Ubuntu 9.10 + Reliance NetConnect Broadband Modem (Huawei EC1260) + NetworkManager = Works Out Of The Box
Note: This article will help you to “Dial” your USB CDMA modem with Network Manager in Ubuntu, Assuming it’s already working fine with wvdial. If you are modem is not detected or working by wvdial, then it’s problem with Modem Detection in Ubuntu, if this is the case, then this solution is not for you.
Update: If you are on Ubuntu 10.04 LTS (Lycid Lynx) Beta – 1, please test ModemManager [1] and submit your response here [2], your feedback would help us to push this package to final build.
[1] http://launchpadlibrarian.net/43125454/modemmanager_0.3.git.20100404%7Etest_i386.deb
[2] https://bugs.launchpad.net/network-manager/+bug/461096
Update: If you are on Ubuntu 10.04 LTS (Lucid Lynx), here is new version for Modem Manager with fix (Very Very hackish way)
[1] https://launchpad.net/~hardik-dalwadi/+archive/ppa/+packages?field.name_filter=modemmanager&field.status_filter=published&field.series_filter=lucid
Since Ubuntu 9.10 release lot of people has complained about NetworkManager + Reliance NetConnect Broadband+ (Huawei EC1260) is not working out of the box, which was working fine with Ubuntu 9.04. This was happening due to bug in modem manager. I have just now uploaded patched version of modem manager which has solved the problem. So, No more gnome-ppp or wvdial, Here we GO:
Step – 1:
Get access of CLI and please make sure that Ubuntu 9.10 with uninterrupted Internet and make it up-to-date with latest udpates to be at safer side.
#sudo apt-get update
#sudo apt-get upgrade
Step – 2:
Please add my PPA to get patched version of Modem Manager. From here [1] you can find the detail about patched version of Modem Manager
[1] https://launchpad.net/~hardik-dalwadi/+archive/ppa
#sudo add-apt-repository ppa:hardik-dalwadi/ppa
+++ Snapshot From Live System +++
person@CANONICAL-DESK:~$ sudo add-apt-repository ppa:hardik-dalwadi/ppa
Executing: gpg –ignore-time-conflict –no-options –no-default-keyring –secret-keyring /etc/apt/secring.gpg –trustdb-name /etc/apt/trustdb.gpg –keyring /etc/apt/trusted.gpg –keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com –recv FD83D0063425A382E82DE40D0887AA4AA27ED519
gpg: requesting key A27ED519 from hkp server keyserver.ubuntu.com
gpg: key A27ED519: “Launchpad PPA for Hardik Dalwadi” not changed
gpg: Total number processed: 1
gpg: unchanged: 1
person@CANONICAL-DESK:~$+++ END +++
Step – 3:
Now, check the current version of your Modem Manager (FYI). And again update the system to get header of patched Modem Manager from my PPA.
#dpkg -l | grep modemmanager
#sudo apg-get update
+++ Snapshot From Live System +++
person@CANONICAL-DESK:~$ dpkg -l | grep modemmanager
ii modemmanager 0.2.git.20091014t233208.16f3e00-0ubuntu1 D-Bus service for managing modems
person@CANONICAL-DESK:~$+++ END +++
Step – 4:
Now install Modem Manager from my PPA which is higher patched version from current version, after successful installation reboot the system.
#sudo apt-get install modemmanager
#sudo reboot
Step – 5:
Now after successful reboot, You should get the New CDMA Broadband option under Network Manager. I am assuming you have already inserted Reliance NetConnect Broadband+ Modem, if not please do that.Please follow the Images for more information on How to connect in GUI Mode.
Note: We have also tested with Tata Photon+ service with Huwei EC 1260 and Haier CE100 Modem. It’s working out of box. Please also test modems from BSNL / TATA / Reliance with NetworkManger and let us know in comment, whether it’s working or not. Your help would be much appreciated.
Please select New Connection, since Reliance NetConnect Broadband+ requires Mobile Number as Username / Password, You have to enter it manually. In case o Tata Photon+, You can select it from list.
I think it’s BUG with NM, it has not ask for Username / Password in manual selection of provider, we have to edit it again. It may not be the case in your scenario. So in my case i am editing settings again.
Since Network Manager is giving prirority to WiFi / Ethernet connect, you have to disconnect them to swithc over to your Reliance NetConnect Broadband+ Connection.
Hi
The change doesn’t work on ubuntu 10.04. Tried using the fix deb that you have given here but it is for i386 arch mine is x64 i guess it gave an error. Can you please help me regarding this?
BTW tried modifying the deb files control file’s architecture to all still didn’t work
@ Rajendra,
Give us more details, say Type of modem? Share us ‘lsusb’ output?
I am not an expert with linux. I installed the package that you had posted but it did not work. Will check again and see, and let you know. Thanks for posting it exclusively for me
Hi to all,
I am Rajendra Subedi from Nepal. I am using ubuntu 9.10 but its unable to connect internet by using CDMA Modem device. Anybody can Help me?
@ Tanveer,
I have not yet uploade to PPA. I have just rebuilt the package for you with FIX.exclusive for you
. Please let me know your test result. In mycase it’s working fine.
I get this when I update apt
Failed to fetch http://ppa.launchpad.net/hardik-dalwadi/ppa/ubuntu/dists/lucid/main/binary-i386/Packages.gz 404 Not Found
Thanks a lot. Will try and let you know.
@ Tanveer,
Yes, it’s not working. I have fix with me, actually it’s hack, not fix. Future, version will take care of it. Meanwhile you can use this package [1]. It will fix the issue for you.
[1] http://people.canonical.com/~hardik/modemmanager_0.3-0ubuntu2_i386.deb
Hi it did work on 9.10. But now that I have upgraded to 10.04, it does not connect though it does detect the modem.
Any fixes?
Sir ,
I want to install ubuntu in my system.My friend gave me an ISO cd customised of Ubuntu 9.10 and Virtual box .I am having ZTE AC 2726 wireless broadband modem of Reliance.
I wish to install same version of a charting software in Linux and running the twins simultaneously switching between XP and Ubuntu through Virtual box.Whether the Modem can connect both Operating systems and is it possible to run the same version of the particular application simultaneiusly ?
Awaiting your answer
Thanks.
Bharathi.
@ Kishore,
Strange problem. Please go to System -> Administration -> Users & Groups -> Select “User Name” -> User Previlages. It will allow do dial modem.
But AFAIK, it’s for gnome-ppp. But please give a try.
Good to hear that it’s working for you.
I’m using reliance netconnect with Huawei EC 1260. I did all the above mentioned and am able to establish the connection. It works but only when i’m logged in as root. However if i’m not connected as root or if i’m connected as root but in the network manager select “available to all users” the connection is always in disconnected mode.
Thanks for the above fix though. Without this i had to share the internet connection from my xp machine to my ubuntu pc.
@Hardik, That’s great. Thanks for sharing this with me, I was always wondering why this was happening.
Open source rules !!! Good to see people coming together and finding solutions and helping each others.
Well I had same issue with 9.10 and your post about using Reliance Netconnect in 9.04 helped me in getting connected as you explained method of using wvdial and that’s only thing worked for me in 9.10. This was that post
http://hardik.in/2009/07/01/reliance-netconnect-broadband-service-on-ubuntu-9-04-and-my-experience/
BTW are you also active in mobile things? they will love to have you on symbain, now fully open source.
Many Thanks again.Keep those great posts coming in.
@ Suyog,
It’s my pleasure, always!
Let me put this straight, we It was problem with India CDMA devices. Because CDMA devices requires unique SID (System Identifier) according to CDMA protocol / implementation, In India, we have SID=0, ModemManager always check for SID before making connection, if it’s 0 or 9999, that means no connection. Which is
standard protocol, but we have hack the code and remove that condition, that’s the reason it’s working now. Please follow this LP #461096 [1]. I hope you can now understand, It happens only with Ubuntu Community / Development, Come-on now give some praise to Ubuntu
[1] https://bugs.launchpad.net/network-manager/+bug/461096
The link given by you is for Lucid, and i think my how-to says about Ubuntu 9.10, from where did you get this link?
@Hardik Many Thanks again(you helped me with same issue in 9.10) , really appreciated !
But I wonder why Ubuntu team cant fix this issue once and for all, why they are leaving it out?
They need to understand this is basic connectivity thing, with many rely of these 3G USB modems.
I hope you will tell them about seriousness of this issue so that they can get it in hight priority to include in update patches. They should concentrate in fixing these basic things rather than doing cosmetic changes like button placement changes to copy Apple style, which most users have not liked at all.
Well I got following error while getting this working via apt-get after adding your repository.
Failed to fetch http://ppa.launchpad.net/hardik-dalwadi/ppa/ubuntu/dists/lucid/main/binary-i386/Packages.gz 404 Not Found
But then I downloaded deb file and installed and it worked.
@ Hafiz,
Which service are you using, you have to again edit the credential (Username / Password), It it’s RBN, Username / Password is your number, if it’s Tata Photon+ service, internet / internet is your credential.
I have installed Ubuntu 9.10 & i am trying to use
Huawei EC 1260.It is getting detected in the
Network connections but when i enter the username
& password & try to get connected it does not.When i
check the entries the password is missing ……can somebody
help me plz.
@ Manoj,
Just right click on NM, it will give pop up menu, are you your newly created Connection under Mobile Broadband? If yes, just click on that, it’s procedure to connect.
@ Shakeel,
Your modem has been detected, just follow the procedure given in How-to.
hi Hardik,
once i finish the process of updating the Modemmanager, i have rebooted the system and inserted the photon + in usb port.
I can see that ubuntu has detected this as a usb drive,but i cannot see any network (tower) symbol in the network manager icon on panel.
Then i tried adding this inside the mobile broadband section, and still i see that i have no option to switch this “on”
help me if i am doing something wrong
Thanks,
Manoj
lsusb gave this result
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 005 Device 003: ID 12d1:1446 Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
I am unable to connect my huawei ec1261 modem from tata . please help me to connect this to my desktop. i am new to ubuntu. the command lsusb gave this output
Regards
Shakeel
@ Manoj,
I mean, please follow how-to again from scratch, i am sure it will work for you. it also contains the Image support.
Hardik,
i am not able to see screen shots attached in your response .Could it be possible for you to send me a Doc or Pdf of this screen shots ? Will follow the same here
@ Manoj,
You are at wrong side. I think you need to follow my step again, it should show newly created connection.
Hardik,
I am not getting any such option to start the photon +
when i right click on the networkManager icon, i get something like a VPN connection getting highlighted. and when i try to click it , it prompts me for creating a new VPN connection.
Thanks,
Manoj
@ Manoj,
After creating connection, you have to right click on NetworkManager Icon on top panle, it will list your newly created connection, just click on that, it should work for you.
Hi Hardik,
Thanks for your support!!!
i have managed to download the package of modem manager and installed it in ubuntu. i have managed to create a new connection as well from network connections.
But the tricky part is that i am not able to get any start option for this to get it start.
can you please let me know how would i start the connection ??
Thanks
Manoj
@ Manoj,
I think, you need my package if you want use Tata Photon+ service on Huawei EC 1260 on Ubuntu 9.10. I have tested with that also. Here is steps that will help.
1. From any Internet connected machine, Please download modemmanager from my PPA (Link is given in article) and save it on any transferable media (Say Pen Driver).
2. Boot machine in Ubuntu 9.10 and copy modemmanager at you desire place from pen drive (Say Desktop)
3. Get the CLI Acces using ALT + F2 -> gnome-terminal
4. Go to directory where you copied the modemmanager package: cd /home/Your_User_Name/Desktop
5. Please check your current modemmanager version using: dpkg -l | grep modemmanager
6. Now, install new version of modemmanager: sudo dpkg -i modemmanager_0.2.git.20091014t233208.16f3e00-0ubuntu2_i386.deb
7. Now, again check the newly installed modemmanager version using: dpkg -l | grep modemmanager
You should get something like this
person@CANONICAL-DESK:~$ dpkg -l | grep modemmanager
ii modemmanager 0.2.git.20091014t233208.16f3e00-0ubuntu2 D-Bus service for managing modems
person@CANONICAL-DESK:~$
Now, reboot the machine and create new connection using Network Manager for Tata Indicom Photon+ service, it should work. Please let us know for any further information…
@ Umesh,
Good to hear that it works for you. Yes there are lot of option in Ubuntu track the usage, not only per session, but you can track the usage per month, week, day. Please follow keep track of your bandwidth usage using vnstat on Ubuntu. I am sure you would love it.
Hi Hardik,
i have tried downloading the Latest version of Ubuntu 9.10 from the official site of ubuntu. I managed to install this but the problem for me is that i normally use Tata indicom Photon+ for my internet on windows. When i tried using the same on ubuntu , honestly i did not find a way to install that on ubuntu and going through your posts above i do understand the procedure,but to update the current version of ModemManager, i dont have any other internet connection. Could you please let me know is there any work around for this problem ???
Thanks in advance
Manoj
I think last time, I may have missed the reboot thing. But I did all over again and the connection is established.
But can you have display of current speed, total data transfered like you get in windows?
@ Umesh,
Did you install “modemmanager” from my PPA? After successful installation please reboot the machine and create the new connection under NetworkManager -> Edit Connection -> Mobile Broaband -> “Create New Connection using ‘Add’ Button” -> In New Screen, you will be asked:
Number = #777
User Name = Your Reliance Number
Password = Your Reliance Number
Then, apply. Now right click on NetworkManager Icon you will get your new connection, click on that to activate your Mobile Broadband connection.
Assumption:
OS = Ubuntu 9.10, Updated with latest updates
Modem = Huawei EC1260, connected with machine
Please let us know where you got stuck?
I have tried the above procedure. I did not get the screen 15 in which you have allowed the password to be sent.
I am using Ubuntu 9.1 and EC1260 reliance connection.
I have tried two three other solutions also. (Mentioned in Ubuntu and Linux forums.)
My EC1260 works fine with windows.
Please help me.
Umesh
@ Vinodkumar,
Here is link for debugging ModemManager, Please share the output. Also Did you check the LP , (LP: #461096)?
[1] https://wiki.ubuntu.com/DebuggingModemmanager
No. This is not working with the ZTE Modem provided with BSNL EVDO.
@ Arun,
Check (LP: #461096) for more information. I have tested Haier CE100 with Tata Indicom Photon+ service, after installation of updated ModemManager it will also work with NM. Meanwhile if you are facing problem connecting Pidgin / empathy while on gnom-ppp (PPPD) connection, you can use this hack [1].
[1] http://hardik.in/2010/01/18/empathy-is-now-working-with-gnome-ppp-pppd-connection-on-ubuntu-9-10/
Can you please elaborate a bit more about what bug was fixed with your update to modemmanager? Just want to make sure before I install this new version. Thanks!
I also have trouble connecting my haier ce100 with tata photon plus using ubuntu networkmanager/modemmanager. But it connects fine with gnome-ppp and wvdial, which however is a pain when some apps (like pidgin) look for a nm-connection to work properly.