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    Useful 3G modem 'mode switching' script

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved General pfSense Questions
    52 Posts 4 Posters 39.2k Views
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    • stephenw10S
      stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
      last edited by

      Nope!  ::)

      
      [2.0.1-RELEASE][root@pfsense.fire.box]/dev(24): usb_modeswitch -c /tmp/e169.txt
      
      Looking for target devices ...
       No devices in target mode or class found
      Looking for default devices ...
         found matching product ID
       No devices in default mode found. Nothing to do. Bye.
      
      [2.0.1-RELEASE][root@pfsense.fire.box]/dev(25): cat /tmp/e169.txt
      # Huawei E169 and others
      #
      # Contributor: Dale Lane
      
      DefaultVendor=  0x12d1
      DefaultProduct= 0x1001
      
      TargetClass=    0xff
      
      # choose one of these:
      HuaweiMode=1
      
      

      Steve

      Edit: Seems to be because it's already in the target class (0xff):

      
      Looking for target devices ...
       No devices in target mode or class found
      Looking for default devices ...
        searching devices, found USB ID 12d1:1001
         found matching vendor ID
         found matching product ID
         target class ff matching
         not adding device
        searching devices, found USB ID 0000:0000
        searching devices, found USB ID 0000:0000
        searching devices, found USB ID 0000:0000
       No devices in default mode found. Nothing to do. Bye.
      
      

      Possibly already switched?  :-\

      Doh! looks like E169 is already a supported modem.  ::)

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • J
        jamesc
        last edited by

        Looks that way, your console output when you plug the device in doesnt say that its a SCSI device so its already switched!

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        • stephenw10S
          stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
          last edited by

          Yep, already works fine.

          
          [2.0.1-RELEASE][root@pfsense.fire.box]/root(1): cu -l cuaU0.0 -s 115200
          Connected
          at
          OK
          at I0
          Manufacturer: huawei
          Model: K3565
          Revision: 11.608.10.51.00
          IMEI: 359574032708530
          +GCAP: +CGSM,+DS,+ES
          
          OK
          
          

          Steve

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          • J
            jamesc
            last edited by

            I'll give the ZTE a try on Sunday, ive tried this modem previously with pfSense and failed because it is definately seen as a storage device. Will report back with my results.

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            • stephenw10S
              stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
              last edited by

              You might think that but here is the system log from when I plugged it in:

              
              Feb 17 18:16:17 pfsense kernel: ugen2.2: <huawei technology="">at usbus2
              Feb 17 18:16:17 pfsense kernel: ugen2.2: <huawei technology="">at usbus2 (disconnected)
              Feb 17 18:16:24 pfsense kernel: ugen2.2: <huawei technology="">at usbus2
              Feb 17 18:16:24 pfsense kernel: u3g0: <huawei 0="" 2="" technology="" huawei="" mobile,="" class="" 0,="" rev="" 2.00="" 0.00,="" addr="">on usbus2
              Feb 17 18:16:24 pfsense kernel: u3g0: Found 3 ports.
              Feb 17 18:16:24 pfsense kernel: umass0: <huawei 0="" 2="" technology="" huawei="" mobile,="" class="" 0,="" rev="" 2.00="" 0.00,="" addr="">on usbus2
              Feb 17 18:16:26 pfsense kernel: umass1: <huawei 0="" 2="" technology="" huawei="" mobile,="" class="" 0,="" rev="" 2.00="" 0.00,="" addr="">on usbus2
              Feb 17 18:16:26 pfsense kernel: (probe0:umass-sim0:0:0:0): TEST UNIT READY. CDB: 0 0 0 0 0 0
              Feb 17 18:16:26 pfsense kernel: (probe0:umass-sim0:0:0:0): CAM status: SCSI Status Error
              Feb 17 18:16:26 pfsense kernel: (probe0:umass-sim0:0:0:0): SCSI status: Check Condition
              Feb 17 18:16:26 pfsense kernel: (probe0:umass-sim0:0:0:0): SCSI sense: NOT READY asc:3a,0 (Medium not present)
              Feb 17 18:16:26 pfsense kernel: cd0 at umass-sim0 bus 0 scbus0 target 0 lun 0
              Feb 17 18:16:26 pfsense kernel: cd0: <huawei mass="" storage="" 2.31="">Removable CD-ROM SCSI-2 device
              Feb 17 18:16:26 pfsense kernel: cd0: 40.000MB/s transfers
              Feb 17 18:16:26 pfsense kernel: cd0: Attempt to query device size failed: NOT READY, Medium not present
              Feb 17 18:16:27 pfsense kernel: (probe0:umass-sim1:1:0:0): TEST UNIT READY. CDB: 0 0 0 0 0 0
              Feb 17 18:16:27 pfsense kernel: (probe0:umass-sim1:1:0:0): CAM status: SCSI Status Error
              Feb 17 18:16:27 pfsense kernel: (probe0:umass-sim1:1:0:0): SCSI status: Check Condition
              Feb 17 18:16:27 pfsense kernel: (probe0:umass-sim1:1:0:0): SCSI sense: NOT READY asc:3a,0 (Medium not present)
              Feb 17 18:16:27 pfsense kernel: da0 at umass-sim1 bus 1 scbus1 target 0 lun 0
              Feb 17 18:16:27 pfsense kernel: da0: <huawei mmc="" storage="" 2.31="">Removable Direct Access SCSI-2 device
              Feb 17 18:16:27 pfsense kernel: da0: 40.000MB/s transfers
              Feb 17 18:16:27 pfsense kernel: da0: Attempt to query device size failed: NOT READY, Medium not present</huawei></huawei></huawei></huawei></huawei></huawei></huawei></huawei> 
              

              It clearly comes up as a CD-ROM drive (cd0) and the micro SD reader (da0).
              But u3g also shows 'found 3 ports' and looking in /dev there are cuaU0.0 1.1 and 2.2.
              I haven't actually tried using this as a modem though, I'm not sure I have a simcard that can do it.

              Steve

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              • J
                jamesc
                last edited by

                We have some progress….

                Fresh install of 2.0.1 full on an old Celeron box to avoid mapping USB devices through to a VMWare VM.
                Modem is a ZTE MF112

                Here's what happens initially when plugging the modem in (not using modeswitch)

                Feb 19 15:55:56 pfSense kernel: umass0: <zte,incorporated 0="" 2="" zte="" wcdma="" technologies="" msm,="" class="" 0,="" rev="" 2.00="" 0.00,="" addr="">on usbus3
                Feb 19 15:55:56 pfSense kernel: umass0:  SCSI over Bulk-Only; quirks = 0x0000
                Feb 19 15:55:57 pfSense kernel: umass0:0:0:-1: Attached to scbus0
                Feb 19 15:55:57 pfSense kernel: (probe0:umass-sim0:0:0:0): TEST UNIT READY. CDB: 0 0 0 0 0 0
                Feb 19 15:55:57 pfSense kernel: (probe0:umass-sim0:0:0:0): CAM status: SCSI Status Error
                Feb 19 15:55:57 pfSense kernel: (probe0:umass-sim0:0:0:0): SCSI status: Check Condition
                Feb 19 15:55:57 pfSense kernel: (probe0:umass-sim0:0:0:0): SCSI sense: NOT READY asc:3a,0 (Medium not present)
                Feb 19 15:55:57 pfSense kernel: cd0 at umass-sim0 bus 0 scbus0 target 0 lun 0
                Feb 19 15:55:57 pfSense kernel: cd0: <hspa usb="" scsi="" cd-rom="" 2.31="">Removable CD-ROM SCSI-2 device
                Feb 19 15:55:57 pfSense kernel: cd0: 40.000MB/s transfers
                Feb 19 15:55:57 pfSense kernel: cd0: Attempt to query device size failed: NOT READY, Medium not present</hspa></zte,incorporated> 
                

                No interfaces are available to assign under PPP.

                I then install the port and create a config file for the MF112 and run modeswitch

                Looking for target devices ...
                 No devices in target mode or class found
                Looking for default devices ...
                   found matching product ID
                   adding device
                 Found device in default mode, class or configuration (1)
                Accessing device 005 on bus 000 ...
                Getting the current device configuration ...
                 OK, got current device configuration (1)
                Using first interface: 0x00
                Using endpoints 0x01 (out) and 0x81 (in)
                Inquiring device details; driver will be detached ...
                 Cant't do driver detection and detaching on this platform.
                
                SCSI inquiry data (for identification)
                -------------------------
                  Vendor String: HSPA
                   Model String: USB SCSI CD-ROM
                Revision String: 2.31
                -------------------------
                
                USB description data (for identification)
                -------------------------
                Manufacturer: ZTE,Incorporated
                     Product: ZTE WCDMA Technologies MSM
                  Serial No.: P673A3H3GD010000
                -------------------------
                Setting up communication with interface 0
                Using endpoint 0x01 for message sending ...
                Trying to send message 1 to endpoint 0x01 ...
                 OK, message successfully sent
                Reading the response to message 1 (CSW) ...
                 OK, response successfully read (13 bytes).
                Trying to send message 2 to endpoint 0x01 ...
                 OK, message successfully sent
                Reading the response to message 2 (CSW) ...
                 Response reading got error -6
                 Device is gone, skipping any further commands
                -> Run lsusb to note any changes. Bye.
                
                

                I then have two new PPP interfaces /dev/cuaU0.1 and /dev/cuaU0.2

                Unfortunately, I have no simcard to test any further :(

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                • stephenw10S
                  stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                  last edited by

                  Ah, looks promising.  :)
                  You can try talking to the modem with cu or tip like I did. If it responds to AT commands I would expect it to work.

                  Steve

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                  • J
                    jamesc
                    last edited by

                    The next thing to try is adding the below line to the firewall config to test whether pfSense will switch the modem before it does the PPP dial:

                    <shellcmd>usb_modeswitch -c /usr/local/etc/modem.txt</shellcmd>

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                    • stephenw10S
                      stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                      last edited by

                      If not then try <earlyshellcmd>instead.

                      Steve</earlyshellcmd>

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                      • J
                        jamesc
                        last edited by

                        It does respond to AT commands on cuaU0.2  :)

                        My question is, what is cuaU0.1 which is also available to assign under PPP

                        Also, when I assign the PPP to an interface, I also see cuaU0.0 and cuau0 in the 'Modem Port' dropdown list so i'm a little confused  ???

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                        • stephenw10S
                          stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                          last edited by

                          Probably due to the way pfSense finds the serial ports to display:

                          $serialports = pfSense_get_modem_devices();
                          
                          

                          I can't find that function but if it relies on, for example, sysctl dev.u3g then they won't appear there.

                          The reason that the modem provides several serial ports is not obvious to me but it seems it's possible to get stats from the modem on one interface whilst connected via another, signal strength, baud rate etc.

                          Steve

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                          • J
                            jamesc
                            last edited by

                            Thanks Steve.

                            I found a simcard, there's no credit on it but it still connects and gets an IP address.

                            I've tried both the shellcmd and earlyshellcmd options but sometimes there is a delay until the actual switch occurs.  The boot sequence continues regardless, the PPP interface is brought up but the modem is not yet ready so a WAN connection isn't established.  If I go into the GUI and manually hit connect, PPP is dialled and the WAN comes online.

                            Any idea of how we can delay bringing up PPP until we know the modem has successfully switched?

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                            • stephenw10S
                              stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                              last edited by

                              What happens when it tries to dial out before the interface is switched?
                              I'm surprised that it doesn't just keep trying.
                              Maybe using dial-on demand or idle time out.

                              You could write a script that ran usb_modeswitch, waited and then called the appropriate interface connect function.

                              Steve

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                              • J
                                jamesc
                                last edited by

                                It doesnt do anything, the box continues its boot process as if no modem was plugged in. I see the modem details flash up on the console towards the end of the boot process but PPP has already initialised at this point (without seeing the modem) so i suspect it wont keep on attempting a dial out because as far it's concerned, no modem was detected at the time of initialisation, I hope that makes sense!

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                                • stephenw10S
                                  stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                                  last edited by

                                  Yes I see exactly what you mean.
                                  Would probably be best to use an rc script then.
                                  This is just a guess but perhaps:

                                  
                                  #!/bin/sh
                                  /usr/local/sbin/usb_modeswitch -c yourmodem.txt
                                  sleep 5
                                  /etc/rc.reload_interfaces
                                  
                                  

                                  Try issuing a /etc/rc.reload_interfaces and see if it finds the modem and connects.

                                  Steve

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                                  • J
                                    jamesc
                                    last edited by

                                    I had just finished creating a similar script and was looking for a command that would restart PPP, the reload_interfaces seems to do the trick nicely, thank you.

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                                    • J
                                      jly2680
                                      last edited by

                                      how can i put my usbmode_switch script in startup??i have bandluxe 21 mbps 3g modem and successfully flip it to modem mode using usb_modeswitch..I want to connect my modem's ppp  in start up..thanks

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                                      • stephenw10S
                                        stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                                        last edited by

                                        If it's an RC script, as I detailed above, put it in /usr/local/etc/rc.d and it will run at boot.

                                        Steve

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                                        • J
                                          jly2680
                                          last edited by

                                          i already put my script in /usr/local/etc/rc.d/ but when i reboot pfsense,,ppp dials in fiirst before flipping my usb modem,thus i need to dial my ppp manually..i want to flip my modem first then ppp dials in..TIA

                                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • stephenw10S
                                            stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                                            last edited by

                                            Yes Jamesc experienced that problem above.
                                            Doesn't it redial when you reload the interfaces in the script?

                                            Steve

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