*** Please note this is not required for Ubuntu 10.04 onwards - extra software is only needed for versions of Ubuntu before this ***
Recently a good friend of mine, Georgina Parsons, was lucky enough to win a brand new mobile internet dongle courtesy of 3 UK. Like myself she is an Ubuntu user but sadly found that the unit she won, a ZTE MF627, isn't currently supported out of the box on Ubuntu, unlike the Huawei models. She did find a method to make it work though on the Ubuntu Forums at: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=6509188. The problem the unit had was similar to the Huawei E169G, when first plugged in it functions as a USB memory stick containing the driver software (for Windows) and has to be told to switch mode to being a modem. Using the workaround she got her modem working perfectly, but challenged me to make a package to install the files needed automatically.
So I had a go, and managed to get it to work! I don't own one of these devices, so was unable to test, but Georgina has tested it and has advised that it worked successfully on Ubuntu (Easy Peasy is based on Ubuntu so it will work in that too). I don't know if this will work on a Xandros powered EEE PC, so if you try it leave a comment to let me know how you get on. The package is similar to the one I developed for the Huawei E169G (which is now no longer needed under Ubuntu). There is one difference though, it does not contain a copy of usb_modeswitch, the actual program that causes the modem to change mode, it just contains the configuration files described in the above forum post, and a configuration file for usb_modeswitch. You'll need to install a package containing usb_modeswitch before installing this package, there are various ways of getting this, but one way you could use is to install the e169g-switch package from my earlier blog post Huawei E169G – the easy way. [UPDATE: If you install from my personal package archive you will also get usb-modeswitch, see the note below dated 10th May 2009].
To install the zte-mf627-switch package just click on the name of the file attachment at the end of this post and this should start the GDebi package installer. [UPDATE: The package is now only available from my personal package archive, see the note below dated 10th May 2009] After the two packages are installed, plug in your unit, wait a few seconds, and you should then be able to use the Network Manager applet to make your internet connection via your MF627. Hopefully this will simplify getting your modem working with Ubuntu until bug no. 310025 is solved and it is officially supported in Ubuntu.
*** UPDATE 10th May 2009 ***
I've set up a personal package archive and have made the zte-mf627-switch package in it, along with a version of usb-modeswitch. This version of the package should be the same, but hasn't been tested, so if it works for you please let me know.
To add the ppa follow the instructions at:
http://www.greenhughes.com/ppa
To install the zte-mf627-switch package use a package manger like Synaptic or type:
sudo apt-get install zte-mf627-switch
*** UPDATE 29th October 2009 ***
I've updated the package to version 0.2. It now supports Ubuntu 8.10, Easy Peasy 1.0 and Ubuntu 9.10. To grab a copy go to my PPA.
Re: ZTE MF627 - the easy way
Well...my joy was short lived...now i have a strange problem...the 3g card doesnt connect after reboot...i tried to run the zte-mf627-switch_0.1_all.deb again and it worked after reinstall...but again - it doesnt connect after another reboot.
Very strange, any idea what could be wrong?
Thanks
Anoop
Re: ZTE MF627 - the easy way
Hi Anoop,
I have just updated this package, so it might be worth you trying the new version to see if it solves the problems. To add it you will need to make my personal package archive available to your system by following the instructions at http://www.greenhughes.com/ppa. As you already have an earlier version of zte-mf627-switch installed the upgrade to the latest version will happen as part of a normal update, you can also Administration -> System Updates. If it is not shown click on the "Check" button to refresh package information.
Hope this helps.
Re: ZTE MF627 - the easy way
Hi Liam,
That was Magic...after followign your steps and adding the PPA, it started working. It detects as a usb drive initially and I eject once to get it detected again (mode switch I believe). Now I see it on clicking network icon and can connect smoothly. Some times it behave strange by giving me two options to connect using mobile broadband and only the second one connects. I have seen this error 2-3 times but after another reboot it is all back to normal.
I would like to thank you a million times...it is a great contribution that you are doing.
Thanks again!
Re: ZTE MF627 - the easy way
Just re-posting as my latest comment went down in order.
The issue has been resolved after installing Liam's PPA. I have acer aspire one & easypeasy 1.5.
Re: ZTE MF627 - the easy way
amazing!
just installed the package and it works...
i had a problem though couse i already created a 3 moibile broaband connection before installing it, and it was connectin but not opening any website, so i just deleted the connection, plugged the stick again and when it was detected just created the connection again.
perfect! thank you!
Re: ZTE MF627 - the easy way
amazing!
just installed the package and it works...
i had a problem though couse i already created a 3 moibile broaband connection before installing it, and it was connectin but not opening any website, so i just deleted the connection, plugged the stick again and when it was detected just created the connection again.
perfect! thank you!
Re: ZTE MF627 - the easy way
Hi,
i have just bought myself the Asus Eee PC series and the bought the 3G to go on the net. The problem is i am running linux OS and not windows. This little laptop doesnt have a cd rom so i can install the 3G from the cd. When i do plug in the 3G into the laptop it asks me if i want to open it via my file manager.... about 50 times. could you please explain to me how to fix this so i could use the 3G properly.
Thanks
clint
Dependencies could not be satisfied: ZTE MF627
I am running Karmic on a USB stick - and tried to install the zte-mf627-switch program, but it will not install.
"Dependencies of the following packages could not be satisfied: zte-mf627-switch"
I've added the PPA as described, but changed the wording for karmic (which I think is right). Other than that, adding the PPA went fine.
Is this a Karmic-on-a-USB-stick issue (ability to install programs?), or something that I've not done right...
Thanks,
Mark.
Re: ZTE MF627 package on 9.04 nbr -- a partial success?
Hi. First, thanks for your useful package, which did get the ZTE stick running and connecting to the internet on a eeePC 1000 running Ubuntu NBR 9.04.
My question is why my connection works for a while and then just randomly stops, after which I have to unplug and replug (often multiple times) to get it to reconnect. At first I thought it had something to do with me being idle for a while, but I've since disconfirmed that. Possibly related is the fact that when I do plug it in, NM sometimes presents just '3' as an option, which usually doesn't end up working, and other times it presents 'ZTE Incorporated ... MSM', which is successful about 2/3 of the time.
Any thoughts you could provide on these issues would be greatly appreciated!
-Mike
Re: ZTE MF627 - the easy way
hei can I install the driver offline? the dongle is my only access to the net when using XP, I've just installed Ubuntu Karmic and I prefer that OS but couldn't use my dongle.
Re: ZTE MF627 - the easy way
I am in the same predicament, so I have to perform this without internet connection in Ubuntu yet. Perhaps, if you have this package in a deb file, we can download that while still in XP and install it in Ubuntu offline.
Re: ZTE MF627 - the easy way
Hi, you should be able to install the packages offline by downloading the usb-modeswitch package from:
http://packages.ubuntu.com/karmic/i386/usb-modeswitch/download
Then download my zte-mf627-switch package from:
https://launchpad.net/~liamgh/+archive/ppa/+files/zte-mf627-switch_0.2-…
When you are in ubuntu double click on the downloaded usb-modeswitch package first to install it, when that has finished double click on the zte-mf627-switch package.
Let me know if it works!
Re: ZTE MF627 - the easy way
The download and mode switching worked. However, I have to do further refinement because Network Manager can't seem to make the modem connect. So I have to use wvdialconf, which turned out to be successful so far. BTW, I am in the Philippines and using PLDT WeROAM's ZTE MF627 USB dongle. My OS is Ubuntu 8.04 LTS Hardy Heron running on AMD Sempron 2800+. Thank your for your reply..
Re: ZTE MF627 - the easy way
Just like Liam said, the mf627 works out of the box if used in Ubuntu 10.04.1 (LTS) Lucid Lynx. For PLDT WeROAM, Just supply the phone number (*99#), username (pldt@weroam), password (pldt), APN (weroam), authentication: PAP (only), compression: (uncheck all), echo: (uncheck). Enjoy!
Re: ZTE MF627 - the easy way
Thanks Liam ,It worked fine.I`m using 9.04.
Re: ZTE MF627 - the easy way
Hi,
Thank you very much! Just tested it on a fresh Ubuntu 9.10 installation and after a simple reboot (for sanity) it worked like a charm.
Gus
Re: ZTE MF627 - the easy way
Works well on Mint Helena.
you forgot to mention that you have to plug the modem and write
sudo /usr/sbin/usb_modeswitch
I just wished you can continue with this until ubuntu supports the 'new' ZTE MF627 and later models.
Again my profuse thanks
Re: ZTE MF627 - the easy way
Great to hear it works! You shouldn't need to enter any commands after plugging the modem in, everything should happen automatically, but it may take a few seconds for everything to happen.
Re: ZTE MF627 - the easy way
I was able to configure my software sources to include your PPA for the ZTE modem but when I tried to sudo apt-get it, the following error appears:
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo apt-get install zte-mf627-switch
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Some packages could not be installed. This may mean that you have
requested an impossible situation or if you are using the unstable
distribution that some required packages have not yet been created
or been moved out of Incoming.
The following information may help to resolve the situation:
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
zte-mf627-switch: Depends: usb-modeswitch but it is not installable
E: Broken packages
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$
I'm using Ubuntu 9.10 netbook remix.
hope you can help me on this.
thanks!
Re: ZTE MF627 - the easy way
I have an ZTE MF 110
would this package work on my eee 701 ?
thanks
Re: ZTE MF627 - the easy way
Hello I was wondering if you can verify if this will work on Debian Lenny?
Re: ZTE MF627 - the easy way
Any chance of updating the PPA to support Lucid please?
I'm going to download the files manually for Karmic and give them a go in the meantime. Thanks for helping me out since Jaunty. If you are reading this 3 UK and ZTE - give the man a paypal!
Re: ZTE MF627 - the easy way
Hi Gav, here is some good news - the ZTE MF627 works out-of-the-box with Ubuntu Lucid! Have tested this out and it works so there is no need for my zte-mf627-switch package anymore. Please note thought that when you plug the device in to an Ubuntu Lucid machine it might take about thirty seconds for it to be recognised and configured.
Re: ZTE MF627 - the easy way
hi ive dwnloaded dongle when i click on 3 icon messasge says cant connect when i click on my 3 cant find server when i look for phone number in box its blank i move mouse p to box to write number in it does not let me please help just spent £39 .99 on this and im having to use a 02 dongle which is sxxxxt
Re: ZTE MF627 - the easy way
the software that came with my dongle is corrupted and and is mtnf@stlink software pls can i have a replacement software?
Re: ZTE MF627 - the easy way
Unfortunately that is not something I can help you with, but the manufacturer's website would be a good place to look for replacement software.
Re: ZTE MF627 - the easy way
Please, assist me. I uninstalled my ZTE MF627 from my laptop but i cant get it installed again. It keeps saying the system cannot find the file specified. Help me out.
Re: ZTE MF627 - the easy way
Hi,
First of all, I think it is great that you did this package, it certainly will help a lot of people :)
But let's go to the issue:
I've tried to install your package, but I get an error when I try to update apt-get; it says it cannot find your packages. All I've done different than you was to change the distribution to "lucid" (10.4). Do you know what is wrong?
Thanks,
Natacha
Re: ZTE MF627 - the easy way
Hi Natacha,
You don't need my package to use the ZTE MF627 with Ubuntu 10.04 (Lucid), it is now supported out of the box with Ubuntu! So you should be able to remove any reference to my PPA (it currently doesn't support versions higher that 9.10) and you should be able to use the dongle as normal. It might take a few seconds though for the device to be ready to use once plugged in. Hope this helps.
Another way
ive got the zte mf627 usb modem and i didn't need software to get the it on running on ubuntu 9.10 heres how i did it
Insert mf627 usb port and watch orange 3 come up on the desktop then you right click mouse button and scroll down and click eject the modem ,ur modem should come back green along with the orange 3 on the desktop.
Through edit connections u must select Mobile Broadband click add after that where it says "Create a connection for this mobile broadband it should read “zte cdma technologies msm” then after that select the country ur in then select ur isp for “example optus” and the plan ur on once u have done that, find out what network that ur modem operates on ,then create a hidden wireless network (make sure ur wifi card is active) at this point ur modem should work ,and this works with ubuntu 11.10
Note: if the modem the doesn't work after restarting the computer eject the orange 3 on the desktop
Thnks a lot for solving our
Thnks a lot for solving our problems, pls i seriously need a setup for my zte modem mf627. i have searched all the internet but couldnt get it. you can mail me the software via obigenius@rocketmail.com. much thnks