Our optus pocket modem

1

A few weeks ago the modem which provides internet access for the space was decommissioned when it failed. The battery was puffed up so I acquired a new battery and attempted to use the modem to no avail. Maybe it failed for a reason other than the battery failing?

Yesterday we plugged it into the server and rebooted it but no connection was established.

AT home I tried a few things:

Under windows (8/10) it is seen as a HUWAWEI_MODEM USB device but no driver is available.

Under linux is shows up as a /dev/ttyUSB0 lsusb says
ID 12d1:1442 Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.

I tried usb_modeswitch and while it claims to succeed no if was created.

$ sudo usb_modeswitch -v 0x12d1 -p 0x1442 -b 2 -g 7 -i 1 -J
Use given bus/device number: 002/007 ...
Look for default devices ...
 bus/device number matched
 Found devices in default mode (1)
Get the current device configuration ...
Current configuration number is 1
Use interface number 1
 with class 8
Use endpoints 0x02 (out) and 0x82 (in)
Using standard Huawei switching message
Looking for active drivers ...
Set up interface 1
Use endpoint 0x02 for message sending ...
Trying to send message 1 to endpoint 0x02 ...
 OK, message successfully sent
Read the response to message 1 (CSW) ...
 Response successfully read (13 bytes), status 0
Reset response endpoint 0x82
Reset message endpoint 0x02
-> Run lsusb to note any changes. Bye!

Maybe we need to set it up for a different configuration? I am vague in this area.

I suspected that the wifi was turned off on the modem, but a factory reset (which was done a few times) did not bring up an a/p so I could not access the setup menu.

Can whoever manages our internet access (@csirac2_? ) take a look at it? I left it (the white one) near the current modem (the black one). It has a free “starter” SIM which still has a couple of weeks to go but only the intial 64MB.

2

Hawaii devices have funky mode switching, I have a Hawaii Optus modem and
it needs a SCSI command because they hate everyone and want to make life
difficult.

I’ve also had a different Hawaii device which took a command simular to
yours to get it to mode switch

Mine is the USB one which has minimal software and just has a web UI for
control and configuration and behaves like a nic with router.

3

Something like this

https://www.raspberrypi.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=18996

sg_raw is the command

4

I can try this next time I am at the space.

This modem is a E5573. I wonder who set it up initially - it was working at the space since Oct 2016.

As for “funky”, I also tried things like

sudo usb_modeswitch -v 0x12d1 -p 0x1442 -M '55534243123456780000000000000011062000000100000000000000000000' -b 2 -g 7 -i 1

no beef.

5

The power supply on the gateway PC died at the same time. The modem may have been damaged at the same time perhaps?

Myself or @jambulance or I think @devdsp have logins on the gateway PC (“heimdal”), and we have the old modeswitch command that worked in etckeeper. It’s running a different configuration now I think; we could try reverting to how it was and see if it starts working, or share with you the modeswitch strings that worked.

I’m somewhat drowning in other commitments at the moment though; hoping to get back to having some free time in a couple of weeks.

EDIT: If you’d like a login & sudo privileges let me know.

6

@csirac2_ Yes, give the necessary script (modeswitch and whatever else) and I will try it on another computer.

Thanks

7

2016-10-03
/etc/udev/rules.d/10-usb-modeswitch.rules

ATTRS{idvendor}=="12d1", ATTRS{idProduct}=="1f01", RUN+="/usr/sbin/usb_modeswitch -v 12d1 -p 1f01 -M 55534243123456780000000000000011062000000101000100000000000000"

2016-10-04
/etc/udev/rules.d/10-usb-modeswitch.rules

ATTRS{idvendor}=="12d1", ATTRS{idProduct}=="1f01", RUN+="/usr/sbin/usb_modeswitch -v 12d1 -p 1f01 -M 55534243123456780000000000000011062000000101000100000000000000"

2017-06-20
/etc/usb_modeswitch.d/12d1:14db

#Huawei E3131

DefaultVendor=  0x12d1
DefaultProduct= 0x14db

TargetVendor=  0x12d1
TargetProduct= 0x1f01

MessageContent="55534243123456780000000000000011062000000101000100000000000000"

2018-04-07
/etc/udev/rules.d/10-usb-modeswitch.rules

ATTRS{idvendor}=="12d1", ATTRS{idProduct}=="1f01", RUN+="/usr/sbin/usb_modeswitch -v 12d1 -p 1f01 -M 55534243f066fe892400000080000612000000240000000000000000000000"

/etc/udev/rules.d/10-usb-modeswitch.rules

ATTRS{idvendor}=="12d1", ATTRS{idProduct}=="1f01", RUN+="/usr/sbin/usb_modeswitch -v 12d1 -p 1f01 -M 55534243123456780000000000000011062000000101000100000000000000"

2018-05-02
/etc/udev/rules.d/10-usb-modeswitch.rules

ATTRS{idvendor}=="12d1", ATTRS{idProduct}=="1f01", RUN+="/usr/sbin/usb_modeswitch -v 12d1 -p 1f01 -M 55534243123456780000000000000011062000000101000100000000000000"
8

Thanks @csirac2_

I tried these commands to no avail.
The modem currently shows up as device 12d1:1442. I understand that it changes the product ID when it changes mode but I do not see any change.

If the product ID of 14db or 1f01 was used before then I guess it must have changed at some point. Also this modem is branded E5573 and not E3131.

I may just give up unless I discover more information about this modem. I thought it was a common one but there is very little on the 'net.

9

It seems coincidental that the modem stopped working at the same time that the power supply died and the battery puffed… I suspect it’s related and the modem is damaged :confused: