Acer Aspire One ZG5 not recognizing 3G modem

[Chiapo]

Hello, I have an Acer Aspire One ZG5, and have installed UNR 9.04 alongside WinXP.
The 3G modem works in WinXP, not in UNR.
Here's the output from the following commands:

ifconfig
lshw -C network
lsusb


################################################## ####################################

laptop~$ ifconfig

eth0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:23:8b:50:d9:1b

UP BROADCAST MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1

RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0

TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0

collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000

RX bytes:0 (0.0 B) TX bytes:0 (0.0 B)

Interrupt:251 Base address:0xc000



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:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0

TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0

collisions:0 txqueuelen:0
RX bytes:0 (0.0 B) TX bytes:0 (0.0 B)



wlan0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:24:2b:0f:6c:b1
UP BROADCAST MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1

RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0

TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0

collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000

RX bytes:0 (0.0 B) TX bytes:0 (0.0 B)



wmaster0 Link encap:UNSPEC HWaddr 00-24-2B-0F-6C-B1-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00
UP BROADCAST RUNNING

MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1

RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0

TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0

collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
RX bytes:0 (0.0 B) TX bytes:0 (0.0 B)


laptop:~$

################################################## ######################################


laptop:~$ sudo lshw -C network

[sudo] password for laptop:

*-network
description: Ethernet interface

product: RTL8101E/RTL8102E PCI Express Fast Ethernet controller

vendor: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.

physical id: 0

bus info: pci@0000:02:00.0

logical name: eth0

version: 02

serial: 00:23:8b:50:d9:1b

size: 10MB/s

capacity: 100MB/s

width: 64 bits

clock: 33MHz

capabilities: pm msi pciexpress msix vpd bus_master cap_list ethernet physical tp mii 10bt 10bt-fd 100bt 100bt-fd

autonegotiation

configuration: autonegotiation=on broadcast=yes driver=r8169 driverversion=2.3LK-NAPI duplex=half latency=0 link=no

module=r8169 multicast=yes port=MII speed=10MB/s

*-network

description: Wireless interface

product: AR242x 802.11abg Wireless PCI Express Adapter

vendor: Atheros Communications Inc.

physical id: 0

bus info: pci@0000:03:00.0

logical name: wmaster0

version: 01

serial: 00:24:2b:0f:6c:b1

width: 64 bits

clock: 33MHz

capabilities: pm msi pciexpress msix bus_master cap_list logical ethernet physical wireless

configuration: broadcast=yes driver=ath5k_pci latency=0 module=ath5k multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11bg

*-network DISABLED

description: Ethernet interface

physical id: 1

logical name: pan0

serial: ee:f9:0b:2d:cc:de

capabilities: ethernet physical

configuration: broadcast=yes driver=bridge driverversion=2.3 firmware=N/A link=yes multicast=yes

laptop:~$




################################################## #############################


laptop:~$ lsusb

Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub

Bus 001 Device 004: ID 058f:6387 Alcor Micro Corp. Transcend JetFlash Flash Drive

Bus 001 Device 003: ID 05c6:9211 Qualcomm, Inc.

Bus 001 Device 002: ID 0c45:62c0 Microdia Pavilion Webcam

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

laptop:~$



################################################## ##############################

It looks like the 3G modem is not being recognized.
I've tried installing wvdial, ppp, and some others, but am having issues with unresolved dependencies.

Thanking you in advance for your consideration.

[GeorgeVita]

Hi Chiapo,
as your case seems to be difficult (especially if the 3G modem is inside the netbook) I am not sure I can help but I want to give you some thoughts/questions:

Is this 3G modem external (1) or internal (2)?

1: External
1a. try lsusb before and after attaching the modem.
1b. try another live Ubuntu version (like 8.10)
>>> run the liveCD to a desktop, plug in an USB memory stick to the desktop, right click on its icon and UNMOUNT it, make it bootable with: System > Administration > USB startup disk creator

2: Internal
2a- Internal: is there any switch to turn on (h/w, s/w or via setup configuration)?
2b. Some internal 3G modems need a firmware to be programmed before you can use them! Have you realise something like this? Can you fix it from windows and then boot ubuntu without turning power off?

As acer has some models working with linux, what is their opinion about this 3G modem?

Finally is there any way to determine manufacturer and model from windows (control panel, driver, 3G provider's s/w)or try to see the real board or the sticker on it?

Hope something of the above helps and not confuses you!
Regards,
George

[Databit]

Hey I'm having the same problem/same model.
I made sure that I was able to get a connection using XP before wiping out XP and putting a good OS (Jaunty) on it.
Now the 3G won't work
Fail

[Databit]

Oh and it does have a switch and I have it "on"

[Chiapo]

Thanks for your reply GeorgeVita.
There is a switch to enable/disable 3G or WiFi & an LED that shows the 3G / WiFi is working.
The modem is internal, Qualcomm 9121, & is shown in the output of dmesg, but is not shown as a modem.
Someone suggested trying modeswitch (not sure of spelling) but when I installed, there were too many unresolved dependencies.
The 3G modem works fine in WinXP, but Ubuntu Network Manager does not recognize it.
There are Qualcomm files in a directory off the root (windows partition), but I don't know how to make them work with Ubuntu.
I'll look on the Acer, & Qualcomm sites for a possible solution.
Thank you for your time & ideas.
Signed, "Stuck in Windoze."

[Chiapo]

As a side note, I tried Damn Small Linux via USB while running WinXP, and DSL has no problem connecting to the web, although I assume the windows based "Acer 3G Connection Manager" is doing all the work.
Unfortunately, I reformatted the USB drive that had the Jaunty .IMG in order to put Karmic Koala on it, in the hope that my problem had been addressed and an install would be the fix .
Alas! The UNR 10.01 installed to USB doesn't get past the BusyBox (initramfs) prompt!
Looks like I'll have to go buy a USB DVD/CD-ROM drive! (oh boy! new toys!)

[Databit]

Is it possible to install the 3g Qualcomm drivers with NDIS wrapper?

[GeorgeVita]

Hi Chiapo and Databit,

can you do another small test?
From terminal: ls /dev/ttyU* /dev/ttyA*
just to see any serial port already assigned for communication.

Also, is there a possibility the: Bus 001 Device 003: ID 05c6:9211 Qualcomm, Inc.
respond on the lsusb command to be the 3G modem?

G

[Chiapo]

Thanks again for your time GeorgeVita!
Here's the output from ls /dev/ttyU* /dev/ttyA*

laptop:~$ ls /dev/ttyU* /dev/ttyA*
ls: cannot access /dev/ttyU*: No such file or directory
ls: cannot access /dev/ttyA*: No such file or directory
laptop:~$

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Also, yes I think the Qualcomm device listed in lsusb is the 3G modem, but I have no certainty.

Your help is most appreciated!

[GeorgeVita]

Recent version of Ubuntu (9.04) has some "tools" removed or encapsulated to the kernel.
With the term "tools" I mean usbserial driver and wvdial program that where easy to "trim" via terminal and connect a new/weird 3G modem just after learning some basic on Ubuntu linux.

Now, till we found the "new way" or the "new tools", and as I feel it is dificult for an "entry level" user to re-compile the kernel (!) we are just searching for other's achievements about connecting same devices.

Till we found something helpful (I tried many links, bug reports etc. with no luck!) I would propose use a liveUSB 8.10 version and test if we can gain the usbserial ports. This way is not very easy but will give some more knowledge doing other things...

Would you like to try it or did you found more info to check?

G