[gentoo-user] Merlin XU870
Florian Philipp
I've bought a Merlin X870 UMTS ExpressCard. They even offer Linux support and
a howto but it doesn't work:
http://www.novatelwireless.com/support/merlin-xu870-linux.html
"1.
# Open an xterm window (window A) and log in as root:
su root
tail –f /var/log/messages
2.
# Insert the XU870 ExpressCard modem into your notebook computer.
Look for the port association and note the lower order port numbers when
device is inserted. The information will be used later in this procedure. The
following shows sample output:
Aug 3 15:27:33 linux kernel: usb 5-1: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
Aug 3 15:27:33 linux kernel: airprime 5-1:1.0: airprime converter detected
Aug 3 15:27:33 linux kernel: usb 5-1: airprime converter now attached to
ttyUSB0
Aug 3 15:27:33 linux kernel: airprime 5-1:1.1: airprime converter detected
Aug 3 15:27:33 linux kernel: usb 5-1: airprime converter now attached to
ttyUSB1
3.
# Open another xterm window (window B) and log in as root:
su root
cat /dev/ttyUSB0
There should be additional output displayed in xterm window A that was opened
in step 1."
Step number two doesn't work, there is no output at all. What's going on?
What's this "airprime converter"? I didn't find it in the kernel or via
eix -Ss.
dmesg gives me:
"[ 7104.176596] pccard: CardBus card inserted into slot 0"
Michael Gisbers
It seems to depend on kernel version.
With 2.6.2[1|2] I'm using option.ko without any problems:
Aug 15 13:48:25 mars option 3-1:1.0: GSM modem (1-port) converter detected
Aug 15 13:48:25 mars usb 3-1: GSM modem (1-port) converter now attached to
ttyUS
B0
Aug 15 13:48:25 mars Device driver ttyUSB0 lacks bus and class support for
being
resumed.
Aug 15 13:48:25 mars option 3-1:1.1: GSM modem (1-port) converter detected
Aug 15 13:48:25 mars usb 3-1: GSM modem (1-port) converter now attached to
ttyUS
B1
Aug 15 13:48:25 mars Device driver ttyUSB1 lacks bus and class support for
being resumed.
I use umtsmon (http://umtsmon.sourceforge.net) which supports XU870 when
starting with '--serial /dev/ttyUSB0'.
--
Michael Gisbers
http://www.lugor.de
Florian Philipp
> Am Mittwoch 15 August 2007 schrieb Florian Philipp:
> > Okay, I've found option.ko and airprime.ko. tail -f /var/log/messages
> > still doesn't output anything. Might that be a configuration issue
> > (syslog-ng? kernel?)?
>
> Which kernel do you use?
suspend2-2.6.22-r1
I fact, this machine NEVER produced any output to /var/log/messages. It's
completely empty. Its only content is the gzip-header when logrotate
compresses the empty file once a week.
Florian Philipp
/var/log/messages works now. (syslog-ng's sync had to be set to 1).
Unfortunately, that does not solve my problem. airprime, option, usbserial and
ftdi_sio are compiled as modules and loaded. Yet, I still don't get anything
useful on tail -f /var/log/messages.
Might it be due to the fact that I have to use an adapter (shipped with the
card, works with Windows)?
Florian Philipp
Just to complete the image, this is the output of "umtsmon -v5"
umtsmon version 0.6 .
set verbosity level to 5
installing text SIGABRT handler
INFO: '2.6 kernel found'
INFO: 'sysfs found, mounted on /sys'
USB iteration: vendorID/ProductID = 0x413c:a005
unknown USB Device '(null)' '(null)'
BAD: 'no known USB device found'
INFO: 'pcmcia_core kernel support (yenta) found'
INFO: 'PCMCIA kernel module found - cardctl support possible'
INFO: 'pcmcia browsing available'
INFO: 'Detected NEC-based usb2serial PCMCIA card'
INFO: 'subvendor equals vendor detected. Is there an adapter around your
card?'
INFO: 'Anyway, we think we can handle this one by doing direct USB analysis.'
INFO: 'no serial_cs capable device found'
INFO: 'No Phone Modem found'
INFO: 'Nothing detected yet - let's check for usb2serial in general'
BAD: 'no usbserial ports found that are linked to PCMCIA'
KILLING: 'no USB2Serial found, I'm out of options now...'
*** CRITICAL ERROR: Device detection not successful.
*** umtsmon version 0.6 closed due to an unrecoverable program error.
Florian Philipp
No, I used diff to compare the "ls -l /dev" output before and a after the
insertion, there is no difference.
> If they do exist try to start umtsmon with:
>
> umtsmon --serial /dev/ttyUSB0
>
> BTW: What color shows your Merlin card after inserting?
White (initializing?), red, flashing red (no PIN)
Michael Gisbers
Good morning...
I just tried my Merlin Card with pcmcia adapter.
Following Modules are used additional to normal usb modules:
Module Size Used by
option 11648 0
usbserial 36816 1 option
Infos from my logfile:
Aug 20 08:01:35 mars usb 6-1: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
Aug 20 08:01:35 mars usbcore: registered new interface driver usbserial
Aug 20 08:01:35 mars USB driver usbserial lacks resume support.
Aug 20 08:01:35 mars drivers/usb/serial/usb-serial.c: USB Serial support
registe
red for generic
Aug 20 08:01:35 mars usbcore: registered new interface driver
usbserial_generic
Aug 20 08:01:35 mars USB driver usbserial_generic lacks resume support.
Aug 20 08:01:35 mars drivers/usb/serial/usb-serial.c: USB Serial Driver core
Aug 20 08:01:35 mars drivers/usb/serial/usb-serial.c: USB Serial support
registe
red for GSM modem (1-port)
Aug 20 08:01:35 mars option 6-1:1.0: GSM modem (1-port) converter detected
Aug 20 08:01:35 mars usb 6-1: GSM modem (1-port) converter now attached to
ttyUSB0
Aug 20 08:01:35 mars Device driver ttyUSB0 lacks bus and class support for
being resumed.
Aug 20 08:01:35 mars option 6-1:1.1: GSM modem (1-port) converter detected
Aug 20 08:01:35 mars usb 6-1: GSM modem (1-port) converter now attached to
ttyUSB1
Aug 20 08:01:35 mars Device driver ttyUSB1 lacks bus and class support for
being resumed.
Aug 20 08:01:35 mars usbcore: registered new interface driver option
Aug 20 08:01:35 mars USB driver option lacks resume support.
Aug 20 08:01:35 mars drivers/usb/serial/option.c: USB Driver for GSM modems:
v0.7.1
And also devices /dev/ttyUSB[0|1] exist.
So there seems to be no difference between using the express card with or
without adapter.
Florian Philipp
Hmm ... this morning I've got the idea that maybe "USB selective
suspend/resume and wakeup" is the problem but disabling it didn't change
anything.
At least it's not a gentoo-only problem. Knoppix didn't far any better.
I'll try a second card, a second SIM card and a second laptop. In the
meantime, could you please send me your kernel config?
Thank you for your help!
Michael Gisbers
> Hmm ... this morning I've got the idea that maybe "USB selective
> suspend/resume and wakeup" is the problem but disabling it didn't change
> anything.
>
> At least it's not a gentoo-only problem. Knoppix didn't far any better.
>
> I'll try a second card, a second SIM card and a second laptop. In the
> meantime, could you please send me your kernel config?
>
> Thank you for your help!
I sent you my .config by PM.
Florian Philipp
Heureka, I've found it!
I used kdiff to compare your kernel config with mine. Then I've set every
option (even completely unrelated stuff like parallel port) with some minor
exceptions to match your settings and now it works!
Okay, umtsmon needs to be root (I have to adjust permissions, I think) and I
can't make a connection but I've got the same problem on Windows so it's most
certainly ISP related.
Thanks Michael, without you I would have been forced to switch back to Ubuntu
or even Windows...
Michael Gisbers
> Am Montag 20 August 2007 14:11:55 schrieb Michael Gisbers:
> > Am Montag 20 August 2007 schrieb Florian Philipp:
> > > Hmm ... this morning I've got the idea that maybe "USB selective
> > > suspend/resume and wakeup" is the problem but disabling it didn't
> > > change anything.
> > >
> > > At least it's not a gentoo-only problem. Knoppix didn't far any better.
> > >
> > > I'll try a second card, a second SIM card and a second laptop. In the
> > > meantime, could you please send me your kernel config?
> > >
> > > Thank you for your help!
> >
> > I sent you my .config by PM.
>
> Heureka, I've found it!
>
> I used kdiff to compare your kernel config with mine. Then I've set every
> option (even completely unrelated stuff like parallel port) with some minor
> exceptions to match your settings and now it works!
That's fine. Could you find out which parameter you had to change to get it
working?
> Okay, umtsmon needs to be root (I have to adjust permissions, I think) and
> I can't make a connection but I've got the same problem on Windows so it's
> most certainly ISP related.
Which ISP do you use?
> Thanks Michael, without you I would have been forced to switch back to
> Ubuntu or even Windows...
No sweat.
Florian Philipp
> Am Wednesday 22 August 2007 schrieb Florian Philipp:
> > Am Montag 20 August 2007 14:11:55 schrieb Michael Gisbers:
> > > Am Montag 20 August 2007 schrieb Florian Philipp:
> > > > Hmm ... this morning I've got the idea that maybe "USB selective
> > > > suspend/resume and wakeup" is the problem but disabling it didn't
> > > > change anything.
> > > >
> > > > At least it's not a gentoo-only problem. Knoppix didn't far any
> > > > better.
> > > >
> > > > I'll try a second card, a second SIM card and a second laptop. In the
> > > > meantime, could you please send me your kernel config?
> > > >
> > > > Thank you for your help!
> > >
> > > I sent you my .config by PM.
> >
> > Heureka, I've found it!
> >
> > I used kdiff to compare your kernel config with mine. Then I've set every
> > option (even completely unrelated stuff like parallel port) with some
> > minor exceptions to match your settings and now it works!
>
> That's fine. Could you find out which parameter you had to change to get it
> working?
Not yet, among other things I suspect "Elan PCMCIA CardBus Adapter USB Client"
as well as some settings concerning networking but there are really too many
to be sure. I'll deactivate them over time and post it here.
> > Okay, umtsmon needs to be root (I have to adjust permissions, I think)
> > and I can't make a connection but I've got the same problem on Windows so
> > it's most certainly ISP related.
>
> Which ISP do you use?
>
E-Plus / Base. Tomorrow I'll drive to the next town and see if it works there.
Florian Philipp
Just for the records: I'm now using the scripts provided by Novatel because
umtsmon did not work (and because it was the only package requiring qt on my
laptop). Now I'm connecting with
"pppd file /etc/ppp/hsdpa_options ttyUSB0"
Because their scripts do not work as long as you have to enter a PIN, I've
deactivated the PIN using my mobile phone (umtsmon or the Windows tool could
have worked as well).
For E-Plus / Base you need the following settings:
APN: "internet.eplus.de"
user: "eplus"
password:"internet"
number: "*99***1#"
I'm still searching for the kernel option(s).
Michael Gisbers
What about setting PIN and setting it by using 'chat' just before starting
pppd?
(Don't try to use a pppd - chatscript. If your pin was already entered it
fails with an error.)
Some time ago I created a script to set PIN just after inserting my old umts -
card. I'll have a look if I can find it in the archives.
Michael Gisbers
This PIN is your SIM-PIN equal to that one you use for your mobile phone.
Without PIN everyone can take your SIM-card, put it into his/her phone and
use it. It may even be possible that one can use it to make phone calls.
After you enter 3 false PINs your card gets locked and you have to unlock it
by a super-PIN.
So, if you decide to use your card without PIN and loose it. The finder will
be overjoyed to get a PIN-less SIM and use it on your cost.
Florian Philipp
I thought more about reading the PIN or its hash with a modified card reader
but since I could not find any information about that, it might not be
possible.
In fact I'm not concerned about the actual use by some thiefs. It's a flat
rate, phone calls should be impossible and SMS should still be protected by a
second PIN. Furthermore I can lock the SIM as soon as I realize its theft.
However, now that I think about it I'm worried that they could use the SIM for
illegal activities and since I can be hold responsible if my unprotected WLAN
is used for spamming, frauds, etc. it might be necessary to protect my SIM as
well.