A QUICK-HOWTO: How to setup / configure the Teracom LW272 BSNL 3G USB Data Card (Modem) on Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx / Ubuntu 10.10 Maverick Meerkat

Submitted by anto on Fri, 11/12/2010 - 07:40

The latest Teracom LW272 3.6 Mbps 3G USB Data Card distributed by BSNL deserves some good comments for even the slightest efforts they have put, in bundling a Linux dialler application along with the Windows version.

But, maybe due to their ignorance, the dialler application is not quite effective in bringing even the most basic functionality expected - the 3G modem functionality, on today's versions of Ubuntu (10.04, 10.10).

The device features an automatic internal USB mode-switching implementation, which helps it to emulate 3 USB devices instead of one -

a virtual USB CD Drive with a virtual CD containing the drivers,
- autoruns the driver installation when the device is plugged in for the first time
- a pretty useful feature on Windows, that you wont have to physically carry around any driver CD,
a mass storage device
- for the memory card slot beneath the SIM card slot,
and the 3G modem device.

The problem is that hardly anything of this kind of functionality is properly documented for the creation of linux drivers.

Anyway, after some research and much experimenting, I got my device working as a 3G modem on my Ubuntu 10.04 with the help of Joshua Dietze's usb_modeswitch (usb_modeswitch is a simple but very useful linux script for switching the modes of such composite usb devices).

I list down the consolidated steps so that you too can benefit from what I have learnt. :-)
(Perhaps, a one-click script would be a more elegant solution. Till I get the time to write the script, you may use the following steps to get things going).

NOTE OF CAUTION:

These steps are exactly applicable only to the following Data Card model:
- 3G USB Data Card 3.6Mbps - Teracom LW272

I will publish a more detailed and generic set of steps applicable for all similar devices, in a later post.
IF YOU FACE ANY DIFFICULTIES USING THIS METHOD TO GET YOUR DEVICE WORKING,
DO LET ME KNOW - use the 'comments' link below - I'LL TRY MY BEST TO HELP YOU OUT.

STEPS:

(You may find it easier to 'copy-paste' the shell commands, to avoid typing mistakes).

STEP 01: Plug in the modem.

STEP 02: Verify that the device is exactly the same one as described here:

Issue the following command at the Terminal ('copy-paste'/type, press ENTER key):

echo $(lsusb | grep '19d2') | cut -c21-

    You should see something like
    this:
        Bus 001 Device 004: ID 19d2:0108 ONDA Communication S.p.A.
    or this:
        Bus 001 Device 004: ID 19d2:2000 ONDA Communication S.p.A.
    If not,
        Your device seems to be different than what is described here. These settings might not work.
        STOP.
    If you see something similar,
        You may proceed safely.

STEP 03: Install usb-modeswitch,
by issuing the following command at the Terminal:
sudo apt-get install usb-modeswitch

STEP 04: Add the modeswitch rules for the device in the rules configuration file as follows:
    In Terminal, type
        sudo gedit /lib/udev/rules.d/40-usb_modeswitch.rules
    In the file that we now opened in gedit,
    below the line that says
        LABEL="modeswitch_rules_begin"
    add the following:
        #TERACOM LW272 USB 3G MODEM
        ATTRS{idVendor}=="19d2", ATTRS{idProduct}=="0108", RUN+="usb_modeswitch '%b/%k'"
        ATTRS{idVendor}=="19d2", ATTRS{idProduct}=="2000", RUN+="usb_modeswitch '%b/%k'"

Save and exit the text editor.

STEP 05: Add the modeswitch control configuration for the first device id, as follows:
    First, make a copy of an existing control configuration.
        sudo cp /etc/usb_modeswitch.d/1c9e\:9200 /etc/usb_modeswitch.d/19d2\:0108
    Then, edit these to suit our device:
        sudo gedit /etc/usb_modeswitch.d/19d2\:0108
    In the file just opened, change the following:
        1. Name of the device in the title comments.
        Change to
            # TERACOM LW272 USB 3G MODEM
        2. DefaultVendor
        Change to
            DefaultVendor= 0x19d2
        3. DefaultProduct
        Change to
            DefaultProduct=0x0108
        4. TargetVendor
        Change to
            TargetVendor= 0x19d2
        5. TargetProduct
        Change to
            TargetProduct= 0x0108
    Save and exit.

STEP 06: Next, create the modeswitch control configuration for the second device id:
Make a copy of the first device's control configuration file
sudo cp /etc/usb_modeswitch.d/19d2\:0108 /etc/usb_modeswitch.d/19d2\:2000

    Edit the file
        sudo gedit /etc/usb_modeswitch.d/19d2\:2000
    and make the following changes:
        1. DefaultProduct
        Change to
            DefaultProduct=0x2000
        2. TargetProduct
        Change to
            TargetProduct= 0x2000
    Save and exit.

STEP 07: Insert the usbserial module as follows:
    Open up the following file:
        sudo gedit /etc/modules
    and add the following lines at the end of the file:
        usbserial vendor=0x19d2 product=0x0108
        usbserial vendor=0x19d2 product=0x2000
    Save, exit.

STEP 08: Remove device from USB port.

STEP 09: Restart the PC.

The DEVICE CONFIGURATION IS OVER.

Now, to set up the new connection for BSNL 3G Service, follow these additional steps:

STEP 10: After logging in, Plug in the device in the USB port, and WAIT for some time (around 10 to 20 seconds).

STEP 11: Now click the NetworkManager Applet on the top panel.
A list of available connections will appear.

    Among these, there should be something like this:
        New Mobile Broadband (GSM) connection...
    Click on that.

The New Mobile Broadband Connection Wizard will appear.
Click the "Forward" button.

Select "India" from the list of countries.
Click "Forward".

Select "BSNL/Cellone" from the list of providers.
Click "Forward".

    From the "Select your Plan" dropdown, select your plan from the list.
    If not present,
        Select the last option "My plan is not listed...".
        Now in the "Selected Plan APN (Access Point Name)" textbox, enter your APN.
            Note: If unsure about your plan's APN,
                Please confirm the correct APN, for your plan and area, with BSNL Customer Care.
            For me, (at Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala), the APN was
                bsnlnet
    Click "Forward".

Click "Apply".

Wait and behold, you should see the long awaited "Connected" notification! :-)

REFERENCES:
    http://www.draisberghof.de/usb_modeswitch
    http://sakis.tel4u.gr/blog/sakis3g/
    http://duopetalflower.blogspot.com/2010/05/configuring-bsnl-evdo-capitel-3g-usb.html

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admin

Sat, 12/04/2010 - 04:26

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A QUICK-HOWTO: How to setup / configure the Teracom LW272 BSNL 3G USB Data Card (Modem) on Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx / Ubuntu 10.10 Maverick Meerkat

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