Huawei ME906s-158 / HP lt4132 LTE/HSPA+ 4G Module

audun

2.7.2-RELEASE (amd64)
built on Wed Dec 6 20:10:00 UTC 2023
FreeBSD 14.0-CURRENT

Hi

I have a Huawei ME906s-158 / HP lt4132 LTE/HSPA+ 4G Module.
I am trying to get it working in pfsense.
The device is recognized in usbconfig.

ugen0.2: <HP Inc. HP lt4132 LTE/HSPA+ 4G Module> at usbus0, cfg=0 md=HOST spd=HIGH (480Mbps) pwr=ON (2mA)

I can connect to it and run AT commands.

[2.7.2-RELEASE][admin@pfSense.home.arpa]/root: cu -l /dev/cuaU0.2
Connected

OK

Manufacturer: HP Inc.
Model: ME906s-158
Revision: 12.617.12.00.00
IMEI: 356581076604551
+GCAP: +CGSM,+DS,+ES

OK

+CPIN: READY

OK

+CSQ: 25,99

+CPAS: 0

I have added the init string

&F&C1&D2E0S0=0${temp}

This is from the PPP log. Fails with CHAT: Invalid dial init string


Jun 17 20:25:06	ppp	67551	Multi-link PPP daemon for FreeBSD
Jun 17 20:25:06	ppp	67551	process 67551 started, version 5.9
Jun 17 20:25:06	ppp	67551	web: web is not running
Jun 17 20:25:06	ppp	67551	[wan] Bundle: Interface ng0 created
Jun 17 20:25:06	ppp	67551	[wan_link0] Link: OPEN event
Jun 17 20:25:06	ppp	67551	[wan_link0] LCP: Open event
Jun 17 20:25:06	ppp	67551	[wan_link0] LCP: state change Initial --> Starting
Jun 17 20:25:06	ppp	67551	[wan_link0] LCP: LayerStart
Jun 17 20:25:06	ppp	67551	[wan_link0] CHAT: +CGDCONT=1,"IP","telenor.smart"
Jun 17 20:25:06	ppp	67551	[wan_link0] CHAT: Detected Custom modem.
Jun 17 20:25:06	ppp	67551	[wan_link0] CHAT: Dialing server at *99#...
Jun 17 20:25:06	ppp	67551	[wan_link0] CHAT: ATDT*99#
Jun 17 20:25:06	ppp	67551	[wan_link0] CHAT: Invalid dial init string.
Jun 17 20:25:06	ppp	67551	[wan_link0] MODEM: chat script failed
Jun 17 20:25:06	ppp	67551	[wan_link0] Link: DOWN event
Jun 17 20:25:06	ppp	67551	[wan_link0] LCP: Down event
Jun 17 20:25:06	ppp	67551	[wan_link0] Link: reconnection attempt 1 in 3 seconds

Is it possible to get this card working in pfSense?

Thank you for any help
Audun

stephenw10

Hmm, I'm using that init string with that modem though it's not HP rebranded:

Manufacturer: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
Model: ME906s-158
Revision: 11.617.04.00.00

Jun 13 14:12:36 	ppp 	52049 	process 52049 started, version 5.9
Jun 13 14:12:36 	ppp 	52049 	web: web is not running
Jun 13 14:12:36 	ppp 	52049 	[opt17] Bundle: Interface ng0 created
Jun 13 14:12:36 	ppp 	52049 	[opt17_link0] Link: OPEN event
Jun 13 14:12:36 	ppp 	52049 	[opt17_link0] LCP: Open event
Jun 13 14:12:36 	ppp 	52049 	[opt17_link0] LCP: state change Initial --> Starting
Jun 13 14:12:36 	ppp 	52049 	[opt17_link0] LCP: LayerStart
Jun 13 14:12:37 	ppp 	52049 	[opt17_link0] CHAT: +CGDCONT=1,"IP","3internet"
Jun 13 14:12:37 	ppp 	52049 	[opt17_link0] CHAT: Detected Custom modem.
Jun 13 14:12:37 	ppp 	52049 	[opt17_link0] CHAT: Dialing server at *99#...
Jun 13 14:12:37 	ppp 	52049 	[opt17_link0] CHAT: ATDT*99#
Jun 13 14:12:37 	ppp 	52049 	[opt17_link0] CHAT: Connected at 150000000.
Jun 13 14:12:37 	ppp 	52049 	[opt17_link0] MODEM: chat script succeeded
Jun 13 14:12:37 	ppp 	52049 	[opt17_link0] Link: UP event

Do you have a rogue space in the init string perhaps?

Check the config file directly, it's base64 encoded there:

		<ppp>
			<ptpid>1</ptpid>
			<type>ppp</type>
			<if>ppp1</if>
			<ports>/dev/cuaZ99.0</ports>
			<username></username>
			<password></password>
			<uptime></uptime>
			<descr><![CDATA[3G Test]]></descr>
			<country>GB</country>
			<provider></provider>
			<providerplan></providerplan>
			<initstr>JkYmQzEmRDJFMFMwPTAke3RlbXB9</initstr>
			<apn>3internet</apn>
			<apnum></apnum>
			<phone>*99#</phone>
			<bandwidth></bandwidth>
			<mtu></mtu>
			<mru></mru>
			<mrru></mrru>
		</ppp>

What happens if you don't add a custom init string?

Steve

audun

@stephenw10

Hi Steve

I found the init string from a post that you had replied in.
The string is the same as yours.

                <ppp>
                        <ptpid>0</ptpid>
                        <type>ppp</type>
                        <if>ppp0</if>
                        <ports>/dev/cuaU0.2</ports>
                        <username></username>
                        <password></password>
                        <descr><![CDATA[Telenor]]></descr>
                        <country>NO</country>
                        <provider></provider>
                        <providerplan></providerplan>
                        <initstr>JkYmQzEmRDJFMFMwPTAke3RlbXB9</initstr>
                        <apn>telenor.smart</apn>
                        <apnum></apnum>
                        <phone>*99#</phone>
                        <bandwidth></bandwidth>
                        <mtu></mtu>
                        <mru></mru>
                        <mrru></mrru>
                </ppp>

I have tried &F, &F&C1&D2E0S0=0 and &F0E1Q0 +CMEE=2 with the same result.
If I don't add anything I get this error.

CHAT: The modem responded with "ERROR" to the command "AT&F&C1&D2E0S0=0M1" at ModemCmd: label.

I see that you are using device /dev/cuaZ99.0
Does that meen you have installed the package "pfSense GUI for Cellular Cards Currently it supports certain Huawei models"?

I have tried to install that as well, but I don't get the cuaZ interface.

The device/vendor ID for the HP branded model is "03f0:a31d".
For the non HP branded module I think it's "12d1:15c1".

Could this be the reason I don't get the cuaZ interface?
Is it possible to modify a config file in the Cellular package to add "03f0:a31d"?

Audun

stephenw10

Yes I do have the cellular package.

The modem I have appears as expected:

[24.08-DEVELOPMENT][admin@6100.stevew.lan]/root: usbconfig -d ugen0.3 dump_device_desc
ugen0.3: <ME906s LTE M.2 Module Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.> at usbus0, cfg=0 md=HOST spd=HIGH (480Mbps) pwr=ON (2mA)

  bLength = 0x0012 
  bDescriptorType = 0x0001 
  bcdUSB = 0x0210 
  bDeviceClass = 0x0000  <Probed by interface class>
  bDeviceSubClass = 0x0000 
  bDeviceProtocol = 0x00ff 
  bMaxPacketSize0 = 0x0040 
  idVendor = 0x12d1 
  idProduct = 0x15c1 
  bcdDevice = 0x0102 
  iManufacturer = 0x0001  <Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.>
  iProduct = 0x0002  <HUAWEI Mobile>
  iSerialNumber = 0x0003  <0123456789ABCDEF>
  bNumConfigurations = 0x0003

That shouldn't make any difference to the init string though. The Cellular pkg just passes that to the modem.

You could try adding it to the conf file: https://github.com/pfsense/FreeBSD-ports/blob/devel/net/pfSense-pkg-cellular/files/etc/devd/cellular.conf

You might be able to change the USB IDs in the modem. Or flash the firmware to the stock Huawei.

audun

I managed to get it working. :)

Install the cellular package.
Connect with ssh and edit the file /etc/devd/cellular.conf

# /etc/devd/cellular.conf
###

# radios
# Huawei - ME906s LTE M.2 Module
# ******************************
attach 1000 {
        match "vendor"          "0x03f0";  # For non HP branded use 0x12d1
        match "product"         "0xa31d";  # For non HP branded use 0x15c1
        action "/usr/local/bin/python3.11 /usr/local/bin/cellular_dev.py -a -d $device-name -m 03f0a31d"; # For non HP branded use 12d115c1
};

notify 1000 {
        match "vendor"          "0x03f0";  # For non HP branded use 0x12d1
        match "product"         "0xa31d";  # For non HP branded use 0x15c1
        match "type"            "DETACH";
        match "port"            "[0-9]";
        action "/usr/local/bin/python3.11 /usr/local/bin/cellular_dev.py -r";
};

Add PPP configuration

Interface: /dev/cuaZ99.0
Init string: &F&C1&D2E0S0=0${temp}

After that everything is working.

Is it possible that someone can add the card with HP branding to the cellular package?

I guess you also can rebrand the card with Huawei firmware with this guide, and then it will work without editing celluar.conf.
https://blog.depau.eu/2018/04/28/unbrand-huawei-me906s/

svandive

@audun

I had a quick question about this. How did you know to use the HEX value "03f0a31d" as part of the action statement when you modified the file /etc/devd/cellular.conf?

I am trying to do basically what you did but with a Quectel RM520N-GL modem, but I don't know what to update in the action line in cellular.conf after the '-m' argument.

Thank you for any pointers you can provide.

Scott

This is the action statement you added to cellular.conf:
action "/usr/local/bin/python3.11 /usr/local/bin/cellular_dev.py -a -d $device-name -m 03f0a31d"; # For non HP branded use 12d115c1

stephenw10

It's the Vendor and Product ID as reported by usbconfig:

[24.11-RELEASE][admin@6100.stevew.lan]/root: usbconfig -d ugen0.4 -v
ugen0.4: <ME906s LTE M.2 Module Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.> at usbus0, cfg=0 md=HOST spd=HIGH (480Mbps) pwr=ON (2mA)
ugen0.4.0: u3g0: <Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. HUAWEI Mobile, class 0/0, rev 2.10/1.02, addr 3>

  bLength = 0x0012 
  bDescriptorType = 0x0001 
  bcdUSB = 0x0210 
  bDeviceClass = 0x0000  <Probed by interface class>
  bDeviceSubClass = 0x0000 
  bDeviceProtocol = 0x00ff 
  bMaxPacketSize0 = 0x0040 
  idVendor = 0x12d1 
  idProduct = 0x15c1 
  bcdDevice = 0x0102 
  iManufacturer = 0x0001  <Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.>
  iProduct = 0x0002  <HUAWEI Mobile>
  iSerialNumber = 0x0003  <0123456789ABCDEF>
  bNumConfigurations = 0x0003