Need help to determine if my Huawei USB modem can work with Linux distros generally and Qubes particulary

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Once I, for anonimity purpose, bought a modem on dark market. I was going to use it in Qubes or in some other Linux and warned the seller that modem should work with Linuxes. He assured me that it will, so I bought it. It lay for me for a while until I finally got my hands on it. Before buying a simcard for it I decided to check it first if it will actually work in Qubes. I inserted it in usb port. It appeared in Qubes Devices. Then I attached it to disposible Debian app qube with disabled networking (all my offline qubes are Debian based just like sys-net and sys-firewall). I expected there to appear some modem interface or at least there happens something but it even didn’t appear in file manager. In QDevices it was marked as attached to that qube. So I looked at modem model on its case and googled its manual and it turned out that there even are no Linuxes in its list of compatibility. Only Windows and Mac Oses. Not sure if it actually means that it will really not work with Linuxes but it already looks like a bad sign. Then I used terminal command lsusb in disposible and saw modem’s name there, also checked dev folder in file manager and there was a file that disappeared when I pulled out the modem. So at least OS and qube see it in some way. But what can I do to really make sure that the modem will work with Linux? Or if it will not, can I reflash it somehow to make it work with Qubes or Whonix alone (if use Non-Qubes setup)? I searched some manuals on the topic but they were for cases when modem just doesn’t work and not about cases when you don’t know if it actually compitable with your OS.
So basically I need to find out first if it’s actually compitable with Linux and if:

a) It IS then what should I do to check if it’s actually alive and can work so I can buy simcard for it.

b) It ISN’T then how reflash it to make it work with Linux distros (especially with Qubes-Whonix and Non-Qubes Whonix setups), if this is generally possible.
P.S. Yes, never used modems before so really don’t know how it should behave in the system. Especially in Qubes. :slight_smile:
P.P.S. Modem compatibility list and specifications: Features; Main Features - Huawei E3372 Product Description [Page 8] | ManualsLib

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For now I tried to attach it to sys-net. There appeared a new connection in system connections right away. Shown as ethernet connection. Since it had no simcard networking seemed to be not really working (hope I didn’t show anything to the cell towers 'cause I was going to use modem with other device that has no any anonimous OS installed yet and I wouldn’t like to associate that modem with my current device).
But the main thing is that the modem still doesn’t appear in file manager and no interface appears in the qube. So in one hand it seems OS recognizes modem as network device but in other hand I’m still can’t be sure if it works proparly in Linux, not to mention the Qubes or Whonix. Will test further. :saluting_face:

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If you have data on your Qubes machine that is difficult for you to replace. Back up, If you have a bunch of Qubes setup in a way that you want. Back-Up. Back-up more than once. on different devices.

I am not the best person to answer this, as we have true internet experts who will tag in here and provide a more precise answer. I do know some of the Issues I have faced with modems.

First of all, I live in the United States, where Huwai has reputation as being a company which to use its hardware to spy on everyone. To which I offer contradictory things I have read. Huwai Cell Phones are banned from use on US military bases. I think a huge part of the US 5G cellular network hardware was built by Huwai,

If your need for being online was requires any level of assurance that I was not being spied on. Mission Critical - life or death stuff. Or even loss of large sums of money. I would not use a product from Huwai. Altho, again a contradiction, I can end up using a FOSS modem, which came to me on a slow boat from China, and could have been altered in some way, even if it it works with FOSS firmware/software. I read some of the FOSS modems can be slower than the usual Modems that come in laptops. or in USB,

Debian, as it also promoted FOSS, can be difficult with some manufacturer modems, where ever they are plugged in. Works with Linux may mean, you have to do a lot of things that are time consuming.

First realize that we are looking at the trade name given by the manufacturer of the USB Modem, it has in it the name of the manufacturer of the actual chip of the Modem. I bet you already knew that.

My thought would be to verify that the USB modem is actually functional. If you have the ease of doing so. I would Plug the USB-modem into a distro of Linux which is more -relaxed in allowing this USB-Modem to be used. If you don’t have an alternate linux computer to use. Perhaps a live distro of Tails, which use to be very accepting of USB Modems and easy to see how to choose the USB modem. Then there is the, does everything in Linux, Live install with Ubuntu Linux, or its sibling Mint Linux.

I am not sure you have correctly set-up the next sys-net. One: I have not used Debian for sys-net. Fedora can be more intuitive to work with. I do not know what to do to add the Fedora Sys-Net. and which things need to be-renamed, restarted where.

I would clone the current sys-net. I want to have the clone to restore the internet connection to back to it’s original state. Turn off in the settings of clone- provides internet to the other Qubes.

BTW, if you have any Data on your Qubes machine, or your current setup of Qubes. you want to make sure you do you lose. Back-up. Back - up more than once.

If you created the clone of your current sys-net. Then you might feel free to play with the current sys-net with the USB-Modem.

When I see it sees the USB Modem as wired. This -message- is what I see when creating a Qube to run a -personal choice- distro of Linux -of my own choosing. That distro connects to the Internet using my current, sys-net. which the rest of my Qubes use. then my personal choice-Linux-Qube, sees the internet as being a wired connection. Then I would go into my -personal choice-Qube distro, start it. I go into the settings for the Distro, say, Ubuntu connection. choose wired. then - IPV4. choose manual instead of DHCP. for the numbers like IP, Mask, Gateway, DNS. I would use the numbers I get from the -drop down menu, name of my -personal choice- Settings. I still have that setting to sys-firewall.

Which makes me suspect you have not gotten the replacement sys-net for your USB modem working.

Best wishes

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Tried modem with Tails - exactly the same thing: it sees modem as wired connection, tries to connect immediately and modem’s file system is absent in the file manager. No interface is authomatically launched after modem is pluged in. I came across an article that describes connecting issue in Linux of the same modem model. The guy there switches modem to “network card” mode. Perhaps this is what is needed in my case. He said nothing about any interface appearence issues so maybe it’s working in Linux as it should if modem is set in right mode. Otherwise I don’t see how anyone can use such a modem if without interface you can’t send an sms to set any needed tariff, check the balance, etc… Of course someone can insert simcard in the phone for this purpose or try to log in directly to the owner’s account but this is not the option for me.

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I never used a modern GSM modem, but I don’t think a filesystem would be a necessary part of it.

Don’t you need some dialer software, able to talk AT to the modem? Like on the old-time POTS modems, and GSM before smartphones took over.

A very quick search suggests there are AT commands for SMS, signal strength etc. I’m not sure about credit, but I’d be interested to know…

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You are saying it is not just a Modem, but a device to talk to a Cellular Network? Obviously Cellular Networks guard against anyone beginning a connection to their Network of Cellular Towers. ?? In the United States, you would have to talk to a Cellular provider. Cellular Providers sell their own USB devices to connect to their Network. Of course, you pay for the device, and the connection.

Else ask support for Huawei for more information.
Or Maybe, if it is easy to do, try to see what happens if you use it on a Windows computer.

and realize, I have no experience with this kind of device.

I have a local computer shop, they charge for what they do, but sometimes they will answer a question or two for free.

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From your description, your modem is already in this mode! You plug it in (USB) and shows up as a network card.
As for the “missing file system” - it’s a modem, not a storage device, although it seems to have a micro-SD slot. Did you put in a micro-SD card? Maybe you’ll get a storage device in addition to the Ethernet.

Well, for the rest of the world, it’s Cisco spying on everyone :smile:
(my point being that Huawei are blamed with little to no evidence**, while Cisco were caught poop-handed).

** I don’t consider the 3-letter agencies “take my word for it” as evidence

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Sigh! That steals all the fun. I thought the golden days of typing straight into minicom were coming back.

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First of all I need user interface for modem. Could your words mean that it’s not modem providing user interface but the simcard itself? Unfortunately, I can’t insert there my own, personal simcard to check this out 'cause I bought this modem for anonimous use. Will try to gether more info on this in the web.

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This is what modern word “modem” means:

Not dual-up modems from your ancient age.

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According to this scheme user interface is provided by modem and the same section is responsible for it as for drivers. So maybe it’s somehow drivers issue? Like: during first plugging in it authomatically connects to the network and downloads drivers for current system and only after this user interface is available? Well… I don’t know. What’s about tariffs if so? The user can loose some amount of money, since he probably couldn’t even set the right online tariff yet. :frowning: So-so scheme.

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Ah, sorry. I confused the SD card with the SIM card. There is a slot for SD card. Now understood.

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A little word from the

Just 'cause you were too late for 28.8, doesn’t mean your [friendly edit here:] new-fangled dongle doesn’t have a bit of the original Hayes in its :heart:. All the way from the AT commandset to the MOdulation-DEModulation used in 5G, even if it’s done at GHz instead of audio frequencies.
Shoulders of giants, and all that…

:slight_smile:

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Everything’s fine! I made a little more deep search in the internet and found out that:

  1. Yes, modem interface should launch by default automatically, in the browser’s tab.
  2. But there is still an option to enter it manually, using special address in browser address bar.

So, first I tried to do it in Qubes’ sys-net. And because of some reason it took a whole eternity just to launch Firefox in that qube. I mean literally - to launch it! As if the process was taking place on some ancient computer of the early 90s, and I launched a browser of 2025 on it (as you could understand, I wouldn’t be so surprised if it happened in other qubes and on a regular basis). When I finally waited and could enter the address in it it took another half an hour to load only white screen and modem’s logo on the tab. So this way I saw that:
a) It’s probably working.
b) Qubes most likely is not the system where I can use it. :slight_smile: At least if it’s installed on an HDD. Unless you, guys, know other reason why sys-net can’t launch a single browser tab. :slight_smile:

SO, I tried it on another Linux system - Tails. Booted it in amnestic mode and launched Unsafe Browser. This time everything was fine and I entered the user interface and reviewed all the settings.
P.S. By the way they have funny use policy (described in user interface itself) where they reserve the right to collect some usage data (at least IMEI and serial number of the device. Hope this means “serial number of the modem”, not laptop. Probably so.)
“in order to improve the work of the service and updates”, as well as obey to government orders, providing it requested information in order to investigate illegal activities, and even STOP the work of “service” if they find it necessary. :slight_smile:
If in simple words: you owe them everything - they owe you nothing. Well, in general, everything’s as always. :slight_smile:

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sys-net usually have set very low memory and 1-2 vcpus so when loading browser it heavily uses swap. Swapping on hdd is nightmare.

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I increased initial RAM memory to 2 GB in sys-net qube and tried modem interface in Firefox again. Now everything was just perfect! :+1: BIG THANK YOU for advice! :sparkling_heart:
I hope there can be nothing bad because of this. Right? :slight_smile:

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This is a good solution… maybe you can change the solution to point directly to the “More memory” tip from @KitsuneNoBaka - it will be easier for future visitors.
Notice that when you use Firefox on the web interface of your modem then the modem may know some identifying information about your system from Firefox, and can send it to the internet, when you put a SIM card.

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The solution has been updated by me.

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There is an option in its settings menu to reset its settings to default. Could it be the way to wipe that information? Anyway, when I was going to unplug modem I used that option for any case.
I don’t know any other method to interact with the modem except the user interface in browser window. And even if there are terminal commands (ok, they are. Just take a look at it and see what pain in @sssssssss it is) for the same purpose, I doubt that you can receive SMS this way. Send the service commands - maybe.
Anyway, what information can it sniff? The same as could installed messager like Telegram? Any way to reduce the amount of this information or restrict it?

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Does it do this only when it’s ISP modem (not sure if you, in West, have special term for this. We call modems provided by ISP “locked” and when it’s not from ISP we call it - “unlocked”). My modem is “unlocked”. Just random Huawei modem, bought on black market. Will it still transfer hardware and OS info? Not sure if it’s the same as inscription “QUBES” in large letters that Qubes provides itself in any web app like Telegram, that can be visible to the user just like to the very Telegram server.