How-TO: Connet CF GPRS/GSM (AudioVox RTM8000) to internet

[cherubina]

if i try to use the gui to dial i get connection failed after about a minute with the green light blinking slowly on my audiovox card--- i've tried various settings --- for number *99***1# and *99# --- under the network tab i have it auto-detect ---- under the modem tab i have tried AT+CGDCONT=1,,"internet2.voicestream.com" as per a recomendation from tech support and AT+CGDCONT=1,\"IP",\"internet2.voicestream.com\" from this how-to --

then i try the more complicated method---
when i follow the steps and then try to pppd call gprs i get.....

Removed stale lock on ttyS3 (pid 2485)
Press CTRL-C to close the connection at any stage!
defining PDP context...
Connect script failed

i am using a c860 with a fresh flash of cacko 1.21 with hotfix b.  i have the audiovox rtm8000 and t-moble as my provider.

anyone have any ideas?

[tg]

if i try to use the gui to dial i get connection failed after about a minute with the green light blinking slowly on my audiovox card--- i've tried various settings --- for number *99***1# and *99# --- under the network tab i have it auto-detect ---- under the modem tab i have tried AT+CGDCONT=1,,"internet2.voicestream.com" as per a recomendation from tech support and AT+CGDCONT=1,\"IP",\"internet2.voicestream.com\" from this how-to --

then i try the more complicated method---
when i follow the steps and then try to pppd call gprs i get.....

Removed stale lock on ttyS3 (pid 2485)
Press CTRL-C to close the connection at any stage!
defining PDP context...
Connect script failed

i am using a c860 with a fresh flash of cacko 1.21 with hotfix b.  i have the audiovox rtm8000 and t-moble as my provider.

anyone have any ideas?

Here is what works for me (latest Cacko + hotfix, same GRPS card):

1. In /etc/pcmcia/serial.opts make sure you have this:

SERIAL_OPTS="uart 16550A"

2.  In /etc/ppp/char-secrets add the following if you don't have already:

guest   *       guest

3.  My /etc/ppp/options .ttyS3

-detach
asyncmap 0
crtscts
modem
lock
115200
connect-delay 1000

4.  My /etc/ppp/peers/connecttmobile

exec /usr/sbin/chat -sVS        \
        TIMEOUT         5       \
        ECHO            ON      \
        ABORT           '\nBUSY\r'      \
        ABORT           '\nERROR\r'     \
        ABORT           '\nNO ANSWER\r' \
        ABORT           '\nNO CARRIER\r'        \
        ABORT           '\nNO DIALTONE\r'       \
        ABORT           '\nRINGING\r\n\r\nRINGING\r'    \
        ''              \rAT    \
        TIMEOUT         12      \
        SAY             "Press CTRL-C to close the connection at any stage!"    \
        SAY             "\ndefining PDP context...\n"   \
        OK              ATH     \
        OK              ATE0V1  \
        OK              'AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","internet3.voicestream.com"' \
        OK              ATD*99***1#     \
        TIMEOUT         22      \
        SAY             "\nwaiting for connect...\n"    \
        CONNECT         ""      \
        SAY             "\nConnected."  \
        SAY             "\nIf the following ppp negotiations fail,\n"   \
        SAY             "try restarting the phone.\n"

5.  /etc/ppp/peers/disconnecttmobile

exec /usr/sbin/chat -s -V -S \
""      "\K"    \
""      "+++ATH"

6. /etc/ppp/peers/gprs.sh

#!/bin/sh
cardctl suspend
sleep 1
cardctl resume
sleep 1
pppd call tmobile

7.  /etc/ppp/peers/tmobile

/dev/ttyS3
115200
crtscts
connect /etc/ppp/peers/connecttmobile
user guest
mru 1450
mtu 1450
:10.0.0.1
ipcp-accept-local
defaultroute
nodeflate
noipdefault
nomagic
novj
novjccomp
usepeerdns


Once I have all this I  add the following 2 aliases to my .profile
to connect and disconnect (from bash):

alias gprs_on=/etc/ppp/peers/gprs.sh
alias gprs_off='cardctl suspend'

After you run grps_on and see that ip address was assigned (dhcp) you
can then start opera (it will try to connect but refuse that since you
are already connected). Or you can open another bash window and
ssh into your servers etc.

Hope this helps and good luck.

tg

[cherubina]

Thanks tg - you've saved me many hours of frustration :-) - that worked right away

also i found that if i just opened a new session in the embeded terminal and typed opera or netfront3 it would realize that it was connected, not bringing up the connect dialog

one more thing i am trydng to do is find a headset that is compatible with the audiovox - so far i've bought to headsets from walmart - neither recognized that i was receiving a call... know of any that work well?

[tg]

Happy to see that worked for you. And I want to thank tamarian as without his scripts as a starting point I would not have gotten this to work either. As far as headset though, I'm affraid I can't help as I have only used this card for browsing (so far). Once new Cacko is out I plan to take a look at some of those recent phone packages people have put together and see if I can get them to work.

[ludovicus]

Hello fellow Z, Tmobile, RTM-8000 users!!

from my online scavanging, the ZipLinq 30" retractable nokia jack hands free head
item # C250-3654  seems to be the best hands free kit.  www.tigerdirect.com

OK, so is the serial_cs.o driver the issue??  How many of you have successfully made or recieved calls?  which version of minicom and are you using an ipkg or the binary?  
many many permutations of success and implementation over seas in europe and I'd like to know what T-mobile success stories are available.
I haven't had any sucess with my z+T+RTM yet.  I did get a connection with AT&T though... borrowed simcard.

Is anyone using pdaxrom?

There is a gui phone dialing program in development.  Hopefully we'll see it sometime in the future.  
You reading this Guyhelm?

peace
lu

[guylhem]

I do - I have the very same ziplink cable. Works like a charm - press the button to hang up/take a call.

The problem with the GUI application is I don't do good C++. Had a friend code it, but it only works with the latests qtopia lib which is using lots of prototypes absent from ealier versions.

We're currently trying to compile it with a version that would work. Anybody with C++/qtopia knowledge who could code a very simple application (numbers 0 to 9, with *, #, red phone, green phone) that would sprintf the key to the command line, and display whatever is read from the command line on a small pseudo screen, would be very welcome.

the text mode interface is working, but it's basically a glorified minicom (you type the number and press enter to dial...)

[cherubina]

thanks for the info ludovicus (my cat louie ate the one the card came with).  I now have my new ziplink and it works great.  I've been using kermit for dialing - - i like it because of the command line interface and the scipting ability it has.  Altough recenty i wanted to check my voicemail with kermit - after a long time playing with it, i couldnt seem to figure out how to generate a tone after i dialed a number.  technical support at the kermit homepage says that you have to know the extension you want before you make the call... with the wait command (atdt123W1)

can minicom do this? i've tried using minicom but not for long -- i cant seem to get rid of weird characters when editing the options in it

guylhem-- can your software do this? -- im looking forward to it :-)

also -- has anyone had problems with their audiovox since installing the new cacko 1.22 rom?  I've had to revert back to 1.21 for the time being :-(

[cherubina]

well I guess I should have looked things up a little more before I started asting questions...
kermit can after all do what I wanted it to do.. so can minicom.  I'm not sure what technical support at kermit meant then....during the call you can generate tone with....

at+vts=1;

it is a little troublesome to type that in every time you want to make a tone or dial a number manually, so its really helpful to set up an expect script.  If anyone needs expect, http://sense.net/zc/files/ .... it is dependent on tlc which is also there.
I hope this isnt old news to everyone - i wanted to help out in some way :-/
it also turns out that i made some error when trying the card out on cacko 1.22 the first time - i've tried it again and it works fine.

[steliosx]

hello - I bought an Ambicom GPRS CF card, are the instructions the same for my card? I've seen a special kernel at steyla.com which is supposed to work.. what do you think?

First of all, the output of cardctl ident for Ambicom GPRS CF:

Code: [Select]

bash-2.05# cardctl ident
Socket 0:
  product info: "GPRS Modem", "", "", ""
  manfid: 0x0279, 0x950b
  function: 2 (serial)
Socket 1:
  no product info available      
then, my peer connect file from /etc/peers:

Code: [Select]

bash-2.05# more DIALUP1115812567
115200
connect '/usr/sbin/chat -s -v -t 60 ABORT "NO CARRIER" ABORT "NO DIALTONE" ABORT "BUSY" "" "ATZ" OK "AT+CGDCONT=1,\"IP\",\"internet.vodafone.gr\";\\136sgauth=1" OK "ATDT*99***1#" CONNECT'
crtscts
noipdefault
modem
user "306944913XXX"
usepeerdns
defaultroute
connect-delay 1000
remotename DialupIrDA1113597272
Then the problem: When I initiate the connect to network, I get "Initializing", and its stays forever there  even the CF Card's LED doesnt light up  it only lighted up for a couple of times during my attemps to connect

Finally, the output of my /tmp/qpe-pppd-log:

Code: [Select]

bash-2.05# more /tmp/qpe-pppd-log
May 10 15:33:33 localhost pppd[10659]: pppd 2.4.0 started by root, uid 0
May 10 15:33:33 localhost pppd[10659]: Removed stale lock on ircomm (pid 10220)
May 10 15:33:34 localhost chat[10668]: abort on (NO CARRIER)
May 10 15:33:34 localhost chat[10668]: abort on (NO DIALTONE)
May 10 15:33:34 localhost chat[10668]: abort on (BUSY)
May 10 15:33:34 localhost chat[10668]: send (AT+CGDCONT=1,IP,internet.vodafone.gr;^Sgauth=1^M)
May 10 15:34:34 localhost chat[10668]: alarm
May 10 15:34:34 localhost chat[10668]:  -- write timed out
May 10 15:34:34 localhost chat[10668]: Failed
May 10 15:34:34 localhost pppd[10659]: Connect script failed    
Maybe I should try the special steyla.com Kernel?
What do you think?

Thanks in advance

[mingerz]

hello - I bought an Ambicom GPRS CF card, are the instructions the same for my card? I've seen a special kernel at steyla.com which is supposed to work.. what do you think?


I've got the steyla kernel, card picked up as ttyS03 ttyS04 (using dmesg)
using minicom -s for test(as connect scripts not working)
I change serial options to
/dev/ttyS3 (Don't ask why, if I feed ttyS03 it exits with no such device)
set speed to 115200
select minicom save as dfl
select exit

Try to type AT
nothing comes back

Yes I've copied over
serial
changed
serial.opt to include the "uart 16550A" string

Getting desparate now going round in circles, anyone got clues?

Thanks

Simon

ps. Yes the card does work when plugged into windows laptop.

[Asteroid]

Hello fellow Z, Tmobile, RTM-8000 users!!

Well, I wish I was one.
Over the last two days I've ditched the old Zaurus OS for Opie (great!), networked it to my Linux box (piece o' cake) and religiously copied the instructions WRT the RTM8000. I enviously look at all the error output people report and wish I could paste some here but I don't have any. I 'pppd call gprs', hit enter and the system returns calmly to the command prompt.
Something is going on because I see steady green blinking from the modem, followed by a red light, then it stops. After about 30 secs it starts again and does the same thing.
I LOOKS like the modem is dialing and failing, then trying again.
ps shows me a ppp connection building for about 5 seconds and then vanishing, and nothing more.
I'm using Opie 3.5.3, kernel 2.4.18. I had loaded the serial_cs module (which I noticed remained unused) and then unloaded it when I read later that it was probably no longer necessary.

Some output would be good. I'm hornswoggled.

Any suggestions?

[interstate80]

I have the Zaurus C3000 and the Audiovox RTM8000... I have tried the above approaches (from tamarian) using the GUI and then going the under-the-hood route with scripts.  Neither worked for me.  (However, I didn't try copying the serial_cs.o file, thinking that the newer Zaurus would come with the most up-to-date.)

Using the GUI... I never was able to press the 'Connect' button (end of step 5A).  It was grayed out--unpressable.

Using the scripts I got the following error...

bash-2.05# pwd
/etc/ppp/peers
bash-2.05# whoami
root
bash-2.05# pppd call gprs
/etc/ppp/peers/connectgprs: permission denied
Connect script failed

I was root when I scp'd the 4 files over (tamarian's steps 5B and 6).  I was also root when I issued the above commands.

Note that I don't have a username with my GPRS provider so I didn't know exactly what to do with those fields... I left them blank.  But I am not sure if that will work in the chap-secrets file for example.  I have no basis for knowing what will or won't work... just a difference I noticed.

Also, speaking of chap-secrets... I scp'd the file onto the Zaurus without looking to see what was already there.  Could have I lost some important stuff in that file when I copied over the original?  Does anybody have the original for the Z C3000?

Thinking that chap-secrets was a typo, I changed its name to chat-secrets with no success.  I got the exact same error as before.

Lastly, I am noticing a few instances of escape characters being inserted or taken away from people's posts... could this be the problem with the scripts?

Thanks folks!

[interstate80]

Okay so I realized that I needed to make the connectgprs file an executable.  The new error I get is

bash-2.05# pppd call gprs
Can't get terminal parameters: Input/output error
Connect script failed

Any ideas what this means?

[speculatrix]

I tried it using the cacko wizard and it just didn't want to know, so I followed the instructions and created the connectgprs, disconnectgprs scripts and so on, and it worked for me!

I used VirginMobile, and got an acceptable speed when I turned images off in netfront.

Lots of useful GPRS settings here:
http://www.filesaveas.com/gprs.html

I thought I would be clever and enable VJ, but it seemed to break.

Here's my /etc/ppp/peers/virgin file:

Code: [Select]

# next 2 lines activate dbg
debug debug
show-password
# end dbg
/dev/ttyS3
115200
crtscts
connect /etc/ppp/peers/connectgprs
user "user"
usepeerdns
nomagic
mru 1500
mru 1500
:10.0.0.1
noipdefault
ipcp-accept-local
defaultroute
novj
novjccomp
disconnect /etc/ppp/peers/disconnectgprs
defaultroute
here's the critical line from my gprsconnect file:

Code: [Select]

       OK              'AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","goto.virginmobile.uk","",0,0'       \
and chap-secrets has this line:

Code: [Select]

user virgin     ""

[ensign]

I used VirginMobile, and got an acceptable speed when I turned images off in netfront.

I use my Audiovox with VirginMobile PrePaid sim card. I am initially able to get a connection, but after a couple of minutes Audiovox LED goes off and I lose my connection. Any ideas?