[arch-general] wvdial and ppp configuration

[Fons Adriaensen]

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