Member Avatar for wanguard

I tried to tether my Samsung SGH-L700 phone in Ubuntu 11.04.I successfully created the connection and configured it correctly. The problem is that, whenever I try to connect to the internet using the phone, the phone restarts and I'm not able to connect. Any workaround for it?

  • 3 Contributors
  • 7 Replies
  • 336 Views
  • 3 Days Discussion Span
  • Latest Post Latest Post by wanguard

Dani AI

Generated

Quick, practical troubleshooting and fallback steps to try before giving up on tethering in Ubuntu 11.04 (building on suggestions from and ).

First, collect evidence while reproducing the failure so you know whether Ubuntu is mis-driving the phone or the phone is reacting to power/handshake changes. Run these in a terminal, then plug the phone in and watch what appears:

sudo dmesg -w
sudo tail -f /var/log/syslog
lsusb    # run before and immediately after plugging in

Look for the vendor:product ID from lsusb and for kernel messages like "new high-speed USB device", "reset high-speed USB device", or creation of /dev/ttyUSBx or /dev/ttyACMx. That tells you whether the phone enumerates as a modem, mass storage, or is disconnecting/resetting.

Possible causes and focused fixes

  • Mode switching/driver binding: many feature phones present as storage first and then switch to modem. Install usb-modeswitch (sudo apt-get install usb-modeswitch usb-modeswitch-data) and check whether a /dev/ttyUSB* appears. If you get a vendor:product id from lsusb, you can try loading the generic modem driver (option) and bind the ID to it so NetworkManager can use it.
  • Power/charging issue: if the phone reboots when the PC connects, try a different (known-good) data cable, a powered USB hub, or a cable that does not supply charge. Some phones behave differently when they see USB VBUS; reducing USB power during tests can confirm this.
  • Bluetooth DUN/PAN fallback: for feature phones, Bluetooth Dial-Up Networking is often supported and avoids USB quirks. Install the BlueZ/blueman tools and use the Bluetooth manager to pair and create a PAN/DUN connection.

If these diagnostics are unclear, post the exact lsusb line and the dmesg output around the plug/unplug event so others can map vendor/product to known quirks or driver names. If upgrading is an option, a newer Ubuntu release will usually have better usb-modeswitch and modem driver support.

Recommended Answers

All 7 Replies

Member Avatar for rubberman

What is the make/model and operating system + version of the phone? Does your phone's data account allow tethering? Does the phone's software support tethering?

Edited by rubberman because: n/a
Member Avatar for wanguard

The phone is a feature phone, no fancy OS backing it up. I can tether it in WinXP. I don't know what the OS is called and its definitely not Symbian.

Member Avatar for rubberman

Well, if you can tether it in XP, you should be able to tether it with Ubuntu. To Ubuntu, it should just look like a USB broadband modem, using PPOE protocols to communicate. So, how did you create the connection?

Member Avatar for blackjames

I am using Ubuntu 10.10 from last 1 year. If you want to tether internet in Ubuntu via your phone than you have two option for it. First is you can connect your phone with Ubuntu using bluetooth connection and easily create Internet connection. Second you can connect using USB cable. When you connect USB cable with PC than your phone should ask you for Com port or mass Storage so you can select the Com port option than your phone modem automatically detect in ubuntu and ubuntu will ask for your country and carrier name to connect Internet. The best part of Ubuntu is you can tether any china phone or any bluetooth enable phone in the OS.

Edited by blackjames because: n/a
Member Avatar for wanguard

When I use the USB cable to connect, the phone just restarts. and I a message pops up on the upper right side like "GSM Disconnected". And even if I remove the data cable and connect it again the computer won't recognize the phone until I restart the OS.

Member Avatar for rubberman

I don't know why this is happening, but if the phone has hotspot capabilities (basically a small WiFi access point that using the GSM connection to get to the Internet), and your computer also has WiFi capability, then try that instead of direct tethering. I do that sometimes with my Android phone and laptop, say when I forget to bring the USB cable with me... :-) That way, I also don't have to worry about dragging the cable around.

Edited by rubberman because: n/a
Member Avatar for wanguard

I think I should try bluetooth.Maybe while trying to connecting to network, the computer might be sending more current then the phone can handle

Be a part of the DaniWeb community

We're a friendly, industry-focused community of developers, IT pros, digital marketers, and technology enthusiasts meeting, networking, learning, and sharing knowledge.