OpenWrt 18/Lede 18 with USB Modem dongle Alfa Networks Tube U4G (doesn't work)

Installing and Using OpenWrt
1

Sorry not speak english. Translate Spanish > English

Hello, when I try to connect my Alfa Networks Tube U4G USB Modem to OpenWRT / Lede it does not work. The Alfa Tube U4G is an excellent 4g USB outdoor modem.
I have tested OpenWRT 18.06 and Lede 17.01

Router: NEXX WT3020F
USB 4G: Alfa Networks Tube U4G

Wiki: https://openwrt.org/docs/guide-user/network/wan/wwan/ltedongle

Next I try to explain what I have done:

# opkg update
# opkg install kmod-usb-net-cdc-mbim umbim
# opkg install kmod-usb-serial-option kmod-usb-serial kmod-usb-serial-wwan
# opkg install usb-modeswitch kmod-mii kmod-usb-net kmod-usb-wdm kmod-usb-net-qmi-wwan uqmi luci-proto-qmi

I turn off the router, connect the 4G USB Modem and start the Router

root@LEDE:~# dmesg | grep usb
[    0.468137] ralink-usb-phy usbphy: invalid resource
[    5.888069] usbcore: registered new interface driver usbfs
[    5.899179] usbcore: registered new interface driver hub
[    5.909918] usbcore: registered new device driver usb
[    5.960849] phy phy-usbphy.0: remote usb device wakeup disabled
[    5.972660] phy phy-usbphy.0: UTMI 16bit 30MHz
[    6.568833] usb 1-1: new high-speed USB device number 2 using ehci-platform
[    7.367406] usb 1-1.1: new high-speed USB device number 3 using ehci-platform
[   12.058777] usbcore: registered new interface driver cdc_wdm
[   12.178097] usbcore: registered new interface driver usbserial
[   12.189922] usbcore: registered new interface driver usbserial_generic
[   12.203095] usbserial: USB Serial support registered for generic
[   12.258710] usbcore: registered new interface driver cdc_ncm
[   12.311410] usbcore: registered new interface driver qmi_wwan
[   12.444013] usbcore: registered new interface driver cdc_mbim
[   12.494916] usbcore: registered new interface driver option
[   12.506189] usbserial: USB Serial support registered for GSM modem (1-port)

root@LEDE:~# cat /sys/kernel/debug/usb/devices

T:  Bus=01 Lev=01 Prnt=01 Port=00 Cnt=01 Dev#=  2 Spd=480  MxCh= 4
D:  Ver= 2.00 Cls=09(hub  ) Sub=00 Prot=02 MxPS=64 #Cfgs=  1
P:  Vendor=1a40 ProdID=0101 Rev= 1.00
S:  Product=USB 2.0 Hub [MTT]
C:* #Ifs= 1 Cfg#= 1 Atr=e0 MxPwr=100mA
I:  If#= 0 Alt= 0 #EPs= 1 Cls=09(hub  ) Sub=00 Prot=01 Driver=hub
E:  Ad=81(I) Atr=03(Int.) MxPS=   1 Ivl=256ms
I:* If#= 0 Alt= 1 #EPs= 1 Cls=09(hub  ) Sub=00 Prot=02 Driver=hub
E:  Ad=81(I) Atr=03(Int.) MxPS=   1 Ivl=256ms

T:  Bus=01 Lev=02 Prnt=02 Port=00 Cnt=01 Dev#=  3 Spd=480  MxCh= 0
D:  Ver= 2.00 Cls=00(>ifc ) Sub=00 Prot=00 MxPS=64 #Cfgs=  1
P:  Vendor=05c6 ProdID=f000 Rev= 0.00
S:  Manufacturer=Qualcomm, Incorporated
S:  Product=Qualcomm CDMA Technologies MSM
S:  SerialNumber=1234567890ABCDEF
C:* #Ifs= 1 Cfg#= 1 Atr=c0 MxPwr=500mA
I:* If#= 0 Alt= 0 #EPs= 2 Cls=08(stor.) Sub=06 Prot=50 Driver=(none)
E:  Ad=01(O) Atr=02(Bulk) MxPS= 512 Ivl=0ms
E:  Ad=81(I) Atr=02(Bulk) MxPS= 512 Ivl=0ms

root@LEDE:~# ls -l /dev/cdc-wdm0
**ls: /dev/cdc-wdm0: No such file or directory**

root@LEDE:~# uqmi -d /dev/cdc-wdm0 --get-data-status
Failed to open device

root@LEDE:~# usbmode -l
Found device: 05c6:f000 (Manufacturer: "Qualcomm, Incorporated", Product: "Qualcomm CDMA Technologies MSM", Serial: "1234567890ABCDEF")
root@LEDE:~# usbmode -s
root@LEDE:~#

As it does not detect '/dev/cdc-wdm0' from here on, I already rule out that it works, anyway, I create the new Interface

*LuCI (Network > Interfaces > Add New )

Name: test
Protocol of the new interface: QMI cellular

[Submit]

In new page...

Protocol: QMI cellular
Modem device: /dev/cdc-wdm0
APN: (my apn)
Username/Password (my)

Doesn't work

Thanks to the whole community for sharing your experiences!!!!

2

I believe manufacturer name is ALFA Network, not Networks :slight_smile:

It seems that this modem requires mode switch . Try opkg update && opkg install usbmode. and check again /sys/kernel/debug/usb/devices after reboot.

3

Hello, I just did what you tell me "Try opkg update && opkg install usbmode. And check again / sys / kernel / debug / usb / devices after reboot." and the package usbmode does not exist.

# opkg update && opkg install usbmode

 Unknown package 'usbmode'.
Collected errors:
 * opkg_install_cmd: Cannot install package usbmode.

# cat /sys/kernel/debug/usb/devices

T:  Bus=01 Lev=02 Prnt=02 Port=00 Cnt=01 Dev#=  4 Spd=480  MxCh= 0
D:  Ver= 2.00 Cls=00(>ifc ) Sub=00 Prot=00 MxPS=64 #Cfgs=  1
P:  Vendor=05c6 ProdID=f000 Rev= 0.00
S:  Manufacturer=Qualcomm, Incorporated
S:  Product=Qualcomm CDMA Technologies MSM
S:  SerialNumber=1234567890ABCDEF
C:* #Ifs= 1 Cfg#= 1 Atr=c0 MxPwr=500mA
I:* If#= 0 Alt= 0 #EPs= 2 Cls=08(stor.) Sub=06 Prot=50 Driver=(none)
E:  Ad=01(O) Atr=02(Bulk) MxPS= 512 Ivl=0ms
E:  Ad=81(I) Atr=02(Bulk) MxPS= 512 Ivl=0ms

As I indicated above, the package I installed is 'usb-modeswitch', since 'usb-mode' or 'usbmode' does not exist

4

Sorry, you are correct, the package name is usb-modeswitch, project/app name is usbmode. Anyway, could you show output of this commands: usbmode -l. If the modem is on the list, you can try usbmode -s and then check again /sys/kernel/debug/usb/devices. If not, show me please output from this command: grep "05c6:f000" /etc/usb-mode.json -A10.

5 
root@OpenWrt:~#  grep "05c6:f000" /etc/usb-mode.json -A10
		"05c6:f000": {
			"*": {
				"t_vendor": 1478,
				"t_product": [ 22, 36864 ],
				"mode": "StandardEject",
				"msg": [  ]
			}
		},
		"05c7:1000": {
			"*": {
				"t_vendor": 1479,
6

Hy Guys
do you found a solution for the Alfa tube U4G.

greetings remo

7

did anyone get it up and running?

8

After installing the package kmod-ath9k-htc it works.
I still have some problems with the SIM-Pin.
Without, everything works fine. With Pin i always get a "Pin not accepted"

9

uqmi -d /dev/cdc-wdm0 --uim-verify-pin1 "PIN,1111" gives me "Incorrect PIN"

but the pin is definitely correct

10

Why uim ? Can you check with --get-pin-status and --verify-pin1 1111 ?

11

using --get-pin-status or --verify-pin1 gives a "Not supported"