Making a Verizon USB551L 4G card work

ctboeheim

Hi folks,
Has anyone had success in making a Verizon USB551L Novatel 4G card work with pfSense?

On pfSense 2.0.1, the modem is detected when it is inserted into the USB port:

ugen0.2: <novatel wireless,="" inc.="">at usbus0
cdce0: <novatel 2="" 239="" wireless,="" inc.="" novatel="" wireless="" 4g,="" class="" 2,="" rev="" 2.00="" 0.15,="" addr="">on usbus0
ue0: <usb ethernet="">on cdce0

When I select Interfaces->Assign->PPPs and add, there are no interfaces listed if a Link Type of PPP is selected. If I select PPPoE, the ue0 interface that was created on insertion is available. If I set up this interface, and try to enable it, I get repeated attempts that only provide the following log entries:

Apr 7 20:26:00 genkan ppp: [opt1_link0] LCP: Open event
Apr 7 20:26:00 genkan ppp: [opt1_link0] LCP: state change Initial –> Starting
Apr 7 20:26:00 genkan ppp: [opt1_link0] LCP: LayerStart
Apr 7 20:26:00 genkan ppp: [opt1_link0] PPPoE: Connecting to ''
Apr 7 20:26:09 genkan ppp: [opt1_link0] PPPoE connection timeout after 9 seconds
Apr 7 20:26:09 genkan ppp: [opt1_link0] Link: DOWN event
Apr 7 20:26:09 genkan ppp: [opt1_link0] LCP: Down event
Apr 7 20:26:09 genkan ppp: [opt1_link0] Link: reconnection attempt 1 in 4 seconds

This same card has worked flawlessly with a Mac and a Windows machine, so that's not the problem. Any pointers to making it work would be most appreciated.
Regards,
-Chuck

![genkan.boeheim.net - Interfaces_ PPPs_ Edit.jpg](/public/imported_attachments/1/genkan.boeheim.net - Interfaces_ PPPs_ Edit.jpg)
![genkan.boeheim.net - Interfaces_ PPPs_ Edit.jpg_thumb](/public/imported_attachments/1/genkan.boeheim.net - Interfaces_ PPPs_ Edit.jpg_thumb)</usb></novatel></novatel>

stephenw10

I have yet to use one of these newer data modems that present themselves as an ethernet device. From what I have read you need to trigger the ethernet mode somehow in most devices although yours seems to be doing this by default. Others I have read about can operate either as ethernet or as a USB modem when given the correct instruction.
The first place to look would be the usb_mode_switch forums for detailed information. There is now a FreeBSD port of usb_mode_switch which can be used.
It would be interesting to see how OSX handles the connection. If it uses the ethernet mode then it should have logs of what happens to connect out. I have almost no experience with OSX though so can't be of much help there.

Steve

scottresnik

Has anyone else had any luck with the USB551L and pfSense?