve issues as they arise. I hope you can join the small group that has worked with me to squash the bugs.
Richard

[muggins]

nap44,

I'm surprised you're having probs with your optus device, as of all the oz isps offering usb modem connect, i've found they're the easiest to get going. Have you tried Rerwin's pupdial? If you run Menu>System>Hardinfo>USB, what does hardinfo give for the vendorID & productID?

[potong]

nap44:

I think after reading your posts again, you may already have established a connection but were unable to get the browser to show anything from the internet.

Clicked connect on the desktop. Dialogue box opened up as below.

Press CTRL-C to close the connection at any stage!
defining PDP context ...
ATZ
OK
AT
OK
AT+CPIN="1234"
ERROR
Script /etc/ppp/peers/gprs-connect-chatmm finished (pid 520), status = 0x9
Connect script failed
Exit status is 0
DISCONNECTED

Press ENTER to quit
Press r ENTER to reconnect/try again

Pressed r and the above repeated above data.
Pressed r again and a whole heap of connection information appeared ending in my local and remote IP addresses.

Clicking the connect icon and setting pgprs-connect as the default dialogue then "clouded" the issue.

I should have said:

• Use the pgprs-connect script to connect by choosing it from menu/network/PGPRS Connect

N.B. PGPRS Setup is also now displayed near the top of the Nework menu.

When you say

Pressed r again and a whole heap of connection information appeared ending in my local and remote IP addresses.

Did you see something like this?

Press CTRL-C to close the connection at any stage!
defining PDP context...
T
OK
AT+CPIN="1234"
ERROR
AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","three.co.uk"
OK
ATH
OK
ATE1
OK
AT+CSQ
waiting for connect...

+CSQ: 8,99

OK
ATD*99***1#
CONNECT
Connected.
If the following ppp negotiations fail,
try restarting the phone.

Script /etc/ppp/peers/gprs-connect-chatmm finished (pid 19440), status = 0x0
Serial connection established.
using channel 2
Using interface ppp0
Connect: ppp0 <--> /dev/ttyUSB2
sent [LCP ConfReq id=0x1 <asyncmap 0x0> <magic 0x967bec0f> <pcomp> <accomp>]
...
local IP address 10.123.456.128
remote IP address 10.0.0.1
primary DNS address 172.30.140.69
secondary DNS address 172.31.76.69

Do not ctrl-c or close this window otherwise you will be disconnect.

N.B. the bolded text, the last two lines are important as they represent your DNS server.
If you didn't get these lines on connection you will not be able to surf the internet.
This has happened to me on more than one occasion: I found the solution is to disconnect and try again.

If you did get the DNS lines, you have connected and you should be able to ping an internet address by opening a terminal and typing

Code: Select all

# ping -c 5 google.com

and it should return something like

Code: Select all

PING google.com (173.194.37.104): 56 data bytes
64 bytes from 173.194.37.104: seq=0 ttl=53 time=547.679 ms
64 bytes from 173.194.37.104: seq=1 ttl=53 time=468.137 ms
64 bytes from 173.194.37.104: seq=2 ttl=53 time=484.130 ms
64 bytes from 173.194.37.104: seq=3 ttl=53 time=508.136 ms
64 bytes from 173.194.37.104: seq=4 ttl=53 time=504.133 ms

--- google.com ping statistics ---
5 packets transmitted, 5 packets received, 0% packet loss
round-trip min/avg/max = 468.137/502.443/547.679 ms
# 

rerwin is right in that pgprs-setup/connect is really a "make-do" solution.

HTH

Potong

[nap44]

Hi potong and the other forum members. I'm wading through your comments and attempting to digest them. Thank you!

I do not get the last two lines showing the primary and secondary addresses. That's obviously why I can't browse the net. However, I have disconnected and started over but get the same result. That is a seemingly good connection but no DNS addresses.

So where do I go from here. Potong, you have replicated the problem I'm getting and overcome it by disconnecting and starting again, but this has not worked for me. Having said that, I'm having another go right now and I'll see what happens.

I get the same information as you have described with all the data I mentioned after the sent......... line, but it finishes at remote IP address 10.0.0.1. My modem light is solid blue.

In Fluppy, under Menu/Network, I have 3 lines at the top of the sub menu,
GnomePPP modem dialup, PupDial modem dialup and Roaring Penguin PPPoE. Further down is Pwireless2. None of these seem to work but then again, they ask for information I am not familiar with. It seems if I can just get the DNS lines, I will be home and hosed.

ps. Have just tried disconnecting and reconnecting again but still no luck. It has to be something I'm doing incorrectly, but it all looks OK according to your advice. Pending further comments, I'll try and reboot using another version of Puppy as rerwin suggests, like wary. Doing this now.

[nap44]

Update:
Tried Lupu 002 as I had it to hand.
The only device detected is /dev/ttyS0. Changing to /dev/usb/ttyUSB0 results in error message of "no such device".

Note, the GPRS dot remains fixed in this version whereas it reverts back to GnomePPP in Fluppy.

Also, once I set up the gprs via the connect icon on the desktop, the popup window appears, as in Fluppy with an OK option. It is headed 'Connect to the internet using pgrs-connect in the 'network' menu, but there is no option to this affect in the network menu.

So here is another version of Puppy that is inconsistent. Trying wary 090 next.

[nap44]

Hi muggins.
Agree! In Mint, the setup recognises all the major oz ISP's. It is simply a matter of selecting one, entering a password and it connects immediately. No fuss, no bother, good speeds, but in Puppy ARRRGGGHHHH!!!!

In Wary5, at last, the setup detects a modem as /dev/ttyUSB0. I enter my details APN etc and after pressing 'r' a number of times with fail as the result, I disconnect and start again. This time I have a connection and the last 2 lines show a primary and secondary DNS address (not in bold!!!). Modem light is solid blue but browsing fails. Also, as in my other posts, the GPRS Connect stays anchored as set and again the message to connect using pgrs-connect in the 'network' menu does not exist.

The device is a HUAWEI E1762 modem. Vendor 0x12d1 and Product ID 0x1003.

Cheers

nap44,

I'm surprised you're having probs with your optus device, as of all the oz isps offering usb modem connect, i've found they're the easiest to get going. Have you tried Rerwin's pupdial? If you run Menu>System>Hardinfo>USB, what does hardinfo give for the vendorID & productID?

[rerwin]

nap44,
I am pleased to see that your use of wary results in detection. But, please, let puppy take it the rest of the way. Start fresh, do not use the GPRS option, at all, as it confounds my ability to assist you. Use only the "Internet by dialup analog or wireless modem" option. If it does not get you connected, please run pmodemdiag from a console at the point you determine it's not working. PM/post the resulting pmodemdiag...tar.gz file. That should let me see what might be failing (or timing out).

I have spent almost 2 years getting pupdial to support 3G, so why "spin your wheels" reinventing what I have done?

BTW, Lupu has not AFAIK kept up with wireless modem development, although there are dotpup packages that should bring it close. Wary its currently the best choice, since anything we learn can be applied to it quickly.
Richard

[muggins]

Rerwin, I wonder whether it's a problem of the option module not being loaded? This is what happens with me on lupu511. modprobe option, and pupdial connects fine.

nap44, is your actual provider Optus, or one of the others that use the optus network? reason I ask is I'm currently using dodo, which usesoptus network, & to get online I needto add opendns addresses to /etc/ppp/ip-up. Whereas, previously when using optus, it was a straight connection.

In pupdial I have:

Phone Number: *99#
Username: ppp
Password: ppp

And have selected "Stupid mode"

[callmegus]

i come to reading and i hope learn something ,, btw @potong where are u come from?

[nap44]

Hi muggins,
My provider is Exetel who use the Optus network. I feel you're going to suggest I make the mods you refer to, so with all due respect could you guide me through the amendments you suggest. Just preempting more confusion.

Up to date I have been concentrating on the GPRS section of the Puppy menu's, but I feel, that given the responses, this section is indeed a work in progress and the whole connection process should be targeted through the dial up procedures.

The clue, is your mention of stupid mode that appears when configuring the dial up section and not the gprs section. In the gprs setup, I enter my APN, them user name (which is a phone number given to me by the ISP), then a password, then *99# (also from my ISP) and I leave the 1234 in phone PIN.

The dial up setup is slightly different and I'm not quite sure what and where should be entered here, but I'll now have a look at it. BYW, why do you use ppp. Is that a dummy entry or required syntax. Perhaps inserting my phone number here is causing a problem. I'm squirreling away at it but boy it's frustrating.

Thanks again!

Rerwin, I wonder whether it's a problem of the option module not being loaded? This is what happens with me on lupu511. modprobe option, and pupdial connects fine.

nap44, is your actual provider Optus, or one of the others that use the optus network? reason I ask is I'm currently using dodo, which usesoptus network, & to get online I needto add opendns addresses to /etc/ppp/ip-up. Whereas, previously when using optus, it was a straight connection.

In pupdial I have:

Phone Number: *99#
Username: ppp
Password: ppp

And have selected "Stupid mode"