So you too are stuck with a working laptop with an awesome reliance broadband 3G ZTE AC 8710 modem and a gut feeling that it will work with Linux someday….?? … well, you are right, it does work and you are right, it isn’t really a tough thing to do.
I bought my usb 3g ZTE modem from reliance 4 days back and since then had been trying to make it work without success. There are so many tutorials on the net that describe how to set it up and almost all are correct, but as you will soon notice, none of them had enough knowledge for a newbie like me to set it up completely from scratch. So, after trying for many days and giving up every night and then again trying the next day, I was finally able to set it up. However, after living in immortal fear of forgetting my newfound knowledge or my laptop catching electrophobia, I decided to immortalize it by writing it down…. I do want to stress that I write English all day long but it is limited to just a few words like while, for, switch etc …. so it is refreshing to write something else! 
…. I can finally understand the power of a spellchecker!
I hope that this small tutorial helps some of you…. I have tried to provide you with clear details of how to make it work step by step.
Step 1: Make sure you have root login enabled. To see a step by step guide, << click here >>
Step 2: login as root.
Step 3: Find the product and vendor id of your device. To do this, first open a terminal window and then type this lsusb . Keep a note of the contents. The output will be somewhat like this
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 008 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 007 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 006 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 005 Device 002: ID 147e:1000
Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Now plug-in your usb reliance netconnect modem and then after about 10 seconds (this is to give enough time for your device to initialize) run lsusb again. Note the output again. This time the output should look something like:
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 008 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 007 Device 008: ID 19d2:fff1
Bus 007 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 006 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 005 Device 002: ID 147e:1000
Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Note the difference in the previous two outputs. This line tells you that the vendor id and the product id. You will have different Ids. 19d2 is the vendor id and fff1 is the product id.
Step 4: The information collected about has to be entered into a special file now. You will have to edit the file /boot/grub/menu.lst.
This file contains kernel options that may be needed while booting your Linux. Take a backup of this file somewhere before editing it.
Now prefix 0x (that’s a zero followed by small X and not o . You might have to type this as copying it from here doesn’t seem to work. ) to both and vendor id and product id and create the following string:
“usbserial.vendor=0×19d2 usbserial.product=0xfff1″
This string now has to be added at the end of your default kernel options. If you are like me, then you wouldn’t know what a default kernel option is. Well, nothing but a few words I would say. In fact, the string that you have created is also going to become a default kernel option.
Add this line at the end of default options in your menu.1st
file. Search this file and find out the text that looks like the text below:
title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-11-generic
uuid b9135a09-8127-46cb-a3a4-034f8d726f4c
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-11-generic root=UUID=b9135a09-8127-46cb-a3a4-034f8d726f4c ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-11-generic
quiet
title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-11-generic (recovery mode)
uuid b9135a09-8127-46cb-a3a4-034f8d726f4c
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-11-generic root=UUID=b9135a09-8127-46cb-a3a4-034f8d726f4c ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-11-generic
title Ubuntu 9.04, memtest86+
uuid b9135a09-8127-46cb-a3a4-034f8d726f4c
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
quiet
Now edit this text to make it look like the following:
title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-11-generic
uuid b9135a09-8127-46cb-a3a4-034f8d726f4c
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-11-generic root=UUID=b9135a09-8127-46cb-a3a4-034f8d726f4c ro quiet splash usbserial.vendor=0×19d2 usbserial.product=0xfff1
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-11-generic
quiet
title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-11-generic (recovery mode)
uuid b9135a09-8127-46cb-a3a4-034f8d726f4c
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-11-generic root=UUID=b9135a09-8127-46cb-a3a4-034f8d726f4c ro single usbserial.vendor=0×19d2 usbserial.product=0xfff1
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-11-generic
title Ubuntu 9.04, memtest86+
uuid b9135a09-8127-46cb-a3a4-034f8d726f4c
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
quiet
Note that you have just added the string you created earlier as the last kernel option. By the way, these are the entries that you see in the boot menu when you switch on your system.
Step 5: Remove your usb modem, restart your system and again login as root.
Step 6: Now open terminal window and plugin your usb modem. Wait for around 10 seconds and then type dmesg . Note the last text output. It should be something like:
[ 3807.845275] scsi 9:0:0:0: CD-ROM ZTE USB Storage FFF1 2.31 PQ: 0 ANSI: 2
[ 3807.875209] sr1: scsi-1 drive
[ 3807.878298] sr 9:0:0:0: Attached scsi CD-ROM sr1
[ 3807.878443] sr 9:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg2 type 5
[ 3808.056232] usb 7-1: USB disconnect, address 7
[ 3809.480183] usb 7-1: new full speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 8
[ 3809.637358] usb 7-1: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
[ 3809.644345] usbserial_generic 7-1:1.0: generic converter detected
[ 3809.644487] usb 7-1: generic converter now attached to ttyUSB0
[ 3809.649476] usbserial_generic 7-1:1.1: generic converter detected
[ 3809.655568] usb 7-1: generic converter now attached to ttyUSB1
[ 3809.657429] usbserial_generic 7-1:1.2: generic converter detected
[ 3809.657529] usb 7-1: generic converter now attached to ttyUSB2
[ 3809.659494] usbserial_generic 7-1:1.3: generic converter detected
[ 3809.659594] usb 7-1: generic converter now attached to ttyUSB3
[ 3809.661797] usbserial_generic 7-1:1.4: generic converter detected
[ 3809.662978] usb 7-1: generic converter now attached to ttyUSB4
[ 3934.056124] usb 6-2: new low speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 2
[ 3934.225376] usb 6-2: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
If you get similar output, then you are almost set. To be honest, I knew nothing of this when I first started and when I saw the above output on my system, I was almost like a pop corn ….. You have just crossed the last major hurdle…. your usb modem has been configured for use. What you need now is to set up a connection which will use your usb modem.
Step 7: To proceed from here, you would need “wvdial“
installed on your machine. If you do not have it, then install it. The easiest way would be to connect your system to an alternate internet connection (maybe wifi or ethernet connection) and then type the following command in the terminal window. “apt-get install wvdial“
Step 8: You will now need to edit this file
/etc/wvdial.conf
. Modify the contents so that it looks like:
[Dialer Defaults]
Init2 = ATQ0 V1 E1 S0=0 &C1 &D2 +FCLASS=0
Modem Type = Analog Modem
ISDN = 0
Username = ########## #(enter your 10 digit phone number in place of # and remove this text)
Init1 = ATZ
Password = ########## #(enter your 10 digit phone number in place of # and remove this text)
Modem = /dev/ttyUSB0
Baud = 3686400
Phone = #777
stupid mode = 1
Step 9: Use your internet ….. This is all; you have configured your Linux to use reliance netconnect connection. You no longer need to be logged in as root to use your internet connection. To connect, type the following in a terminal window from any user sudo wvdial.
You will get the following kind of output on the terminal window:
–> 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 +FCLASS=0
ATQ0 V1 E1 S0=0 &C1 &D2 +FCLASS=0
OK
–> Modem initialized.
–> Sending: ATDT#777
–> Waiting for carrier.
ATDT#777
CONNECT
–> Carrier detected. Starting PPP immediately.
–> Starting pppd at Thu Apr 30 11:07:30 2009
–> Pid of pppd: 7348
–> pppd: �W� X`�
–> Using interface ppp0
–> pppd: �W� X`�
–> pppd: �W� X`�
–> pppd: �W� X`�
–> pppd: �W� X`�
–> local IP address 115.240.109.243
–> pppd: �W� X`�
–> remote IP address 220.224.141.129
–> pppd: �W� X`�
–> primary DNS address 202.138.97.193
–> pppd: �W� X`�
–> secondary DNS address 202.138.96.2
–> pppd: �W� X`�
–> pppd: �W� X`�
–> pppd: �W� X`�
This means you are connected to the net
To disconnect, press CTRL+C.
I hope this works for you as it did for me. I am loving it ….
http://thejeshgn.com/2008/01/12/reliance-netconnect-usb-card-on-linux-howto/
http://playingwithsid.blogspot.com/2009/04/reliance-netconnect-usb-card-in-ubuntu.html
These are the links to the pages I referred to while configuring my connection. I did look at many other pages but I still have a copy of these on my system. Thanks Arky and Thejesh! ….. you made ubuntu stay on my system!
So much for electrophobia! LOL
April 30, 2009 at 8:46 pm
Good to know
May 2, 2009 at 12:50 pm
Hi , Nice blog .Looks like I too got my Reliance Wireless and blogged about it around the same time you did !
.
I just wanted to bring to your notice that theres a simpler way to include your kernel modules (by using modprobe)rather than editing the grub file .
check it out here
http://reliancewireless.wordpress.com/category/reliance-wireless-broadband/
cheers
May 2, 2009 at 2:30 pm
Hi davidie….. thanks for your comment
…. usbserial cannot be added using modprobe in Jaunty. It works with earlier kernel versions than the one that shipped with ubuntu 9.04.
May 2, 2009 at 8:25 pm
Hi,
Just wanted to let you know that in your post in the string
“usbserial.vendor=0×19d2 usbserial.product=0xfff1″
the seemingly ‘×’ in ..0×19d2… is not ‘x’…It looks like ‘x’ but is some diffeternt character.
Just try to copy paste the string in a text file and open that using Vi , You will know what I mean.
I wasted a day because of this….
May 4, 2009 at 5:23 pm
Hi Vineet,
Thanks for the heads-up!. Its weird, but I am not able to correct that. Always shows as ‘x’ when I edit the post, but wordpress posts it as ‘×’.
Anyways, I have added some text there just so that no one else ends up wasting time.
~Ak
May 7, 2009 at 3:24 am
Finally I was able to configure my ZTE AC8710 with Ubuntu 9.04.
Thanx a lot!
May 7, 2009 at 11:11 pm
i got an error like this…
pawanjit@pawanjit-laptop:~$ sudo wvdial
–> WvDial: Internet dialer version 1.60
–> Cannot get information for serial port.
–> Initializing modem.
–> Sending: ATZ
–> Sending: ATQ0
–> Re-Sending: ATZ
–> Modem not responding.
pawanjit@pawanjit-laptop:~$
any idea???
May 8, 2009 at 1:13 pm
did you try with all the usb ports on your machine? I too got this error, but it vanished after I changed the ports. It only works on one of the usb ports on my machine and I dont know why. Sometimes, the modem got recognized as a USB drive and not as a serial device. And this mostly happened when I had the modem plugged in before I booted ubuntu. So plug in your device after your system starts. Another thing to note would be wait for a few seconds – about 10-15 secs – after connecting the modem to your system and then doing a sudo wvdial. It takes some time to initialize the modem. Hope this helps.
May 8, 2009 at 2:54 pm
thank you for your reply…
tried in all three ports but o/p is same.
May 8, 2009 at 1:26 pm
Here is my dmesg output
http://paste.ubuntu.com/166596/
no ttyUSB connected devices -> no wvdial connection
June 6, 2009 at 12:41 am
hi I am new to linux and dont know anything.
i downloaded ubuntu 9.04 and now i am not able to configure ZTE AC8710.
i tried as u had mentioned above. but i still cannot access internet.
with lsusb the output was 19d2:ffff. i dont know if we have to do something to activate this or not.
then as you mentioned i put it in menu.lst and checked dmesg.
the only thing which i got curresponding to zte was
“ztemt: disagrees about version of symbol struct_module”
so i didnt go ahead for wvdial…
Can you please help me.
i really wanted to get rid of VISTA on my system.. but as i cant connect to internet from ubuntu, i have no other option..
June 29, 2009 at 5:21 am
Am also have same problem like Apputty.
Pls Solve us as soon as possible
July 22, 2009 at 4:16 pm
Hi,
Pls note have you used the reliance connection on windows ? if yes thats good to make sure its activated and its working fine.
Now rem one thing fff6 is for usb storage and fff1 is for the usb modem. so if you are using lsusb and still getting fff6 then you need to first make your os treat it as a modem.
I followed the said link to get that done
http://travisneotyler.blogspot.com/2009/07/back-on-wireless-web.html
Hope you guys can get a sleep today.
Cheers,
Vishal
June 29, 2009 at 5:22 am
I Try to connect more than a weak with out sleeping. pls help us
July 16, 2009 at 5:40 pm
I am trying to do the same. Let me know if you guys figure this thing out.
Will let you know if I do.
July 27, 2009 at 1:50 am
whts ur problem I have solved this on my laptop maybe I can help u
July 21, 2009 at 7:50 pm
Your blog was helpful in getting ZTE8710 working for me. This is how i got it working on Ubuntu Intrepid detailed with some gotchas along the way http://travisneotyler.blogspot.com/2009/07/back-on-wireless-web.html
July 22, 2009 at 11:06 am
Hi,
I think there is some mistake in the article. if the id is fff1 then its reconized as a usb modem if the id is fff6 then its taking it as a usb storage divice.
You are starting off my showing the id as fff1 which means its already a usb modem.
I am also a newbie so don’t get me wrong I am just guessing here. Please let me know as I am not able to connect I am getting the same error again.
Cheers,
Vishal Khialani
July 22, 2009 at 4:13 pm
Hi,
I maanged to connect to the net thanks to this article and http://travisneotyler.blogspot.com/2009/07/back-on-wireless-web.html
but after I connected the first time I am unable to connect again I am getting an error
FATAL: Error inserting usbserial (/lib/modules/2.6.28-13-generic/kernel/drivers/usb/serial/usbserial.ko): Invalid module format
Any one has any suggestions ?
Cheers,
Vishal Khialani
July 27, 2009 at 1:49 am
Hi,
I will also like to add that till kernel version 2.6.28 you will come across alot of unexpcted problems as the usb serial was made a part of the kernel and due to alot of problems was reverted back to a module.
So the best bet is to update your kernel to 2.6.29 which will take care of the discrepancies found earlier
http://www.ramoonus.nl/2009/03/24/linux-kernel-2629-installation-guide-for-ubuntu-and-debian-linux/
Cheers,
Vishal
September 16, 2009 at 4:53 pm
good doc
September 20, 2009 at 7:46 pm
I have ZTe 2726 modem and I know its Baud no. so I followed the procedure given above with little modifications for this modem. BUt after doing this all when I run wvdial I get following message:
wvdail: internet version 1.60
–>>cannot open /dev/ttyUSB0: No such file or directory
–>>cannot open /dev/ttyUSB0: No such file or directory
–>>cannot open /dev/ttyUSB0: No such file or directory
Please help me. I am very new to this Linux Business but I love it. SO I want to use net and install packages for upgrading my Ubuntu 9.04. Since its not supporting many things in my lapy right now like no sound, video, ethernet etc.
Please do help me.
September 21, 2009 at 10:48 am
HI,
You have a different modem then what is explained in this blog.
The above error means the modem is not being recognized you need to try something which is unique to your modem.
Please visit below link and try it out.
http://techsk.blogspot.com/2009/09/installing-usb-modem-zte-ac2726-in.html
Hope it helps.
Cheers,
Vishal
September 21, 2009 at 5:24 pm
[...] Photon whiz connected. Also below given page helped to connect my Ubundu 9.4 installed Laptop. http://mysimpletricks.wordpress.com/…pe-ubuntu-904/ I Changed /etc/wvdial.conf the contents so that it looks like: [Dialer Defaults] Init2 = ATQ0 V1 [...]
November 7, 2009 at 11:30 pm
great AK good work