WAN connection over MiFi 6620L using USB tether

patrick_c

I'm just wondering if anyone has experience using a Verizon Jetpack (MiFi) 6620L as a WAN device, using the USB tether option. I have a consulting team working at a location that won't allow us to bring in a hardwired Internet connection, and rather than issue individual hotspots to each consultant (and to allow things like network printing) I'd like to share a single connection. I have a small system with built-in wireless, and I've set it up in the past with the wireless radio connecting to Verizon MiFi devices as the WAN connection in the past, but since the 6620L supports USB tethering I'd like to connect it via USB so I can use the wireless radio to create an access point. I can't find any information online about what protocol the USB tethered connection uses - the user guide says nothing about how to connect, but articles I have found about other similar devices have mentioned that drivers are necessary for connection to Windows/Mac computers.

6620L User Guide:
http://www.novatelwireless.com/files/6714/1236/6682/MiFi6620L_UserGuide.pdf

Here's an article I found about using a 5510L, a predecessor to the 6620L, via USB tethering to provide the WAN connection for Peplink/Pepwave routers which makes me think this should be possible.
http://www.evdoinfo.com/content/view/4384/63/

If anyone has any experience or tips to share, I would greatly appreciate it.

patrick_c

Update: According to this website, the 6620L is also compatible with Pepwave/Peplink routers…
http://3gstore.com/device/512_verizon_novatel_jetpack_mifi_6620l.html

So that makes me more encouraged that there weren't any major changes in the protocol between the older 5510L and the 6620L. So I guess I'll widen the request to include any information on successes you've had connecting the 5510L via USB tethering as well. Thanks!

Guest

I am not totally sure about this but i have found most of the newer cellular interfaces use a different protocol for interfacing the operating system. It seems they show up as a USB Ethernet device, which is different than in the past, where it was primarily a serial/usb interface which talked with the OS via DirectIP and PPP and now it is an Ethernet Interface. See "CDC-Ethernet".

I believe your device will fall into that category. No interface exists for inputting APN so I don't think it will work currently.

To see if yours is CDC-Ethernet -In pfSense -Do you have an device an Ethernet "UE0" interface or similar in your device list?

Ubuntu would probably work with your device.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB_communications_device_class

sh0x

I have a verizon 6620. I connected it to my alix apu board and it tries to load it as a mass storage cdrom.

ugen1.2: <pantech, incorporated="">at usbus1
umass1: <mass storage="">on usbus1
cd0 at umass-sim1 bus 1 scbus7 target 0 lun 0
cd0: <pantech cd-rom="" 0000="">Removable CD-ROM SCSI-2 device 
cd0: 40.000MB/s transfers
cd0: Attempt to query device size failed: NOT READY, Medium not present
cd0: quirks=0x10<10_BYTE_ONLY>
ugen1.2: <pantech, incorporated="">at usbus1 (disconnected)
umass1: at uhub1, port 1, addr 2 (disconnected)
cd0 at umass-sim1 bus 1 scbus7 target 0 lun 0
cd0: <pantech cd-rom="" 0000="">detached
(cd0:umass-sim1:1:0:0): Periph destroyed
ugen1.2: <pantech, incorporated="">at usbus1
umass1: <mass storage="">on usbus1
cd0 at umass-sim1 bus 1 scbus7 target 0 lun 0
cd0: <pantech cd-rom="" 0000="">Removable CD-ROM SCSI-2 device 
cd0: 40.000MB/s transfers
cd0: Attempt to query device size failed: NOT READY, Medium not present
cd0: quirks=0x10<10_BYTE_ONLY></pantech></mass></pantech,></pantech></pantech,></pantech></mass></pantech,>

Guest

I have a verizon 6620. I connected it to my alix apu board and it tries to load it as a mass storage cdrom.

Did you know that only one miniPCIe slot is capable of a modem? It is the one near the SIM card slot.
And also the miniPCIe slot for the mSATA must be the one near the SATA connector!

Guest

Maybe you could load usb_modeswitch and eject it…

Guest

Did you go into the MiFi devices menu and enable tethering? It may be required.

AndrewZ

How to disable CD-ROM:
http://www.verizonwireless.com/support/knowledge-base-24114/
thanks to google ;)

webdawg

Did you end up getting this working. The eject cdrom thing is a good step, but they say it has a USB tether mode.

I want to move from the 4620L to the 6620L…any thoughts anyone?

twingler

Anyone get the verizon 6620L working in tether mode? I've got latest 2.2.6 PF with Verizon 6620L as a failover wan link. It shows up as cuau0. I put in PPP settings and get this error in the logs.

ppp: [lan_link0] MODEM: Fail to open serial port /dev/cuau0 on speed 115200

Any help is appreciated!

AndrewZ

@twingler:

It shows up as cuau0. I put in PPP settings and get this error in the logs.

ppp: [lan_link0] MODEM: Fail to open serial port /dev/cuau0 on speed 115200

I suspect this port is not suitable for ppp/data and should be used for commands only, similar to Huawei as it was mentioned here.

webdawg

I ended up just wireless bridging it to pfsense as per usual. It never works very well, but it works. Just have to reboot the device every few days.

I really hate cell service.