BandLuxe C270 3G USB Modem

The Bandluxe C270 3G stick is now working on the Pandora. Here's how I got it working on mine:

The following instructions were carried out on a fresh installation of Zaxxon (the Pandora Operating system) with Hotfix 6 alpha 4. I have not tested them on any other Hotfix version so I do not know if they will work with other versions but they should keep working with versions later that Hotfix 6 Alpha 4. ( EDIT : ) Note: It is now working intermittently on "Super Zaxxon 1.5 Final Release" with kernel 3.xx. Remember to "Enable USB Host" before inserting the 3G stick. Warning: Overclocked Pandoras may hang and will need a hard reset when this stick is inserted so try to avoid overclocking if using this device.

I also do not know if there is an easier method to get this device to work on the Pandora. The (easier) usb_modeswitch trick did not work for me and that is why I used this method.

Most of these instructions need to be run as root as we will be modifying files and directories only accessible to the root user.

Step 1

• Change directory to /lib/udev/rules.d

• Create a file called “10-bandluxe.rules” in /lib/udev/rules.d and put the following content in it:

ACTION!="add", GOTO="hso_end"

# send eject command via usb_storage driver for all BandLuxe Installation CDROM devices
SYSFS{idVendor}=="1a8d", SYSFS{idProduct}=="1000", RUN="/usr/bin/eject /dev/%k"

LABEL="hso_end"

The above file contents are courtesy of the instructions provided by BandLuxe themselves for the eee-pc.

• Make sure that the file permissions of the file you have just created are the same as the other files in that directory.

Step 2

• Change directory to /etc/ppp/peers.

• Create a new file in /etc/ppp/peers with any name you want (I used “GO” as the filename since my provider is called “GO mobile”). Put the following contents in this newly created file:

hide-password
noauth

### the filename GO in the next line is the same as this file's filename.
connect "/usr/sbin/chat -v -f /etc/chatscripts/GO" 

debug
/dev/ttyUSB0
460800
defaultroute
noipdefault
user ""
nobsdcomp
noccp
ipcp-accept-local
ipcp-accept-remote
noipdefault
novj
novjccomp
nomagic
usepeerdns

Please note that these entries are what worked for me. You might have to tweak/delete/add to them according to your requirements.

Step 3

• Check if you have a directory called “chatscripts” in /etc, i.e..... /etc/chatscripts. If not, create one:

mkdir /etc/chatscripts

Step 4

• Change directory to /etc/chatscripts

• Create a file here with the same name you gave the one in “Step 2” and put the following contents in it:

TIMEOUT 240
ABORT BUSY
ABORT 'NO CARRIER'
ABORT VOICE
ABORT 'NO DIALTONE'
ABORT 'NO DIAL TONE'
ABORT 'NO ANSWER'
ABORT DELAYED
ABORT ERROR
# modeminit
'' ATZ
OK "AT+CSQ"
OK "ATD*99#"
"CONNECT" ""

Once again, please note that these entries are what worked for me. You might have to tweak/delete/add to them according to your requirements.

Step 5

• Create a file in /etc/init.d called mkpppnode.sh

• Put the following two lines in this file

#!/bin/sh
mknod /dev/ppp c 108 0

This will create the ppp device node required by the pppd daemon when dialing out.

Now link this file in your startup sequence by executing the following command:

ln -s /etc/init.d/mkpppnode.sh    /etc/rcS.d/S98mkpppnode.sh

This creates a symbolic link called “S98mkpppnode.sh in /etc/rcS.d so that the ppp device is automatically created every time you reboot the Pandora.

Step 6

• Shutdown and restart the Pandora so the new udev rule we created in “Step 1” is read and the ppp device is created.

NOTE: I tried running “/etc/init.d/udev restart” to avoid the reboot but it did not work and messed up the running system so a shutdown/restart is preferred as the udev init script does not recognise the “restart” argument.

Step 7

After your Pandora has booted up again:

• Log in and plug in your Bandluxe C270 USB modem.

• Wait until the LED on your Bandluxe C270 starts blinking once every few seconds.

• Check if there are 3 new devices in /dev called ttyUSB0, ttyUSB1 and ttyUSB2.

If there are, then hopefully your device is now recognised and you can connect using your 3G modem by running:

pon GO

in a root terminal (replace “GO” with the name you gave the file in Step 2)

If the connection is successful, you should be able to see a new interface called “ppp0” when running:

ifconfig -a

with a newly-assigned IP address.

Happy 3G surfing with your Pandora!!

Step 8

When finished, to disconnect, type:

poff GO

in a root terminal (again replacing “GO” with the name you gave the file in Step 2)

That's all folks.

In future I'll try to add some scripts to this procedure to make it a bit more user friendly and avoid having to go into command line every time to start/stop your connection but for now at least, the hard-headed Bandluxe C270 is working on the Pandora :)

relliker