Usb Modem Issues

[mr_skater99]

Hi all,

First post - will try and put in as much data as i can - but if i miss anything let me know.

Got my Mark IV a week or so ago and been messing around with it. Upgraded to 2.6.1. I'm now trying to get a stable 3G connection to Telstra (i'm in Australia) using my Sierra Aircard 880U

The problem i have, is i can get the modem to work - and get internet - but am having a strange issue with keeping the connection up.

Initially i could get the connection up - and it would last anywhere from 10 seconds to a few minutes. I'd then get a message similar to the log below - and it would disconnect. After a lot of googling and trying different settings both in the 3g.sh script as well as other parts of the ppp config i realised power might be the issue. So until i could get my hands on another adapter i turned off the internal wireless and low and behold i kept the connection up for over 30 mins. As soon as i turned the wifi back on - the connection died. So i found a 12V 4.5A adapter to replace the 12V 1A adapter i was using - but i have the same issue - with wifi on the 3g will not stay up.

Is this a power thing - or is it something else altogether? I'm at a bit of a loss.

I currently have the following as my 3g.sh script addition (have played with this quite a bit):

*1199:6855*) echo "Telstra Sierra Wireless Modem detected. Attempting mode switch"

uci delete network.wan2

uci set network.wan2=interface

uci set network.wan2.ifname=ppp0

uci set network.wan2.proto=3g

uci set network.wan2.service=umts

uci set network.wan2.device=/dev/ttyUSB0

uci set network.wan2.apn=telstra.internet

uci set network.wan2.defaultroute=1

uci set network.wan2.ppp_redial=persist

uci set network.wan2.keepalive=1

uci set network.wan2.pppd_options=debug

uci set network.wan2.pppd_options=noauth

uci commit network

usb_modeswitch -v 1199 -p 6855 -S 1

sleep 10; rmmod usbserial

sleep 3; insmod usbserial vendor=0x1199 product=0x6855

sleep 5; /etc/init.d/firewall disable; /etc/init.d/firewall stop

logger "3G: firewall stopped"

iptables -t nat -A POSTROUTING -s 172.16.42.0/24 -o 3g-wan2 -j MASQUERADE

iptables -A FORWARD -s 172.16.42.0/24 -o 3g-wan2 -j ACCEPT

iptables -A FORWARD -d 172.16.42.0/24 -m state --state ESTABLISHED,RELATED -i 3g-wan2 -j ACCEPT

;;

Here is a snippet of the logs from when i have a stable 3g connection and i turn on wireless:

00:08:43 Pineapple daemon.notice pppd[2108]: Connection terminated.

00:08:37 Pineapple daemon.notice pppd[2108]: restoring old default route to br-lan [172.16.42.42]

00:08:37 Pineapple daemon.notice pppd[2108]: Serial link appears to be disconnected.

00:08:37 Pineapple daemon.notice netifd: Interface 'wan2' has lost the connection

00:08:37 Pineapple daemon.info pppd[2108]: Sent 20076 bytes, received 20076 bytes.

00:08:37 Pineapple daemon.info pppd[2108]: No response to 1 echo-requests

00:08:37 Pineapple daemon.info pppd[2108]: Connect time 4.6 minutes.

00:08:37 Pineapple daemon.info dnsmasq[1441]: using nameserver 8.8.8.8#53

00:08:37 Pineapple daemon.info dnsmasq[1441]: using nameserver 10.4.81.103#53

00:08:37 Pineapple daemon.info dnsmasq[1441]: using nameserver 10.4.182.20#53

00:08:37 Pineapple daemon.info dnsmasq[1441]: using local addresses only for domain lan

00:08:37 Pineapple daemon.info dnsmasq[1441]: reading /tmp/resolv.conf.auto

00:08:31 Pineapple kern.info kernel: [ 511.440000] br-lan: port 2(wlan0) entered forwarding state

00:08:29 Pineapple kern.info kernel: [ 509.440000] br-lan: port 2(wlan0) entered forwarding state

00:08:29 Pineapple kern.info kernel: [ 509.430000] br-lan: port 2(wlan0) entered forwarding state

00:08:29 Pineapple kern.info kernel: [ 509.340000] device wlan0 entered promiscuous mode

00:08:29 Pineapple kern.err kernel: [ 509.650000] ath: phy0: Could not stop RX, we could be confusing the DMA engine when we start RX up

00:08:29 Pineapple kern.err kernel: [ 509.640000] ath: phy0: DMA failed to stop in 10 ms AR_CR=0x00000024 AR_DIAG_SW=0x02000020 DMADBG_7=0x00006400

[TonTon]

Hi,

you should downgrade to firmware 2.5.0 which is the latest stable version,

and do your test again with the 12v 4.5 A adapter.

I had the same problem and it was a question of power.

Another test you can do is to plug your usb modem on a computer and check your 3G signal,

it happens sometimes when 3G signal is to weak, that the modem disconnect.

I hope it could help.

[mr_skater99]

Thanks TonTon. USB stick works ok in a laptop (used it to upgrade the firmware on the modem too).

I'll try 2.5 and see if that makes any difference - thanks for the suggestion.

[mr_skater99]

Hi all,

i may have cheated a little. I got my hands on a Telstra branded MF626s - and it works with very little effort (config below). Seems to consume a lot let power too which is a good thing.

*19d2:0031*) echo "Telstra MF626s Modem detected. Attempting mode switch"

uci delete network.wan2

uci set network.wan2=interface

uci set network.wan2.ifname=ppp0

uci set network.wan2.proto=3g

uci set network.wan2.service=umts

uci set network.wan2.device=/dev/ttyUSB2

uci set network.wan2.apn=telstra.internet

uci set network.wan2.defaultroute=1

uci set network.wan2.pppd_options=debug

uci set network.wan2.pppd_options=noauth

uci commit network

uci commit network

sleep 10; rmmod usbserial

sleep 3; insmod usbserial vendor=0x19d2 product=0x0031

sleep 5; /etc/init.d/firewall disable; /etc/init.d/firewall stop

logger "3G: firewall stopped"

iptables -t nat -A POSTROUTING -s 172.16.42.0/24 -o 3g-wan2 -j MASQUERADE

iptables -A FORWARD -s 172.16.42.0/24 -o 3g-wan2 -j ACCEPT

iptables -A FORWARD -d 172.16.42.0/24 -m state --state ESTABLISHED,RELATED -i 3g-wan2 -j ACCEPT