Can't connect with Huawei E173Eu-1 [12d1:14a8] (Natcom Haiti)

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

Are you able to test this compiling a ModemManager 0.6 release, like the rc1 listed here?
https://mail.gnome.org/archives/networkmanager-list/2012-July/msg00120.html

Please provide a full content of /var/log/syslog so we can see at which layers the USB ID might be missing; if it needs to be added to the option driver (or another); what information it needs for usb-modeswitch (preferably along with /var/log/usb-modeswitch.log) and whether it gets seen by NetworkManager after that -- testing ModemManager 0.6 might indeed be useful at this point, but needs to be compiled manually.

Attached syslog. I am requesting Canonical to provide a testing package, will provide feedback as possible. Interestingly the attached log shows the switch happens but the key still isn available in NM.

I also found this blog mentioning a script that would enable this key:
http://ryanalberts.com/494/natcom-haiti-phone-setup/

This comment refers to http://www.sakis3g.org making this key work in Mint:
http://ryanalberts.com/494/natcom-haiti-phone-setup/comment-page-1/#comment-1059

I prefer advancing this bug and getting proper support in Ubuntu/Debian+derivatives for this key than running a script everytime, but the above links may have information that will help.

Canonical support is suggesting the following potential solution:
# modprobe -r usbserial
# modprobe -v usbserial vendor=0x12d1 product=0x14a8

I lack the time to confirm this is a regression from 10.04 LTS or the above potential workaround, and I lack the connectivity to report this with the hardware in hand (I'll be leaving Haiti tomorrow).

Hopefully this report helps someone else achieve better results.

Hello Fabián,

Thank you for filing the bug. I am also using the same model USB Modem with the the same ISP (Natcom). What is odd is that for at least the first month using Precise Pangolin it worked without a hitch. Since then I've been using Sakis3G as a workaround. This morning out of curiosity I researched the issue again and found this thread on configuring the modem via usb_modeswitch (which also worked for me for previous releases of Ubuntu, but not Precise!):

(Huawei) E173Eu-1
http://www.draisberghof.de/usb_modeswitch/bb/viewtopic.php?t=633

I haven't tried it yet, either, but hopefully it will come in useful for others.

Nadine

It seems like we are missing the config file for this stick in usb-modeswitch-data. Upstream has not added it either. See forum post: http://www.draisberghof.de/usb_modeswitch/bb/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=633
for what config file should be added, and place it in "/etc/usb_modeswitch.d/" (you should not need to chnage "/lib/udev/rules.d/40-usb_modeswitch.rules").

I think this is the config content you want:

http://www.draisberghof.de/usb_modeswitch/bb/viewtopic.php?p=5973#p5973

I am unable to test this hardware as I don't have access to it anymore and I am not in Haiti (and won't in the short term). I hope other subscribers can help test the proposed workarounds and ensuing solution (if any).

It has been added to "usb-modeswitch-data-20120531", released on May 31st.
This version is in Debian "wheezy (testing)".

The current version is 20120815, which is in Debian "sid (unstable)".

This is the content of the respective config file ("12d1:14b5"):
----------------------------------

# Huawei E173 (Viettel 3G)

TargetVendor= 0x12d1
TargetProductList="14a8,14aa"

MessageContent="55534243123456780000000000000011062000000100000000000000000000"
----------------------------------

Note that "12d1:14a8" is the *modem* mode which does not need switching.

There is a hint in the syslog of post #5:

Jul 29 14:10:23 bertha usb_modeswitch: switching device 12d1:14b5 on 001/009
...
Jul 29 14:10:28 bertha usb_modeswitch: switched to 12d1:14a8 on 001/009

If the target ID is not contained in the config file, the ad-hoc binding to the "option" driver will fail. This is relevant if the "option" driver doesn't have the ID in its code yet.

BTW, the use of "usbserial" is not recommended for 3G modems.

To bind a driver to the modem, do this:

# modprobe option
# echo "12d1 14a8 ff" > /sys/bus/usb-serial/drivers/option1/new_id

Ubuntu Precise is still using data package release "20120120"; the modem ID was first reported in April.

Ubuntu Quantal contains the 20120815 version, and I verified that the config in comment #12 is there, so this configuration just needs to be backported to Precise.

Fabian, could you please test the latest Ubuntu 12.10 live ISO image?

Marius, as I mentioned on #11 I don't have this hardware anymore so can't provide further feedback.