Saturday, May 07, 2011

Micromax MMX 352G USB 3G Modem with BSNL 2G/3G SIM on Ubuntu 11.04 (Natty Narwhal)


Micromax MMX 352G USB 3G Modem with BSNL 2G/3G SIM on Ubuntu 11.04 (Natty Narwhal)

Micromax deserves some praise for the kind of job they have done in bundling the MMX 352G USB 3G Modem with dialler applications. Though they need to work out on focussing their attention on the Linux users too. The modem works smoothly on windows without any hassles. Whereas in Ubuntu 11.04 it has some driver issues. There's hardly any document that provides the specific documentation.

I tried my best for not being a die-hard & ardent fan (which I am not certainly) of linux and found a layman's quick-fix solution for this. Sakis-3g is cute little tool that anyone can use on linux. Here are a few steps for installing Sakis-3g.
  1. Download Sakis-3g from Sakis-3g website directly (thanks to google for providing its kind helping hand).
  2. I extracted it to my home folder.
  3. Enter “$ sudo chmod +x sakis3g
  4. Enter “$ sudo .//sakis3g helper balloons &
Then I connected my Micromax usb modem to my laptop and waited patiently for a miracle to happen. Well nothing strange happened but this brought up a linux trademark holding usb removable disk on the upper panel of my desktop (which I wasnt very happy to see it untill i got really connected). Now sakis3g was working as it popped up message detecting my modem. On clicking the icon it brought up a menu driven tool. Hastily I clicked on “Connect with 3G”
Voila!!! And I did it. Pretty easy stuff.

Though I can get connected to internet with good speeds, but still I am too lazy to type that command (which is not always so user-friendly) each and every time I want to access www. I had to get a permanent fix on this problem. With some help from google, I managed figure out some driver fixes that could fix this issue permanently (i.e. Due to my little liking to linux/unix).
Well, I have worked out few easy steps to get connected to internet (its pretty hard to survive without it). 'Copy-paste' can make things (like shell commands) look bit less creepy.
  1. I made sure if I have got usb-modeswitch & wvdial packages installed on my system in the 'synaptic pakage manager' from System > Administration drop down menu in the menu bar.
    Still I checked if there was any latest update available for the above listed packages by typing below mentioned commands in my not-so-friendly gnome terminal.
    Enter “$ sudo apt-get install usb-modeswitch
    Enter “$ sudo apt-get install wvdial
  1. Enter “$ watch lsusb
    And the output showed some crap that resembled something like this
    Bus 002 Device 006: ID 1c9e:f000
    After few seconds it showed
    Bus 002 Device 007: ID 1c9e:9605
    Where, 1c9e is the vendor id and f000 & 9605 are the product ids of the usb modem before and after switching. That is f000 is the default product id & 9605 is the target product id.
  2. After confirming the outputs, I made some tweaks in usb-modeswitch configuration files as below
    Enter “$ sudo gedit /lib/udev/rules.d/40-usb_modeswitch.rules
    The file opened in gedit. There I had to enter some text below the line that said
    LABEL="modeswitch_rules_begin"
    It looks something like this :-
    LABEL="modeswitch_rules_begin"
    #Micromax MMX352G USB 3G MODEM
    ATTRS{idVendor}=="1c9e", ATTRS{idProduct}=="9605", RUN+="usb_modeswitch '%b/%k'"
    Had to save and then exit the editor.
  3. Then I copied the default configuration file to a new configuration file that would help our modem to switch and act like a true modem.
    Enter “$ sudo cp /etc/usb_modeswitch.d/1c9e\:9200 /etc/usb_modeswitch.d/1c9e\:9605
  4. Editing one more usb_modeswitch configuration file brought me one step closer to the edge.
    Enter “$ sudo gedit /etc/usb_modeswitch.d/1c9e\:9605
    Here's the ouput of the file.




    ########################################################
    # Micromax MMX 352G USB 3G Modem
    DefaultVendor= 0x1c9e
    DefaultProduct=0x9605
    TargetVendor= 0x1c9e
    TargetProduct= 0x9605
    CheckSuccess=20
    MessageContent="55534243123456780000000000000606f50402527000000000000000000000"
  1. Now finally we have to work out with usbserial module (that is what drivers are referred to in UNIX)
    Enter “$ sudo gedit /etc/modules
    Add the below mentioned line at the end of the file.
    #MICROMAX 352G 3G USB MODEM
    usbserial vendor=0x1c9e product=0x9605
  1. Rebooted the machine curiously.

That is all. Configuration of devices was complete.

Now, after the machine rebooted, I plugged in the usb modem and waited for around half a minute.

  1. Back to GUI by clicking on the Network Manager Applet on the top panel, a list of available connections came through a drop down menu.
  2. Among these I clicked on New Mobile Broadband (GSM) Connection.
  3. The New Broadband Connection Wizard popped up. Clicked on the “Forward” button.
  4. I had to select India (Wonderful place where I live). Clicked on “Forward” (Pretty easy).
  5. Selected “BSNL/Cellone” from the list of service providers. Again a click happened.
  6. Selected “BSNL/CellOne Old East Zone Prepaid (Jharkhand, Bihar, Kolkata, West Bengal, Orissa, Assam, North East, Adman Nicobar)” from the list of plans that were available and clicked on “Forward” & then “Apply”.
  7. Connection Configuration window will appear where I selected “Connect Automatically” under Connection Name. Entered “*99#” in front of number and entered “bsnlnet” in front of APN. Finally “Save”.

Finally, done with all clicking which quite effortless. Nothing seemed to appear for some time, but then automatically the Network Manager Applet selected my configured connection. That is all I had to do. Time to have the sweet fruit of my tireless effort.

22 comments:

  1. thanks for comment.really it's an effective installation method. congratulations!! :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. “$ sudo cp /etc/usb_modeswitch.d/1c9e\:9200 /etc/usb_modeswitch.d/1c9e\:9605”


    hello admin .. this command is not working ..\
    this is giving an error called "cp: missing destination file operand after `/etc/usb_modeswitch.d/1c9e:9200/etc/usb_modeswitch.d/1c9e:9605'
    Try `cp --help' for more information.
    "

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi,
    I have a 352G Micromax USB modem on Natty (64 bits). First the Network Manager does not recognise the modem. After plugging-in the modem, it is shown as storage device in Computer in Places.

    I have done all, whatever has been suggested above.

    Finally, when sakis3g is run, it says- connecting -- connecting (second attemp) -- and finally Failed to connect.

    Please help.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi,
    In continuation of the immediate above post, the SIM is from MTNL with APN as pps3g

    Thank you

    ReplyDelete
  5. it seems there is a switching problem at your end. make sure if the usb-modeswitch is installed. its work is to switch from mass storage to modem.

    ReplyDelete
  6. sakis3g is able to switch the modem. sakis3g does everything successfully. At the time of connecting, it does not connect.

    This mode runs in XP also. At the same time, it is shown as storage device and connects to net easily.

    ReplyDelete
  7. 8. sudo cp /etc/usb_modeswitch.d/1c9e\:9200 /etc/usb_modeswitch.d/1c9e\:9605

    output ----
    cp: cannot stat `/etc/usb_modeswitch.d/1c9e:9200': No such file or directory

    the eighth step dosen't worked for me
    else was running smoth

    plz help

    ReplyDelete
  8. I buying a micromax mmx 352G usb modem install it but I cannot connect it with internet trying much to solve the problem. I think it is not so easy that I think before buying. Expecting to solve the problem.

    ReplyDelete
  9. i purchased micromax mmx 352G usb modem but i m not able to get the speed as the mention on it, speed is very slow pls suggest me

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thanxs a lot to u. I bought mmx352 today online and was very dissappointed finding that it was not connecting to linux. then i found ur blog...its really very useful...
    thanxs a lot again...

    ReplyDelete
  11. hi,
    from past 2 days my device was working fine but today it is showing an error which goes like this...
    "Locating device error: libhal_acquire_global_interface_lock: org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.InterfaceAlreadyLocked: The interface org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.Storage is already exclusively locked either by someone else or it's already locked by yourself"

    what is the reason for this?
    please provide me the solution for it.
    anuragrana31189@gmail.com

    thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I am not able to connect the modem to internet

    ReplyDelete
  13. i have micromax mmx352g usb 3g modem, the only way to access internet.....!
    tell me plz then how am i going to

    Enter “$ sudo apt-get install usb-modeswitch”
    Enter “$ sudo apt-get install wvdial”
    Enter “$ watch lsusb”

    i mean check usb mode switch without internet access......??

    i have downloaded Sakis-3g from windows 7(dual boot of course..)

    how can i access and extract it in ubuntu...??

    repeat i hv micromax mmx352g usb 3g modem bsnl 3g as only internet source intalled in windows 7 not ubuntu.........!!

    :(

    ReplyDelete
  14. hi ,
    dude i run my usb mmx352g by using ur method but after one week it shows error and said that
    "GSM network is Disconnected ".
    Is there any way to connect it .
    it's Ubuntu 10.04LTS(Lucid)version .

    ReplyDelete
  15. Today i bought a mmx352g modem. Power failure when first time installing. After that it is not installing. I have win xp in pc. Tried also system restore. No option to install manually. Please urgent help. bhupendrasab9@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  16. hey i have lost my cd of micromax bsnl 3g modem....and now i want to re install it...becoz i formated my whole PC....but m not getting it.....can u plzzz help mee....plzzz....send a link from where i can download it easily

    ReplyDelete
  17. hi
    mmx352g 3g usb manager does not detect device on 64-bit windows.
    please help.
    any help would be appreciated.
    thanks

    ReplyDelete
  18. PLZ TELL ME HOW I USE THIS MMX352G MODEL WITH MY TPLINK 3G ROUTER TL-MR3220 VRE 2 WITH AIRCEL 2G CARDS I CAN ABLE TO USE SAME CARD IN MY PC PLZ EMAIL ME ON BHANGALE.DEEPAK@GMAIL.COM

    ReplyDelete
  19. Super...... nice job dude......its working.....

    one thing that, here we need to wait for 1 min to list our Mobile broadband name under Network Manager Applet.

    ReplyDelete
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    ReplyDelete