Motorola RAZR V3X internet configuration

Since some months I am in Rome and I use my Motorola RARZ v3x to connect to the net. I’ve been planing to write a short and quick guide on how to configure a GNU/Linux system for this purpose for weeks, and actually never did it. Now it’s just about time.

Moreover, since one week I am also able to use my mobile to surf the net using the Opera Mini browser, which is cool and not previewed by the Italian mobile company TIM, whose customer care told me it was impossible to have internet on this kind of mobile phone. Actually, it’s not.

So, let’s start this short tutorial.

See also this article (in Italian) for some nice tips on connecting and managing the v3x to a Linux Box!

Part 1:Setting up your contract or prepaid card
Remember that GPRS or UMTS connection can be really expensive if you don’t have some special offer active for your contract or prepaid card. With TIM there are 2 possibilities. I choose Maxi TIM Webtime Recharge: 25€ (incl. taxes) for 9Gbyte of data traffic over a month on GPRS,UMTS or EDGE to be used every week day from 17,00 to 9,00 the day after and all day long on Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays. It’s not super cheap, but it’s ok.

******NOTE******
DON’T USE ANY INTERNET CONNECTION IF YOU ARE NOT SURE ABOUT THE BILLING!!! IT CAN BE REALLY EXPENSIVE!!!
DON’T BLAME ME IF YOU CREDIT SINKS TO ZERO OR YOU YOUR MONTHLY BILL IS HUGE!
I CAN’T BE RESPONSIBLE FOR IT!
*****NOTE*****

Part 2: configuring GNU/Linux to connect to internet
First of all, I am subscribed to TIM, so this instructions are valid for it. The differences for Vodaphone and other operators are minimal.

  1. Configure the kernel
  2. The V3X can be connected to the PC via a normal USB cable (this was super clever of Motorola!) so the mobile will be seen by the system as an USB modem. That’s why we want to activate the USB modem module in the Linux kernel.
    But maybe you already have this support in your system, so just type

    $ dmesg

    If you have something like


    cdc_acm 2-1:1.0: usb_probe_interface
    cdc_acm 2-1:1.0: usb_probe_interface - got id
    cdc_acm 2-1:1.0: ttyACM0: USB ACM device

    You have support for you modem already in the kernel, if not… you should recompile it and add support for USB modem. Explaining how to compile the kernel is beyond the scope of this tutorial. Anyway, in the USB support section of the kernel configuration you should check to compile (built-in or as a module) the USB Modem (CDC ACM) support. The module will be then called cdc-acm.

  3. Configure the dialer
  4. As for dialing there is plenty of softwares for doing it. On my gentoo box I tried GPRS Easy Connect but had not much luck in letting it work. But I do think it is simple. It finds the phone on the right port and tries to dial. Anyway I am much more comfortable in doing it “by hand” with the good, old wvdial. Install this little software on your system with the method you like more (on gentoo just emerge -va wvdial and start configuring it editing the file /etc/wvdial.conf

    This is what mine looks like:


    [Dialer Defaults]
    Init2 = ATQ0 V1 E1 S0=0 &C1 &D2 +FCLASS=0
    Modem Type = USB Modem
    ; Phone = <target Phone Number>
    ISDN = 0
    ; Username = <your Login Name>
    ;Init1 = ATZ
    ; Password = <your Password>
    Modem = /dev/ttyACM0
    Baud = 460800

    [Dialer tim]
    Modem = /dev/ttyACM0
    Dial Command = ATDT
    Init2 = AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","ibox.tim.it",,0,0
    ; Init3 = AT+CGATT=1
    Phone = *99***1#
    Username = <type here your mobile number>
    Password = <type here your password>
    Stupid mode = 1

    On TIM, to get a password just send an SMS (free of charges) to 49001 with the following text:

    TIM <new password>

    where <newpassword> is a number of at least 8 digits.

  5. Setting up permissions
  6. The modem device usually has the following permissions:

    crw-rw---- 1 root root 166, 0 Jan 14 20:04 /dev/ttyACM0

    It’s a good solution to leave it like this and just use sudo to start the connection with superuser privileges, which I think is the best solution.

    So, just use visudo to add this line to the sudoers file in /etc (*NEVER* edit the file by yourself. Always use the helper application visudo):

    yourusername ALL = (root) NOPASSWD: /usr/bin/wvdial

  7. Starting the connection
  8. Given that you followed my instructions, you just have to open a console and type

    sudo wvdial tim

    If you used another alias for the dialer configuration in your wvdial.conf file, just write it instead of tim in the above command line. The trick should be done! Fire up your browser and enjoy!

Part 3: Configuring the mobile for direct connection
This is easy. In your V3X menu go to Web access -> Web Profiles and create a new profile.
This are my parameters:

Name: UMTS TIM
Homepage: http://www.tim.it (this is not really important)
Service Type 1: HTTP
Port 1: 80
Service Type 2: HTTP
Port 2: 80
DNS 1: 213.230.155.094
DNS 2: 213.230.130.222
Timeout: 5 minutes
Data Speed (BPS) 1: 14400
Call Type 1: ISDN
Data Speed (BPS) 2: 14400
Call Type 2: ISDN
APN: ibox.tim.it

Save it and make it default. Now you can point your build in web browser to OperaSoft to download Opera Mini, a very good browser which is also very fast compared to Motorola native one.

Install it as any other Java application and enjoy its smoothness.

Ok, I think I wrote enough. Probably there are mistakes, typos and missing tips. Just let me know and point out any problem you have with this information.

6 thoughts on “Motorola RAZR V3X internet configuration

  1. hi. i was looking at your guide por motorola&linux.

    do u know any guide in the net that can show me how to do for internet conecting (umts) to a motorola A835 and a OS linux.

    thank you.

  2. I am interested in trying ubuntu 6.10 as os in an old pc i try it and work excellent but i live in a rurak area and depend on my razr v3 as a modem . Do you know if there is drivers already written for this purpose . Actually i am using win xp an there is drivers for this os using the cel as a dial-up connection , fortune it is a flat rate by month .

    thanks for any help

    Miguel

  3. Hi, i want to configure my Motorola V3X but when i read through what is here, am made to understand that i have to pay. how and where will i pay the money before the connection?

  4. I got a Motorola V3X and at all times it keeps running to the GPRS Services and keeps eating my balance how do i fix this?

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