GPRS FSO

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Key pages on:
FSO

(Other distributions)


This page documents the GSM networking solutions (commonly known as GPRS) using the FreeSmartphone.Org framework (FSO).

There are other ways to enable wireless communications on the smartphone, including Bluetooth and WLAN.

Contents

Current state

Since milestone 2 the system dbus has been extended with methods that enables connectivity using GPRS. The functionality is available under org.freesmartphone.ogsmd at /org/freesmartphone/GSM/Device.

The implementation should not interfere with other phone functionality, such as placing calls. In other words: you can use GPRS while talking on the phone without hanging up. Note though that depending on hardware and networking, simultaneous data transmission and voice call alerting (let alone performing calls) might not be possible.

Since FSO is a middleware it offers no GUI, however it's fairly easy to use the methods available using any dbus tool.

The methods available: 

[METHOD]    org.freesmartphone.GSM.PDP.ActivateContext( s:apn, s:user, s:password )
[METHOD]    org.freesmartphone.GSM.PDP.DeactivateContext()
[METHOD]    org.freesmartphone.GSM.PDP.GetCurrentGprsClass()
[METHOD]    org.freesmartphone.GSM.PDP.ListAvailableGprsClasses()
[METHOD]    org.freesmartphone.GSM.PDP.SetCurrentGprsClass( s:class_ )
[SIGNAL]    org.freesmartphone.GSM.PDP.ContextStatus( i:index, s:status, a{sv}:properties )

Use mdbus -s -l to monitor the emitted signals. Signals will look roughly like this:

ActivateContext( s:apn, s:user, s:password ) 
[SIGNAL]    org.freesmartphone.GSM.PDP.ContextStatus 
 from :1.3 /org/freesmartphone/GSM/Device
 (dbus.Int32(1), dbus.String(u'outgoing'), 
  dbus.Dictionary({}, signature=dbus.Signature('sv')))
Once the connection is established (takes 3-4 seconds for me) a new signal is emitted 
[SIGNAL]    org.freesmartphone.GSM.PDP.ContextStatus    
 from :1.3 /org/freesmartphone/GSM/Device
 (dbus.Int32(1), dbus.String(u'active'), 
  dbus.Dictionary({}, signature=dbus.Signature('sv')))
DeactivateContext 
[SIGNAL]    org.freesmartphone.GSM.PDP.ContextStatus    
 from :1.3 /org/freesmartphone/GSM/Device
 (dbus.Int32(1), dbus.String(u'release'), 
  dbus.Dictionary({}, signature=dbus.Signature('sv')))

Using scripts

While we wait for the preferences part of FSO to be completed (and a GUI), we can use two shell scripts. You need to know three things to successfully connect via GPRS (your carrier should provide this information to you):

  • the APN to use,
  • the username, and
  • the password.

If your APN has no username or password, you must still provide a string to satisfy the framework's input requirements. Entering bogus data, such as the "x" above, will suffice.

To connect, put the following in a file and make it executable (chmod +x gprs-on.sh): 

#!/bin/sh
APN="internet.parlino.se"
USERNAME="x"
PASSWORD="x"
BUSNAME="org.freesmartphone.ogsmd"
OBJECTPATH="/org/freesmartphone/GSM/Device"
METHODNAME="org.freesmartphone.GSM.PDP.ActivateContext"
mdbus -s $BUSNAME $OBJECTPATH $METHODNAME $APN "$USERNAME" "$PASSWORD"

To disconnect, use the following method instead (chmod +x gprs-off.sh): 

#!/bin/sh
BUSNAME="org.freesmartphone.ogsmd"
OBJECTPATH="/org/freesmartphone/GSM/Device"
METHODNAME="org.freesmartphone.GSM.PDP.DeactivateContext"
mdbus -s $BUSNAME $OBJECTPATH $METHODNAME

The on script, using the ActivateContext method, will:

  • setup a ppp interface (normally ppp0) (and assign IP address)
  • setup (replace) the default route
  • setup DNS

with settings received from the ISP.

For a list of known APN:s, see the main GPRS page.


Troubleshooting

  • When a something like org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.UnknownMethod appears make sure that:
    • frameworkd is started of course
    • That the method did not hide in an other place than expected follow the white Rabbit
  • Online script runs without error but pppd did not start
    • use logread to debug....
    • Maybe the kernel module ppp-generic is not loaded, try modprobe. ( you can do echo ppp-generic > /etc/modutils/ppp-generic and then update-modules to load the module at boot time )
    • Maybe you have to do a mknod /dev/ppp c 108 0
  • No MUX Channels available
    • Means that the frameworkd has no free channel available to connect to the GSM Modem.
    • Restart the frameworkd and the phone Application (aka ophoned or zhone). Works fine for me.
  • MISC Troubleshooting
    • Switch the frameworkd loglevel to DEBUG (/etc/frameworkd.conf)
    • use the source!

Using a GUI

Framework-settings

SHR (Unstable??)

SHR is based on FSO, so I think its GPRS settings should be found here. Shr has its native setting manager which has Connectivity sub-panel which in turn has settings for GPRS. Its very intutive and your GPRS/FR should be up and running in no time.

To enable gprs on-demand you need to do some manual changes in framework code. Alter, /usr/lib/python2.6/site-packages/framework/subsystems/ogsmd/modems/abstract/modem.py as: 

--- orig.modem.py       Sat Jul 18 02:13:29 2009
+++ modem.py    Sat Jul 18 02:13:06 2009
@@ -76,6 +76,8 @@
            'proxyarp',
            'replacedefaultroute',
            'usepeerdns',
+            'demand',
+            'idle', '20',
        ]

        self._data["pppd-does-setup-and-teardown"] = True # default
is using connect and disconnect scripts

Alter, /usr/lib/python2.6/site-packages/framework/subsystems/ogsmd/modems/abstract/pdp.py as: 

--- orig.pdp.py Sat Jul 18 04:20:13 2009
+++ pdp.py      Sat Jul 18 04:19:03 2009
@@ -219,7 +219,8 @@
 """

     PPP_DAEMON_SETUP["/etc/ppp/ip-down.d/92removedns"] = """#!/bin/sh -e
-echo nameserver 127.0.0.1 > /etc/resolv.conf
+echo nameserver 208.67.222.222 > /etc/resolv.conf
+echo nameserver 208.67.220.220 >> /etc/resolv.conf
 """

     PPP_DAEMON_SETUP[PPP_PAP_SECRETS_FILENAME] = '* * "%s" *\n' %

modem.py needs to be updated to setup idle timeout and auto reconnect. While pdp.py needs to be updated so ppp idle timeout resets /etc/resolv.conf to OpenDNS servers

Now, just fire up settings panel (need to be done once per boot) and in connectivity click connect for Gprs...for me it doesn't show connected anymore...but then I don't really care about that as long as the connection works :)

Note: We are updating the framework file which can be updated by any of the frameword update and one need to repeat the update (well..until a nifty setting comes into setting panel somewhere :)

See also

Retrieved from "http://wiki.openmoko.org/index.php?title=GPRS_FSO&oldid=72313"
Personal tools
Key pages on:
FSO

(Other distributions)


This page documents the GSM networking solutions (commonly known as GPRS) using the FreeSmartphone.Org framework (FSO).

There are other ways to enable wireless communications on the smartphone, including Bluetooth and WLAN.

Current state

Since milestone 2 the system dbus has been extended with methods that enables connectivity using GPRS. The functionality is available under org.freesmartphone.ogsmd at /org/freesmartphone/GSM/Device.

The implementation should not interfere with other phone functionality, such as placing calls. In other words: you can use GPRS while talking on the phone without hanging up. Note though that depending on hardware and networking, simultaneous data transmission and voice call alerting (let alone performing calls) might not be possible.

Since FSO is a middleware it offers no GUI, however it's fairly easy to use the methods available using any dbus tool.

The methods available: 

[METHOD]    org.freesmartphone.GSM.PDP.ActivateContext( s:apn, s:user, s:password )
[METHOD]    org.freesmartphone.GSM.PDP.DeactivateContext()
[METHOD]    org.freesmartphone.GSM.PDP.GetCurrentGprsClass()
[METHOD]    org.freesmartphone.GSM.PDP.ListAvailableGprsClasses()
[METHOD]    org.freesmartphone.GSM.PDP.SetCurrentGprsClass( s:class_ )
[SIGNAL]    org.freesmartphone.GSM.PDP.ContextStatus( i:index, s:status, a{sv}:properties )

Use mdbus -s -l to monitor the emitted signals. Signals will look roughly like this:

ActivateContext( s:apn, s:user, s:password ) 
[SIGNAL]    org.freesmartphone.GSM.PDP.ContextStatus 
 from :1.3 /org/freesmartphone/GSM/Device
 (dbus.Int32(1), dbus.String(u'outgoing'), 
  dbus.Dictionary({}, signature=dbus.Signature('sv')))
Once the connection is established (takes 3-4 seconds for me) a new signal is emitted 
[SIGNAL]    org.freesmartphone.GSM.PDP.ContextStatus    
 from :1.3 /org/freesmartphone/GSM/Device
 (dbus.Int32(1), dbus.String(u'active'), 
  dbus.Dictionary({}, signature=dbus.Signature('sv')))
DeactivateContext 
[SIGNAL]    org.freesmartphone.GSM.PDP.ContextStatus    
 from :1.3 /org/freesmartphone/GSM/Device
 (dbus.Int32(1), dbus.String(u'release'), 
  dbus.Dictionary({}, signature=dbus.Signature('sv')))

Using scripts

While we wait for the preferences part of FSO to be completed (and a GUI), we can use two shell scripts. You need to know three things to successfully connect via GPRS (your carrier should provide this information to you):

  • the APN to use,
  • the username, and
  • the password.

If your APN has no username or password, you must still provide a string to satisfy the framework's input requirements. Entering bogus data, such as the "x" above, will suffice.

To connect, put the following in a file and make it executable (chmod +x gprs-on.sh): 

#!/bin/sh
APN="internet.parlino.se"
USERNAME="x"
PASSWORD="x"
BUSNAME="org.freesmartphone.ogsmd"
OBJECTPATH="/org/freesmartphone/GSM/Device"
METHODNAME="org.freesmartphone.GSM.PDP.ActivateContext"
mdbus -s $BUSNAME $OBJECTPATH $METHODNAME $APN "$USERNAME" "$PASSWORD"

To disconnect, use the following method instead (chmod +x gprs-off.sh): 

#!/bin/sh
BUSNAME="org.freesmartphone.ogsmd"
OBJECTPATH="/org/freesmartphone/GSM/Device"
METHODNAME="org.freesmartphone.GSM.PDP.DeactivateContext"
mdbus -s $BUSNAME $OBJECTPATH $METHODNAME

The on script, using the ActivateContext method, will:

  • setup a ppp interface (normally ppp0) (and assign IP address)
  • setup (replace) the default route
  • setup DNS

with settings received from the ISP.

For a list of known APN:s, see the main GPRS page.


Troubleshooting

  • When a something like org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.UnknownMethod appears make sure that:
    • frameworkd is started of course
    • That the method did not hide in an other place than expected follow the white Rabbit
  • Online script runs without error but pppd did not start
    • use logread to debug....
    • Maybe the kernel module ppp-generic is not loaded, try modprobe. ( you can do echo ppp-generic > /etc/modutils/ppp-generic and then update-modules to load the module at boot time )
    • Maybe you have to do a mknod /dev/ppp c 108 0
  • No MUX Channels available
    • Means that the frameworkd has no free channel available to connect to the GSM Modem.
    • Restart the frameworkd and the phone Application (aka ophoned or zhone). Works fine for me.
  • MISC Troubleshooting
    • Switch the frameworkd loglevel to DEBUG (/etc/frameworkd.conf)
    • use the source!

Using a GUI

Framework-settings

SHR (Unstable??)

SHR is based on FSO, so I think its GPRS settings should be found here. Shr has its native setting manager which has Connectivity sub-panel which in turn has settings for GPRS. Its very intutive and your GPRS/FR should be up and running in no time.

To enable gprs on-demand you need to do some manual changes in framework code. Alter, /usr/lib/python2.6/site-packages/framework/subsystems/ogsmd/modems/abstract/modem.py as: 

--- orig.modem.py       Sat Jul 18 02:13:29 2009
+++ modem.py    Sat Jul 18 02:13:06 2009
@@ -76,6 +76,8 @@
            'proxyarp',
            'replacedefaultroute',
            'usepeerdns',
+            'demand',
+            'idle', '20',
        ]

        self._data["pppd-does-setup-and-teardown"] = True # default
is using connect and disconnect scripts

Alter, /usr/lib/python2.6/site-packages/framework/subsystems/ogsmd/modems/abstract/pdp.py as: 

--- orig.pdp.py Sat Jul 18 04:20:13 2009
+++ pdp.py      Sat Jul 18 04:19:03 2009
@@ -219,7 +219,8 @@
 """

     PPP_DAEMON_SETUP["/etc/ppp/ip-down.d/92removedns"] = """#!/bin/sh -e
-echo nameserver 127.0.0.1 > /etc/resolv.conf
+echo nameserver 208.67.222.222 > /etc/resolv.conf
+echo nameserver 208.67.220.220 >> /etc/resolv.conf
 """

     PPP_DAEMON_SETUP[PPP_PAP_SECRETS_FILENAME] = '* * "%s" *\n' %

modem.py needs to be updated to setup idle timeout and auto reconnect. While pdp.py needs to be updated so ppp idle timeout resets /etc/resolv.conf to OpenDNS servers

Now, just fire up settings panel (need to be done once per boot) and in connectivity click connect for Gprs...for me it doesn't show connected anymore...but then I don't really care about that as long as the connection works :)

Note: We are updating the framework file which can be updated by any of the frameword update and one need to repeat the update (well..until a nifty setting comes into setting panel somewhere :)

See also