SmartBro Prepaid (Longcheer dongle, not the ZTE) Howto

[clintcan]

SmartBro Prepaid is a mobile broadband solution which consists of a HSDPA capable modem and prepaid sim card. There are two type of these modems available, I am going to talk about the second, newer modem (the smaller black usb dongle), as the first one already is supported natively by Intrepid (ZTE-MF622). For the curious - this dongle is called the Longcheer, and is based on the Alcatel OT-X020 modem chipset.

Here are the steps:

Download the usb_modeswitch binaries and the latest usb_modeswitch.conf file here:

http://www.draisberghof.de/usb_modeswitch/#download

Extract the usb_modeswitch binary and place it in a place like /usr/sbin. usb_modeswitch.conf goes to the /etc folder. Comment out the lines which has the headers Alcatel OT-X020. You have to disable the other modem enabled on this config file, or usb_modeswitch won’t work.

Add a [Dialer] section your wvdial.conf file (located in /etc) to look like this:

[Dialer smartbro]
Init1 = ATZ
#Init2 = ATQ0 V1 E1 S0=0 &C1 &D2 +FCLASS=0
Init2 = ATE1
#Init2 = ATE0V1&D2&C1S0=0
#Init3 = at_opsys=0
#Init2 = ATQ0 V1 E1 S0=0 &C1 &D2
Init3 = AT+CGDCONT=1,”IP”,”smartbro”,”",0,0
Modem Type = USB Modem
ISDN = 0
Phone = *99#
Modem = /dev/ttyUSB0
New PPPD = yes
Baud = 912600
Idle Seconds = 3000
Auto DNS = 1
Stupid Mode = 1
Compuserve = 0
Dial Command = ATD
Ask Password = 0
FlowControl = NOFLOW

Write down this code and save it as initmodem.sh and place it in /usr/sbin:

#!/bin/sh
modprobe usbserial vendor=0×1c9e product=0×6061 && usb_modeswitch
sleep 3

Plug in your SmartBro USB dongle and run:
# sudo /usr/sbin/initmodem

To connect to the internet, just type in:
# sudo wvdial smartbro

and to disconnect, just press CTRL+C, or kill the ppp process

[geobz]

would you know how to make this work with globe visibility? they're the same modems too right (zte mf626)?

and could i make a request... i'm not too knowledgable about programming so could you guide me through it step by step?

thanks a lot!

[bonanza168]

Hi,

The usb_modeswitch seemed to have worked.

but wvdial smartbro returned an error
cannot open /dev/ttyUSB0: no such file or directory

Thanks for your help.

[loell]

post the result of these two commands , also make sure that the cable is attached properly.

ls /dev/ | grep ttyUSB

and

lsusb

[riclags]

stupid question...how to do this how to?

i was able to borrow a smartbro prepaid modem and tried to follow this howto. i got the ff. problems:

1. on the part re extracting the files to /etc, i get an error that i cannot write to the folder
2. on the part re copying the usb_modeswitch.conf to /usr/sbin, i get an error that i cannot write to the folder
3. on creating the initmodem.sh script, i get an error that i cannot write, once again, to the /usr/sbin directory
4. how to make a script executable?

pasensya, im ignorant with these sort of linux stuff. i don't want to revert back to M$ as i am getting accustomed to the ubuntu desktop...nkaka-bad trip lang kc di pa ako maka connect to the internet.

salamat.

[amoresunaramera]

post the result of these two commands , also make sure that the cable is attached properly.

ls /dev/ | grep ttyUSB

and

lsusb

hi! i also followed this tutorial, but i guess i'm too stupid to make it work hehehe. anyway, since i seem to be having the same problem as the previous poster, here is the information you were asking about. i pray you'd be able to help us noobs... thanks in advance

the first code did not give me anything. the second one gave me the ff:

Bus 005 Device 004: ID 0bda:0158 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. Mass Stroage Device
Bus 005 Device 003: ID 04c5:113c Fujitsu, Ltd
Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 004 Device 007: ID 1c9e:1001
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
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 09da:000a A4 Tech Co., Ltd Port Mouse
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub


if it's any help, typing the command sudo /usr/sbin/initmodem (after following the installation steps) gives me the error that the initmodem file does not exist.... and i'm using intrepid, btw.

[loell]

1. on the part re extracting the files to /etc, i get an error that i cannot write to the folder
2. on the part re copying the usb_modeswitch.conf to /usr/sbin, i get an error that i cannot write to the folder
3. on creating the initmodem.sh script, i get an error that i cannot write, once again, to the /usr/sbin directory
4. how to make a script executable?

.

1-3. those are just permission issue, just add sudo on every command invoked.

4. to make the script executable you just set it, chmod +x name_of the_script

[loell]

Bus 005 Device 004: ID 0bda:0158 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. Mass Stroage Device
Bus 005 Device 003: ID 04c5:113c Fujitsu, Ltd
Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 004 Device 007: ID 1c9e:1001
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
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 09da:000a A4 Tech Co., Ltd Port Mouse
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub

I don't think you have the modem, you have a realtek wireless card though.

[riclags]

@ loell: thanks for the tip. i will try this later.

I don't think you have the modem, you have a realtek wireless card though.

when i do lsusb, i get a similar result sans the realtek, fujitsu and a4 tech (in the post of amoresunaramera) as there are no other usb peripherals attached to my computer.

so ung sa akin, puro "Linux Foundation x.x root hub" and then ang isa with the "1001" number. so im thinking na ito ung smart bro dongle...as opposed to the 6061 na dapat madetect? not sure.

F1, anyone?

[amoresunaramera]

@ loell: thanks for the tip. i will try this later.

when i do lsusb, i get a similar result sans the realtek, fujitsu and a4 tech (in the post of amoresunaramera) as there are no other usb peripherals attached to my computer.

so ung sa akin, puro "Linux Foundation x.x root hub" and then ang isa with the "1001" number. so im thinking na ito ung smart bro dongle...as opposed to the 6061 na dapat madetect? not sure.

F1, anyone?

hat makes sense (the 1001 being the smart dongle) coz i'm sure i had the dongle connected when i did the lsusb. i even redid it to make sure... but...what do we do with that bit of info? any ideas?