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    Issue with mobile broadband dongle

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    • L
      landman16
      last edited by

      Issue is pfsense isn’t detecting the presents of the usb mobile dongle. I have tried to go to the following menus

      Interfaces -> then to PPP tab and when I look for the interface link I have no options at all to select the dongle I have just put in the pfsense box.

      Any clues/suggestions where I am going wrong would be great

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      • stephenw10S
        stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
        last edited by

        What modem are you using?

        Check the system log with it unplugged. Plug it in and recheck. What new lines are shown?

        With it connected run at the command prompt usbconfig dump_device_desc show us that output.

        Steve

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        • L
          landman16
          last edited by

          alt text

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          • L
            landman16
            last edited by

            This is the output when I type that above command

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            • stephenw10S
              stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
              last edited by

              You need to choose option 8 at that menu to reach the command prompt, then run that command.
              Or do it from Diag > Command Prompt in the webgui.

              But we can see from that screenshot when you connected the modem that it's still running in virtual CD-ROM mode.

              Steve

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              • L
                landman16
                last edited by

                ugen2.1: <EHCI root HUB ATI> at usbus2, cfg=0 md=HOST spd=HIGH (480Mbps) pwr=SAVE (0mA)

                bLength = 0x0012
                bDescriptorType = 0x0001
                bcdUSB = 0x0200
                bDeviceClass = 0x0009 <HUB>
                bDeviceSubClass = 0x0000
                bDeviceProtocol = 0x0001
                bMaxPacketSize0 = 0x0040
                idVendor = 0x0000
                idProduct = 0x0000
                bcdDevice = 0x0100
                iManufacturer = 0x0001 <ATI>
                iProduct = 0x0002 <EHCI root HUB>
                iSerialNumber = 0x0000 <no string>
                bNumConfigurations = 0x0001

                ugen1.1: <OHCI root HUB ATI> at usbus1, cfg=0 md=HOST spd=FULL (12Mbps) pwr=SAVE (0mA)

                bLength = 0x0012
                bDescriptorType = 0x0001
                bcdUSB = 0x0100
                bDeviceClass = 0x0009 <HUB>
                bDeviceSubClass = 0x0000
                bDeviceProtocol = 0x0000
                bMaxPacketSize0 = 0x0040
                idVendor = 0x0000
                idProduct = 0x0000
                bcdDevice = 0x0100
                iManufacturer = 0x0001 <ATI>
                iProduct = 0x0002 <OHCI root HUB>
                iSerialNumber = 0x0000 <no string>
                bNumConfigurations = 0x0001

                ugen0.1: <OHCI root HUB ATI> at usbus0, cfg=0 md=HOST spd=FULL (12Mbps) pwr=SAVE (0mA)

                bLength = 0x0012
                bDescriptorType = 0x0001
                bcdUSB = 0x0100
                bDeviceClass = 0x0009 <HUB>
                bDeviceSubClass = 0x0000
                bDeviceProtocol = 0x0000
                bMaxPacketSize0 = 0x0040
                idVendor = 0x0000
                idProduct = 0x0000
                bcdDevice = 0x0100
                iManufacturer = 0x0001 <ATI>
                iProduct = 0x0002 <OHCI root HUB>
                iSerialNumber = 0x0000 <no string>
                bNumConfigurations = 0x0001

                ugen1.2: <USB Keyboard CHICONY> at usbus1, cfg=0 md=HOST spd=LOW (1.5Mbps) pwr=ON (100mA)

                bLength = 0x0012
                bDescriptorType = 0x0001
                bcdUSB = 0x0200
                bDeviceClass = 0x0000 <Probed by interface class>
                bDeviceSubClass = 0x0000
                bDeviceProtocol = 0x0000
                bMaxPacketSize0 = 0x0008
                idVendor = 0x04f2
                idProduct = 0x0833
                bcdDevice = 0x0230
                iManufacturer = 0x0001 <CHICONY>
                iProduct = 0x0002 <USB Keyboard>
                iSerialNumber = 0x0000 <no string>
                bNumConfigurations = 0x0001

                ugen2.2: <HUAWEI Mobile HUAWEI Technology> at usbus2, cfg=0 md=HOST spd=HIGH (480Mbps) pwr=ON (500mA)

                bLength = 0x0012
                bDescriptorType = 0x0001
                bcdUSB = 0x0200
                bDeviceClass = 0x0000 <Probed by interface class>
                bDeviceSubClass = 0x0000
                bDeviceProtocol = 0x0000
                bMaxPacketSize0 = 0x0040
                idVendor = 0x12d1
                idProduct = 0x1f01
                bcdDevice = 0x0102
                iManufacturer = 0x0002 <HUAWEI Technology>
                iProduct = 0x0001 <HUAWEI Mobile>
                iSerialNumber = 0x0000 <no string>
                bNumConfigurations = 0x0001

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                • stephenw10S
                  stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                  last edited by

                  @landman16 said in Issue with mobile broadband dongle:

                  idVendor = 0x12d1
                  idProduct = 0x1f01

                  That's the key part there. What is the model number it's actually labelled? That product ID is common to many Huawei devices.
                  Anyway you will need to switch it out of that mode either by changing it permanently from Windows (may not be possible), reflashing the firmware or using USB modeswitch. Some modems are switched by u3g, some can be switched by just ejecting the virtual CD but this doesn't look like one of them.

                  Steve

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                  • L
                    landman16
                    last edited by

                    What do I reflash the usb device with?

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                    • stephenw10S
                      stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                      last edited by

                      Many modems have different firmware available for different carriers or regions or different modes like Hi-Link (router) or modem mode. There may be one or more available for your device.

                      Steve

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                      • L
                        landman16
                        last edited by

                        This is the USB Dongle I have Huawei E3231

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                        • stephenw10S
                          stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                          last edited by

                          Ok, you will need to change it's mode. For example:
                          http://www.draisberghof.de/usb_modeswitch/bb/viewtopic.php?t=1226

                          It would be better to permanently switch it which might be possible from it's interface in Windows or Mac.

                          Otherwise if you can switch it to device ID 1C05 it should be detected:
                          https://github.com/pfsense/FreeBSD-src/blob/ff7d4801f1b88de656e028209818ff005e8a1353/sys/dev/usb/usbdevs#L2437

                          Steve

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