[SOLVED] problem: kubuntu + umts phone

[ghillan]

Hello,
I have a problem i hope somebody can address because i have litteraly no other ideas what to try.

I'ts over 2 years that i use a mobule probe with UMTS to connect my pc. It worked well in winsows and linux. the problem appeared pair of months ago with linux.

HW/SW description:

Linux distro: kubuntu gutsy gibbon
phone: Sony ericsson 610i
connection type: usb cable

what happens:
Once connected the prone on pc, my distro find it correctly and mount if as
/dev/ttyACM0
/dev/ttyACM1
( dunno why two times, but was always this way and worked well with boths )

If i configure kppp ( triied also with gnome-ppp and wvdial) happens that probe connect, retrieve IP, DNS etc .. but im unable to navigate ... i see outgoing pachets but not incoming packets.

checks made:

ifconfig show the ppp connection
"ip route" show what the default route is though the ppp connection

"nslookup www.google.com" give me the IP ( so the connection to dns servers work)
"ping www.google.com" give me 100% packet failure

tried also with debian, but same thing happens.

Other tests made ( disable all other network devices just in case i missed something in the routing table) so once connected ip route showed me only one route configured also as default route.

This issue forced me touse again windows since i NEED to connect to internet with my phone, but this is getting me very angry since in 2 years i never had any issue.

sorry if i didnt posted my ehternet configuration and routing table, but actually im using windows. but trust me that under linux i seems connected ( even in the phone i see that connection is estabilished), and the routing table is ok.

Searched a lot a solution about this issue but didnt found anything able to solve it.

If somebody can help me would be really apprecyated.

[SlyFerret]

Re: problem: kubuntu + umts phone

What service provider are you using? What is the structure of the log credentials that you're using?

for instance, for my Verizon PC card, I use /dev/ttyusb0 for the modem, and the credentials are [10 digit phone number]@myvzw.com, password: vzw.

with my Samsung A900 phone I use /dev/ttyusb2 as the device and the word "user" for both the username and password.

I'm wondering, since you're getting an IP, and can get DNS responses back, if something isn't wrong with your credentials, or maybe your plan isn't setup right to allow you to access the internet via a tethered connection.

If I had to guess, from the description you've given, that the problem isn't on your machine but, rather your carrier is blocking the traffic.

-SF

[ghillan]

Re: problem: kubuntu + umts phone

first off, thx for the reply.

I connect trough an italian mobile provider (tin). Username and passwords can be empty or filled ( kppp force you to put something), but seems it does not matter. Anyway i have put the same username and password on windows and i have not any problem there.

Still... just to be 100% sure, ill recheck again when ill go home ( just in case....).

[SlyFerret]

Re: problem: kubuntu + umts phone

It works on windows but not linux eh?

Wow, ok, so maybe it's not your carrier blocking traffic.

What does your routing table look like when you establish your connection?

-SF

[ghillan]

Re: problem: kubuntu + umts phone

Ok, here's my test with my on work PC, but also at home it's the same thing ( both with lateest kubuntu).
For clean test i rebooted the machine and turned off eth0 ( ifdown eth0 )

IFCONFIG BEFORE CONNECTING
root@kronos:~# ifconfig
lo Link encap:Local Loopback
inet addr:127.0.0.1 Mask:255.0.0.0
inet6 addr: ::1/128 Scope:Host
UP LOOPBACK RUNNING MTU:16436 Metric:1
RX packets:3 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:3 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:0
RX bytes:288 (288.0 b) TX bytes:288 (288.0 b)

IP ROUTE before connecting
root@kronos:~# ip route
root@kronos:~#
( empty .. but thats obvious .. i piut down all cards ...)


LOGS ON PLUGGING IN MY MOBILE PHONE
Mar 13 09:48:06 kronos kernel: [ 435.576000] usb 2-2: new full speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 2
Mar 13 09:48:06 kronos kernel: [ 435.764000] usb 2-2: configuration #3 chosen from 1 choice
Mar 13 09:48:07 kronos kernel: [ 435.976000] cdc_acm 2-2:3.1: ttyACM0: USB ACM device
Mar 13 09:48:07 kronos kernel: [ 435.980000] cdc_acm 2-2:3.3: ttyACM1: USB ACM device
Mar 13 09:48:07 kronos kernel: [ 435.980000] usbcore: registered new interface driver cdc_acm
Mar 13 09:48:07 kronos kernel: [ 435.980000] /build/buildd/linux-source-2.6.22-2.6.22/drivers/usb/class/cdc-acm.c: v0.25:USB Abstract Control Model driver for USB modems and ISDN adapters
Mar 13 09:48:07 kronos kernel: [ 436.092000] usb0: register 'cdc_ether' at usb-0000:00:1d.1-2, CDC Ethernet Device, 02:80:37:13:03:00
Mar 13 09:48:07 kronos kernel: [ 436.092000] usbcore: registered new interface driver cdc_ether


RUNNING KPPP:
Mar 13 09:49:13 kronos pppd[6321]: pppd 2.4.4 started by salvator, uid 1000
Mar 13 09:49:13 kronos kernel: [ 502.264000] PPP generic driver version 2.4.2
Mar 13 09:49:13 kronos pppd[6321]: Using interface ppp0
Mar 13 09:49:13 kronos pppd[6321]: Connect: ppp0 <--> /dev/ttyACM0
Mar 13 09:49:13 kronos kernel: [ 502.468000] PPP BSD Compression module registered
Mar 13 09:49:13 kronos kernel: [ 502.556000] PPP Deflate Compression module registered
Mar 13 09:49:16 kronos pppd[6321]: Could not determine remote IP address: defaulting to 10.64.64.64
Mar 13 09:49:16 kronos pppd[6321]: local IP address 10.209.104.71
Mar 13 09:49:16 kronos pppd[6321]: remote IP address 10.64.64.64
Mar 13 09:49:16 kronos pppd[6321]: primary DNS address 213.230.128.222
Mar 13 09:49:16 kronos pppd[6321]: secondary DNS address 213.230.129.94


IFCONFIG AFTER CONNECTION:
root@kronos:~# ifconfig
lo Link encap:Local Loopback
inet addr:127.0.0.1 Mask:255.0.0.0
inet6 addr: ::1/128 Scope:Host
UP LOOPBACK RUNNING MTU:16436 Metric:1
RX packets:3 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:3 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:0
RX bytes:288 (288.0 b) TX bytes:288 (288.0 b)

ppp0 Link encap:Point-to-Point Protocol
inet addr:10.209.104.71 P-t-P:10.64.64.64 Mask:255.255.255.255
UP POINTOPOINT RUNNING NOARP MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1
RX packets:5 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:6 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:3
RX bytes:168 (168.0 b) TX bytes:144 (144.0 b)

usb0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 02:80:37:13:03:00
UP BROADCAST MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1
RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:1 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
RX bytes:0 (0.0 b) TX bytes:90 (90.0 b)

IP ROUTE AFTER CONNECTION:
root@kronos:~# ip route
10.64.64.64 dev ppp0 proto kernel scope link src 10.209.104.71
default dev ppp0 scope link





Seems all ok, do you agree? but now:

root@kronos:~# nslookup www.google.com
Server: 213.230.128.222
Address: 213.230.128.222#53

Non-authoritative answer:
www.google.com canonical name = www.l.google.com.
Name: www.l.google.com
Address: 209.85.135.99
Name: www.l.google.com
Address: 209.85.135.103
Name: www.l.google.com
Address: 209.85.135.104
Name: www.l.google.com
Address: 209.85.135.147


WOW!!! Im getting answer from the provider's DNS server ( that means also that routing is ok ).
let's go try to ping:

root@kronos:~# ping www.google.com
PING www.l.google.com (209.85.135.104) 56(84) bytes of data.

--- www.l.google.com ping statistics ---
6 packets transmitted, 0 received, 100% packet loss, time 5010ms


> > > > > >
Obviusly with browser i get same result.... cant navigate.....

[ghillan]

Re: problem: kubuntu + umts phone

the only doubt that remains to me is that maybe i have to change init commands. Maybe linux and windows give different init stings and somehot one allow me to gavigate and others not. My mobile phone have several enbedded connection setups ( fot gprs, wap , sms ... etc) so maybe linux is getting the wrong setup? it's possible?

i saw several gprs howtos for my providers that force the setup ( ibox.tim.it ) and ofter they ask to change AT init that way:

Init 1: AT+ZOPRT=5 (oppure AT+CFUN=1)
Init 2: AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","ibox.tim.it","",0,0


but the second string give me an error .. maybe my mobile dont accept those strings. also the init1 give error but the alternative line works.

THe oddest thing is that only recently i have those problems, never had them before.... i also to reset my mobile phone , to be sure all setups are the same as when i bought it.

can someone help me at least with this string? i have found several howtos, and several people getting the error but did not found any solution.

[ghillan]

Re: problem: kubuntu + umts phone

FINALLY I DID IT !!!!!!!

The problem was with sony-ericsson mobile phones ... they require different init strings. FOr some reason windows give correct trings, but linux not.

Ill post here details for other italian guys that use "Sony-Ericcson" mobiles and "TIM" as mobile operator.

the number to call must be
*99***9# istead of *99# usable on windows, or *99***1# as suggested almost everywhere on google.

Here an official PDF trom TIM http://www.tim.it/showfile/12378.pdf

I had not to change nothing on windows, it took all by default and worked well. IN linux i changed the calling number ( i suppose you can also use the "generic" *99# if you edit the AT strings as suggested in the PDF.


My only doubt is.... how the hell it worked since some months ago? i alway used the generic number ( *99# ). Bah ...

Tnx anyway to SlyFerret for the interest.

[SlyFerret]

Re: [SOLVED] problem: kubuntu + umts phone

Glad to hear you were able to get it working!

Thanks also for the follow-up information on the solution. I'm making a mental note of it in the event that I ever run into a similar situation.

-SF