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Note: There is a express install too, you just need to install a few files and you are ready to,  it also works for openSUSE 11.2 except for the networkmanager icon, this means that you will have to use the wvdial command, check here:

http://easgs.wordpress.com/2009/07/13/zte-mf636-express-install-for-opensuse-11-1-32-bit/

 

MODEM ZTE MF636 en openSUSE 11.1 32 bit

Step 1

Install the packages usb_modeswitch and wvdial, these are included in the installation media so you don’t need internet to install them

Step 2

Modify the file /etc/wvdial.conf  so it looks like the following.

[Dialer Defaults]

Modem = /dev/ttyUSB2

Baud = 460800

Init1 = ATZ

Init2 = ATQ0 V1 E1 S0=0 &C1 &D2

Init3 = AT+CGDCONT=1,”IP”,”internet.movistar.ni”

Area Code =

Phone = *99#

Username = movistarni

Password = movistarni

Ask Password = 0

Dial Command = ATDT

Stupid Mode = 1

Compuserve = 0

Force Address =

Idle Seconds = 300

DialMessage1 =

DialMessage2 =

ISDN = 0

Auto DNS = 1

Step 3

Modify the file /etc/usb_modeswitch.conf

Comment all except the following lines, I added the ZTE MF636 line, to make comments place a # or ; character at the beginning of the line.

########################################################

ZTE MF628+ (tested version from Telia / Sweden)

#

ZTE MF636

# Contributor: Joakim Wennergren

DefaultVendor=  0×19d2

DefaultProduct= 0×2000

TargetVendor=   0×19d2

TargetProduct=  0×0031

MessageEndpoint=0×01

MessageContent=”55534243123456782000000080000c85010101180101010101000000000000″

########################################################

Step 3

When I tried to connect the first time I received this error

–> primary DNS address 200.39.10.1

–> pppd: (�[06][08]

–> secondary DNS address 200.36.160.237

–> pppd: (�[06][08]

–> Script /etc/ppp/ip-up run successful

–> Default route Ok.

–> warning, no nameserver found `/etc/resolv.conf`

–> Nameserver (DNS) failure, the connection may not work.

–> Connected… Press Ctrl-C to disconnect

–> pppd: (�[06][08]

So I had to add the DNS in YAST – Network Device – Network Setup – Host/DNS – Name Server 1 – 200.39.10.1- accept

You can find this address even I you don’t know it, but I will send the error showed above, but this give us the chance to find out the DNS IP address, This Number is different for each provider

Step 4

If the MODEM is prepaid, take out the SIM from the MODEM y insert it into a cell phone, reload and activate the service, take out the chip from the cell phone insert it into the MODEM, the insert the MODEM into an available USB port

Step 5 Setting up the MODEM

Step 5.1

Execute the command

eduardo@suse-blue:~> lsusb

This is the output

Bus 002 Device 004: ID 19d2:2000 ONDA Communication S.p.A.

Bus 002 Device 003: ID 0bda:0111 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. Card Reader

Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

Bus 001 Device 002: ID 0458:003a KYE Systems Corp. (Mouse Systems)

Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub

Where the MODEM is the part that says “Bus 002 Device 004: ID 19d2:2000 ONDA Communication S.p.A.” but this tell us that it is not working as a MODEM, this parameter is to make sure that the device is being recognized as a CDROM

Paso 5.2

Execute the following as root

suse-blue:/home/eduardo # usb_modeswitch

You will see something like this.

* usb_modeswitch: tool for controlling “flip flop” mode USB devices

* Version 0.9.5 (C) Josua Dietze 2008

* Works with libusb 0.1.12 and probably other versions

Looking for target devices

No target device found

Looking for default devices

Found default devices (1)

Prepare switching, accessing latest device

Looking for active default driver to detach it

No driver found. Device probably not initialized. Trying to continue …

Setting up communication with device

Trying to send the message

OK, message successfully sent.

-> See /proc/bus/usb/devices (or call lsusb) for changes. Bye

Step 5.3

Now execute

modprobe usbserial vendor=0×19d2 product=0×0031

modprobe is a Linux program written by Rusty Russell used to add/remove a module to/from the Linux kernel (to add/remove a loadable kernel module).

Source

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modprobe

Step 5.4

We wait a few seconds and execute

suse-blue:/home/eduardo # ls /dev/ttyUSB*

You will see something like this.

/dev/ttyUSB0  /dev/ttyUSB1  /dev/ttyUSB2

This indicates that the MODEM is being recognized as such, this command is to verify that everything is working as it should be.

Step 5.5

Now execute

suse-blue:/home/eduardo # wvdial

You will see this

–> WvDial: Internet dialer version 1.60

–> Cannot get information for serial port.

–> Initializing modem.

–> Sending: ATZ

ATZ

OK

–> Sending: ATQ0 V1 E1 S0=0 &C1 &D2

ATQ0 V1 E1 S0=0 &C1 &D2

OK

–> Sending: AT+CGDCONT=1,”IP”,”internet.movistar.ni”

AT+CGDCONT=1,”IP”,”internet.movistar.ni”

OK

–> Modem initialized.

–> Idle Seconds = 300, disabling automatic reconnect.

–> Sending: ATDT*99#

–> Waiting for carrier.

ATDT*99#

CONNECT

–> Carrier detected.  Starting PPP immediately.

–> Starting pppd at Thu Jul  9 06:42:17 2009

–> Pid of pppd: 4834

–> Using interface ppp0

–> pppd: (�[06][08]

–> pppd: (�[06][08]

–> pppd: (�[06][08]

–> pppd: (�[06][08]

–> pppd: (�[06][08]

–> local  IP address 10.57.120.183

–> pppd: (�[06][08]

–> remote IP address 10.64.64.64

–> pppd: (�[06][08]

–> primary   DNS address 200.39.10.1

–> pppd: (�[06][08]

–> secondary DNS address 200.36.160.237

–> pppd: (�[06][08]

–> Script /etc/ppp/ip-up run successful

–> Default route Ok.

–> Nameserver (DNS) Ok.

–> Connected… Press Ctrl-C to disconnect

–> pppd: (�[06][08]

Now open FIREFOX and test the connection

Step 5.6

To close the session press ctrl-c with the session window open, this is the windows that shows the output of the wvdial command, you will see the following

^CCaught signal 2:  Attempting to exit gracefully…

–> Terminating on signal 15

–> pppd: (�[06][08]

–> Connect time 18.1 minutes.

–> pppd: (�[06][08]

–> pppd: (�[06][08]

–> pppd: (�[06][08]

–> Disconnecting at Thu Jul  9 07:24:54 2009

IMPORTANT

Once done this and with the conf files as they must be, the procedure is the following every time we want to connect to the internet, the other procedures are not needed anymore because the are only initial setup.

Reload and activate the SIM from a cell phone (In case of prepaid services)

Execute the following commands with a 5 or 10 seconds interval between the command modprobe and the command wvdial to le the system load the MODEM, The all process takes about one minute because Linux remember the last commands so all you have to do is press the up arrow and down arrow key to see the commands, but you must respect the order

eduardo@suse-blue:~> lsusb

As superuser execute

suse-blue:/home/eduardo # usb_modeswitch

suse-blue:/home/eduardo # modprobe usbserial vendor=0×19d2 product=0×0031

suse-blue:/home/eduardo # ls /dev/ttyUSB*

suse-blue:/home/eduardo # wvdial

To disconnect from the Internet press ctlr-c with the connection Window open.

Notes:

You must do this every time you want to connect to the Internet, the commands “lsusb” and ls /dev/ttyUSB* aren`t necessary, they are to make sure everything is going fine, this method has the advantage that the MODEM is untouched and you can use it in a Windows machine without having to input extra commands, this configuration is for openSUSE 11.1 32 bit with the MODEM ZTE MF636 but it could work the other linux distros as well and with the MODEM ZTE MF626 with minimal changes, the Username = movistarni the Password = movistarni and the APN which is the part that says “internet.movistar.ni” in the wvdial.conf file are different for each ISP and country.