8.10 and USB Modem ZTE MF636BP / MF636

[lukehappy]

Hi Complete Newbie (2 days old)here and can't connect to the internet through my wireless USB Modem. I started on the Newbie topic but the help went cold.

I have Ubuntu 8.10 desktop i386, dual booting with vista on a
HP Pavilion dv9700 Notebook PC.
Wireless Broadband 7.2 USB Mobile Card(ZTE MF636BP)Model:MF636, that runs on the Bigpond(Australia) Next G Network.

I have found a few instructions for modems similar to mine but have seen nothing for this particular model and model info seems very important. It will take me along time to figure out the most simple instructions so I want to make sure I have the right ones or a least a modem specific attempt.

The best I have found so far is
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1005617
and that is with Kabuntu and an older(I think) modem.

Here are some outputs that I dont understand.

lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile PM965/GM965/GL960 Memory Controller Hub (rev 0c)
00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile PM965/GM965/GL960 PCI Express Root Port (rev 0c)
00:1a.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #4 (rev 03)
00:1a.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #5 (rev 03)
00:1a.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #2 (rev 03)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) HD Audio Controller (rev 03)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI Express Port 1 (rev 03)
00:1c.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI Express Port 2 (rev 03)
00:1c.5 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI Express Port 6 (rev 03)
00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #1 (rev 03)
00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #2 (rev 03)
00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #3 (rev 03)
00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #1 (rev 03)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev f3)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801HEM (ICH8M) LPC Interface Controller (rev 03)
00:1f.1 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801HBM/HEM (ICH8M/ICH8M-E) IDE Controller (rev 03)
00:1f.2 SATA controller: Intel Corporation 82801HBM/HEM (ICH8M/ICH8M-E) SATA AHCI Controller (rev 03)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) SMBus Controller (rev 03)
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation GeForce 8400M GS (rev a1)
02:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 3945ABG [Golan] Network Connection (rev 02)
08:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168B PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet controller (rev 01)
09:09.0 FireWire (IEEE 1394): Ricoh Co Ltd R5C832 IEEE 1394 Controller (rev 05)
09:09.1 SD Host controller: Ricoh Co Ltd R5C822 SD/SDIO/MMC/MS/MSPro Host Adapter (rev 22)
09:09.2 System peripheral: Ricoh Co Ltd R5C843 MMC Host Controller (rev 12)
09:09.3 System peripheral: Ricoh Co Ltd R5C592 Memory Stick Bus Host Adapter (rev 12)
09:09.4 System peripheral: Ricoh Co Ltd xD-Picture Card Controller (rev ff)

================================================== 

lsusb
Bus 007 Device 002: ID 064e:a110 Suyin Corp.
Bus 007 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 006 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 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 002: ID 19d2:2000
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub

================================================== 

lshw -class network
WARNING: you should run this program as super-user.
*-network DISABLED
description: Wireless interface
product: PRO/Wireless 3945ABG [Golan] Network Connection
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 0
bus info: pci@0000:02:00.0
logical name: wmaster0
version: 02
serial: 00:1f:3c:a3:06:1f
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: cap_list logical ethernet physical wireless
configuration: broadcast=yes driver=iwl3945 latency=0 module=iwl3945 multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11abg
*-network
description: Ethernet interface
product: RTL8111/8168B PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet controller
vendor: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
physical id: 0
bus info: pci@0000:08:00.0
logical name: eth0
version: 01
serial: 00:1e:68:b2:cc:ac
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: bus_master cap_list ethernet physical
configuration: broadcast=yes driver=r8169 driverversion=2.3LK-NAPI latency=0 module=r8169 multicast=yes
*-network DISABLED
description: Ethernet interface
physical id: 1
logical name: pan0
serial: 86:30:e0:fe:1a:8b
capabilities: ethernet physical
configuration: broadcast=yes driver=bridge driverversion=2.3 firmware=N/A multicast=yes

Thankyou for your consideration.

[GeorgeVita]

EDIT >>> MF636 works with 8.10 and Network Manager 0.7 <<<
see post#8 of http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1065934


Hi, from google I found helpful info at: http://www.matt-barrett.com/

I have already tested, worked with my ZTE MF636 on Ubuntu 8.04

I think that ZTE MF636 3G modem responds by default as an autorun CD drive or as the internal USB hub (19d2:2000) but we need the actual modem which selected after issuing the AT+ZCDRUN=8 (then it responds 19d2:0031 on lsusb terminal command).

You can try the following steps:

1. on WinVista through control panel ADD the extra init command AT+ZCDRUN=8
2. try to connect once with the providers s/w (WinVista)
3. remove the above command through control panel (WinVista)

>>> IMPORTANT NOTE: After issuing the above command you can use the modem for Windows and Ubuntu but you cannot install it to another Windows PC. To return the modem to its default condition you have to send AT+ZCDRUN=9 following steps 1,2 and 3.

All the above are needed bacause there is no Hyperterminal into WinVista. You could also use a serial communication terminal program and send the command AT+ZCDRUN=8 directly to the port (comX) assigned for the ZTE MF636.

4. boot Ubuntu
5. open a terminal window and run the command lsusb

You must see ... 19d2:0031 ... among the responds

6. run the terminal command:
sudo modprobe usbserial vendor=0x19d2 product=0x0031

7. run the terminal command: ls /dev/ttyU*

You must see: /dev/ttyUSB0 /dev/ttyUSB1 /dev/ttyUSB2
The modem port is the higher number (/dev/ttyUSB2 in my case).

8. Finally you must edit the dialler configuration file (from terminal): sudo gedit /etc/wvdial.conf

My /etc/wvdial.conf is:

[Dialer Defaults]
Modem = /dev/ttyUSB2
Modem Type = Analog Modem
ISDN = 0
Baud = 460800
Dial Attempts = 1
Username = user
Password = pass
Init1 = ATZ
Init2 = AT&F &D2 &C1
Init3 = ATS7=60 S30=0 S0=0
Init4 = AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","internet"
Phone = *99***1#
Stupid Mode = 1

Possibly you have to place a different APN at Init3 line (instead of "internet") and the appropriate username and password. For these you must ask your provider. SIM PIN check must be disabled!

Notes for AT Commands used above:
ATZ soft reset of the modem
AT&F restore factory settings
AT&D2&C1 select and use hardware handshake
ATS7=60 wait up to 60 seconds to connect (if not exit)
ATS30=0 do not use inactivity timeout (does not disconnect when you are not browsing)
ATS0=0 do not auto answer to any incoming call

To connect from a terminal window type: sudo wvdial
To disconnect press CTRL-C at the same terminal window.

As reference read (from terminal): man wvdial and man wvdial.conf

Post me back any question to follow up.

Regards,
George

P.S. Cosmote users from Greece can read my notes in Greek at:
http://www.acomelectronics.com/Georg...vd_636_el.html

[benst]

I also have the ZTE 636 Telstra 7 Series modem.

After following the instructions here an elsewhere, I can get a ppp connection, but firefox does not let me surf the web.

Any idea why?

Ben

[GeorgeVita]

Hi benst,

try to untick the "work offline" option on firefox by typing ALT-F W

Also check if you have a good DNS after connecting (10.11.12.13 and 10.11.12.14 are bad!). Disconnect and connect again to fix it.

Regards
George

[Dropbear]

I've followed all the instructions I can find with ZTE MF636BP and am able to get a connection which lasts for exactly 37 seconds then disconnects. I am unable to browse the net in this time. Any ideas as to what could be wrong?

[Dropbear]

I finally got it working.
All I needed to do was change the APN from "Telstra.Internet" to "telstra.bigpond"

[tony5678]

Thanks for all your work so far on this issue.
I'm still crashing trying to connect MF636 to Ubuntu 8.04 (kernel 2.6.24-23).
My wvdial.conf file is:

[Dialer Defaults]
Modem = /dev/ttyUSB0
ISDN = off
Modem Type = Analog Modem
Baud = 9600
Init = ATZ
Init2 = AT+CPIN="my PIN"
Init3 = AT+GCDCONT=1,"IP","telstra.bigpond"
Phone = *99#
Dial Prefix =
Dial Attempts = 2
Dial Command = ATM1L3DT
Ask Password = off
Password = off
Username = na
Auto Reconnect = off
Abort on Busy = off
Carrier Check = off
Check Def Route = off
Abort on No Dialtone = off
Stupid Mode = on
Idle Seconds = 0
Auto DNS = on
;Minimize = off
;Dock = on
;Do NOT edit this file by hand!

Using Gnome PPP I either freeze-up on "detect modem" or I get an error message with Init 2: ERROR --> Bad init string.
Any ideas?

[Dropbear]

This is my wvdial.conf

[Dialer Defaults]
Modem = /dev/ttyUSB3
ISDN = off
Modem Type = USB Modem
Baud = 460800
Init = ATZ
Init2 = AT&F &D2 &C1
Init3 = ATS7=60 S30=0 S0=0
Init4 = AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","telstra.bigpond"
Init5 =
Init6 =
Init7 =
Init8 =
Init9 =
Phone = *99#
Phone1 =
Phone2 =
Phone3 =
Phone4 =
Dial Prefix =
Dial Attempts = 1
Dial Command = ATM1L3DT
Ask Password = off
Password = (your password here)
Username = (your username here)
Auto Reconnect = off
Abort on Busy = off
Carrier Check = on
Check Def Route = on
Abort on No Dialtone = on
Stupid Mode = on
Idle Seconds = 0
Auto DNS = on
;Minimize = off
;Dock = off
;Do NOT edit this file by hand!

The modem section can be tricky. You may need to try different entries /dev/ttyUSB1, /dev/ttyUSB2 etc.

[OmahaZ]

I'm a bit out on the limb here, but if using Networkmanager one might experience difficulties with HSDPA modems not supportet by Networkmanager itself.

I had this experience with a different modem. There is a less than pretty workaround

http://seife.kernalert.de/blog/

The reason is that the netconfig tools, which do rewrite resolv.conf apparently refuse to do that if NETWORKMANAGER=yes is configured in /etc/sysconfig/network/config.
One solution would be to switch to the old ifup method (NETWORKMANAGER=no), but then wireless LAN will basically be unusable.

It worked with my modem, but is less than Ideal.

I ended up with the following solution:
Uninstalled Networkmanager
Installed Wicd for WIFI/Network
http://sourceforge.net/project/showf...kage_id=229460
Installed UMTSmon to handle HSDPA.
http://sourceforge.net/project/showf...kage_id=179566
Have used UMTSmon with Ubuntu previously - converted rpm to deb with alien
http://download.opensuse.org/reposit...USE_11.1/i586/
There are UMTSmon deb files floating out there but since I don't know the sources I won't list them here.

[Ariccanfly]

Oh man I have to do this tomorrow morning.
Ahgg, shes new to ubuntu.

And is probably going to want it all

Use of the dongle on any computer, wifi access when shes in range of it..

I was hoping to install ubuntu and go, and then she shows me this ugly red rogers wireless thing... perhaps I should borrow her dongle for a day...