========================================== Using a ZTE MF180 on GNU/Linux with wvdial ========================================== To use a "ZTE_ MF180 HSDPA USB Stick" (a device typically retailed by network providers like the Austrian bob_ as the "bob datenstick" (bob data stick)) on a (e.g Debian) GNU/Linux system, these instructions worked for me. Please note that some of the commads I send to the device were from somewhere in the internet (links given where relevant) or even guessed. They worked for me, but might turn your device into a useless brick! Step 1: Identify device ----------------------- When first connecting the stick, it presents itself as as CD-ROM device after a few seconds. ``dmesg shows``:: [...] usb 1-3: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 45 [...] usb 1-3: New USB device found, idVendor=19d2, idProduct=2000 [...] usb 1-3: New USB device strings: Mfr=3, Product=2, SerialNumber=4 [...] usb 1-3: Product: ZTE WCDMA Technologies MSM [...] usb 1-3: Manufacturer: ZTE,Incorporated [...] usb 1-3: SerialNumber: MF1800ZTED010000 [...] scsi46 : usb-storage 1-3:1.0 [...] scsi 46:0:0:0: CD-ROM ZTE USB SCSI CD-ROM 2.31 PQ: 0 ANSI: 2 [...] sr0: scsi-1 drive [...] sr 46:0:0:0: Attached scsi CD-ROM sr0 [...] sr 46:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg1 type 5 and ``lsusb`` lists it as:: Bus 001 Device 045: ID 19d2:2000 ONDA Communication S.p.A. ZTE MF627/MF628/MF628+ HSDPA (Of course, som details will differ from system to system.) This CD typically contains vendor specific Windows drivers; you might want to look for a fitting icon there if you intend to create a graphical button for launching wvdial. At this stage, the LED on the device should be red. Step 2: Get rid of the CD thing ------------------------------- In order to access the modem proper, you'll need to signal to the stick that it may switch now. Fortunately, on this particular stick this is implemented in a quite straigt-forward way -- simply eject the CD:: eject /dev/sr0 After ejecting, three new devices will show up at ``ls /dev/ttyUSB*``:: /dev/ttyUSB0 /dev/ttyUSB1 /dev/ttyUSB2 The important one is ``/dev/ttyUSB2``. According to `an ubuntuforums entry`_, ``/dev/ttyUSB0`` is a NMEA port (which I have not yet seen doing anything) and ``/dev/ttyUSB1`` is for montioring (e.g. querying signal strength while a connection is open). At this stage, the LED should still be red. You can now communicate with the device using AT commands, e.g. by using ``screen /dev/ttyUSB2``. For example, you can query the security status by entering ``AT+ZSEC?``:: AT+ZSEC? +ZSEC: 0,0 OK (That is, you enter ``AT+ZSEC?``, followed by return, and the stick responds with a status and an OK message. You can leave the screen session by pressing Ctrl-a, k, and y. If screen complains about "Cannot access line", you might need to invoke it with sudo.) The exact interpretation of the ZSEC reply is explained in `the 3g-modem wiki`_, but for now it will be sufficient to know that ``0,0`` means that no PIN has been entered. .. admonition:: Disabling CD mode There are two parameters that can be set: "autorun" and "download". Autorun can be enabled using AT+ZCDRUN=9, disabled using AT+ZCDRUN=8 and queried using AT+ZCDRUN=4. `[1]`__ .. __: http://ubuntuforums.org/archive/index.php/t-1017630.html Download mode can be enabled using AT+ZCDRUN=E, disabled using AT+ZCDRUN=F and queried using AT+ZCDRUN=G. `[2]`__ .. __: http://startubuntu.ru/?p=5641 Enabling download mode works best for me as it hides the CD completely. (Autorun mode just makes both the ttyUSB and the CD show up at the same time.) Step 3: Unlock the SIM card --------------------------- Before the modem accepts any commands from wvdial to set up the modem connection, it needs the SIM card unlocked by entering the PIN (where 1234 is your PIN):: AT+CPIN=1234 OK The LED will then turn blue after a few seconds, and ``AT+ZSEC?`` will then receive the response ``3,0``. .. admonition:: LED color It might happen that you LED remains red or goes back to red after some time, or goes to green. This seems to be due to bad network connectivity; ``AT+ZPAS?`` reported "Limited Service" instead of "UMTS","CS_PS" for me iff the LED was red, and "GPRS","CS_PS" iff the LED was green. .. admonition:: Disabling the PIN To use the wvdial configuration below, you need to allow the SIM card to connect without a password. Disable password prompting by issuing ``AT+CLCK="SC",0,"1234"`` (again, for you PIN being 1234). You can re-enable it using ``AT+CLCK="SC",1,"1234"``. The more secure version would be writing a chat script that enters the pin and polls for the response to ``AT+ZSEC?`` or ``AT+ZPAS?`` to indicate that everything is ready. Step 4: Get a network connection -------------------------------- After the device is unlocked and connected to the network, a pretty straightforward ``/etc/wvdial.conf`` setting for wvdial_ is required to get things running; I use this:: [Dialer bobstick] Phone = *99# Username = data@bob.at Password = ppp Init2 = AT+CGDCONT=4,"IP","bob.at" Modem = /dev/ttyUSB2 Stupid Mode = 1 The Phone, Username and Password parts, the "bob.at" section in the Init2 (that's the APN) and the "Stupid Mode" are specific to bob; instructions what to put there should come with your SIM card. Then, start ``wvdial bobstick`` (you might need sudo again, and don't forget to close screen sessions running on ``/dev/ttyUSB2`` as they'll eat the stick's responses):: --> WvDial: Internet dialer version 1.60 --> Cannot get information for serial port. --> Initializing modem. --> Sending: ATZ ATZ OK --> Sending: AT+CGDCONT=4,"IP","bob.at" AT+CGDCONT=4,"IP","bob.at" OK --> Modem initialized. --> Sending: ATDT*99# --> Waiting for carrier. ATDT*99# CONNECT 3600000 --> Carrier detected. Starting PPP immediately. --> Starting pppd at [...] --> Pid of pppd: 22867 --> Using interface ppp0 --> local IP address [...] [...] And there you go, network up and running! The LED should be blinking now. If you want to further interact with the device, use ``screen /dev/ttyUSB1`` as ``ttyUSB2`` is now in use by PPP. Step 5: Reset ------------- (Remember what I said about bricking? That's the part where I guessed brutally.) When a connection is active, just stopping wvdial is not enough to make the connection stop on the stick's side -- the LED keeps blinking. Sending the command ``AT+ZRST`` resets the device. More commands and devices ------------------------- jtrenchard `found some more commands`_ in the binary code of a similar dongle, e.g. a ``AT+ZVN`` which I guess stants for "ZTE version" and reports "BD_MF180TLF3V1.0.0B01 [JUNE 8 2010 17:00:00]" for me. The ``AT+ZRST`` very much looks like a reset command (as does ``AT+ZOPRT=0``), ``AT+ZECC?`` returns US and European emergency numbers. Similar devices probably have different tty numbers. For example, see the `ZTE MF193 guide`_ by Rudy Godoy. .. _ZTE: http://www.zte.com.cn/ .. _bob: http://www.bob.at/ .. _`the 3g-modem wiki`: http://3g-modem.wetpaint.com/page/ZTE+AT-commands .. _`an ubuntuforums entry`: http://ubuntuforums.org/archive/index.php/t-1017630.html .. _wvdial: http://alumnit.ca/wiki/index.php?page=WvDial .. _`found some more commands`: http://www.3g.co.uk/3GForum/showpost.php?p=434728&postcount=2 .. _`ZTE MF193 guide`: http://blog.stone-head.org/getting-movistar-peru-zte-mf193-work-in-debian/ --------------------------- Written by chrysn_ 2010-10-26 (updated 2014-02-14), published under the terms of `CC-BY-SA`_. For the latest version, look at the `original address`_, where you will also find the reStructuredText_ source. .. _chrysn: http://christian.amsuess.com/#CMA .. _`original address`: http://christian.amsuess.com/tutorials/zte_mf180/ .. _reStructuredText: http://christian.amsuess.com/tutorials/zte_mf180/index.rst .. _`CC-BY-SA`: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/