ZTE MF833U1 modem UsbMode change

Hi everyone,

I have a ZTE MF833U1 modem, which is not recognized as a modem. I can see it in
lsusb

Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux 5.4.154 ohci_hcd Generic Platform OHCI controller
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 19d2:1405 DEMO,Incorporated DEMO Mobile Boardband
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux 5.4.154 ehci_hcd EHCI Host Controller

lsusb -t

/:  Bus 02.Port 1: Dev 1, Class=root_hub, Driver=ohci-platform/1p, 12M
/:  Bus 01.Port 1: Dev 1, Class=root_hub, Driver=ehci-platform/1p, 480M
    |__ Port 1: Dev 3, If 0, Class=, Driver=cdc_ether, 480M
    |__ Port 1: Dev 3, If 1, Class=, Driver=cdc_ether, 480M
    |__ Port 1: Dev 3, If 2, Class=, Driver=usb-storage, 480M

and in the /sys/kernel/debug/usb/devices file

T:  Bus=01 Lev=00 Prnt=00 Port=00 Cnt=00 Dev#=  1 Spd=480  MxCh= 1
B:  Alloc=  0/800 us ( 0%), #Int=  0, #Iso=  0
D:  Ver= 2.00 Cls=09(hub  ) Sub=00 Prot=00 MxPS=64 #Cfgs=  1
P:  Vendor=1d6b ProdID=0002 Rev= 5.04
S:  Manufacturer=Linux 5.4.154 ehci_hcd
S:  Product=EHCI Host Controller
S:  SerialNumber=101c0000.ehci
C:* #Ifs= 1 Cfg#= 1 Atr=e0 MxPwr=  0mA
I:* If#= 0 Alt= 0 #EPs= 1 Cls=09(hub  ) Sub=00 Prot=00 Driver=hub
E:  Ad=81(I) Atr=03(Int.) MxPS=   4 Ivl=256ms

**T:  Bus=01 Lev=01 Prnt=01 Port=00 Cnt=01 Dev#=  3 Spd=480  MxCh= 0**
**D:  Ver= 2.00 Cls=02(comm.) Sub=00 Prot=00 MxPS=64 #Cfgs=  1**
**P:  Vendor=19d2 ProdID=1405 Rev=58.24**
**S:  Manufacturer=DEMO,Incorporated**
**S:  Product=DEMO Mobile Boardband**
**S:  SerialNumber=1234567890ABCDEF**
**C:* #Ifs= 3 Cfg#= 1 Atr=c0 MxPwr=500mA**
**A:  FirstIf#= 0 IfCount= 2 Cls=02(comm.) Sub=06 Prot=00**
**I:* If#= 0 Alt= 0 #EPs= 1 Cls=02(comm.) Sub=06 Prot=00 Driver=cdc_ether**
**E:  Ad=87(I) Atr=03(Int.) MxPS=  16 Ivl=32ms**
**I:  If#= 1 Alt= 0 #EPs= 0 Cls=0a(data ) Sub=00 Prot=00 Driver=cdc_ether**
**I:* If#= 1 Alt= 1 #EPs= 2 Cls=0a(data ) Sub=00 Prot=00 Driver=cdc_ether**
**E:  Ad=81(I) Atr=02(Bulk) MxPS= 512 Ivl=0ms**
**E:  Ad=01(O) Atr=02(Bulk) MxPS= 512 Ivl=0ms**
**I:* If#= 2 Alt= 0 #EPs= 2 Cls=08(stor.) Sub=06 Prot=50 Driver=usb-storage**
**E:  Ad=82(I) Atr=02(Bulk) MxPS= 512 Ivl=0ms**
**E:  Ad=02(O) Atr=02(Bulk) MxPS= 512 Ivl=125us**

T:  Bus=02 Lev=00 Prnt=00 Port=00 Cnt=00 Dev#=  1 Spd=12   MxCh= 1
B:  Alloc=  0/900 us ( 0%), #Int=  0, #Iso=  0
D:  Ver= 1.10 Cls=09(hub  ) Sub=00 Prot=00 MxPS=64 #Cfgs=  1
P:  Vendor=1d6b ProdID=0001 Rev= 5.04
S:  Manufacturer=Linux 5.4.154 ohci_hcd
S:  Product=Generic Platform OHCI controller
S:  SerialNumber=101c1000.ohci
C:* #Ifs= 1 Cfg#= 1 Atr=e0 MxPwr=  0mA
I:* If#= 0 Alt= 0 #EPs= 1 Cls=09(hub  ) Sub=00 Prot=00 Driver=hub
E:  Ad=81(I) Atr=03(Int.) MxPS=   2 Ivl=255ms

In dmesg I can see it's recognized as a modem capable device

[    4.003762] usbcore: registered new interface driver usbfs
[    4.014796] usbcore: registered new interface driver hub
[    4.025496] usbcore: registered new device driver usb
[    4.090866] phy phy-usbphy.0: remote usb device wakeup disabled
[    4.102650] phy phy-usbphy.0: UTMI 16bit 30MHz
[    4.451799] usb 1-1: new high-speed USB device number 2 using ehci-platform
[   13.477006] usbcore: registered new interface driver cdc_wdm
[   13.667793] usb-storage 1-1:1.0: USB Mass Storage device detected
[   13.695977] usb-storage 1-1:1.0: Quirks match for vid 19d2 pid 1225: 1
[   13.722627] scsi host0: usb-storage 1-1:1.0
[   13.731819] usbcore: registered new interface driver usb-storage
[   13.818710] usbcore: registered new interface driver usbserial_generic
[   13.831855] usbserial: USB Serial support registered for generic
[   13.923361] usbcore: registered new interface driver cdc_eem
[   13.947634] usbcore: registered new interface driver cdc_ether
[   13.988763] usbcore: registered new interface driver cdc_ncm
[   14.001222] usb 1-1: USB disconnect, device number 2
[   14.030866] usbcore: registered new interface driver cdc_subset
[   14.106837] usbcore: registered new interface driver huawei_cdc_ncm
[   14.326908] usbcore: registered new interface driver qmi_wwan
[   14.356406] usbcore: registered new interface driver rndis_host
[   14.434782] usbcore: registered new interface driver cdc_mbim
[   14.672203] usb 1-1: new high-speed USB device number 3 using ehci-platform
[   14.998471] usbcore: registered new interface driver option
[   15.009726] usbserial: USB Serial support registered for GSM modem (1-port)
**[   15.077404] cdc_ether 1-1:1.0 eth1: register 'cdc_ether' at usb-101c0000.ehci-1, ZTE CDC Ethernet Device, 34:4b:50:00:000**
[   15.182426] usb-storage 1-1:1.2: USB Mass Storage device detected
[   15.211408] scsi host0: usb-storage 1-1:1.2

A far as I can tel I need to do an usbmode change. I went thru the documentation, but I can't figure out how can I do that, which mode should I chose, (my json is much more complex, than the example in the docu, and can't figure out, which mode should I choose).

Thanks for any advice and help!

Switching mode for USB modems is usually handled by the usb-modeswitch package.

yes, there is a command usbmode, but, when I call it, nothing happens, no error, and the lsusb list the same vendor:product ID. The documentation says something about editing the /etc/usb-modes.json, but that file contains 3350 rows, and I have no idea, what should I change.

root@OpenWrt:~# usbmode -h
usbmode: unrecognized option: h
Usage: usbmode <command> <options>
Commands:
        -l              List matching devices
        -s              Modeswitch matching devices

Options:
        -v              Verbose output
        -c <file>       Set configuration file to <file> (default: /etc/usb-mode.json)

root@OpenWrt:~# usbmode -l
root@OpenWrt:~# usbmode -v
root@OpenWrt:~# usbmode -s

Thanks for the advice.

try https://www.draisberghof.de/usb_modeswitch/bb/viewtopic.php?t=2060
and ZTE MF79U usb modem not found

1 Like

Hi.
My Italian is rubbish , but I'm pretty sure with a online translator you can got it:
https://www.ilpuntotecnico.com/forum/index.php?topic=82517.30
Look at @rospy posts. I´m guessing, but is a openwrt user too.