How to check bundle balance with USSD (gsm-ussd)

[michael.kyritsis]

from the command line (i.e. Applications / Accessories / Terminal)

gsm-ussd -d

Will give you debug output, including the model of the modem. If you can see data being sent and received it's also an indication that you have the right device (in my case I've edited the script to use /dev/ttyUSB3 - I have the Cell-C E1752)
So if you're struggling to get your balance via gsm-ussd the extra debug info might help you to spot a problem.

[K3NS31]

snip...
change line 45 to read:

my $modemport           = '/dev/ttyUSB3';

...snip

Just found this thread - very useful, except - what do I set this line to if I have an internal 3G modem?
I tried /dev/wwan0 (as reported by "Gnome modem manager", but that didn't work.
Desperately need to get USSD working on Ubuntu so I can use a prepaid SIM.

[ginggs]

Just found this thread - very useful, except - what do I set this line to if I have an internal 3G modem?
I tried /dev/wwan0 (as reported by "Gnome modem manager", but that didn't work.
Desperately need to get USSD working on Ubuntu so I can use a prepaid SIM.

Try GNOME Prepaid Manager Applet. It's in Ubuntu Precise and Quantal as package 'prepaid-manager-applet'.

[K3NS31]

Thanks, will have a look. I tried a coupla other GUI's to "Modem Manager" (the aforementioned 'Gnome-modem-manager' as well as 'Modem-Manager-GUI', which is in the repos), and both could communicate with the modem, give me provider and network info etc., but sending USSD just wouldn't work.
So anyway, I'm not feeling too positive about this one but will give it a try when I get a chance, probably tomorrow.

[K3NS31]

Try GNOME Prepaid Manager Applet. It's in Ubuntu Precise and Quantal as package 'prepaid-manager-applet'.

So that didn't work. I've checked again and it seems that although my modem is internal it's still connected to the USB bus (shows as a USB device); so the question is, how do I check how the OS is addressing the modem? (Presumably /dev/something)
I assume if I put that info into the "Modemport..." line, I'll be good. Surprisingly difficult to find info about this online.

[ginggs]

So that didn't work. I've checked again and it seems that although my modem is internal it's still connected to the USB bus (shows as a USB device); so the question is, how do I check how the OS is addressing the modem? (Presumably /dev/something)
I assume if I put that info into the "Modemport..." line, I'll be good. Surprisingly difficult to find info about this online.

What is the output of 'lsusb'? I get the following:

$ lsusb
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 12d1:14ac Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. 
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 2001:f103 D-Link Corp. DUB-H7 7-port USB 2.0 hub
Bus 004 Device 002: ID 045e:001e Microsoft Corp. IntelliMouse Explorer
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 002 Device 004: ID 058f:6362 Alcor Micro Corp. Flash Card Reader/Writer

Now run 'dmesg | less' and scroll down until you see the 3G modem being detected. I get:

[  620.248170] usb 1-4: new high-speed USB device number 3 using ehci_hcd
[  620.382924] usb 1-4: New USB device found, idVendor=12d1, idProduct=14ac
[  620.382935] usb 1-4: New USB device strings: Mfr=4, Product=3, SerialNumber=0
[  620.382942] usb 1-4: Product: HUAWEI Mobile
[  620.382948] usb 1-4: Manufacturer: Huawei Technologies
[  620.388429] scsi11 : usb-storage 1-4:1.5
[  620.388813] scsi12 : usb-storage 1-4:1.6
[  620.426628] usbcore: registered new interface driver usbserial
[  620.426640] usbcore: registered new interface driver usbserial_generic
[  620.426649] USB Serial support registered for generic
[  620.426652] usbserial: USB Serial Driver core
[  620.429471] usbcore: registered new interface driver option
[  620.429482] USB Serial support registered for GSM modem (1-port)
[  620.429643] cdc_ether 1-4:1.1: wwan0: register 'cdc_ether' at usb-0000:00:02.1-4, Mobile Broadband Network Device, 02:50:f3:00:00:00
[  620.429791] usbcore: registered new interface driver cdc_ether
[  620.430696] option 1-4:1.0: GSM modem (1-port) converter detected
[  620.430873] usb 1-4: GSM modem (1-port) converter now attached to ttyUSB0
[  620.430905] option 1-4:1.3: GSM modem (1-port) converter detected
[  620.430952] usb 1-4: GSM modem (1-port) converter now attached to ttyUSB1
[  620.430960] option 1-4:1.4: GSM modem (1-port) converter detected
[  620.430998] usb 1-4: GSM modem (1-port) converter now attached to ttyUSB2
[  621.389870] scsi 11:0:0:0: CD-ROM            HUAWEI   Mass Storage     2.31 PQ: 0 ANSI: 2
[  621.390096] scsi 12:0:0:0: Direct-Access     HUAWEI   TF CARD Storage       PQ: 0 ANSI: 2
[  621.396234] sr1: scsi-1 drive
[  621.396513] sr 11:0:0:0: Attached scsi CD-ROM sr1
[  621.398179] sr 11:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg7 type 5
[  621.398749] sd 12:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg8 type 0
[  621.406359] sd 12:0:0:0: [sdg] Attached SCSI removable disk

I've emphasized the USB VID/PIDs and serial devices.

[K3NS31]

lsusb:

Bus 001 Device 002: ID 0bdb:1900 Ericsson Business Mobile Networks BV F3507g Mobile Broadband Module

And these seem to be the relevant lines in"dmesg":

[    1.113629] usb 1-5: New USB device found, idVendor=0bdb, idProduct=1900
[    1.113638] usb 1-5: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
[    1.113641] usb 1-5: Product: Ericsson F3507g Mobile Broadband Minicard Composite Device
[    1.113644] usb 1-5: Manufacturer: Ericsson
[    1.113646] usb 1-5: SerialNumber: 3541430240669870

Although these lines look important too?

[   16.576859] cdc_acm 1-5:1.3: ttyACM1: USB ACM device
[   16.588523] cdc_wdm 1-5:1.5: cdc-wdm0: USB WDM device
[   16.588598] cdc_wdm 1-5:1.6: cdc-wdm1: USB WDM device
[   16.588645] usbcore: registered new interface driver cdc_wdm
[   16.589554] cdc_acm 1-5:1.9: ttyACM2: USB ACM device
[   16.592649] usbcore: registered new interface driver cdc_acm
[   16.592653] cdc_acm: USB Abstract Control Model driver for USB modems and ISDN adapters

[ginggs]

Although these lines look important too?

[   16.576859] cdc_acm 1-5:1.3: ttyACM1: USB ACM device
[   16.588523] cdc_wdm 1-5:1.5: cdc-wdm0: USB WDM device
[   16.588598] cdc_wdm 1-5:1.6: cdc-wdm1: USB WDM device
[   16.588645] usbcore: registered new interface driver cdc_wdm
[   16.589554] cdc_acm 1-5:1.9: ttyACM2: USB ACM device
[   16.592649] usbcore: registered new interface driver cdc_acm
[   16.592653] cdc_acm: USB Abstract Control Model driver for USB modems and ISDN adapters

Try setting the gsm-ussd's modem port to /dev/ttyACM1 and /dev/ttyACM2 and see if you get a response on either port.

[K3NS31]

Try setting the gsm-ussd's modem port to /dev/ttyACM1 and /dev/ttyACM2 and see if you get a response on either port.

Yah, I figured you'd say that. Didn't work
Weird thing is those Modem Manager front-ends all see the modem and the network and so on, but can't send USSD's.
GSM-USSD just gives an error immediately, no matter what port I use.
(I also tried /dev/cdc-wdm0 and 1. And /dev/USB1-5)

[ginggs]

Yah, I figured you'd say that. Didn't work
Weird thing is those Modem Manager front-ends all see the modem and the network and so on, but can't send USSD's.
GSM-USSD just gives an error immediately, no matter what port I use.
(I also tried /dev/cdc-wdm0 and 1. And /dev/USB1-5)

Maybe your built-in modem just cannot do USSD.

[K3NS31]

Maybe your built-in modem just cannot do USSD.

Is that even possible?

[ginggs]

Is that even possible?

Sadly, yes. USSD support varies from manufacturer to manufacturer and modem to modem, even from firmware revision to firmware revision.

[K3NS31]

Damn. I'd better try to get hold of Ericsson support then.