Verizon 4620L comes up as 'ue0', can't get working

[jasonlitka]

I've got a bunch of Verizon 4620L LTE hotspots that I want to try and hook up to a pfSense box but I am having some issues getting them working.

Rather than the modem showing up with a /dev/entry in the PPP screen as on http://doc.pfsense.org/index.php/Configuring_3G_modems, it instead shows up as a 'ue0' network port.  I've mapped that to an OPT interface but picking DHCP doesn't result in an IP address and picking PPP doesn't let me continue as I need to fill in "Modem Port" which is empty.  Any thoughts?  The box is running the 05/19 build of 2.1.

[wallabybob]

@Jason:

Rather than the modem showing up with a /dev/entry in the PPP screen as on http://doc.pfsense.org/index.php/Configuring_3G_modems, it instead shows up as a 'ue0' network port.  I've mapped that to an OPT interface but picking DHCP doesn't result in an IP address and picking PPP doesn't let me continue as I need to fill in "Modem Port" which is empty.

ue0 is a USB Ethernet port hence you probably should configure the Interface type as PPPoE rather than PPP.

[jasonlitka]

@wallabybob:

@Jason:

Rather than the modem showing up with a /dev/entry in the PPP screen as on http://doc.pfsense.org/index.php/Configuring_3G_modems, it instead shows up as a 'ue0' network port.  I've mapped that to an OPT interface but picking DHCP doesn't result in an IP address and picking PPP doesn't let me continue as I need to fill in "Modem Port" which is empty.

ue0 is a USB Ethernet port hence you probably should configure the Interface type as PPPoE rather than PPP.

Username and password are required then.  Any idea what I'd enter there?  I'm guessing the apn of vzwinternet should go in service name then?

[jasonlitka]

Hmmm…  Getting closer.

Interfaces now shows:

VZLTE1 interface (pppoe0)
Status	 up
PPPoE	 up    
Uptime	 00:00:0
MAC address	 00:00:00:00:00:00
IPv6 Link Local	 fe80::222:4dff:fe89:3926	  
In/out packets	 0/3 (0 bytes/256 bytes)
In/out packets (pass)	 0/3 (0 bytes/256 bytes)
In/out packets (block)	 0/0 (0 bytes/0 bytes)
In/out errors	 0/0
Collisions	 0

It's been a while since I've done PPP or PPPoE, but shouldn't I have an IP at this point?

I entered "vzwinternet" for the service name and "blank" for the username and password. If I set anything but "vzwinternet" for the service name then it refuses to connect.

EDIT: Maybe not closer.  The logs show the following over and over:

May 20 22:00:14	ppp: [opt2_link0] Link: reconnection attempt 34
May 20 22:00:13	ppp: [opt2_link0] Link: reconnection attempt 34 in 1 seconds
May 20 22:00:13	ppp: [opt2_link0] LCP: Down event
May 20 22:00:13	ppp: [opt2_link0] Link: DOWN event
May 20 22:00:13	ppp: [opt2_link0] PPPoE connection timeout after 9 seconds
May 20 22:00:04	ppp: [opt2_link0] PPPoE: Connecting to 'vzwinternet'

[wallabybob]

I suspect you are a pioneer and consequently will need to do some research and experimentation.

Some time ago I looked at a Sierra Wireless 4G modem and it seemed to be able to switch between "emulated ethernet" mode and "emulated tty"  mode. The "emulated ethernet" mode is apparently intended to get around the high overhead on the TTY emulation.

Turning on logging in the PPP configuration file (log directive in /var/etc/mpd_???.conf) might provide some additional useful information.

[stephenw10]

Indeed, the only time I've looked at these types of modem they could be either an ethernet or a serial device depending on which magic switching code you sent them. It was a while ago now but I'm fairly sure that in ethernet mode it used dhcp. Perhaps it requires additional dhcp parameters?

Steve

[stephenw10]

The 4620L does not appear to be a traditional 3g modem but rather a complete router. I would expect to have to enter the login details in the device setup.

http://wireless.amazon.com/Novatel-MiFi-Jetpack-Verizon-Wireless/dp/B007P54I0G

Is that the device you're talking about?

Steve

Edit: If it is that device have you enabled USB tethering?

The USB tethered mode check box enables or disables the USB tethered mode feature.
•
If this is enabled (checked), this feature allows connection through MiFi 4620L in tethered
mode as well as in Wi-Fi.

[jasonlitka]

@stephenw10:

The 4620L does not appear to be a traditional 3g modem but rather a complete router. I would expect to have to enter the login details in the device setup.

http://wireless.amazon.com/Novatel-MiFi-Jetpack-Verizon-Wireless/dp/B007P54I0G

Is that the device you're talking about?

Steve

Edit: If it is that device have you enabled USB tethering?

The USB tethered mode check box enables or disables the USB tethered mode feature.
•
If this is enabled (checked), this feature allows connection through MiFi 4620L in tethered
mode as well as in Wi-Fi.

Yes, that's the device.  USB Tethering is enabled (without that, it doesn't do anything but charge when plugged in via USB).

I'll try that PPP logging later today, but I suspect I'll probably open a support ticket and let jimp deal with this.  I've got 4-ish hours of support time left from 2011 that I haven't used and I'd love to burn through it so I can justify buying more and supporting the project.

[stephenw10]

You shouldn't need any sort of login information on the connection, all that is handled by the router element of the 4620L. It should behave exactly the same as a wireless client connecting to it, it is given a private IP by the dhcp server in the 4620L. Am I missing something here? Does the 4620L have a 'bridge mode' to act more like regular 3g modem?

Does its have any sort of logging capability that might show the dhcp request from pfSense?
Edit: I see it does have logging along with most other soho router type features.

One thing I have experienced using devices that appear as USB Ethernet when connected is that the MAC address of the device is sometimes not read correctly resulting in either no MAC or a randomly generated one, both of which caused trouble. That's the first thing I'd look at.
In that case the underlying usb driver was cdce(4). What does this appear as?

Steve