Mobile broadband 3G modem not seen by NM at boot, but is seen if NM is restarted -- Huawei E220

lshal after restarting NM

2c2
< Dumping 142 device(s) from the Global Device List:
---
> Dumping 143 device(s) from the Global Device List:
50a51,65
> udi = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/net_computer'
> info.capabilities = {'net'} (string list)
> info.category = 'net' (string)
> info.parent = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/computer' (string)
> info.subsystem = 'net' (string)
> info.udi = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/net_computer' (string)
> linux.hotplug_type = 2 (0x2) (int)
> linux.subsystem = 'net' (string)
> linux.sysfs_path = '/sys/devices/virtual/net/ppp0' (string)
> net.address = '00:00:00:00:00:00' (string)
> net.arp_proto_hw_id = 512 (0x200) (int)
> net.interface = 'ppp0' (string)
> net.linux.ifindex = 5 (0x5) (int)
> net.originating_device = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/computer' (string)

relevant log part below shows that on start the ttyUSB0 modem is properly claimed and added by modemmanager, but NM (probably not started enough) does not get the notification (or maybe just dismisses it because its not properly started).

Here the log of

 1. boot -> NM +MM start
 2. MM detects modem
 3 NM finishes startup , but never sees USB0
 4. NM restart then claims USB0

Sep 9 22:22:33 BluBUG kernel: [ 13.243535] ip6_tables: (C) 2000-2006 Netfilter Core Team
Sep 9 22:22:51 BluBUG NetworkManager: <info> starting...
Sep 9 22:22:51 BluBUG NetworkManager: <info> Trying to start the modem-manager...
Sep 9 22:22:51 BluBUG NetworkManager: SCPlugin-Ifupdown: init!
Sep 9 22:22:51 BluBUG NetworkManager: SCPlugin-Ifupdown: update_system_hostname
Sep 9 22:22:51 BluBUG NetworkManager: SCPluginIfupdown: management mode: unmanaged
Sep 9 22:22:51 BluBUG NetworkManager: SCPlugin-Ifupdown: devices added (path: /sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1c.2/0000:04:00.0/net/wlan0, iface: wlan0)
Sep 9 22:22:51 BluBUG NetworkManager: SCPlugin-Ifupdown: devices added (path: /sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1c.2/0000:04:00.0/net/wmaster0, iface: wmaster0)
Sep 9 22:22:51 BluBUG NetworkManager: SCPlugin-Ifupdown: devices added (path: /sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1c.4/0000:02:00.0/net/eth0, iface: eth0)
Sep 9 22:22:51 BluBUG NetworkManager: SCPlugin-Ifupdown: devices added (path: /sys/devices/virtual/net/lo, iface: lo)
Sep 9 22:22:51 BluBUG NetworkManager: SCPlugin-Ifupdown: end _init.
Sep 9 22:22:51 BluBUG NetworkManager: Loaded plugin ifupdown: (C) 2008 Canonical Ltd. To report bugs please use the NetworkManager mailing list.
Sep 9 22:22:51 BluBUG NetworkManager: Loaded plugin keyfile: (c) 2007 - 2008 Red Hat, Inc. To report bugs please use the NetworkManager mailing list.
Sep 9 22:22:51 BluBUG NetworkManager: <info> Found radio killswitch rfkill1 (at /sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1c.2/0000:04:00.0/ieee80211/phy0/rfkill1) (driver <unknown>)
Sep 9 22:22:51 BluBUG NetworkManager: <info> Wireless now enabled by radio killswitch
Sep 9 22:22:51 BluBUG NetworkManager: SCPlugin-Ifupdown: (10487072) ... get_connections.
Sep 9 22:22:51 BluBUG NetworkManager: SCPlugin-Ifupdown: (10487072) ... get_connections (managed=false): return empty list.
Sep 9 22:22:51 BluBUG modem-manager: Loaded plugin ZTE
Sep 9 22:22:51 BluBUG modem-manager: Loaded plugin Huawei
Sep 9 22:22:51 BluBUG modem-manager: Loaded plugin Generic
Sep 9 22:22:51 BluBUG modem-manager: Loaded plugin Nokia
Sep 9 22:22:51 BluBUG modem-manager: Loaded plugin Ericsson MBM
Sep 9 22:22:51 BluBUG modem-manager: Loaded plugin Sierra
Sep 9 22:22:51 BluBUG modem-manager: Loaded plugin Gobi
Sep 9 22:22:51 BluBUG modem-manager: Loaded plugin Novatel
Sep 9 22:22:51 BluBUG modem-manager: Loaded plugin Option
Sep 9 22:22:51 BluBUG modem-manager: Loaded plugin Option High-Speed
Sep 9 22:22:51 BluBUG modem-manager: Loaded plugin MotoC
Sep 9 22:22:52 BluBUG modem-manager: (ttyUSB0) opening serial device...
Sep 9 22:22:52 BluBUG modem-manager: (ttyUSB0): probe requested by plugin 'Huawei'
Sep 9 22:22:52 BluBUG modem-manager: (Huawei): (ttyUSB1) deferring support...

Could the bug 455493 have any relation with this?

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/network-manager/+bug/455493

Exactly same problem here on Samsung NC10. Very annoying, really hope you'll find a solution prior the Karmic release. Best luck.

I have the same problem that the 3g modem is not detected. See attached the syslog output when the modem is not detected by network-manager.

Since I cannot post more than one file using the web-gui I will post a second syslog file in the next message...

It is not always the case that the 3g modem is not detected. See attached a case when it is successfully detected. As mentioned before the order of the messages (actions) in the syslog is different. Maybe this helps to pinpoint the problem.

Other observations:
1) the 3g modem detection appears to be less reliable when there are a lot of WLANs nearby. Maybe NetworkManager is delayed when there are lots of WLANs available. Nevertheless this appears to be a race condition, probably caused by the usage of upstart?
2) after suspend the 3g modem is very likely to be successfully detected.

My PC is a ASUS eeepc 901A with an integrated 3g modem (Huawei EM770, HSDPA+HSUPA).

I have the same problem that the Huawei E169 HSDPA USB Stick 3g modem is not detected.

Same here with Huawei E170 USB stick 3.5G modem.

try to connect the modem, wait couple of minutes, right click->eject, eject the mode, insert him again, wait couple of minutes and it should work.

I'm experiencing this on Precise. It also applies to resuming from suspend. Having to remember NOT to plug in your modem before turning on your computer is tedious.

AfC

Note that upstream's website

    https://live.gnome.org/NetworkManager/MobileBroadband

says

    Huawei E220 (firmware versions older than 11.117.09.04.00 (Vodafone only) are known to be problematic; make sure you have 11.117.10.00.00 or later)

See also bug #868034.