qinternet/smpppd/WvDial problem connecting to Internet in 11.3

English Network/Internet
#1

Over the last few months an intermittent problem with using qinternet to connect through dialup has turned into a consistent problem. Three attempts to connect through dialup have to be made in order to successfully connect to the ISP. The modem is an Actiontec external USB modem, and here’s what’s happening.

1.) The problem occurs whether qinternet starts on bootup or it is started manually after logging in. qinternet is also set to dial manually.

2.) At the first attempt to dial using qinternet for a connection, it will dial repeatedly without waiting for the ISP to pickup on its end. As soon as WvDial finishes dialing, it reports “NO CARRIER” and begins to dial again. This can go on indefinitely or freeze up after one or two attempts to dial. (See the log.) At this point I hang-up using qinternet. The following may be relevant: As soon as qinternet hangs-up, something is accessing the hard drive every half-second or less, which goes on indefinitely.

Status is: disconnected
trying to connect to smpppd
connect to smpppd
Status is: disconnected
Status is: connecting
pppd[0]: Plugin passwordfd.so loaded.
pppd[0]: --> WvDial: Internet dialer version 1.60
pppd[0]: --> Initializing modem.
pppd[0]: --> Sending: ATZ
pppd[0]: --> Sending: ATQ0
pppd[0]: Q0
pppd[0]: OK
pppd[0]: --> Re-Sending: ATZ
pppd[0]: Z
pppd[0]: OK
pppd[0]: --> Sending: AT &F E0 &C1 &D2 V1 S0=0V1
pppd[0]: AT &F E0 &C1 &D2 V1 S0=0V1
pppd[0]: OK
pppd[0]: --> Sending: ATM1
pppd[0]: OK
pppd[0]: --> Modem initialized.
pppd[0]: --> Sending: ATDT2149775
pppd[0]: --> Waiting for carrier.
pppd[0]: NO CARRIER
pppd[0]: --> No Carrier!  Trying again.
pppd[0]: --> Sending: ATDT2149775
pppd[0]: --> Waiting for carrier.
pppd[0]: NO CARRIER
pppd[0]: --> No Carrier!  Trying again.
pppd[0]: --> Sending: ATDT2149775
pppd[0]: --> Waiting for carrier.
pppd[0]: NO CARRIER
pppd[0]: --> No Carrier!  Trying again.
pppd[0]: --> Sending: ATDT2149775
pppd[0]: --> Waiting for carrier.
pppd[0]: NO CARRIER
pppd[0]: --> No Carrier!  Trying again.
pppd[0]: --> Sending: ATDT2149775
pppd[0]: --> Waiting for carrier.
pppd[0]: NO CARRIER
pppd[0]: --> No Carrier!  Trying again.
pppd[0]: --> Sending: ATDT2149775
pppd[0]: --> Waiting for carrier.
pppd[0]: NO CARRIER
pppd[0]: --> No Carrier!  Trying again.
pppd[0]: --> Sending: ATDT2149775
pppd[0]: --> Waiting for carrier.
pppd[0]: NO CARRIER
pppd[0]: --> No Carrier!  Trying again.
pppd[0]: --> Sending: ATDT2149775
pppd[0]: --> Waiting for carrier.
pppd[0]: NO CARRIER
pppd[0]: --> No Carrier!  Trying again.
pppd[0]: --> Sending: ATDT2149775
pppd[0]: --> Waiting for carrier.
pppd[0]: NO CARRIER
pppd[0]: --> No Carrier!  Trying again.
pppd[0]: --> Sending: ATDT2149775
pppd[0]: --> Waiting for carrier.
pppd[0]: NO CARRIER
pppd[0]: --> No Carrier!  Trying again.
pppd[0]: --> Sending: ATDT2149775
pppd[0]: --> Waiting for carrier.
pppd[0]: NO CARRIER
pppd[0]: --> No Carrier!  Trying again.
pppd[0]: --> Sending: ATDT2149775
pppd[0]: --> Waiting for carrier.
pppd[0]: NO CARRIER
pppd[0]: --> No Carrier!  Trying again.
pppd[0]: --> Sending: ATDT2149775
pppd[0]: --> Waiting for carrier.
pppd[0]: NO CARRIER
pppd[0]: --> No Carrier!  Trying again.
pppd[0]: --> Sending: ATDT2149775
pppd[0]: --> Waiting for carrier.
pppd[0]: NO CARRIER
pppd[0]: --> No Carrier!  Trying again.
pppd[0]: --> Sending: ATDT2149775
pppd[0]: --> Waiting for carrier.
pppd[0]: NO CARRIER
pppd[0]: --> No Carrier!  Trying again.
pppd[0]: --> Sending: ATDT2149775
pppd[0]: --> Waiting for carrier.
pppd[0]: NO CARRIER
pppd[0]: --> No Carrier!  Trying again.
pppd[0]: --> Sending: ATDT2149775
pppd[0]: --> Waiting for carrier.
pppd[0]: NO CARRIER
pppd[0]: --> No Carrier!  Trying again.
pppd[0]: --> Sending: ATDT2149775
pppd[0]: --> Waiting for carrier.
pppd[0]: NO CARRIER
pppd[0]: --> No Carrier!  Trying again.
pppd[0]: --> Sending: ATDT2149775
pppd[0]: --> Waiting for carrier.
pppd[0]: NO CARRIER
pppd[0]: --> No Carrier!  Trying again.
pppd[0]: --> Sending: ATDT2149775
pppd[0]: --> Waiting for carrier.
pppd[0]: NO CARRIER
pppd[0]: --> No Carrier!  Trying again.
pppd[0]: --> Sending: ATDT2149775
pppd[0]: --> Waiting for carrier.
pppd[0]: NOARRIER
Status is: disconnecting
pppd[0]: Caught signal 15:  Attempting to exit gracefully...
pppd[0]: Child process /usr/bin/wvdial --chat --no-syslog --config /var/run/smpppd/chat-modem0.conf smpppd (pid 3111) terminated with signal 15
pppd[0]: Connect script failed
Status is: disconnected
pppd[0] died: Connect script failed (exit code 8)

3.) After hanging up, I attempt to dial a second time with qinternet. This time the dialup connection is partially successful. The call to the ISP is completed and the handshake begun. The process stops at the point where the handshake goes silent to complete the connection. The lights on the modem indicate nothing is being transmitted or received. At this point, telling qinternet to hang-up is ineffective. (See the log.) To disengage, I quit qinternet and turn off the modem and, whatever is accessing the hard drive every half-second ceases.

Status is: disconnected
trying to connect to smpppd
connect to smpppd
Status is: disconnected
Status is: connecting
pppd[0]: Plugin passwordfd.so loaded.
pppd[0]: --> WvDial: Internet dialer version 1.60
pppd[0]: --> Initializing modem.
pppd[0]: --> Sending: ATZ
pppd[0]: OK
pppd[0]: --> Sending: AT &F E0 &C1 &D2 V1 S0=0V1
pppd[0]: AT &F E0 &C1 &D2 V1 S0=0V1
pppd[0]: OK
pppd[0]: --> Sending: ATM1
pppd[0]: OK
pppd[0]: --> Modem initialized.
pppd[0]: --> Sending: ATDT2149775
pppd[0]: --> Waiting for carrier.
pppd[0]: CONNECT 52000 V44
pppd[0]: --> Carrier detected.  Chatmode finished.
pppd[0]: Script /usr/bin/wvdial --chat --no-syslog --config /var/run/smpppd/chat-modem0.conf smpppd finished (pid 3119), status = 0x0
pppd[0]: Serial connection established.

4.) As soon as qinternet and the modem have been turned off, I restart qinternet (within a second or two) and turn on the modem (within another second or two). It has to be in this order: first, qinternet; second, turn on the modem. Then qinternet can be used successfully to dial the ISP and connect to the Internet. (See the log.)

Status is: disconnected
trying to connect to smpppd
connect to smpppd
Status is: disconnected
Status is: connecting
pppd[0]: Plugin passwordfd.so loaded.
pppd[0]: --> WvDial: Internet dialer version 1.60
pppd[0]: --> Initializing modem.
pppd[0]: --> Sending: ATZ
pppd[0]: ATZ
pppd[0]: OK
pppd[0]: --> Sending: AT &F E0 &C1 &D2 V1 S0=0V1
pppd[0]: AT &F E0 &C1 &D2 V1 S0=0V1
pppd[0]: OK
pppd[0]: --> Sending: ATM1
pppd[0]: OK
pppd[0]: --> Modem initialized.
pppd[0]: --> Sending: ATDT2149775
pppd[0]: --> Waiting for carrier.
pppd[0]: CONNECT 52000 V44
pppd[0]: --> Carrier detected.  Chatmode finished.
pppd[0]: Script /usr/bin/wvdial --chat --no-syslog --config /var/run/smpppd/chat-modem0.conf smpppd finished (pid 3133), status = 0x0
pppd[0]: Serial connection established.
pppd[0]: Renamed interface ppp0 to modem0
pppd[0]: Using interface modem0
Status is: connecting
pppd[0]: Connect: modem0 <--> /dev/ttyUSB0
pppd[0]: PAP authentication succeeded
pppd[0]: local  IP address 72.251.75.183
pppd[0]: remote IP address 66.52.2.130
pppd[0]: primary   DNS address 64.136.173.5
pppd[0]: secondary DNS address 64.136.164.77
pppd[0]: Script /etc/ppp/ip-up finished (pid 5300), status = 0x0
Status is: connected

What needs to be looked at to find out what’s going on? And, of course, how is this fixed?

TIA,
Mark Z.

#2

Have you tried using wvdial by itself instead of through qinternet?

#3

Thanks for the idea. I tried WvDial as su with no success. The output says there is no /dev/modem. As expected, the config file lists the default modem as /dev/modem, and I’ve verified that /dev/modem doesn’t exist.

Here’s the output from the terminal when wvdial is run as su:

--> WvDial: Internet dialer version 1.60
--> Cannot open /dev/modem: No such file or directory
--> Cannot open /dev/modem: No such file or directory
--> Cannot open /dev/modem: No such file or directory

Here’s the content of wvdial.conf:

[Dialer Defaults]
Modem = /dev/modem
Baud = 57600
Init1 = ATZ
Init2 = ATQ0 V1 E1 S0=0 &C1 &D2
Init3 =
Area Code =
Phone = 0
Username =
Password =
Ask Password = 0
Dial Command = ATDT
Stupid Mode = 1
Compuserve = 0
Force Address =
Idle Seconds = 300
DialMessage1 =
DialMessage2 =
ISDN = 0
Auto DNS = 1

Could the problem with using qinternet be related to the missing /dev/modem? If qinternet/smpppd is calling up WvDial, how can it connect without the missing /dev/modem?

Any other ideas would be greatly appreciated.

TIA,
Mark Z.

#4

I’m running on wi-fi now, and not with a modem, so bear with me.
My modem never registered as “dev/modem” so that may be a problem.
What I did:

sudo wvdialconf
sudo wvdial

But before I did that I had to edit the wvdial.conf manually to add my phone number and my credentials; if you’re ISP uses credentials you will have to do this also. A quick google on your ISP will provide you with the typical password and login ID. It is typically your 10 digit phone number @isp.net. But it varies from ISP to ISP. To determine my modem number I had to use Windows. The phone number, username, and password go in the appropriate fields.

Sorry for the late reply.

#5

On 2011-04-13 01:06, azmarkz wrote:
> Thanks for the idea. I tried WvDial as su with no success. The output
> says there is no /dev/modem. As expected, the config file lists the
> default modem as /dev/modem, and I’ve verified that /dev/modem doesn’t
> exist.

In /lib/udev/devices create a symlink from modem to the appropriate device.
Or, edit the configuration file of wvdial so that it addresses the
appropriate device

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 11.2 x86_64 “Emerald” at Telcontar)

#6

Thanks for the suggestions. I modified wvdial.conf to point to the correct device, which I discovered is /dev/ttyUSB0, and added the appropriate info for my ISP and account. Unfortunately this didn’t help. The problem remains unchanged.

Any other ideas would be appreciated.

Mark Z.

#7

On 2011-04-18 20:36, azmarkz wrote:
>
> Thanks for the suggestions. I modified wvdial.conf to point to the
> correct device, which I discovered is /dev/ttyUSB0, and added the
> appropriate info for my ISP and account. Unfortunately this didn’t help.
> The problem remains unchanged.

Post output of test with wvdial.

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 11.2 x86_64 “Emerald” at Telcontar)

#8

Leave the modified wvdial.conf alone, don’t rerun wvdialconf.
If possible, boot into another OS and connect to the carrier. I found the only way to get rid of my “No Carrier” was to plug into Windows and dial out. Then I could in Linux for some odd reason, not really sure why, I just lived with dialing out in Windows about once a week. Having the modem in the machine while it turned on also seemed to help/.

#9

Hi Carlos,

Please excuse me for forgetting to post the results of the wvdial test. Here they are:

--> WvDial: Internet dialer version 1.60
--> Cannot set information for serial port.
--> Initializing modem.
--> Sending: ATZ
O
--> Sending: ATQ0
ATQ0
OK
--> Re-Sending: ATZ
ATZ
OK
--> Sending: ATQ0 V1 E1 S0=0 &C1 &D2
A0 V1 E1 S0=0 &C1 &D2
OK
--> Modem initialized.
--> Idle Seconds = 300, disabling automatic reconnect.
--> Sending: ATDT2149775
--> Waiting for carrier.
ATDT2149775
NO CARRIER
--> No Carrier!  Trying again.
--> Sending: ATDT2149775
--> Waiting for carrier.
NO CARRIER
--> No Carrier!  Trying again.
--> Sending: ATDT2149775
--> Waiting for carrier.
DT2149775
NO CARRIER
--> No Carrier!  Trying again.
--> Sending: ATDT2149775
--> Waiting for carrier.
75
NO CARRIER--> No Carrier!  Trying again.
--> Sending: ATDT2149775
--> Waiting for carrier.
NO CARRIER
--> No Carrier!  Trying again.
--> Sending: ATDT2149775
--> Waiting for carrier.
DT2149775
NO CARRIER
--> No Carrier!  Trying again.
--> Sending: ATDT2149775
--> Waiting for carrier.
49775
NO CARRIER
--> No Carrier!  Trying again.
--> Sending: ATDT2149775
--> Waiting for carrier.
NO CARRIER
--> No Carrier!  Trying again.
--> Sending: ATDT2149775
--> Waiting for carrier.
DT2149775
NO CARRIER
--> No Carrier!  Trying again.
--> Sending: ATDT2149775
--> Waiting for carrier.
49775
NO CARRIER

There’s a lot more of the same. It kept going until I turned the modem off. Towards the end you can see that the program is dialing while it’s still waiting for the carrier.

For bsilvereagle:
I turn the modem on automatically when the machine is powered up regardless of whether I intend to go online. Just a force of habit. Also, using another OS won’t work for me, but thanks for the suggestion.

#10

The line “ATDT2149775” has me curious because your modem is trying to connect to your ISP at the number 2149775 but I don’t see it in your wvdial.conf. Is that the correct number?
Here is an interesting article, Controlling your Modem with AT Commands
You may want to try ATDP to pulse dial.

#11

On 2011-04-19 04:36, azmarkz wrote:
> → Sending: ATDT2149775
> → Waiting for carrier.
> ATDT2149775
> NO CARRIER

What noises do you hear at this point? Is it dialing? Do you hear the
handshake?

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 11.2 x86_64 “Emerald” at Telcontar)

#12

It is the same as in the OP. The modem is dialing without waiting for the handshake to begin. As soon as it completes dialing, it begins to dial again. Sometimes it begins to redial even before finishing dialing the full seven digits. This can go on indefinitely until I send the hang-up command through qinternet, which, of course, I can’t do when using wvdial in a terminal. On occasion it can freeze up after one, two, or several dialing attempts.

In an earlier post is the wvdial.conf file as it existed when I first described my problem. Below, based on suggestions from this thread, is the wvdial.conf as modified with asterisks in place of personal info.

[Dialer Defaults]
Modem = /dev/ttyUSB0
Baud = 57600
Init1 = ATZ
Init2 = ATQ0 V1 E1 S0=0 &C1 &D2
Init3 =
Area Code =
Phone = 2149775
Username = ********@*********.net
Password = ************
Ask Password = 0
Dial Command = ATDT
Stupid Mode = 1
Compuserve = 0
Force Address =
Idle Seconds = 300
DialMessage1 =
DialMessage2 =
ISDN = 0
Auto DNS = 1

The result of using the modified wvdial.conf w/ wvdial in a su terminal is the same as using qinternet as described for the first dialing attempt in the OP (i.e., before wvdial.conf was modified).

Also described in the OP is how something is accessing the hard drive every half second or less as soon as hanging up from the first unsuccessful attempt to dialup the ISP. This continues until discontinuing the second unsuccessful attempt to dialup by quitting qinternet and then turning off the modem. As described above, it is not possible to hang-up using qinternet during the second unsucessful attempt.

BTW, the problems I’ve described happen regardless of whether the modem is on or off at bootup or whether Firefox and/or kmail are running or not when attempting to dialup.

Could there be something in the background attempting to access the Internet that is causing all this? If so, where should I look?

TIA,
Mark Z.

#13

Did you try the pulse dialing? ATDP instead of ATDT as the dial command.

#14

Forgot to do that, but I just finished testing with ATDP. There is no difference in results. During the first attempt, the modem is dialing and redialing without waiting for the handshake from the ISP, and so on for the second and third attempts to get connected.

One thing I noticed is that qinternet/smpppd/wvdial does not use /etc/wvdial.conf to configure wvdial. After modifying /etc/wvdial.conf to use ATDP instead of ATDT, qinternet still uses ATDT for wvdial. When using wvdial in a su terminal, then ATDP is used. But, as I said, the problem remains the same whether using ATDT or ATDP.

I’m starting to think it more likely something in the background is attempting to access the Internet, which is causing the problems with the modem. If this is so, could it be that both the background something and my direct control are sending multiple and/or conflicting commands to the modem?

Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

Mark Z.

#15

On 2011-04-20 22:06, azmarkz wrote:
>
> robin_listas;2326749 Wrote:
>> On 2011-04-19 04:36, azmarkz wrote:
>> What noises do you hear at this point? Is it dialing? Do you hear the
>> handshake?
>
> It is the same as in the OP. The modem is dialing without waiting for
> the handshake to begin. -As soon as- it completes dialing, it begins to
> dial again. Sometimes it begins to redial even before finishing dialing
> the full seven digits. This can go on indefinitely until I send the
> hang-up command through qinternet, which, of course, I can’t do when
> using wvdial in a terminal. On occasion it can freeze up after one, two,
> or several dialing attempts.

Very weird.

wvdial - I’m assuming you are using it on a terminal - can be stopped with
a simple “ctrl-C”. I’ve never used qinternet.

It appears as if it is not reading the modem.

> In an earlier post is the wvdial.conf file as it existed when I first
> described my problem. Below, based on suggestions from this thread, is
> the wvdial.conf as modified with asterisks in place of personal info.

Comparing with mine, I used stupid mode 0, but I don’t remember why.

> Could there be something in the background attempting to access the
> Internet that is causing all this? If so, where should I look?

Mmm…

Try “rcsmpppd stop”.

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 11.2 x86_64 “Emerald” at Telcontar)

#16

On 2011-04-21 19:36, azmarkz wrote:

> One thing I noticed is that qinternet/smpppd/wvdial does not use
> /etc/wvdial.conf to configure wvdial. After modifying /etc/wvdial.conf
> to use ATDP instead of ATDT, qinternet still uses ATDT for wvdial. When
> using wvdial in a su terminal, then ATDP is used. But, as I said, the
> problem remains the same whether using ATDT or ATDP.

Yes, qinternet uses its own configuration.

> I’m starting to think it more likely something in the background is
> attempting to access the Internet, which is causing the problems with
> the modem. If this is so, could it be that both the background something
> and my direct control are sending multiple and/or conflicting commands
> to the modem?

I always used directly wvdial, and had service smpppd stopped.

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 11.2 x86_64 “Emerald” at Telcontar)

#17

That didn’t work. Using wvdial after sending the command, there was the incessant dialing and redialing without waiting for a handshake.

BTW, I tried stupid mode as 0. The difference between 0 and 1 is how it handles prompts for username and password.

Here’s something I’ve just noticed: There is a faint flicker of light about once a second on the modem’s transmit data light. This begins at the login screen before bootup is complete and long before using either wvdial or qinternet to connect.

The flickering light may have been there long before the problems started. At this point, though, I’m looking for anything that might give a clue as to what is causing the problem.

Mark Z.

#18

Here’s something I’ve just noticed: There is a faint flicker of light about once a second on the modem’s transmit data light. This begins at the login screen before bootup is complete and long before using either wvdial or qinternet to connect.

The flickering light may have been there long before the problems started. At this point, though, I’m looking for anything that might give a clue as to what is causing the problem.

That could be due to polling by hal. (Just a guess).

#19

On 2011-04-22 16:36, azmarkz wrote:
>
> robin_listas;2327641 Wrote:
>> Try “rcsmpppd stop”.
> That didn’t work. Using wvdial after sending the command, there was the
> incessant dialing and redialing without waiting for a handshake.

I’m starting to think the modem is bad, it does not recognizes the
telephone tones.

I recall there was a setting to tell the modem the country it is in, and
thus adapt to the tones. But I don’t remember which command to use for this.

> BTW, I tried stupid mode as 0. The difference between 0 and 1 is how it
> handles prompts for username and password.

Ah, yes, I remember now.

> Here’s something I’ve just noticed: There is a faint flicker of light
> about once a second on the modem’s transmit data light. This begins at
> the login screen before bootup is complete and long before using either
> wvdial or qinternet to connect.

Weird.

> The flickering light may have been there long before the problems
> started. At this point, though, I’m looking for anything that might give
> a clue as to what is causing the problem.

Do you know minicom? It is for handling the modem directly. Try the ATI
commands, see if it responds correctly. Then try to dial a plain phone
number, then the one from your ISP. See how it responds. If you get a
connect the modem is correct and the problem is wvdial.

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 11.2 x86_64 “Emerald” at Telcontar)

#20

Here’s a guide on using minicom to test your modem with:

CodeIdol - Thinking about Linux Troubleshooting Bible - Modem TroubleshootIng - Setting Up Your Modem With Minicom