Anyone got a USB modem working in Ubuntu or Mint?

compaqlaptop1

I have been tearing my hair out for the last few days trying to get a meteor Huawei E173 modem working in linux mint 7. Tried alot of stuff I found on the net but none of it worked. I even upgraded to version 9 today to see if that would make a difference but it didn't.

The odd time it will connect, and this only happens if I am using the modem in windows and then restart and boot linux. Then, sometimes, it works and I am connected as soon as I log in. But when booting straight into linux mint it never works.

Here is what lsusb gives me -
Bus 007 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 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 045e:00e1 Microsoft Corp. Wireless Laser Mouse 6000 Reciever
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 12d1:1446 Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

The odd time it connects the Huawei line above looks like the following -
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 12d1:140c Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.

From what I understand 1446 is for the mass storage part of the device and 140c is for the modem. Can someone please explain to me how to get this device working as I have missed out on 3 days work due to this and I am stuck with this poxy modem for another 2 months before I get a wired connection.

compaqlaptop1

Here's what Ive tried after doing some googling for answers on how to fix this:
1) Go into File Browser and right click on the modem (which shows as a storage device) and click 'Safely Remove Device'
2) Open Terminal and type the following commands -
3) rmmod usb-storage
4) modprobe -r option
5) modprobe -r usbserial
6) modprobe usbserial vendor=0x12d1 product=0x140c
7) usb_modeswitch -v 0x12d1 -p 0x1446 -V 0x12d1 -P 0x140c -H -W

Here is the output from 7) -
Taking all parameters from the command line

* usb_modeswitch: handle USB devices with multiple modes
* Version 1.1.4 (C) Josua Dietze 2010
* Based on libusb0 (0.1.12 and above)

! PLEASE REPORT NEW CONFIGURATIONS !

DefaultVendor= 0x12d1
DefaultProduct= 0x1446
TargetVendor= 0x12d1
TargetProduct= 0x140c
TargetClass= not set
TargetProductList=""

DetachStorageOnly=0
HuaweiMode=1
SierraMode=0
SonyMode=0
GCTMode=0
MessageEndpoint= not set
MessageContent=""
NeedResponse=0
ResponseEndpoint= not set
Interface=0x00

InquireDevice enabled (default)
Success check disabled
System integration mode disabled

usb_set_debug: Setting debugging level to 15 (on)
usb_os_find_busses: Found 007
usb_os_find_busses: Found 006
usb_os_find_busses: Found 005
usb_os_find_busses: Found 004
usb_os_find_busses: Found 003
usb_os_find_busses: Found 002
usb_os_find_busses: Found 001
usb_os_find_devices: Found 001 on 007
usb_os_find_devices: Found 001 on 006
usb_os_find_devices: Found 001 on 005
usb_os_find_devices: Found 001 on 004
usb_os_find_devices: Found 002 on 003
skipped 1 class/vendor specific interface descriptors
usb_os_find_devices: Found 001 on 003
error obtaining child information: Inappropriate ioctl for device
usb_os_find_devices: Found 002 on 002
usb_os_find_devices: Found 001 on 002
error obtaining child information: Inappropriate ioctl for device
usb_os_find_devices: Found 001 on 001

Looking for target devices ...
searching devices, found USB ID 1d6b:0001
searching devices, found USB ID 1d6b:0001
searching devices, found USB ID 1d6b:0001
searching devices, found USB ID 1d6b:0001
searching devices, found USB ID 045e:00e1
searching devices, found USB ID 1d6b:0001
searching devices, found USB ID 12d1:1446
found matching vendor ID
searching devices, found USB ID 1d6b:0002
searching devices, found USB ID 1d6b:0002
No devices in target mode or class found
Looking for default devices ...
searching devices, found USB ID 1d6b:0001
searching devices, found USB ID 1d6b:0001
searching devices, found USB ID 1d6b:0001
searching devices, found USB ID 1d6b:0001
searching devices, found USB ID 045e:00e1
searching devices, found USB ID 1d6b:0001
searching devices, found USB ID 12d1:1446
found matching vendor ID
found matching product ID
adding device
searching devices, found USB ID 1d6b:0002
searching devices, found USB ID 1d6b:0002
Found devices in default mode or class (1)
Accessing device 002 on bus 002 ...
Using endpoints 0x01 (out) and 0x81 (in)
Using endpoints 0x01 (out) and 0x81 (in)
Inquiring device details; driver will be detached ...
Looking for active driver ...
USB error: could not get bound driver: No data available
No driver found. Either detached before or never attached

SCSI inquiry data (for identification)

---

Vendor String: HUAWEI
Model String: Mass Storage
Revision String: 2.31

---

USB description data (for identification)

---

Manufacturer: HUAWEI Technology
Product: HUAWEI Mobile
Serial No.: not provided

---

Sending Huawei control message ...
OK, Huawei control message sent
-> Run lsusb to note any changes. Bye.



And it doesn't work, the lsusb still shows -
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 12d1:1446 Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.



So any ideas on what I am doing wrong and how I can fix this problem?

dabl

Try using a phone as a modem?! Nokia's work out of the box on all the networks through Network Manager without installing any special software like you must with Windows. However if I use this and reboot or restart X , my machine (Acer Revo) freezes - the only issue I have with that particular box so far. You could try plugging the modem in after switching on?

niallb

Upgrading to Mint 9 was a good move - most of the USB modems are very similar,
and use the same few drivers - they all however have different usb-ids, and each newer linux kernel has a bigger list of what ids go with which driver.

I'd chalk down most of the time spent learning about this in Mint 7 as being informative,
but not all that productive. You've a much better chance of getting this going now.
You may however need to go even slightly newer, like the 10 beta. As far as I'm aware, stratightforward E173 support was added to ubuntu with the most recent release 10.10, or Maverick.

You've noticed that the USB stick can have 2 different ids. Only one is a modem, the other appears as a cd-rom which is why ejecting it and running usb_modeswitch is a good idea.
Another Q: Did you upgrade your mint from 7 to 9, or do a fresh install? It may have an impact.

2 things:
1: Have you turned off the PIN request for your modem using the windows tool?
It's not essential. The ubuntu network-manager can handle PINs, and I presume that's what mint is using. (Is it straight Mint, or some other version)
2: Click up on your network icon, and see if there's an option there to "enable Mobile Broadband". Make sure that's checked before you try anything else.

Good luck. Let us know how that's looking.
In answer to your original question, I've used 5 different varieties of USB 3G modems personally with linux, as well as 3 different PCMCIA card versions in earlier days.
I've also used several phones directly wired or via bluetooth to gain a network connection.

CCCP

I have an easier solution.

1: Go to pc store

2: buy a copy of windows XP

3: Install and keep your hair

en.r4cart

Try official forum to get some answers, http://forum.huawei-3com.com/forum-208-1.html

human 19

I was talking someone through this over the phone and trying to find usb-modeswitch in various repositories with mint 7 , but it wasnt to be found. So she upgraded to mint 9 , installed usb-modeswitch , ran it and was sorted straight away (dont know the ecact commands but nothing strenuous). I suggest upgrading.

croo

A long time ago I had a similar issue (device seen as storage instead of modem) with another Huawei modem and the solution was to add some additional "rules" in /etc/udev/rules.d
It seems, when a device is plugged in the kernel checks its ID and then looks to see if there are any rules in /etc/udev/rules.d that match to help configure it.

Perhaps this will help
http://www.draisberghof.de/usb_modeswitch/bb/viewtopic.php?t=313
Now the guy in the link is still having issues but seems to be a little further along in that he can make the connection manually but not automatically... and perhaps the advice he was given resolved his issue with the automation!?