Option Globetrotter HSDPA USB Modem: Difference between revisions

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''Document Revision 2009-04-21: RouterOS changes since V3.23''
''Document Revision 2009-10-28: RouterOS changes since V4.2''


== Introduction ==
== Introduction ==

Revision as of 15:16, 28 October 2009

Document Revision 2009-10-28: RouterOS changes since V4.2

Introduction

This example shows how to get the Option Globetrotter HSDPA USB Modem working with LMT (Latvian Mobile Telephone UMTS/GPRS networks), or with Amigo (GPRS network) in Latvia. Service in your country might have different requirements and strings, but this is just to give you an outline of what is required.

Hardware

USB Modem: Option N.V. Globetrotter HSDPA USB Modem H7.2

Img-3g-th.jpg Modem manufacturer: Teltonika, model number U3G150

Router Hardware: MikroTik Router with USB port(s) (RB230, any x86 system, RB433UAH, or, RB411U)

USB Teltonika rb411u.jpg

Router Software

RouterOS V4.2. Works in previous versions 2.9 and 3, but slightly different configuration.

The USB Modem is recognized in RouterOS as an USB device and listed under the USB resources:

[admin@rb411u] > /system resource usb print 
 # DEVICE VENDOR                   NAME                  SPEED                 
 0 2:1                             RB400 EHCI            480 Mbps              
 1 1:1                             RB400 OHCI            12 Mbps               
 2 1:3    Option N.V.              Globetrotter HSDPA... 12 Mbps               
[admin@rb411u] > 

Make sure the USB port is listed under the port menu:

[admin@rb411u] > /port print                      
Flags: I - inactive 
 #   NAME                      CHANNELS   USED-BY                     BAUD-RATE
 0   serial0                   1          Serial Console              auto     
 1   usb2                      3                                      9600     
[admin@rb411u] > 

Prior RouterOS V3.23, a modem had all its ports listed. Since V3.23 there is one port per modem, and modem has channels used for commands and data. Channels have numbers 0,1,2, etc. Some modems may have just two channels, some have more. Set the baud rate to 9600 for communicating with the modem, in case it's not done already:

[admin@rb411u] > /port set usb2 baud-rate=9600 

Check the modem responses using serial-terminal, like this:

[admin@rb411u] > /system serial-terminal usb2 channel=2

[Ctrl-A is the prefix key]


ATI
Manufacturer: Option N.V.
Model: GTM378
Revision: 2.3.3Hd (Date: Jul 17 2007, Time: 15:49:23)

OK

Disconnect from the modem, by pressing "Ctrl-A", and then "Q":

[Q - quit connection]      [B - send break]
[A - send Ctrl-A prefix]   [R - autoconfigure rate]


Welcome back!
[admin@rb411u] >

Router Configuration for PPP

Since RouterOS V4 (and latest versions 3) the PPP client configuration is made much easier compared to previous versions. There is no need to use ppp profiles, and ppp-client interface might have been added automatically to the /interface ppp-client list:

[admin@rb411u] > /interface ppp-client 
[admin@rb411u] /interface ppp-client> print 
Flags: X - disabled, R - running 
 0 X  name="ppp-out1" max-mtu=1500 max-mru=1500 mrru=disabled port=usb2 
      data-channel=2 info-channel=2 apn="internet" pin="" user="" password="" 
      profile=default phone="" dial-command="ATDT" modem-init="" 
      null-modem=no dial-on-demand=yes add-default-route=yes use-peer-dns=yes 
      allow=pap,chap,mschap1,mschap2 
[admin@rb411u] /interface ppp-client> info 0

The interface has 3G/GPRS modem specific arguments, like apn, pin. Consult your network provider what to use for APN, user, and password. Adjust your peer-dns and default-route settings according to what you want to do over that interface! In our case, we want permanent connection and won't use dial on demand:

[admin@rb411u] /interface ppp-client> set 0 dial-on-demand=no 
[admin@rb411u] /interface ppp-client> enable 0
[admin@rb411u] /interface ppp-client> print
Flags: X - disabled, R - running 
 0  R name="ppp-out1" max-mtu=1500 max-mru=1500 mrru=disabled port=usb2 
      data-channel=2 info-channel=2 apn="internet" pin="" user="" password="" 
      profile=default phone="" dial-command="ATDT" modem-init="" 
      null-modem=no dial-on-demand=no add-default-route=yes use-peer-dns=yes 
      allow=pap,chap,mschap1,mschap2 
[admin@rb411u] /interface ppp-client>

After enabling the interface watch the logs to see how the connection is being established over the USB modem:

[admin@rb411u] /interface ppp-client> /log print 
12:29:16 async,ppp,info ppp-out1: initializing... 
12:29:16 async,ppp,info ppp-out1: reseting link... 
12:29:16 system,info device changed by admin 
12:29:16 system,info dns changed 
12:29:17 async,ppp,info ppp-out1: initializing modem... 
12:29:17 async,ppp,info ppp-out1: dialing out... 
12:29:17 async,ppp,info ppp-out1: authenticated 
12:29:20 async,ppp,info ppp-out1: could not determine remote address, using 10.112.112.119 
12:29:20 async,ppp,info ppp-out1: connected 
12:29:20 system,info dns changed 

[admin@rb411u] /interface ppp-client> 

The serial port is used by ppp client:

[admin@rb411u] > /port print 
Flags: I - inactive 
 #   NAME                      CHANNELS   USED-BY                     BAUD-RATE
 0   serial0                   1          Serial Console              auto     
 1   usb2                      3          PPP <ppp-out1>             9600     
[admin@rb411u] > 

Check the addresses, in our case we have:

[admin@rb411u] > /ip address print 
Flags: X - disabled, I - invalid, D - dynamic 
 #   ADDRESS            NETWORK         BROADCAST       INTERFACE                          
 0 D 10.5.8.64/24       10.5.8.0        10.5.8.255      ether1                             
 1 D 10.40.192.214/32   10.112.112.119  0.0.0.0         ppp-out1                           
[admin@rb411u] > 

and routes:

[admin@rb411u] > /ip route print 
Flags: X - disabled, A - active, D - dynamic, 
C - connect, S - static, r - rip, b - bgp, o - ospf, m - mme, 
B - blackhole, U - unreachable, P - prohibit 
 #      DST-ADDRESS        PREF-SRC        GATEWAY            DISTANCE
 0 ADS  0.0.0.0/0                          10.112.112.119     1       
 1 ADC  10.5.8.0/24        10.5.8.64       ether1             0       
 2 ADC  10.112.112.119/32  10.40.192.214   ppp-out1           0       
[admin@rb411u] > 

You can get more status information about the modem and network by running the "info" command. In our case the modem uses the same channel for data and info, thus, we disable the ppp-client and run the "info" command then:

[admin@rb411u] /interface ppp-client> info 0
failure: can't reuse channel while ppp-client running!
[admin@rb411u] /interface ppp-client> disable 0
[admin@rb411u] /interface ppp-client> info 0   
             status: "ready"
         pin-status: "no password required"
      functionality: "minimum"
         gprs-class: "A - GPRS & GSM simultaneous"
       manufacturer: "Option N.V."
              model: "GTM378"
           revision: "2.3.3Hd (Date: Jul 17 2007, Time: 15:49:23)"
      serial-number: "356237010662581,S23977B51N"
   current-operator: "LV LMT GSM"
  access-technology: "3G"
     signal-strengh: -89

[admin@rb411u] /interface ppp-client>

You may need to use masquerade to hide your private network when going out through the ppp!

Troubleshooting

1. If you do not get "authenticated" and "connected", then there is something wrong with your settings. Most likely, the ppp-client interface settings should be changed to match your provider's requirements.

2. If the data-channel setting is wrong, there would be no connection. The number of available channels is shown under the /port list, port numbers start with 0. Disable the interface and try another port number!

3. Check if you can communicate with the modem by using the serial-terminal! Make sure the ppp-client is disabled!

4. Turn off PIN request for your SIM card, it makes the life much easier. Do it in a phone if you do not know the correct AT command.

5. When speed of the link is not what expected, it's possible that the modem has connected to GPRS network, not 3G. Use the "scan" command for list of available networks:

[admin@rb411u] /interface ppp-client> scan 0
Flags: C - current, A - available, F - forbidden 
  OPERATOR                    CODE       ACCESS-TECHNOLOGY                   SIGNAL-STRENGH
C LV LMT GSM                  24701      GSM compact                         -65           
A LV LMT GSM                  24701      3G                                 
F BITE LV                     24705      3G                                 
F LV TELE2                    24702      GSM compact                        
F LV TELE2                    24702      3G                                 
F BITE LV                     24705      GSM compact                        
-- [Q quit|D dump|C-z pause]

6. If you need to add multiple inits (multiline inits) then it is possible by dividing them using ; character. Example:

modem-init="AT+CGDCONT=5,\"IP\",\"internet.lmt.l\";AT+CGDCONT=6,\"IP\",\"internet.lmt.lv\";AT"

Additional Resources

Huawei_EVDO WiKi Page with similar setup for a PCMCIA modem

Teltonika HomePage of the USB modem manufacturer