[STICKY ] How to install latest modeswitch

Many users have problems with their mobile broadband dongles.
The main problem is that some dongles are recognised as flash disks instead of broadband sticks.

The main program used to convert the dongle from USB flash disk to broadband stick is called "modeswitch".

Modeswitch is being updated now and then as more and more new types of dongles come to the market.
So there may be a case that you just need to update your modeswitch dongle and the modeswitch list of dongles, to get your dognle properly recognised by Linux.

I prepared a guide on how to do that.

First go here: http://www.draisberghof.de/usb_modeswitch/#download and download 2 packages:
usb-modeswitch-2.2.0 and usb-modeswitch-data
These normally go to your Downloads folder. Through nautilus navigate to the Downloads folder, find the packages, right click on them and select "extract here". 2 files will be extracted. One called usb-modeswitch-2.2.0 and one called usb-modeswitch-data-20140529.

Then open terminal and install the following two packages (libusb-dev and tcl). You need internet connection for that (wifi or wired).

Code:

sudo apt-get install libusb-dev
sudo apt-get install tcl

After the above, we proceed in installing the new modeswitch in terminal: (replace with your username where needed).

Code:

cd /home/$USER/Downloads/usb-modeswitch-2.2.0
sudo make install

After is installed we clear the terminal with

Code:

cd

<enter>
and then we install the new modeswitch list

Code:

cd /home/$USER/Downloads/usb-modeswitch-data-20140529
sudo make install

We reboot, and then in terminal we run the following command to confirm that the new version has been installed.

Code:

usb_modeswitch --version

Then we plug our dongle and wait a few seconds to see if it works. Usually a window pops up asking for our password and then we proceed in the preparation of the mobile broadband connection via network manager.
Note that presently the latest modeswitch version is 2.2.0. If the version is updated, you will have to adjust the guide accordingly.
Hope that helps.

Great! Thank you so much, without your article it would've been impossible for me to connect my HUAWEI dongle to my new Mint 16 system, everything is working perfectly.

The only additional thing I had to install was libusb-1.0.0

Just type
sudo apt-get install libusb-1.0-0-dev

Hi cornelis, many thanks for contributing additional information! An overdue 120 blue jewels to madvinegar and 60 to you sir!

This is the great thing about the linux community. Everyone contributes !

Hi madvinegar, very true - just wish this BB had some blue jewels under your's and other contributors - much better than 'buntu beans!

I cannot understand why Ubuntu 12.04 LTS automatically recognizes and configures the HUAWEI dongle immediately when I plug it in for the first time WITHOUT having to install any additional software but with the latest Ubuntu 13.10 / Mint 16 / Zorin operating systems you have to go through this whole process to get it working.

It just doesn't make sense to me

I cannot understand why Ubuntu 12.04 LTS automatically recognizes and configures the HUAWEI dongle immediately when I plug it in for the first time WITHOUT having to install any additional software but with the latest Ubuntu 13.10 / Mint 16 / Zorin operating systems you have to go through this whole process to get it working.

It just doesn't make sense to me

I just had to install mobile partner from
http://dl-uk.huaweinews.com/index.php?dir=USB-Modem/
This site is from http://huaweinews.com/2013/08/download- ... er-latest/

I cannot understand why Ubuntu 12.04 LTS automatically recognizes and configures the HUAWEI dongle immediately when I plug it in for the first time WITHOUT having to install any additional software but with the latest Ubuntu 13.10 / Mint 16 / Zorin operating systems you have to go through this whole process to get it working.

It just doesn't make sense to me

I just had to install mobile partner from
http://dl-uk.huaweinews.com/index.php?dir=USB-Modem/
This site is from http://huaweinews.com/2013/08/download- ... er-latest/

I have never heard of that tool.
Can you please write a guide how to install it and how to use it? I would like to try it out.
Thanx!

You just download the zip file, cd to the driver file and then run in termninal

Code:

./install

?
Is there also a gui for this app?

DO NOT USE THIS TOOL ON Zorin 12 as it can cause issues with other kit - view comments on the link given in the thread below


I am really sorry but i am a 4 days old zorin-user. So forgive my mistakes.
Basically I used this tutorial: http://www.reportsfromearth.com/585/how ... on-ubuntu/.
But I don't think the driver part works so I think it is useless.
I first installed my driver from that website:
1.Unzip the linux.zip file in a convenient location, for instance on the desktop. Upon decompressing you’ll have a new folder: ~/Desktop/Linux/
2.Right click on each individual file in the folder ~/Desktop/Linux/, chose >> Proprieties >> Permissions – read and write all + check on “Allow executing as a program”
4. Open a terminal window
5. Code: cd ~/Desktop/Linux/
6. Code: sudo ./install
7. Several enters (shows some mistakes)
Then I downloaded mobile partner:
1.Unzip the file in a convenient location, for instance on the desktop. Upon decompressing you’ll have a new folder: ~/Desktop/Linux/
2.Right click on each individual file in the folder ~/Desktop/Linux/, chose >> Proprieties >> Permissions – read and write all + check on “Allow executing as a program” (I think you don't need this)
4. Open a terminal window
5. Code: cd ~/Desktop/Linux/
6. Code: sudo ./install
7. Several enters (shows some mistakes)
8. click on the file "install" (I think it run's something automatically on terminal)

This app is gui only but the install has to be made at least by clicking the file "install".
I hope I have helped someone.
Please correct my mistakes so that I may learn how to use linux.

I updated the commands in the original post with the new details/version of modeswitch 2.2.0

Great work madvinegar - another 120 blue jewels to you sir!

Hi,am a new Linux user.After installing both libusb-dev and tcl files successfully,i could not proceed with installing the new modeswitch in terminal as you described.I got the following feedback:
bash: cd: /home//Downloads/usb-modeswitch-2.5.0: No such file or directory

How do i proceed at this point?
Am running Zorin OS 12.
Machine details:
Memory:7.7 GB
Processor:Intel Core i7
Base System:Zorin OS 12 64-Bit

Have you tried this method?:

https://www.howtoinstall.co/en/ubuntu/x ... modeswitch