[arch-general] wvdial and ppp configuration

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[arch-general] Waking from Suspend...

Fons Adriaensen

10 Sep 2011 10 Sep '11

8:27 p.m.

Hello all, Since my (unknown) neighbour finally got smart enough to lock me out of his wireless access point (still unencrypted, probably filters on MAC address now), I got a Vodafone USB internet key, and even managed to make it work. But I've the impression that my current configuration isn't really optimal. The key identifies as 19d2:1013, and usb_modeswitch changes this to 19d2:1015. At that point I also get a new network interface called 'usb0'. So my first idea was that all I had to do was to configure and bring up that interface, but using netcfg to do this results in a 'No connection' error. Some more googling resulted in the following wvdial config which indeed does the job: [Dialer vodafone] Init1 = ATZ Init2 = ATQ0 V1 E1 S0=0 &C1 &D2 +FCLASS=0 Init3 = AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","web.omnitel.it" Modem Type = USB Modem Phone = *99***1# ISDN = 0 Username = prova Password = prova Modem = /dev/ttyACM0 Baud = 460800 [Dialer pin] Modem = /dev/ttyACM0 Baud = 460800 Init1 = ATZ Init2 = AT +CPIN="****" The 'pin' target is required once after power up. The 'vodafone' target results in: --> WvDial: Internet dialer version 1.61 --> Cannot get information for serial port. --> Initializing modem. --> Sending: ATZ ATZ OK --> Sending: ATQ0 V1 E1 S0=0 &C1 &D2 +FCLASS=0 ATQ0 V1 E1 S0=0 &C1 &D2 +FCLASS=0 OK --> Sending: AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","web.omnitel.it" AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","web.omnitel.it" OK --> Modem initialized. --> Sending: ATDT*99***1# --> Waiting for carrier. ATDT*99***1# CONNECT 14400000 --> Carrier detected. Waiting for prompt. --> Don't know what to do! Starting pppd and hoping for the best. --> Starting pppd at Sat Sep 10 17:52:39 2011 --> Pid of pppd: 4140 --> Using interface ppp0 --> pppd: �[05]�[08]@�[08]�[07]�[08] --> pppd: �[05]�[08]@�[08]�[07]�[08] --> pppd: �[05]�[08]@�[08]�[07]�[08] --> pppd: �[05]�[08]@�[08]�[07]�[08] --> pppd: �[05]�[08]@�[08]�[07]�[08] --> local IP address 109.113.40.0 --> pppd: �[05]�[08]@�[08]�[07]�[08] --> remote IP address 10.0.0.1 --> pppd: �[05]�[08]@�[08]�[07]�[08] --> primary DNS address 83.224.70.77 --> pppd: �[05]�[08]@�[08]�[07]�[08] --> secondary DNS address 83.224.70.54 --> pppd: �[05]�[08]@�[08]�[07]�[08] plus a new network interface 'ppp0' and a working internet connection - I'm using it to write this post. But there are some strange things: 1. The 'Don't know what to do! Starting pppd and hoping for the best.' line from wvdial looks suspect. 2. The fact that I have _two_ new network interfaces. The existence of the 'usb0' one seems to suggest I don't need pppd at all, but how then to bring it up ? Any information / suggestions to improve this will be appreciated. Also, if at all possible I'd like to put all this into a neat netcfg profile. TIA, -- FA

Show replies by date

Mantas M.

10 Sep 10 Sep

8:44 p.m.

On Sat, Sep 10, 2011 at 04:27:20PM +0000, Fons Adriaensen wrote:

...

2. The fact that I have _two_ new network interfaces. The existence of the 'usb0' one seems to suggest I don't need pppd at all, but how then to bring it up ?

`dhcpcd usb0` might just be enough. -- Mantas M.

Fons Adriaensen

9:12 p.m.

On Sat, Sep 10, 2011 at 07:44:29PM +0300, Mantas M. wrote:

...

On Sat, Sep 10, 2011 at 04:27:20PM +0000, Fons Adriaensen wrote:

...
2. The fact that I have _two_ new network interfaces. The existence of the 'usb0' one seems to suggest I don't need pppd at all, but how then to bring it up ?

`dhcpcd usb0` might just be enough.

waiting for carrier... timeout. :-( I suspect some chat (to make the connection) and then dhcpcd on usb0 could do the trick, but I've no idea how to do it. -- FA

Madhurya Kakati

9:17 p.m.

you could try MAC spoofing. :P It would work if your neighbor has blocked your MAC address.

Ray Rashif

11 Sep 11 Sep

1:03 a.m.

On 11 September 2011 01:17, Madhurya Kakati wrote:

...

you could try MAC spoofing. :P It would work if your neighbor has blocked your MAC address.

Most people usually go for selective access, rather than selective blocking, since most users usually don't have the technical inclination to actually figure out the IP of the suspect, and often only are "roughly" sure that their network has an intruder. So, very poor chance. -- GPG/PGP ID: 8AADBB10

Ray Rashif

12:56 a.m.

On 11 September 2011 00:27, Fons Adriaensen wrote:

...

Since my (unknown) neighbour finally got smart enough to lock me out of his wireless access point (still unencrypted, probably filters on MAC address now), I got a Vodafone USB internet key, and even managed to make it work. But I've the impression that my current configuration isn't really optimal.

Isn't that illegal? :P

...

1. The 'Don't know what to do! Starting pppd and hoping for the best.' line from wvdial looks suspect.

That's normal, I think. However, I don't know the details.

...

2. The fact that I have _two_ new network interfaces. The existence of the 'usb0' one seems to suggest I don't need pppd at all, but how then to bring it up ?

wvdial does all of the device handling for you - no need to explicitly use pppd to do anything here. You either use wvdial (front-end to ppp scripts) or pppd alone. pppd is also the one "bringing up" or registering the ppp device - not you. In short, the following is the connection process: (a) edit /etc/wvdial.conf (b) wvdial $dialername If you only have one dialer without any name specified you just run 'wvdial' by itself, as root, or as user if given proper permissions. BTW, are you sure you need usb_modeswitch for this modem? Some modems used to need that like sometime in 2005/2006, but they no longer do.

...

Any information / suggestions to improve this will be appreciated. Also, if at all possible I'd like to put all this into a neat netcfg profile.

I don't think netcfg has any provision for mobile broadband, but then again I don't keep tabs on that. -- GPG/PGP ID: 8AADBB10

Fons Adriaensen

1:08 a.m.

On Sun, Sep 11, 2011 at 04:56:29AM +0800, Ray Rashif wrote:

...

On 11 September 2011 00:27, Fons Adriaensen wrote:

...
Since my (unknown) neighbour finally got smart enough to lock me out of his wireless access point (still unencrypted, probably filters on MAC address now), I got a Vodafone USB internet key, and even managed to make it work. But I've the impression that my current configuration isn't really optimal.

Isn't that illegal? :P

Don't know. There are many unprotected access points that are explicitly meant to be used by anyone who cares. So if I find one I'll use it. It's a trivial exercise to set up WEP or WPA, so if someone doesn't do that I assume the access point is open to tbe public.

...

...
1. The 'Don't know what to do! Starting pppd and hoping for the best.' line from wvdial looks suspect.

That's normal, I think. However, I don't know the details.

It means the other side didn't produce and prompt or menu.

...

...
2. The fact that I have _two_ new network interfaces. The existence of the 'usb0' one seems to suggest I don't need pppd at all, but how then to bring it up ?

wvdial does all of the device handling for you - no need to explicitly use pppd to do anything here. You either use wvdial (front-end to ppp scripts) or pppd alone. pppd is also the one "bringing up" or registering the ppp device - not you. In short, the following is the connection process:

I don't explicitly use pppd, wvdial does. And it looks as if it shouldn't - just do the dialling and then let something else (e.g. dhcpcd) set up the already existing interface (usb0). But wvdial has no options to make it do that AFAIK.

...

BTW, are you sure you need usb_modeswitch for this modem? Some modems used to need that like sometime in 2005/2006, but they no longer do.

Yes, originally it shows up as a cdrom device with the Windows software on it. After the modeswitch it becomes a modem. -- FA

Ray Rashif

1:31 a.m.

On 11 September 2011 05:08, Fons Adriaensen wrote:

...

I don't explicitly use pppd, wvdial does. And it looks as if it shouldn't - just do the dialling and then let something else (e.g. dhcpcd) set up the already existing interface (usb0). But wvdial has no options to make it do that AFAIK.

wvdial needs to start pppd to connect. Without pppd, wvdial is useless. The ppp0 is the proper device (registered by pppd), and not usb0. I don't know which brings that one up, but I suppose it's the usb_modeswitch thing. A dhcp client is used at the end, after dialling, after connecting. The man page has a good explanation of this process in the first few paragraphs, which might also explain the don't-know message. You can't optimise your connection any further. If it works, it works.

...

Yes, originally it shows up as a cdrom device with the Windows software on it. After the modeswitch it becomes a modem.

Then you probably have one of the other unfriendly devices. My Huawei E220 (still released and also branded by Vodafone but I unlocked it) is also a cd-rom/modem/usb device but I only had to tinker with the mode switching years ago. -- GPG/PGP ID: 8AADBB10

Fons Adriaensen

1:53 a.m.

On Sun, Sep 11, 2011 at 05:31:44AM +0800, Ray Rashif wrote:

...

wvdial needs to start pppd to connect. Without pppd, wvdial is useless.

??? wvdial only starts pppd *after* having made the connection. It certainly doesn't need pppd to make the connection.

...

The ppp0 is the proper device (registered by pppd), and not usb0. I don't know which brings that one up, but I suppose it's the usb_modeswitch thing.

Usb_modeswitch just switches the USB device into a different mode. Then some magic in the system recognises a network interface and creates usb0. Usb_modeswitch can't do that, it just looks for a particular USB device and if it finds it sends a string of bytes to it. That's all it ever does.

...

A dhcp client is used at the end, after dialling, after connecting.

Indeed.

...

The man page has a good explanation of this process in the first few paragraphs, which might also explain the don't-know message. You can't optimise your connection any further. If it works, it works.

Yes it works. But it also seems that this modem is able to provide a network interface directly, without needing ppp, and only needs the connection to be set up. The question is how to use it, maybe it requires some as yet unknow modem command. Ciao, -- FA

Manolo Martínez

1:02 a.m.

On 09/10/11 at 04:27pm, Fons Adriaensen wrote:

...

Since my (unknown) neighbour finally got smart enough to lock me out of his wireless access point (still unencrypted, probably filters on MAC address now)-

Or maybe he was just being a good neighbour and got tired of having his bandwidth abused :)

Fons Adriaensen

1:12 a.m.

On Sat, Sep 10, 2011 at 11:02:12PM +0200, Manolo Martínez wrote:

...

On 09/10/11 at 04:27pm, Fons Adriaensen wrote:

...
Since my (unknown) neighbour finally got smart enough to lock me out of his wireless access point (still unencrypted, probably filters on MAC address now)-

Or maybe he was just being a good neighbour and got tired of having his bandwidth abused :)

Beh, I just used it ssh to the system handling my mail. A few tens of kB per day at most... Anyway, I've my own connection now. Ciao, -- FA

cantabile

1:56 a.m.

On 09/10/2011 07:27 PM, Fons Adriaensen wrote:

...

Hello all,

Since my (unknown) neighbour finally got smart enough to lock me out of his wireless access point (still unencrypted, probably filters on MAC address now), I got a Vodafone USB internet key, and even managed to make it work. But I've the impression that my current configuration isn't really optimal.

The key identifies as 19d2:1013, and usb_modeswitch changes this to 19d2:1015. At that point I also get a new network interface called 'usb0'. So my first idea was that all I had to do was to configure and bring up that interface, but using netcfg to do this results in a 'No connection' error.

Some more googling resulted in the following wvdial config which indeed does the job:

[Dialer vodafone] Init1 = ATZ Init2 = ATQ0 V1 E1 S0=0&C1&D2 +FCLASS=0 Init3 = AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","web.omnitel.it" Modem Type = USB Modem Phone = *99***1# ISDN = 0 Username = prova Password = prova Modem = /dev/ttyACM0 Baud = 460800

[Dialer pin] Modem = /dev/ttyACM0 Baud = 460800 Init1 = ATZ Init2 = AT +CPIN="****"

The 'pin' target is required once after power up.

The 'vodafone' target results in:

--> WvDial: Internet dialer version 1.61 --> Cannot get information for serial port. --> Initializing modem. --> Sending: ATZ ATZ OK --> Sending: ATQ0 V1 E1 S0=0&C1&D2 +FCLASS=0 ATQ0 V1 E1 S0=0&C1&D2 +FCLASS=0 OK --> Sending: AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","web.omnitel.it" AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","web.omnitel.it" OK --> Modem initialized. --> Sending: ATDT*99***1# --> Waiting for carrier. ATDT*99***1# CONNECT 14400000 --> Carrier detected. Waiting for prompt. --> Don't know what to do! Starting pppd and hoping for the best. --> Starting pppd at Sat Sep 10 17:52:39 2011 --> Pid of pppd: 4140 --> Using interface ppp0 --> pppd: �[05]�[08]@�[08]�[07]�[08] --> pppd: �[05]�[08]@�[08]�[07]�[08] --> pppd: �[05]�[08]@�[08]�[07]�[08] --> pppd: �[05]�[08]@�[08]�[07]�[08] --> pppd: �[05]�[08]@�[08]�[07]�[08] --> local IP address 109.113.40.0 --> pppd: �[05]�[08]@�[08]�[07]�[08] --> remote IP address 10.0.0.1 --> pppd: �[05]�[08]@�[08]�[07]�[08] --> primary DNS address 83.224.70.77 --> pppd: �[05]�[08]@�[08]�[07]�[08] --> secondary DNS address 83.224.70.54 --> pppd: �[05]�[08]@�[08]�[07]�[08]

plus a new network interface 'ppp0' and a working internet connection - I'm using it to write this post.

But there are some strange things:

1. The 'Don't know what to do! Starting pppd and hoping for the best.' line from wvdial looks suspect.

2. The fact that I have _two_ new network interfaces. The existence of the 'usb0' one seems to suggest I don't need pppd at all, but how then to bring it up ?

Any information / suggestions to improve this will be appreciated. Also, if at all possible I'd like to put all this into a neat netcfg profile.

TIA,

This thread is relevant: http://mailman.archlinux.org/pipermail/arch-general/2010-June/014388.html -- cantabile "Jayne is a girl's name." -- River

Fons Adriaensen

2:12 a.m.

On Sun, Sep 11, 2011 at 12:56:08AM +0300, cantabile wrote:

...

This thread is relevant: http://mailman.archlinux.org/pipermail/arch-general/2010-June/014388.html

Yes and no. Early ADSL modems (such as the green Alcatel flat fish shaped one, I still have it) required you to set up a ppp connection on top of the ATM based link they provided. Today's ADSL modems provide a network interface directly and don't need require the user's system to use ppp. I see no reason why a wireless broadband modem couldn't do the same, and it it looks as if this one does - at least the fact that it seems to provide the 'usb0' interface (with Link encap: Ethernet) seems to suggest this. But no-one seems to known how to use it. Ciao, -- FA

Ray Rashif

2:17 a.m.

On 11 September 2011 06:12, Fons Adriaensen wrote:

...

On Sun, Sep 11, 2011 at 12:56:08AM +0300, cantabile wrote:

...
This thread is relevant: http://mailman.archlinux.org/pipermail/arch-general/2010-June/014388.html

Yes and no.

Early ADSL modems (such as the green Alcatel flat fish shaped one, I still have it) required you to set up a ppp connection on top of the ATM based link they provided. Today's ADSL modems provide a network interface directly and don't need require the user's system to use ppp.

Ahh, now I see what you're getting at. -- GPG/PGP ID: 8AADBB10

Fons Adriaensen

3:36 a.m.

On Sun, Sep 11, 2011 at 06:17:01AM +0800, Ray Rashif wrote:

...

On 11 September 2011 06:12, Fons Adriaensen wrote:

...
On Sun, Sep 11, 2011 at 12:56:08AM +0300, cantabile wrote:

...
This thread is relevant: http://mailman.archlinux.org/pipermail/arch-general/2010-June/014388.html

Yes and no.

Early ADSL modems (such as the green Alcatel flat fish shaped one, I still have it) required you to set up a ppp connection on top of the ATM based link they provided. Today's ADSL modems provide a network interface directly and don't need require the user's system to use ppp.

Ahh, now I see what you're getting at.

:-) OTOH, even if the chip in this modem provides such an interface, that does not imply that Vodafone's servers are able to use it - maybe they only accept ppp. It would be interesting to find out what the Windoze drivers are using. Ciao, -- FA

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cantabile
Fons Adriaensen
Madhurya Kakati
Manolo Martínez
Mantas M.
Ray Rashif