usb modem for linux

[Keith Sayers]

Not sure if I am in the correct forum but could anyone advise how to get linux to recognise a Windows designed usb mode, please? I am trying to set one up for access to Iprimus and having failed after following online instructions on how to do that (i.e. how to adapt a Windows usb for linux use), found that it was not even being recognised by Dolphin - yet it is recognised by Windows where I find it contains Pendo Install.exe and autorun.exe files.

[jglen490]

Just minor confusion on my part. If you are looking at a hardware modem to connect the service provider's network to your home network, does this modem also have a built in router? Also, the Install.exe and autorun.exe I assume are on a CD or DVD. If I'm right on both the hardware and the software, I don't believe that the software being Windows-centric is a problem. A modem/router combination normally is just a means to move and route signals, which any OS (Windows or Linux) can do with little problem.

Now if it's more complex than that due to - well anything, such as Australian governmental regulatory requirements, then I may way off.

Here in the USA I just toss the CD (but keep the setup instructions) that comes with my ISP's (AT&T for now) modem box, attach my own Wifi router to the modem, and it pretty much just works after an initial setup to the ISP from any computer on my network. The CD has some interesting Windows software, but neither the Windows machines nor my Linux boxes need the software to connect to the internet via my ISP.

What I'm saying is in my experience a network connection to your ISP (Iprimus) should not "require" any Windows software. But I am half-way around the world from where you are!

[claydoh]

Not sure if I am in the correct forum but could anyone advise how to get linux to recognise a Windows designed usb mode, please? I am trying to set one up for access to Iprimus and having failed after following online instructions on how to do that (i.e. how to adapt a Windows usb for linux use), found that it was not even being recognised by Dolphin - yet it is recognised by Windows where I find it contains Pendo Install.exe and autorun.exe files.

Can you post the link to the instructions? Hoping it can give us an idea on what the hardware is. The iPrimus website is not very useful for non-customers, it seems
I'll assume it is a usb stick used to access mobile data, such as my wife uses (optus) ? Or is it a wifi dongle used to connect to the wifi router and/or the adsl or NBN fibre box?

[Keith Sayers]

Can you post the link to the instructions?

Certainly - www.maketecheasier.com/setup-usb-modem-linux

I'll assume it is a usb stick used to access mobile data

Correct

Incidentally I submitted this response some ten days ago but it seems it got lost.

[claydoh]

Is there any info or instruction from your provider?
iPrimus don't even list any mobile broadband plans, other than for phones.
I only used a mobile broadband stick once, using my wife's Optus dongle long enough for me to order a sim card for my phone. I can't recall doing anything special, and i don't believe I had to do things quite like what your how-to shows. But I can't recall for sure, and it was for Optus, and it was on a plasma version newer than what you have.

You do have to go into system settings in the network Connections and add a new connection, selecting Mobile Broadband, where a wizard should pop up and you select your country and provider, and it sets up the connection, which you can then select using the networking widget like you would when choosing a wifi network to connect to.

You may need some settings info from your provider if the defaults do not work.

I just did a dry run on an 18.04 virtual machine, and iPrimus is an option in the wizard for Australia, but obviously I cannot test any actual hardware or connection.

if you want to see if the modem is being actually seen by Kubuntu, give the output of the lsusb command. It should be, as most mobile broadband sticks are well supported in linux, hardware-wise. But for these you do need to add the connection via the wizard.

so:

1. plug in the stick
2. go through the wizard to add a new Mobile broadband connection
3. select the connection in the networking widget
4. hopefully get connected

Hopefully one of our Australian members can chime in, or anyone who uses mobile broadband on Plasma for any hints I am likely to have missed.

[Keith Sayers]

ls usb on the currently operating stick produces :

AutoRun.exe
AUTORUN.info
Startup.ico
SysConfig.data

The aspirant backup I am trying to set up, when plugged in to my Linux machine is not recognised by Dolphin (I assume to expect it in Root/media/keith), nor by Partition Manager.

I took it over to my Windows laptop where found it contained :

autorun.exe
autorun.info
Config.ini
ModemShow.ini
Pendo Install.exe

I looked into that ModemShow file and found :

[Version]
Windows=H121M9M700
MAC=H122M9M700

[Date]
2015-3-6

[Name]
Label=Pendo

Note the absence there of a Linux line, so I added Linux=H123M9M700 but could not then save the revised file.

Went in to Windows Settings, made sure I was Administrator, but still could not save.

That made me wonder about its file system - could it be something recognisable to Windows but not Linux? With some digging found that was CDFS - a system unknown to me but when I searched it online found it to be 'CD file system for Linux'. That has me both perplexed and stumped - if it is a Linux file system why does Linux not recognise it?

I would welcome any further advice anyone could offer ...

[claydoh]

Plug the USB modem
then type 'lsusb' , no spaces in the command, in the terminal. this will give us device IDs and we can look up info on it. We don't necessarily care what files may be on the usb modem.

Then go to system settings, and then Network >. Connections, then click the '+' to add a new connection, then click the Mobile Broadband option, to follow the wizard. it is very likely that you don't need to do anything special or install any software for this mobile broadband dongle to work, other than whatever info the wizard needs.


Maybe a photo of the device with any model info printed on the could help, as well.

[Keith Sayers]

Plug the USB modem
then type 'lsusb' , no spaces in the command, in the terminal. this will give us device IDs and we can look up info on it.

keith@Tsunami:~$ lsusb
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 12d1:1506 Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. Modem/Networkcard
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 046d:c016 Logitech, Inc. Optical Wheel Mouse
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
keith@Tsunami:~$

Then go to system settings, and then Network >. Connections, then click the '+' to add a new connection, then click the Mobile Broadband option, to follow the wizard.

Thank you - that worked fine as regards setting up but at the end failed to connect. If I can I will attach a graphic. Notice that thin blue crescent - that circled for several minutes but no more happened.

Maybe a photo of the device with any model info printed on the could help, as well.

Model: PNDBQAL5761PR
TCT Mobile Limited
17 052 GJZ
Made in China
X600D-2BPIAU2
860444022267313

and on the other side : PENDO