Sierra Wireless MC7455 Modem installation/configuration problems

[Clouseau]

Hi,

I have again huge problems to do simple task - add LTE modem to pfSense. Installed to mPCI slot on PCEngine APU2 board. This task is trivial in any other OS, but not in the OS which is designed to be a networking device (pfSense). I can't understand why - really. This is something where pfSense must put a lot of effort. It can't be so that you have to spend days or weeks to figure out how to use modems. In Linux this works out of the box, just like that. In Windows it's the same or simple driver installation. Sorry a bit frustration, but this is the fact.

Now I have Sierra Wireless MC7455 LTE Gen6 modem (mPCI)

dmesg | grep ugen

ugen1.1: <ati ehci="" root="" hub=""> at usbus1
ugen6.1: <ati ehci="" root="" hub=""> at usbus6
ugen5.1: <ati ohci="" root="" hub=""> at usbus5
ugen2.1: <ati ohci="" root="" hub=""> at usbus2
uhub3: ugen4.1: <ati ohci="" root="" hub=""> at usbus4
ugen0.1: <ati ohci="" root="" hub=""> at usbus0
ugen3.1: <ati ehci="" root="" hub=""> at usbus3
ugen6.2: <generic flash="" card="" readerwriter=""> at usbus6
ugen3.2: <sierra wireless,="" incorporated="" sierra="" wireless="" mc7455="" qualcomm="" snapdragon="" x7="" lte-a=""> at usbus3</sierra></generic></ati></ati></ati></ati></ati></ati></ati>

usbconfig -u 3 -a 2 dump_device_desc

ugen3.2: <sierra wireless,="" incorporated="" sierra="" wireless="" mc7455="" qualcomm="" snapdragon="" x7="" lte-a="">at, cfg=0 md=HOST spd=HIGH (480Mbps) pwr=ON (500mA)

  bLength = 0x0012
  bDescriptorType = 0x0001
  bcdUSB = 0x0210
  bDeviceClass = 0x0000  <probed by="" interface="" class="">bDeviceSubClass = 0x0000
  bDeviceProtocol = 0x0000
  bMaxPacketSize0 = 0x0040
  idVendor = 0x1199
  idProduct = 0x9071
  bcdDevice = 0x0006
  iManufacturer = 0x0001  <sierra wireless,="" incorporated="">iProduct = 0x0002  <sierra wireless="" mc7455="" qualcomm="" snapdragon="" x7="" lte-a="">iSerialNumber = 0x0003  <lq80634508041021>bNumConfigurations = 0x0001</lq80634508041021></sierra></sierra></probed></sierra> 

In PPP configuration I see only:
/dev/cuaU0.0 - 0.4 and /dev/cuau0 and /dev/cuau1

Could anyone help how to setup this modem in use?

[AndrewZ]

There are some topics on this modem, please take a look:
https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=123828.msg699407#msg699407
https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=143946.msg783753#msg783753
Worth to search for "7455" through the forum.

I would start from checking what ports do you actually have open or enabled, check with at!usbcomp?
Then check the ports /dev/cuaU you see on your system to find a port which responds to AT commands.

For PPP setup you can follow my example from here

[Clouseau]

Hi,

yes I did that, but did not lead to any solutions. Only zillion possible "do this and that". Looks to me that this is made complex as hell. This is not what product should be in 2018. Zillion lines of command prompts to get Mobile WAN to work. In Linux it is just few clicks and "wola". Windows the same. Here it's half a year playing and trying and still no success. Only missing part from that you don't need to have a "secret raindance" to get this working. Only some woodoo…

@AndrewZ:

There are some topics on this modem, please take a look:
https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=123828.msg699407#msg699407
https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=143946.msg783753#msg783753
Worth to search for "7455" through the forum.

I would start from checking what ports do you actually have open or enabled, check with at!usbcomp?
Then check the ports /dev/cuaU you see on your system to find a port which responds to AT commands.

For PPP setup you can follow my example from here

[FranciscoFranco]

I see this modem is now supported by FreeBSD so what you need to do is switch it from QMI to MBIM.
udusbcomp=8

You can do this from a Linux terminal or modemmanager. You can't switch it from FreeBSD until you get it out of QMI mode.

[stephenw10]

Assuming it's in the right mode you should just be able to open a ppp session on the correct port, probably /dev/cuaU0.2.

FreeBSD/pfSense doesn't support either QMI or MBIM though so it needs to be in a mode the provides at AT port.

This is a better thread explaining it: https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=140301.0

You will not get LTE speeds though it though, you are limited to a ppp connection only.

Steve

[Clouseau]

Hi,

this very sad that pfSense is terrible with LTE modems. I just received Teltonika RUT950 LTE box with Linux FW. After 5min I had FW/LTE modem configured and Ipsec VPN working to office - 5 min! Their FW is just not as good as pfSense is... I have now worked on these LTE modems in pfSense for over year and not found any really working solution (yes - I know that I'm a idiot who just don't understand over three pages of command line scripts to get Hello World effect with modems. This ppp method is pure "shit", unstable etc.. - I need full speed of 4G LTE, not old school 3G HSDPA+. I know that here in pfSense community are a lot of guru's who can do what they want with pfSense, but I'm just wondering how LTE modem support can be so bad and why there is no one working on it. Mobility where pfSense must be a player. but now it is far from it. I'm sorry that I'm a bit negative but thats only because I love pfSense in general. I use it everywhere, but now I'm having do-or-die situation with mobile devices. I have also seeing some bigger issues with mass management of pfSense units. There is nothing done on that side for pfSense. (ok this is topic for totally other thread)

So I really ask help on modems in pfSense and I need to have everything out of the modem - Ethernet type connection please. Something must work "out of the box" - this is the case in Linux in most of the cases. Why it's not here?

[Clouseau]

Hi - just posting that this LTE support has not get any better in 2 years. Still as bad it can be. How can this be so difficult that we have excellent piece of software but then one of the most important part is catastrophic failure. LTE (4G and now even 5G) support is worst in any OS. Sorry ti be sarcastic here but I can't understand this feature lack if pfSense. I would guess that mobile WAN would be in focus of router boards.

[stephenw10]

What did you actually try to get this working?

I have that modem. It works.

The only caveat is the modem needs to be in the correct usb-profile otherwise you don't get an AT port. If it's a rebranded device it may be supplied locked to MBIM or QMI only and you have the change the profile first.

Steve