Vodafone Novatel UMTS card on laptop - working

Lone_Wolf · 2006-04-05 20:13:38

I have decided to try and get AL running on my acer aspire 3002 laptop.

Recently i obtained a pcmcia vodafone mobile connect card, type :
Novatel Wireless Merlin U630.

Does anyone have experience with using such a card on linux ?

Lone_Wolf · 2006-04-06 22:34:53

Status so far :

Arch detects the card without problems, and it's accessible through dev/ttys0 .

at commands are working in minicom / kppp terminal sessions, and the card accepts the pin code.

I haven't been able yet to get on the net with it, but intend to check with vodafone tech support this weekend to find out the correct settings.

Lone_Wolf · 2006-04-07 21:39:06

Ok, i've got the connection working.

some notes :

the card is seen as a serial pcmcia device and can be found as 2 /dev/ttySx devices.
to find out which device : boot the laptop, insert the card

tail /var/log/messages.log

should tell you which devices it uses. the first device listed is the one the modem is on.

PIN code :
as root use minicom in console and issue

at+cpin="1234"

REPLACE 1234 with your PIN.
if this gives OK, the pin is accepted and the LED on the card will change color(blue for UMTS network, green for GPRS network)

Bring all network devices down except lo

run kppp as root and setup things.
under pppd options make sure to add noauth
You will need to set DNS servers manually
For phonenumber use *99#
username and password need to be set, but everything seems to work.

If you get an error , check /var/log/errors.log
i had to create a devnode for ppp

mknod /dev/ppp c 108 0

TO DO
write a bash script to set the pin
add the mknod to startup , probably rc.local , so it is created everytime.
DNS resolution is very slow, add a dns cache, probably powerdns (pdns from extra/network)
configure network profiles
Clean up and Wikify this after that has been done.

Re-install windows in a minimal configuration for games
Re-install AL on the laptop and use it as main OS
figure out powernow, cpufreq, suspend etc

toad · 2009-01-22 19:05:47

Hi,

you still there? I've got an old Merlin U530 card. While dmesg tells me that it is recognised, minicom simply refuses to talk to it

I have posted dopefully all relevant commands here: http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=63574

I've been looking everywhere and simply cannot make head or tail of why minicom and the card don't handshake. Any advice would be much appreciated!

Arch Linux

#1 2006-04-05 20:13:38

Vodafone Novatel UMTS card on laptop - working

#2 2006-04-06 22:34:53

Re: Vodafone Novatel UMTS card on laptop - working

#3 2006-04-07 21:39:06

Re: Vodafone Novatel UMTS card on laptop - working

#4 2009-01-22 19:05:47

Re: Vodafone Novatel UMTS card on laptop - working

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