Asuswrt-Merlin 4G modems support

[squnqs]

Asuswrt-Merlin does not support 4G modems (E3372).
It is possible to use drivers from Tomato by Shibby? In that software modems work perfectly.

 

[RMerlin]

Supported devices remain identical to Asus's.

 

[vaszago]

Asuswrt-Merlin does not support 4G modems (E3372).
It is possible to use drivers from Tomato by Shibby? In that software modems work perfectly.

The E3372 is working on Asus Router.
The Modem must in Hilink.
And on the Router the Modem in Androidphone mode.

 

[VANT]

i can configrm. My E3372 work well with asus fw. I test also RMerlin and also work ok. I test on all my routers.
E3372 is not in list but work.
You must only change connection settings in modem to "automatic". When is set to "on demand" then not work.

 

[squnqs]

The E3372 is working on Asus Router.
The Modem must in Hilink.
And on the Router the Modem in Androidphone mode.

I forgot to write, I have AC68U.
I have two modems e3372 (hilink and non-hilink). Non-hilink modem does not work in 4G mode.
Hilink modem does not load fully websites. Probably the problem is broadcom. Earlier on tomato also it did not work, but now Tomato is using new drivers and everything is working properly.

 

[VANT]

i use e3372 with broadcom (87u) and mipsel (n66u) and work ok.

 

[Victor Borisov]

Have the same problem. 4G/LTE modems failed to work in NDIS (cdc_ncm) mode on Asus/Merlin firmware. I have Huawei E3272 and it can work only in PPP mode, with physical interface limitation for about 20 Mbit/s, but LTE connection can provide faster speeds. Hilink mode is not good because of lags, dual nat and so on.

Problem with NDIS mode comes from 374 and newer Asus/Merlin firmware versions. Everything works fine in Tomato firmware (on routers RT-16/AC-66U/AC-68U/WS880), so may be it's possible to integrate USB/NDIS drivers from Tomato Shibby to Merlin?

Now i have two WS880, one works on Merlin firmware (without USB-modem, uses WAN port cable connection to internet), and another with Tomato (because is's impossible to use NDIS mode). But i disappointed that OpenVPN in Tomato firmware in very slow.

 

[ruig]

My observations:

I have RT-N66U and Huawei E3372H-153 and I tried to get the stick work as NCM device (unsuccessful).

About hardware:

• RT-N66U / B1 / CFE 1.0.1.9
• Huawei E3372H-153 / Lock free / stick firmware

What I have tried:

1. The stick works perfect under windows 7 as broadband dial-up modem (AT^SETPORT="FF;12,10,16") and as NCM device (AT^SETPORT="FF;12,16").
2. The stick worked also perfect in HiLink mode with this router (Asus stock firmware)... but I don't like double NAT and other extra networking layers
   
3. The stick works as broadband dial-up modem (AT^SETPORT="FF;12,10,16") with this router (ppp-connection / tried last Merlin firmware).
   But routing or connection get lost very often (no WAN although LED is still blue and gateway set) . I think I can fix it with some kind of keep alive script but I don't like PPP over NCM too.
4. I set device in NCM mode only (AT^SETPORT="FF;12,16"), deactivated WAN USB modem in the backend to get access to ttyUSB0 and tried to send AT^NDISDUP=1,1,<APN> command to ttyUSB0 device (PCUI). According to the modem LED - device is getting connected but no usb0, wan0, eth3 etc device available for DHCP binding.

I am not unix expert but I tried to understand why loaded cdc_ncm kernel module (driver) ignores the Huawei NCM device. Driver developer defines in the code the range of devices which the driver supports (line number 1276).

USB_VENDOR_AND_INTERFACE_INFO(0x12d1, USB_CLASS_COMM, USB_CDC_SUBCLASS_NCM, USB_CDC_PROTO_NONE)

0x12d1 = Huawei
USB_CDC_SUBCLASS_NCM = 0x0d
USB_CDC_PROTO_NONE = 0x0

Also. The included cdc_ncm driver is suitable for Hauwei (0x12d1) with Subclass 0x0d and Proto 0x0.

What subclass and proto has E3372H-153?

xxx@RT-N66U-4240:/tmp/home/root# cat /proc/bus/usb/devices
...
P:  Vendor=12d1 ProdID=1506 Rev= 1.02
S:  Manufacturer=MOBILE
S:  Product=MOBILE
...
I:* If#= 0 Alt= 0 #EPs= 2 Cls=ff(vend.) Sub=03 Prot=12 Driver=option
...
I:* If#= 1 Alt= 0 #EPs= 1 Cls=ff(vend.) Sub=03 Prot=16 Driver=option
...
I:  If#= 1 Alt= 1 #EPs= 3 Cls=ff(vend.) Sub=03 Prot=16 Driver=option

The first one (Sub=03 Prot=12) - I think it is PCUI for AT commands.
The second one must be NCM dervice (Sub=03 Prot=16)... but with "option" driver instead of "cdc_ncm" driver.

"option" is a usb driver for gsm modems according to the source code. Line number 681 - Huawei E353 (0x12d1:1506)... but different Sub and Prot... i suppose there is a kind of fallback if Sub or Prot don't match).
Anyway - usb driver for gsm modems matches E3372H in someway.
"cdc_ncm" (USB Host Driver for Network Control Model (NCM)) - doesn't match.

I also see it in dmesg output:

drivers/usb/serial/usb-serial.c: USB Serial support registered for GSM modem (1-port)
option 1-1.2:1.0: GSM modem (1-port) converter detected
usb 1-1.2: GSM modem (1-port) converter now attached to ttyUSB0
option 1-1.2:1.1: GSM modem (1-port) converter detected
usb 1-1.2: GSM modem (1-port) converter now attached to ttyUSB1
usbcore: registered new interface driver option
drivers/usb/serial/option.c: USB Driver for GSM modems: v0.7.2

I also tried last Tomato by shibby, dd-wrt K3X. The same story. Either "option" or "(none)" driver. NCM won't load.

In current kernel sources we can find huawei_cdc_ncm.c with proper (?) mapping to 0x12d1 / Sub=03 / Prot=16 (line number 200).

 

[niraviry]

I have tested the Huawei K5150 (unlocked Vodafone) with an Israeli SIM as a fail-over AndroidPhone modem and it works fine except for the ping pong between the primary and secondary WAN.
It is reported as a bug in another post in this site.
This was so great as I tried lots of methods but none worked.

 

[BartBK]

My observations:

I have RT-N66U and Huawei E3372H-153 and I tried to get the stick work as NCM device (unsuccessful).

About hardware:

• RT-N66U / B1 / CFE 1.0.1.9
• Huawei E3372H-153 / Lock free / stick firmware

What I have tried:

1. The stick works perfect under windows 7 as broadband dial-up modem (AT^SETPORT="FF;12,10,16") and as NCM device (AT^SETPORT="FF;12,16").
2. The stick worked also perfect in HiLink mode with this router (Asus stock firmware)... but I don't like double NAT and other extra networking layers
   
3. The stick works as broadband dial-up modem (AT^SETPORT="FF;12,10,16") with this router (ppp-connection / tried last Merlin firmware).
   But routing or connection get lost very often (no WAN although LED is still blue and gateway set) . I think I can fix it with some kind of keep alive script but I don't like PPP over NCM too.
4. I set device in NCM mode only (AT^SETPORT="FF;12,16"), deactivated WAN USB modem in the backend to get access to ttyUSB0 and tried to send AT^NDISDUP=1,1,<APN> command to ttyUSB0 device (PCUI). According to the modem LED - device is getting connected but no usb0, wan0, eth3 etc device available for DHCP binding.

I am not unix expert but I tried to understand why loaded cdc_ncm kernel module (driver) ignores the Huawei NCM device. Driver developer defines in the code the range of devices which the driver supports (line number 1276).

USB_VENDOR_AND_INTERFACE_INFO(0x12d1, USB_CLASS_COMM, USB_CDC_SUBCLASS_NCM, USB_CDC_PROTO_NONE)

0x12d1 = Huawei
USB_CDC_SUBCLASS_NCM = 0x0d
USB_CDC_PROTO_NONE = 0x0

Also. The included cdc_ncm driver is suitable for Hauwei (0x12d1) with Subclass 0x0d and Proto 0x0.

What subclass and proto has E3372H-153?

xxx@RT-N66U-4240:/tmp/home/root# cat /proc/bus/usb/devices
...
P:  Vendor=12d1 ProdID=1506 Rev= 1.02
S:  Manufacturer=MOBILE
S:  Product=MOBILE
...
I:* If#= 0 Alt= 0 #EPs= 2 Cls=ff(vend.) Sub=03 Prot=12 Driver=option
...
I:* If#= 1 Alt= 0 #EPs= 1 Cls=ff(vend.) Sub=03 Prot=16 Driver=option
...
I:  If#= 1 Alt= 1 #EPs= 3 Cls=ff(vend.) Sub=03 Prot=16 Driver=option

The first one (Sub=03 Prot=12) - I think it is PCUI for AT commands.
The second one must be NCM dervice (Sub=03 Prot=16)... but with "option" driver instead of "cdc_ncm" driver.

"option" is a usb driver for gsm modems according to the source code. Line number 681 - Huawei E353 (0x12d1:1506)... but different Sub and Prot... i suppose there is a kind of fallback if Sub or Prot don't match).
Anyway - usb driver for gsm modems matches E3372H in someway.
"cdc_ncm" (USB Host Driver for Network Control Model (NCM)) - doesn't match.

I also see it in dmesg output:

drivers/usb/serial/usb-serial.c: USB Serial support registered for GSM modem (1-port)
option 1-1.2:1.0: GSM modem (1-port) converter detected
usb 1-1.2: GSM modem (1-port) converter now attached to ttyUSB0
option 1-1.2:1.1: GSM modem (1-port) converter detected
usb 1-1.2: GSM modem (1-port) converter now attached to ttyUSB1
usbcore: registered new interface driver option
drivers/usb/serial/option.c: USB Driver for GSM modems: v0.7.2

I also tried last Tomato by shibby, dd-wrt K3X. The same story. Either "option" or "(none)" driver. NCM won't load.

In current kernel sources we can find huawei_cdc_ncm.c with proper (?) mapping to 0x12d1 / Sub=03 / Prot=16 (line number 200).

In my opinion missing element is to get support for NCM devices on Merlin is:

nvram set wan_iface=usb0
nvram set wan_ifname=usb0
nvram set wan_ifnames=usb0
nvram set wan_ifnameX=usb0
nvram commit

to tell the router than usb0 is wan.

I have not tried it yet.

 

[TheUntouchable]

I have problems with my E3372h too. Using it as failover wan for my cable connection. The stick is flashed with a non Hilink firmware and was running on my old avm fritzbox router without any problems. On the asus router, if its not the active wan, it always shows that its not connected. When powering off my cabel modem to test the whole thing, sometimes it tells me that its connected, but I can't access the internet. Running the stick in modem mode with manual settings (Germany, o2 Blue Smartphone, APN internet, deal in number *99#).

 

[BartBK]

I have problems with my E3372h too. Using it as failover wan for my cable connection. The stick is flashed with a non Hilink firmware and was running on my old avm fritzbox router without any problems. On the asus router, if its not the active wan, it always shows that its not connected. When powering off my cabel modem to test the whole thing, sometimes it tells me that its connected, but I can't access the internet. Running the stick in modem mode with manual settings (Germany, o2 Blue Smartphone, APN internet, deal in number *99#).

What is your modem firmware number? When it is sometimes you could try restart wan or create script to make it somehow automatically - but it is only workaround. It really sucks that Asus does not support NCM devices.

 

[TheUntouchable]

Currently the firmware 21.200.07.00.00 is installed on the stick. I read at the lteforum.at that Asus Router should work better with HiLink enabled sticks, so I will try to reflash the latest HiLink firmware the next days, hope that will fix the whole thing..
And there seems to be an AT command to connect the stick with the network manually, have to try that out

Have to say that the stick support from AVM was much better than from Asus

 

[BartBK]

Currently the firmware 21.200.07.00.00 is installed on the stick. I read at the lteforum.at that Asus Router should work better with HiLink enabled sticks, so I will try to reflash the latest HiLink firmware the next days, hope that will fix the whole thing..
And there seems to be an AT command to connect the stick with the network manually, have to try that out

Have to say that the stick support from AVM was much better than from Asus

Hello.

Please remember, that with HiLink you could have NAT issue with this device.

 

[TheUntouchable]

Yeah, sadly I read about thet double NAT problem too..
But the LTE stick is only for failover, so whatever

 

[Henk59]

Recently I have E3372h LTE USB Stick, is the -h- that stand for HiLink?
On the www there many discussions, but it is unclear to me, some report problems, others not.
I want to use it only if my ISP have problems, and wil use the E3372h on my AC88 (event. AC87)
What is the work flow to get the www working, speed is not the important thing.

 

[andrusha7778]

Hi all. I have flashed new firmware several times to my home routers (AC66U and AC68U) and have find, that on last firmwares Huawei E3372 and Huawei E3331 have stopped worked (380.66_6 and 380.67). In logs I can see that:

Jul 24 21:30:26 kernel: usb 1-1.2: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 3

Jul 24 21:30:26 kernel: usb 1-1.2: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
Jul 24 21:30:26 kernel: scsi0 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices
Jul 24 21:30:28 kernel: scsi 0:0:0:0: CD-ROM            HUAWEI   Mass Storage     2.31 PQ: 0 ANSI: 2
Jul 24 21:30:28 kernel: scsi 0:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg0 type 5
Jul 24 21:30:28 kernel: scsi 0:0:0:1: Direct-Access     HUAWEI   TF CARD Storage  2.31 PQ: 0 ANSI: 2
Jul 24 21:30:28 kernel: sd 0:0:0:1: [sda] Attached SCSI removable disk
Jul 24 21:30:28 kernel: sd 0:0:0:1: Attached scsi generic sg1 type 0
Jul 24 21:30:29 rc_service: hotplug 1865:notify_rc restart_nasapps
Jul 24 21:30:29 FTP Server: daemon is stopped
Jul 24 21:30:29 kernel: usb 1-1.2: USB disconnect, address 3
Jul 24 21:30:30 kernel: usb 1-1.2: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 4
Jul 24 21:30:30 kernel: usb 1-1.2: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
Jul 24 21:30:30 kernel: eth3: register 'cdc_ether' at usb-0000:00:04.1-1.2, CDC Ethernet Device, 0c:5b:8f:27:9a:64

so router finds modem and recognizes it as a network interface. But ifconfig do not shows ip addres at eth3:

admin@RT-AC66U:/tmp/home/root# ifconfig eth3
eth3      Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 0C:5B:8F:27:9A:64
          BROADCAST MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
          RX bytes:0 (0.0 B)  TX bytes:0 (0.0 B)

And it does not matter what type of usb modem to select - android phone or usb modem.
Is there any way to assign ip address to eth3 and use usb modem as failover?

 

[andrusha7778]

Hi again Can anywone tell me, what version of Asuswrt Merlin is normally working with 4G LTE and multiwan? (I have tested yesterday android thetering mode on latest Merlin fw 380.67_0 - it doe not work too with Galaxy Note 4.)

 

[Karim Moharram]

Hi all. Could someone please assist us. I can't get the USB modem to work, either as USB or Android Phone on and Asus AC-RT88U router. Seems there's a couple of here facing the same problem. Could the Merlin firmware work. I'm on Asus Firmware.

 

[andrusha7778]

Hi! It seems that i figuret out how to make it work. I have flashed firmware - 380.65_4 - USB modem begin to work in android mode, then disabled browser redirect mode in administration settings. Now multiwan is working.