APU1D with LTE Huawei ME909u-521

Another annoying factoid: I don't know for sure yours has a DeviceID that is supported. Like the TechNotation writeup. Use his method and check. Maybe because the MC7710 is not widely in use. Just things to check.

So it looks like you may be in this boat. The APU1C had issues with MC7700….

https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=77120.0

Although he never gives the Model Number??

MC7700 I have had Working On pfSense 2.2 beta platforms

Advantech Ark1388V
Nexcom VTC6110
Aopen DE5100
Commell LS-574
Habey BIS-6624
Vyatta 600 aka Lanner FW7535

I am also worried about APU1D and MC7700 comparability. I am guessing pcEngines don't have a supported 3G/4G module page?

stephenw10

From the same user this post seems to confirm the mc7710 can be used:
http://www.pcengines.info/forums/?page=post&id=45E53356-D6EB-4F7B-88DF-1CBF38C8375E&fid=DF5ACB70-99C4-4C61-AFA6-4C0E0DB05B2A

Steve

mike234

Hi Steve,

Thanks for your info

yeah, I don't really see why this aint working.

I've got all 6 ports available alright in the PPP setup screen, which means the hardware (and ports) are recognized probably (as far as I can see)

I'm struggling with it right this very minute - hoping to see the light somehow…

stephenw10

If you read the thread Phishfry linked to above the user there states that the card doesn't respond to ppp in the usual way but it's still usable with some tweaking. Does it appear as a new network interface?

Steve

mike234

I've been trying to figure out, if something could be wrong with the profile or overall settings in the MC7710

when I insert the MC7710 into the USB2miniPCIe adaptor, and boot up Windows7, I'm able to log on the Internet using the Sierra Watcher-program without any problem.

Just 2 minutes ago, I tried to insert the USB2miniPCIe adaptor into my Ubuntu 14.04, and right away I was asked if I wanted to configure a new mobile network.
I went along, and all Ubuntu really wanted to know was, who my operator / ISP was, and then I was done. Ubuntu connected to the Internet through the MC7710, no problem.

This must mean, that the MC7710 works fine, even without the Sierra Watcher to help it along.

With the 6 ports on the MC7710 being visible in the PF Sense, I think the motherboard seems to communicate correctly with the MC7710, so far so good…

What really puzzles me here is the fact, that the PPP log says "Modem didn't respond to "AT" command" --
Since the ports are visible (all six) in PF sense, could this be a problem with the speedsettings of the interface (usb?) ?

If so, where in PF sense are these settings accessable ?

mike234

@stephenw10:

If you read the thread Phishfry linked to above the user there states that the card doesn't respond to ppp in the usual way but it's still usable with some tweaking. Does it appear as a new network interface?

Steve

Hi Steve,

Nope, no new network interface available, just the 6 ports in the PPP section.

(With the Huawei909 on the other hand, a new network interface becomes avalable, but no ports in the PPP section)

stephenw10

Check the pfSense logs. System and ppp.
Boot Ubuntu and check the logs there to see how it's talking to the modem, which port it's using.

Steve

mike234

Steve, I'm not sure which log to check in Ubuntu, best I could think of was kern.log

It says : sierra_net 1-1.1:1.7 wwan0: register 'sierra_net' at usb-0000:00:1a.0-1.1, Sierra Wireless USB-to-WWAN Modem, 42:44:82:a1:01:07

Is this the info I need ?

stephenw10

Is there a PPP log that says which port it's using? I was hoping to get some more than that.

Steve

mike234

I can't seem to find any PPP log, sorry

stephenw10

What about in the syslog?

On a quick lunchbreak but here is some advice
Quit trying ubuntu. They have mode switcher built in and who know what could be going on.
Flash it to your newest DIP firmware in Windows(I didnt realize earlier T-Mobile was in the EU as well)Use the one you quoted.
Redo your pfsense rig and setup again. Fresh start please.
Get everything configured as i have advised. cuaU0.4(consider my setup in the wireless forum section with your PPP/modem as your WAN - I know for certain that works. I have not tested it with any other interfaces)
On your APU:
Drop to to Shell or #8 In the pfSense menu.
Type PPP at the shell prompt. Then enter.
Write down text on your screen and post here.
TYPE "QUIT" to exit from PPP
Type "EXIT" to exit shell and return to pfsense

My working MC7700 PPP status text from shell:
Working in Interactive Mode
Using Interface tun0
ppp ON pfARK

Yours will tell us more.
Thanks

One more quick thing. Reboot before shell commands. That should help make sure all your changes are set. Also you can interface the PPP console before you assign to an interface. Make the PPP settings. Set the port and reboot. Then you can go to PPP and it gives you some small tidbits of info- I honestly can't remember. But was suprised i could access the modem before assigned to an interface.
There is a file created when you assign it the PPP connection to an interface -deep down in the filesystem.
Mine is like: mpd5_wan.conf in the /var/etc/ folder
This is where at least some of the PPP settings now reside. At the bottom of the file.

And about profiles on modem: They are no big deal -might have been too much info.

If you would like, I can send you a known working MC7700 to try. I have extras. If it works for you we could swap as i would like to test the MC7710. Send me a PM if interested. Best as last resort in a week or so if no progress. May take that long to get there!!

mike234

Hi Guys !

Phishfry, thank alot for all your help – I'll be trying those steps you suggested right away.

I've been strugling with this thing alot this morning, in an attempt to reinstall the PFsense (thereby going from from 2.1.5 to 2.2.)
I expected this to be an easy task, but things weren't really going my way.
For one, Ubuntu apparently have some issues making bootable USB keys after the recent Ubuntu update, something that seems to affect the partitioning-part in a bad way.
Furthermore, I wasn't aware that the baudrate on the RS232 changed from version 2.1.5 to 2.2, which had me belive I still had an USB boot problem there for a while.

Anyway, the APU is now back up and running, this time version 2.2 64 bit.

Btw - would there be any point in trying out a 32 bit install ? I guess my Modem-communication issues are not due to some 64 bit /driver issue, right ?

I'll get right on the firmwareupdate for the MC7710 !

Have a nice Sunday !

mike234

It's up and running !

The firmware update worked wonders!

Now I need to do some testing, but it seems that the only thing that could possibly turn out be a problem now, is LTE compatibilty.
According to the datasheets, it -should- be compatible, but time will tell though.

As for now, it connects to 3G without problems, and thats a huge improvement !

Being new to this LTE business, let me just see if I got this right :

The LTE / 4G network is accessed the same way as 3G, with PPP and all that ?
In other words, I'm not supposed to change anything in the PF Sense for the MC7710 to be able to use LTE - if the PF settings is good with 3G, then LTE will work too, providing the modem is compatible + signal is present + ISP is allowing me to connect, right ?

Thanks a million for all your help along this journey ! HIGHLY APPRECIATED !!!

:D :D :D :D :D

stephenw10

Nice one! :)

You should always run 64bit if you can.
https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=84679.0

Steve

Glad you got it running. Was about ready to buy an APU1D just to make sure!!! Good thing i am tapped moneywise or it would be here already. I had it in the netgate shopping cart several times….

Just a small primmer.
So DirectIP is the mode you are basically limited by the serial port speeds. At heart it is a serial modem.
The QMI mode is more of an ethernet device and not limited by serial port speeds.

Realworld: My provider only gives me one third of the 100Mb/s provided by the LTE CAT3 spec. (With good antennas)
So if providers here ever get more speed it might be a problem. A good check to see if it is an hardware constriction is to test the speeds of large downloads in the Windows Sierra Watcher(QMI) and check against the speed charts of pfSense(DIP).
For me flashing between QMI and DirectIP saw no speed advantage.

Antenna placement is the kicker.
I use a Wilson Directional and Terrawave Omni mounted on my TV antenna@20ft..

http://www.wilsonelectronics.com/store/display/148/0/wide-band-directional-antenna
http://www.terra-wave.com/shop/69889617002700-mhz-335-dbi-outdoor-omnidirectional-antenna-with-nstyle-jack-connector-p-1635.html

I really wonder if it was the "Newness" of the firmware that fixed your problem or just the fact the new modems ship in QMI mode and need a DirectIP firmware flash. I don't think that the Sierra mode-switcher works until you flash it to a DirectIP mode from your experience!!! Now it has both QMI and DIP flashed to it and maybe Sierra mode-switcher just flips one bit -to use other firmware onboard. Total guess…

Conclusion: Flash with DirectIP firmware and forget the Sierra mode-switcher. I found it late on my journey. Did not have these problems. I got lured into believing pfSense was still using ppp.conf by the old website i referenced.. I hate to see you lose 2 weeks of your life for nothing like I did.

Also Hackintosh forum are great source of resources as they use DirectIP mode as well. Only recently Huawei released a driver and connection tool for OSX.