Mobile network configuration

This page describes the configuration of Mobile data network in DFN camera systems. Upper level page is Mobile_network_-_3G,_4G.

First make sure you know which camera system you have. Most of the GFO systems are DFNEXTs. We use DFNEXTs pretty much only within the Curtin - operated DFN in Western and South Australia.

For modem module installation in DFNEXT observatories with blue PCB modem adaptor board please refer to DFNEXT Modem Installation.

For modem module installation in DFNSMALL/DFNEXT observatories with green PCB modem adaptor board please refer to DFN Modem Installation - Green card.

In case of DFNSMALL camera systems with Commell LE-37D PC boards and modem mPCIe card in the slot on-board the PC (no USB adopter used), please make sure the BIOS is configured accordingly - please refer to DFNSMALL observatories BIOS configuration how to enable the WLAN card support. (For DFNEXT systems no specific BIOS configuration is needed.)

There are sevaral modem/operator combinations pre-defined in the DFN observatory operating system. These are those we use in Australia. For use with other operators or overseas, a specific configuration needs to be added.

Below are example configurations for specific modem / camera system combinations - please note the bold part of the text - that is identifier of the specific modem/operator setup, that need to match in both configuration files.

Sierra MC8705 3G modem, all DFN camera system types

For Sierra MC8705 3G modem with Telstra M2M plan is the configuration as shown on a corresponding section of file /etc/network/interfaces.

### Optus/Telstra mobile data GSM/3G/4G
### with modem/ppp interface
### primary network interface in the field, default route
auto ppp0
allow-hotplug ppp0
iface ppp0 inet wvdial
#provider optus_multitech
#provider optus_sierra_MC8705
#provider telstra_multitech
provider telstra_sierra_MC8705
#provider telstra_sierra_MC7430

Please notice the uncommented line with provider telstra_sierra_MC8705. All lines with "#" at the beginning are comments.

There are a few more configurations pre-set in file /etc/wvdial.conf. The corresponding detailed section for our case looks like:

[Dialer telstra_sierra_MC8705]
Stupid Mode = 1
Init3 = AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","telstra.m2m"
Modem = /dev/ttyUSB4
Password = guest
Username = guest
Phone = *99#

Sierra MC7430 or MC7455 3G/4G modem, all DFNEXT camera systems

Kernel configuration

Make sure following parameters are passed to kernel at boot time

net.ifnames=0 
biosdevname=0

How to check current state:

cat /proc/cmdline 
BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.9.0-14-amd64 root=UUID=956f7edb-eeb2-4059-a682-efd1760c88f8 ro quiet net.ifnames=0 biosdevname=0 nomodeset usbcore.usbfs_memory_mb=1000

How to set:

open /etc/default/grub. Add the parameters on the active grub commandline:

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet net.ifnames=0 biosdevname=0 nomodeset usbcore.usbfs_memory_mb=1000"

run command

sudo update-grub

and reboot the system (command 'reboot' or Ctrl+Alt+Del if heyboard connected to the camera sysytem.

Now after the reboot you can make sure all is set as intended by 'cat /proc/cmdline'.

Install Qualcom libs and tools and dhcp client that supports RAW IP

Make sure following packages are installed

sudo apt-get install libqmi-utils udhcpc socat

Note: Since late April 2023, the repositories of Debian 9 Stretch (the DFNEXT camera system is based on this Linux distribution) were removed from the main mirrors, so you’ll need to switch to archive.debian.org. Just modify the /etc/apt/sources.list config file to replace any "deb.debian.org" and "ftp.au.debian.org" and "security.debian.org" with "archive.debian.org" - make sure that file includes these lines:

deb http://archive.debian.org/debian stretch main contrib non-free
deb http://archive.debian.org/debian-security stretch/updates main
deb-src http://archive.debian.org/debian-security stretch/updates main

WWAN interface control script

Make sure following script is installed - should be done by regular auto matic DFN SW updates.

/usr/local/bin/qmi-network-raw-dfn

If this script was missing, easiest is to manually run camera system SW update

dfn_down_install_sw_from_server.sh

but for that your system must be connected to the Internet. So better to get prepared in lab or have some alternative internet connection other than the one you are just setting up.

Configure APN, username and password in file

 /etc/qmi-network.conf

This is specific for each operator. Examples below - only one should be uncommented:

### COMMON FOR ALL OR MOST OPARTORS
### USER & PASS usually not needed
APN_USER=guest
APN_PASS=guest
PROXY=yes
###-----------------------
### Australia Telstra
APN=telstra.m2m
###-----------------------
### Australia Optus
# APN=connect
###-----------------------
### Canada Telus
#APN=isp.telus.com
###-----------------------
### Oman Omantel
# APN=taif
# APN_USER=taif
# APN_PASS=taif
###-----------------------
### KSA Saudi Telecom Company (STC) "JAWALNet"
# APN=jawalnet.com.sa
###-----------------------
### Australia Aldimobile
# if the 1st one does not work, use the Telstra one below
# APN=mdata.net.au
# APN=Telstra.internet
###-----------------------

Other apn codes [1] [2] - example for Australia: Telstra

Modify /etc/network/interfaces

Comment out the ppp0 interface start lines:

#auto ppp0
#allow-hotplug ppp0

Make sure there is wwan0 section as below, with interface start lines uncommented:

### alternative config for 3G/4G Sierra MC 7430/7455 via qmi lib
### needs wwan0 interface rather than ppp0
### in grub, pass kernel param net.ifnames=0 
### configure operator APN in /etc/qmi-network.conf
### depends on script /usr/local/bin/qmi-network-raw-dfn
### >>>> uncomment also 'allow-hotplug line <<<<
### >>>> not only 'auto' when enabling wwan0 <<<<
auto wwan0
allow-hotplug wwan0
iface wwan0 inet manual
     pre-up ifconfig wwan0 down
     pre-up ifconfig wwan1 down # only needed if the modem presents two wwan interfaces
     pre-up /usr/local/bin/qmi-network-raw-dfn printsignal
     pre-up /usr/local/bin/qmi-network-raw-dfn forcerestart
     pre-up udhcpc -p /var/run/udhcpc.wwan0.pid -S -t 5 -b -i wwan0
     post-up grep "nameserver 4.2.2.1" || echo "nameserver 4.2.2.1" >> /etc/resolv.conf
     post-down /usr/local/bin/qmi-network-raw-dfn stop
     post-down kill -TERM `head -1 /var/run/udhcpc.wwan0.pid`

Add following line to crontab to make sure the wwan0 is restarted when it accidentally goes down

Note: on some systems, this is necessary to bring the wwan intarfce up at boot time.

*/5 * * * * /usr/local/bin/check_restart_wwan0.sh 

Note: script /usr/local/bin/check_restart_wwan0.sh should be installed automatically by all on-line DFNEXT camera systems in frame of auto updates.

Sierra MC7430 or MC7455 3G/4G modem in DFNSMALL camera systems

Note: this may work also with some DFNEXT camera systems where the LE-37G PC is used and is running earlier BIOS version (Not sure, probably 2016 build).

The BIOS version can be printed using the following linux command:

sudo dmidecode -s bios-version && sudo dmidecode -s bios-release-date

Which prints eg:

SKLU_4.0.0.362
09/19/2016

The following box is wvdial.conf config section for Sierra MC7430 3G/4G modem in Australia. Please mind to uncomment the appropriate line telstra_sierra_MC7430 in /etc/network/interfaces.

[Dialer telstra_sierra_MC7430]
Stupid Mode = 1
Init3 = AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","telstra.m2m"
Modem = /dev/ttyUSB2
Password = guest
Username = guest
Phone = *99#

Please contact your service provider for details like AP name (here "telstra.m2m"), Password, Username and Phone (number) to dial. The "Modem" field is a virtual port - this parameter is specific for a modem type. If you are using the modem MC7455 (for the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Africa), we believe that it can use the same configuration as MC7430 (for Australia, Asia and Oceania). The only lines that need to be changed are AP name (here "telstra.m2m"), Password, Username and Phone (number) to dial. If your service provider/operator does not have specific requirement for Password, Username and Phone (number) to dial or if not sure, just leave these fields as they are (guest, guest, *99#) - please refer to the telstra_sierra_MC8705 example above.

WARNING: recently we found that some operators, eg Telus in Canada, do not support wvdial style (PPP protcol) connection. We are working on alternative connection method that involves Qualcom chipset proprietary protocol & opensource qmi toolkit.

Then for both MC7430 and MC7455 you would need to add another section to /etc/wvdial.conf, copying some existing one, give it a unique name and modify those lines:

[Dialer YOUR_OPERATOR_sierra_MC7455]
Stupid Mode = 1
Init3 = AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","AP_NAME"
Modem = /dev/ttyUSB2
Password = YOUR_PASSWORD
Username = YOUR_USERNAME
Phone = YOUR_OPERATOR_DIALUP_PHONE_NUMBER

and then you open /etc/network/interfaces, comment out all the 'provider' lines and add your one:

### Optus/Telstra mobile data GSM/3G/4G
### with modem/ppp interface
### primary network interface in the field, default route
auto ppp0
allow-hotplug ppp0
iface ppp0 inet wvdial
#provider optus_multitech
#provider optus_sierra_MC8705
#provider telstra_multitech
#provider telstra_sierra_MC8705
#provider telstra_sierra_MC7430
provider YOUR_OPERATOR_sierra_MC7455

Checking the quality of reception - signal strength

Mobile signal strength check in the observatory PC operating system