Trying to get ZTE MF636 running on headless Ubuntu 10.10 server

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dazz1

95 posts

Master Geek

#80797 4-Apr-2011 22:41

Hello

I am trying to get a headless server to run a ZTE MF636 T-stick running on the Telecom network.
I made a posting here to describe the symptoms using Network-Manager.
http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=39&topicid=80734
(I think I put it on the wrong forum)
Network manager sees the modem, but other configuration stuff like DNS address, user, password etc seems to be needed.

I have turned off the CDROM0 function on the modem so Linux does not see it as a CDROM. I should not need to modeswitch the modem.

I have tried wvdial as suggested by this member. He was successful.
http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=46&topicid=54271
I don't know where he got the data for his settings, so I can't modify them.

It didn't work for me. The modem didn't respond. The light stayed solid blue.

Most of the success stories I have read on the internet get MF636 running from windows, not from the command line.

The problem with Network-Manager seems to be that I think I need an equivalent to the wvdial.conf file. the nmcli command doesn't seem to include any config functionality.

Any suggestions???

Dazz

dazz1

95 posts

Master Geek

#455392 5-Apr-2011 08:33

Hi

I ran wvdial again wiithout changing wvdial.conf and it recognised and initiated the modem.
I plan to uninstall nmcli and just use wvdial.
I just need to figure out getting the network connection right.

Dazz

dazz1

95 posts

Master Geek

#455396 5-Apr-2011 08:47

Hello

It seems that I am not the only one to find that nmcli lacks the configuration tools to get a wwan connection running.

see http://zgp.org/pipermail/linux-elitists/2010-August/013244.html

It appears that I might have to manually compose the conf file.

Alternatively, I will look at trying to get the MF636 running on a X machine with the nm aplet and copying the conf files across to the headless server.

Dazz

dazz1

95 posts

Master Geek

#455834 6-Apr-2011 10:36

Hello

I found a typo in my wvdial conf file. Once that was corrected, the modem connected.
wvdial cannot determine the serial port settings unless the modem is unplugged and plugged back in again. I am looking for a better solution.

Although the modem connected, some sort of DNS issue seems to be stopping me getting onto the Internet.

dazz1

95 posts

Master Geek

#464625 2-May-2011 20:07

Hi

I got it all working. I needed to do a couple of extra things.

I ran dmesg | grep ttyUSB

With the settings in the post above, I got a "no carrier" error message.

In the wvdial.conf file, I replaced /dev/ttyUSBx with the last one found on dmesg.

The link appeared to be connected with dns, IP addresses displayed on the console by pppd but I could not ping anything on the www.

I added to /etc/ppp/options the following new line:

replacedefaultroute

When that was done, everything worked.

Yahooooo!!!