RE: Network Manager's supported Modem list

[Dan Williams <dcbw redhat com>]

On Fri, 2009-05-22 at 11:01 +0200, Herriot, Nicholas, VF-Group wrote:
> I guess my question has already been answered. 
> Network Manager does not have a strategy for testing and integration with different USB Modems to ensure compatibility. Which is understandable given the remit.

There is a testing strategy, which is essentially whenever we make
changes to device detection or to core mobile broadband code, we test
the code with as many devices as we can to ensure that it works.
However, there are limitations to this strategy as we only have so many
devices, so much $$, and so many people actively participating in the
testing.  We also rely on the kernel community for testing of the USB
stack, but in general we assume that the kernel + USB stack will work
reliably (which is not always the case [1]).

The ideal testing strategy would be to have agreements with hardware
manufacturers and network operators for pre-release hardware to ensure
compatibility.  Second, obtain agreements with the OEMs for hardware
documentation to assure that their devices are supported more fully than
can be determined by reverse-engineering or USB sniffing their Windows
drivers.  Third, obtain plans/SIMs with major network operators to
ensure that we can test with a specific operator/card combination.
Fourth, integrate unit tests including modem-behavior modeling into the
NetworkManager unit test framework to reduce the need for actual
hardware when doing primary validation on code changes.

> I guess this should be work carried out between Hardware manufacturer and Network operators. What would be better would be:

Obviously the NM developers are never going to get as much access to
hardware as the OEMs and the operators themselves, or as much lead-time
for testing.

> 1)	A list of devices that have been tested and verified to work, with a list of tests that were carried out. (Community members could help with this.)

I just posted my list in this thread.  My basic validation includes
multiple runs of device recognition (ie hotplug), connection to the
network, basic browsing, device disconnection, repeat.

> 2)	A list of devices that have unique 'code' in the application that are needed to handle them, coupled with the generic list.

That list is essentially:

Huawei E160/169
Huawei EC121
Ericsson F3507g
Option 'hso' cards
Sierra AC860

> It's a shame there is no way for plugins to be written to cope with USB modem card differences as is done for the Betavine.net linux driver. (e.g. The product  ID/ Vendor ID on some Huawei cards which are incorrect in purpose to get round an issue on Window machines.) This kind of thing could be handled in plugin maybe! .. ;-) ...

That is incorrect.  ModemManager is built around a generic plugin
architecture specifically for this reason, and there are already plugins
for a variety of different card manufacturers.  Most attention is now
directed at ModemManager and bringing up MM support for the oddball
cards that were hacked into NetworkManager 0.7.1.

Dan

> 
> I agree, it would help support guys everywhere.
> 
> 
> Kind regards, Nicholas.
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Peteris Krisjanis [mailto:pecisk gmail com] 
> Sent: 22 May 2009 08:46
> To: Dan Williams
> Cc: Herriot, Nicholas, VF-Group; networkmanager-list gnome org
> Subject: Re: Network Manager's supported Modem list
> 
> But it would be hard to make such list looking at the code? If not, I could try to make such list. It would help Linux support guys everywhere.
> 
> Cheers,
> Peter
> 
> 2009/5/21 Dan Williams <dcbw redhat com>:
> > On Wed, 2009-05-20 at 14:11 +0200, Herriot, Nicholas, VF-Group wrote:
> >> Hi,
> >>
> >> Is there such a thing as Network Manager's supported USB Modem list?
> >> And if this is a 'no' what part of the code base do I look at to find 
> >> out the supported modems?
> >
> > It depends on a few things...  first, the kernel drivers having the 
> > IDs for the modems.  In general, NM will support generic modems that 
> > use ATDT-style connection setup (ie, PPP).  It also supports Option 
> > 'hso'-style modems that use OWAN-style call setup.
> >
> > As of 0.7.1, I think we've got support for most of the modems that are 
> > currently in wide use.  We do occasionally find quirks (like Huawei 
> > CDMA modems from Reliance India that return "COMMAND NOT SUPPORT" 
> > instead of "ERROR", for example).
> >
> >> i.e. is there a 'conf' file with scripts for each modem?
> >
> > Nope, they are handled automatically in the code.  Scripts aren't 
> > really flexible enough, or if they are, they turn into a programming 
> > language anyway.
> >
> > Dan
> >
> >> Kind regards, Nicholas.
> >>
> >>
> >> Nicholas Herriot
> >>
> >> Web Technologies Researcher
> >> Vodafone Group R&D - UK
> >>
> >> www.betavine.net
> >> www.betavine.mobi (from mobile)
> >>
> >> Mobile: +44 (0) 7717275049
> >> Fax: +44 (0) 1635 686484
> >>
> >> Vodafone Group Service Limited
> >> Registered Office: Vodafone House, The Connection, Newbury, 
> >> Berkshire,
> >> RG14 2FN
> >> Registered in England No 3802001
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> >
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> >
> 
> 
> 
> --
> mortigi tempo
> Pēteris Krišjānis