Using an Alcatel X200 under Linux
Posted in Internet, Linux / unix, Software-related on October 12th, 2009 by JanI recently purchased an Alcatel Onetouch X200 3G USB modem, to be able to use internet on various locations where there is no wired or wifi available. Works fine under Windows/Mac OS X, bit more of a hassle under Linux.
Here are some hints on how to get it to work:
- You need to install usb-modeswitch to switch the card from it’s builtin usb-storage mode to the USBModem mode. Configuration is done in /etc/usb_modeswitch.conf
- Use
/dev/ttyUSB2. The other two ports that your modem will give don’t really work well. - Also, use atleast kernel 2.6.31. Earlier ones might not work.
- Disable PIN authentication on your SIMcard! This one thing was what kept it from working decently – I tried tons of things, and when I disabled the PIN, it worked nearly instantaneously.
The command to do PIN auth isAT+CPIN=1111(changing 1111 by your actual PIN), but when issuing this command the modem accepts it, but very often freaks out afterwards. Weird.
You can find a nice list of GSM modem AT codes on gsm-modem.de.
Thats about it!

