Alpine_5G/5G_MODEM_TROUBLESHOOTING.md

Fibocom FM350-GL 5G Modem Configuration Guide

Complete reference for configuring the Fibocom FM350-GL modem on Alpine Linux.

Working Configuration

Setting	Value
Modem	Fibocom FM350-GL
USB ID	0e8d:7126 (Mode 40)
AT Port	/dev/ttyUSB1
Network Interface	eth1 (RNDIS)
APN	internet (CYTA Cyprus)

AT Command Reference

Sending AT Commands

The FM350-GL doesn't need stty configuration. Send commands directly:

# Pattern for sending AT commands
cat /dev/ttyUSB1 & CAT_PID=$!
sleep 0.3
echo -e 'YOUR_COMMAND\r' > /dev/ttyUSB1
sleep 2
kill $CAT_PID 2>/dev/null

Essential Commands

Command	Purpose	Example Response
AT	Test communication	OK
AT+CGMI	Manufacturer	Fibocom Wireless Inc.
AT+CGMM	Model	FM350-GL
AT+CSQ	Signal strength	+CSQ: 7, 99 (7 = moderate)
AT+CREG?	Network registration	+CREG: 0,1 (1 = registered)
AT+CEREG?	LTE/5G registration	+CEREG: 0,1
AT+CCID	SIM card ID	+CCID: 893570...

APN Configuration

# Set APN (CYTA Cyprus uses "internet")
echo -e 'AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","internet"\r' > /dev/ttyUSB1

# Verify APN is set
echo -e 'AT+CGDCONT?\r' > /dev/ttyUSB1
# Response: +CGDCONT: 1,"IP","internet",""...

Connection Management

# Activate PDP context (start data connection)
echo -e 'AT+CGACT=1,1\r' > /dev/ttyUSB1
# Response: +CGEV: ME PDN ACT 1, OK

# Get assigned IP address
echo -e 'AT+CGPADDR=1\r' > /dev/ttyUSB1
# Response: +CGPADDR: 1,"10.156.167.104",""

# Get full connection details (DNS, MTU)
echo -e 'AT+CGCONTRDP=1\r' > /dev/ttyUSB1
# Response includes DNS servers

USB Mode Control

# Check current USB mode
echo -e 'AT+GTUSBMODE?\r' > /dev/ttyUSB1
# Response: +GTUSBMODE: 40

# Available modes
echo -e 'AT+GTUSBMODE=?\r' > /dev/ttyUSB1
# Response: +GTUSBMODE: (40,41)

# Switch modes (requires modem reset)
echo -e 'AT+GTUSBMODE=40\r' > /dev/ttyUSB1

# Reset modem
echo -e 'AT+CFUN=1,1\r' > /dev/ttyUSB1

USB Modes

Mode	USB Product ID	Description	AT Commands
40	0e8d:7126	RNDIS mode	✅ Work on ttyUSB1
41	0e8d:7127	Extended mode	❌ Don't work

Important: Stay in Mode 40 for reliable AT command access.

Network Interface Configuration

Why DHCP Doesn't Work

The RNDIS interface (eth1) does not provide DHCP. The modem does not assign an IP to the host via DHCP. You must:

1. Get the IP from the modem via AT+CGPADDR=1
2. Optionally get DNS via AT+CGCONTRDP=1 (connection dynamic parameters)
3. Configure the interface and /etc/resolv.conf manually

The connect-5g.sh script does exactly this: it uses AT commands only (no DHCP on eth1), then sets ip addr and default route on eth1, and DNS from modem or from config.

Manual Configuration

# Get IP from modem (replace with actual value)
MODEM_IP="10.156.167.104"

# Configure interface
ip link set eth1 up
ip addr flush dev eth1
ip addr add $MODEM_IP/32 dev eth1
ip route add default dev eth1 metric 50

# Test
ping -c 3 8.8.8.8

CYTA Cyprus Settings

Setting	Value
APN	internet
DNS Primary	195.14.130.220
DNS Secondary	195.14.154.100
Network Name	Vodafone

Complete Connection Sequence

#!/bin/sh
# Full connection sequence for FM350-GL with CYTA SIM

AT_PORT="/dev/ttyUSB1"
APN="internet"

# 1. Configure APN
cat $AT_PORT & PID=$!; sleep 0.3
echo -e "AT+CGDCONT=1,\"IP\",\"$APN\"\r" > $AT_PORT
sleep 2; kill $PID 2>/dev/null

# 2. Activate connection
cat $AT_PORT & PID=$!; sleep 0.3
echo -e "AT+CGACT=1,1\r" > $AT_PORT
sleep 3; kill $PID 2>/dev/null

# 3. Get IP address
MODEM_IP=$(timeout 5 sh -c "
    cat $AT_PORT & PID=\$!
    sleep 0.3
    echo -e 'AT+CGPADDR=1\r' > $AT_PORT
    sleep 2
    kill \$PID 2>/dev/null
" 2>&1 | grep CGPADDR | grep -oE '[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+' | head -1)

echo "Modem IP: $MODEM_IP"

# 4. Configure interface
ip link set eth1 up
ip addr flush dev eth1
ip addr add $MODEM_IP/32 dev eth1
ip route add default dev eth1 metric 50

# 5. Test
ping -c 3 8.8.8.8

Troubleshooting

Run full diagnostic (modem not responding after reboot)

When the modem does not respond after a reboot, run the full troubleshoot script on the device to collect all logs and checks:

# On the device (SSH or console)
/usr/local/bin/troubleshoot-5g.sh

If the script is not installed yet, deploy first (./scripts/deploy.sh or ./scripts/install.sh on the device), or run from the repo:

./scripts/troubleshoot-5g.sh

The script prints:

• dmesg (last 40 lines) – kernel messages about USB/tty
• lsusb – modem present and Mode 40 (7126) vs Mode 41 (7127)
• /dev/ttyUSB* – whether each port is a character device or a broken regular file
• AT test on the configured port (with 3s wait, like connect-5g.sh)
• AT probe on each ttyUSB port – which port returns OK
• 5g-router service status
• WAN interface and default route
• Last 60 lines of /var/log/5g-router.log
• Processes using the AT port (lsof) – see if ModemManager or another process is holding the port
• modem-status-at.sh output (registration, signal) if installed

Copy the full output and use it to see: wrong AT port, broken ttyUSB node, modem in Mode 41, another process holding the port, or service/APN issues. Then apply the fixes listed at the end of the script or in the sections below.

AT Commands Not Responding / "AT not OK"

Symptoms: No response to AT commands, or connect script logs "AT not OK".

Solutions:

1. Wait longer – The modem can take 2–4 seconds to respond. The script now waits 3 s for the initial AT. If you still see "AT not OK", increase the wait in get_at_response or in config.
2. Check modem is in Mode 40: lsusb | grep 7126
3. If in Mode 41 (7127), AT commands won't work - need physical access to switch back
4. Try different ports – On FM350-GL the AT port is often ttyUSB1, but it can be ttyUSB0 or another. Test manually:

   ( timeout 5 cat /dev/ttyUSB1 & ); sleep 0.5; echo -e 'AT\r' > /dev/ttyUSB1; sleep 3; kill %1 2>/dev/null
   

   If you see OK in the output, that port works. Set AT_PORT="/dev/ttyUSB1" (or the working port) in /etc/5g-router.conf.
5. Ensure no other process is holding the port (e.g. ModemManager, a stuck cat, or the Web GUI polling modem-status-at.sh). Run lsof /dev/ttyUSB1 to see who has it open. Stop ModemManager if present: rc-service ModemManager stop. If the 5g-router service is stuck with an open cat, restart it: service 5g-router restart.

ttyUSB port shows as regular file (AT not responding)

Symptoms: ls -la /dev/ttyUSB1 shows -rw-rw---- (regular file) instead of crw-rw---- (character device). AT commands get no reply or garbage.

Cause: A shell redirect to /dev/ttyUSB1 when the device does not exist yet (e.g. modem not bound, or device removed) creates a regular file at that path. That file then “steals” the name: when the kernel later creates the real modem port, it may get a different name (e.g. ttyUSB5). Typical causes:

• A script or cron job (e.g. Web GUI status poll, modem-status-at.sh) runs before the modem is ready and does echo ... > /dev/ttyUSB1.
• The 5g-router service runs at boot; between “port available” and sending AT, the modem briefly disappears (USB glitch) and the next write creates a file.
• ModemManager or another daemon opening the port when it doesn’t exist.

Prevention: All project scripts that write to the AT port now check [ -c "$AT_PORT" ] immediately before writing and skip/exit if it’s not a character device, so they never create a regular file. The connection script also removes a stray /dev/ttyUSB (no number) file at startup.

Fix (one-time):

# Replace N with the port number (0, 1, 2, …)
rm -f /dev/ttyUSB1
mknod /dev/ttyUSB1 c 188 1
chmod 660 /dev/ttyUSB1
chown root:dialout /dev/ttyUSB1

Prevention: connect-5g.sh now checks and fixes a broken AT port automatically before use (recreates the device node if it is a regular file). Scripts never write to the port unless it is currently a character device, so they don’t create the file in the first place.

Stray /dev/ttyUSB file (no number)

Symptoms: Troubleshoot shows /dev/ttyUSB as a regular file (no digit). Real ports are ttyUSB0, ttyUSB1, etc.

Fix: Remove the stray file. The connection script now removes it automatically; you can also run: rm -f /dev/ttyUSB

ttyUSB3 Shows as Regular File (legacy)

Symptoms: ls -la /dev/ttyUSB3 shows -rw-r--r-- instead of crw-rw----

Fix:

rm -f /dev/ttyUSB3
mknod /dev/ttyUSB3 c 188 3
chmod 660 /dev/ttyUSB3
chown root:dialout /dev/ttyUSB3

stty Errors

Symptoms: stty: /dev/ttyUSB1: cannot perform all requested operations

Solution: Don't use stty. Send AT commands directly with echo and cat.

No IP on eth1 / Could not get modem IP

Symptoms: ip addr show eth1 shows no inet address; or connect script logs "Could not get modem IP".

Solutions:

1. RNDIS doesn't use DHCP. The script gets the IP from AT+CGPADDR=1; if the operator hasn't assigned one yet, it retries a few times. Wait and re-run the connection script.
2. Check registration and signal: run AT+CEREG? (expect ,1 or ,5 for registered) and AT+CSQ (signal strength). If not registered or no signal, fix antenna/SIM/location.
3. Ensure APN is correct for your operator (e.g. internet for CYTA).
4. Try activating PDP again: AT+CGACT=1,1 then wait 5–10 s and AT+CGPADDR=1.

ModemManager Not Detecting Modem

Note: ModemManager doesn't work well with this modem in RNDIS mode. Use AT commands directly instead.

Signal Strength Interpretation

CSQ Value	dBm	Quality
0	-113 or less	No signal
1-9	-111 to -95	Poor
10-14	-93 to -85	Fair
15-19	-83 to -75	Good
20-30	-73 to -53	Excellent
31	-51 or better	Excellent
99	Unknown	-

Kernel Modules

These modules should be loaded for MBIM/QMI support (optional):

modprobe cdc-wdm
modprobe cdc_mbim
modprobe qmi_wwan
modprobe cdc_ncm

# Verify
lsmod | grep -E '(cdc|qmi)'

Files on Device

Path	Purpose
/usr/local/bin/connect-5g.sh	Auto-connection script
/usr/local/bin/troubleshoot-5g.sh	Full diagnostic (logs + AT/USB checks)
/etc/init.d/5g-router	OpenRC service
/var/log/5g-router.log	Connection log
/etc/iptables/rules.v4	Firewall/NAT rules

Service Management

# Check status
service 5g-router status

# Restart connection
service 5g-router restart

# View logs
tail -f /var/log/5g-router.log

# Check if enabled at boot
rc-update show | grep 5g-router