MC7700 confirmed working
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Recently i tried to help a user get a 4G modem going with no luck i guess. I was so discourged I pull out an Lanner FW7535 and did a fresh install of 2.2 release 2Gb i386-Nanobsd-Serial on CF. Absolutely no troubles at all. No shell needed. Just like the instructions. It "Just Worked". Great job all. Two minute job.
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I did find troubles with some of the older modems on the supported hardware list for pfSense 3G/4G hardware
Ericsson
F5521
H5321
These modems work but now show up as cdce devices and are unusable in pfSense. See attachment. Now ue0 device.Unsupported hardware that worked in the past for me-now not working:
Sierra:
MC8790
MC8781
Option:
GTM661M
All these have usb CUA interfaces but have modem script issues it would seem.Confirmed Working on the hardware list:
MC8775 - HP 2300 versionSo no more supported half-sized mini card modems, even 3G modules, that i am aware of.(H5321 and GTM661M were only 2 i had working previously)
Anybody else find these results or is it just my hardware?
Lanner FW7335H-Vyatta 600Some of these are quite old so i would expect some of these to depreciate….Going to try other platforms later.
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I have to wonder if by running these in Ubuntu i switched them to CDCE mode from DirectIP. I don't think anything has changed in pfSense.
Probably that whole list of modems was in a Ubuntu machine while testing so that might be my issues.. Just like the Sierra cards I may need to find a utility to switch them back.
WOW.
Just when you thought you learned something.. A tool comes back to haunt you. -
have You ever found something to switch them back? I have 5 pcs H5321gw that i should use with PFsense
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I kinda shoved them in laptops once i found the MC7700 all else was fodder. I do see that the Huawei connection manager supports those Ericsson cards under Windows. I installed one in a Dell netbook recently and that worked good. Seems to me it really comes down to mini-pci-e slot differences. There are many. Some slots are 3G slots which have an USB interface in addition to mpci-e.
I hate to discount my own post but maybe it was just the Lanner i was testing on. Seems to me those old cards should still work. Somehow i keep coming back to the MC8775 as being one of the most supported cards i have. The connection speed on those Ericssons are way better though.
I can help you if you want to try them out. What hardware platform are you using??
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I have also spotted the MC7700 in Cisco gear
Also Sierra Airlink GX440 has the MC7700(att)or MC7750(Vz) module inside.
https://www.tessco.com/products/displayProductInfo.do?sku=571957 -
i've found a distrubutor who sells FW-7535,
http://www.hpsindustrial.nl/shop/201-rackmount-servers/18-appliance-servers/1932-Lanner-FW-7535is Pfsense working fine with that ?
did you install it using USB ?
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Yes the FW7535 works fine. Console only machine. Nearly the same as the FW7541 which was sold in the pfSense store. One bios adjustment for console redirection is all that is needed. I use the nanoBSD install to a 2GB Advantech CompactFlash.
This machine is from 2011 and i bought it off ebay for $150.
I would recommend something newer if buying a new box, unless good deal.
Recently 2 of these came up for sale on ebay at $199 for 2 boxes and they sold in 5 minutes flat!!
I missed them by one minute or less. Really good buy.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/141616638221 -
Here are links for the MC7700 DIP mode tools needed in Windows to flash for use in pfSense:
firmware:
http://source.sierrawireless.com/resources/airprime/software/mc7700-att-approved-firmware-swi9200x_03,-d-,05,-d-,20,-d-,03_dip/watcher 3830:
http://www.sierrawireless.com/developer-zone/resources/airprime/development_kits/airprime-mc-series-connection-manager-dip-build-3830/drivers 3795
http://www.sierrawireless.com/developer-zone/resources/airprime/software/airprime-mc-series-windows-drivers-dip-build-3795/