huawei E398 LTE/4G modem (a.k.a Telekom Speedstick LTE - Vodafone K5005)

[ryates]

The Huawei e398 LTE/4g usb modem was seen to work with the u3g driver during the 2.0 testing phase. This note serves to advise that whilst older versions of the modem still work on PfSense 2.0 at the time of posting, newer versions will not. Newer devices advertise themselves differently from the older and u3g ignores them.

Example:
Hardware Ver. CD3E398M Ver. A Firmware 11.209.03.01.56
Initial vendor:product id 0x12d1:1446
Modem vendor:product id 0x12d1:140c

The above device works.

Hardware Ver. CD2E398M Ver. C Firmware 11.335.07.00.56
Initial vendor:product id 0x12d1:1505
Modem vendor:product id 0x12d1:1506

The above device does not present an interface via u3g.

Here is a discussion of differences: http://www.draisberghof.de/usb_modeswitch/bb/viewtopic.php?t=706&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

[josege]

Any news on this?

[ryates]

Here is a followup http://www.draisberghof.de/usb_modeswitch/bb/viewtopic.php?t=789.

For now. one can install usb_modeswitch on freebsd. However, a proper PfSense solution requires Freebsd usb devs or someone capable to add the new incarnation of the the Huawei e398 to the u3g driver and for that to be backported, or used when PfSense moves to Freebsd 9.0. As shown by usb_modeswitch, u3g will allow the device to be run as a modem, as was yhe case with the earlier version of the device.

However, the "new" e398 has the capability of presenting itself as a network interface and been run via DHCP.  In the first link is a reference to higher speeds being achieved in that mode than via ppp. Both linux and freebsd have yet to develop the new implementation AFAIK.

[jamesly]

this dongle already available on Sweden and Austria, i also found it on uk store, i want to update the speeds for my office, pick one HUAWEI E398 to replace the E160 HUAWEI sharing through my Netgear Router, but im confuse whether it is compatible or not, any one has been used or know the result should be apperciate.

[merald]

In Sweden, got the product id 0x12d1:1505 and 0x12d1:1506, ISP Telenor 4G.
Thanks for info. about the new mode except ppp, where really confused when I always get higher speeds in windows than in linux/bsd :P

Any more news on the subject? Would be convenient with a usb_modeswitcher-package to pfsense if it will take long before official support, almost all Sweden city's have 4G with this adapter by now..

[Metu69salemi]

@merald:

almost all Sweden city's have 4G with this adapter by now..

Thank you for twisting the knife, atm only our capitol city has fully working 4g and one test city in the middle of the country.. And yes I'm Finnish

[merald]

You're welcome :) After many googles later I guess there is no driver to switch it to network card device yet, tried to do everything manual by sending at-commands to device, but never got a working route out. Hope some brighter guy make and publish an ugly hack soon…

[stephenw10]

No 4G in the UK until 2013 at the earliest!  :'(

Bah!

Steve