HUAWEI-modems - reconnect problem

Hi all,

for some of our customers with POS-systems we have to use HUAWEI-modems (mobile internet) in order to connect to the central office computer. Works fine as long as the connection is up & running. But those providers tend to switch off the connection, especially when there are no data transferred for a while.

HUAWEI-modems normally are 'reconnected' by manual intervention. Pull it out from its USB-socket, replug it and and wait until its ready. Then click on 'Connect' - now it is running again.

This procedure is just fine on a laptop, but how to do a 'reconnect' for a HUAWEI-modem without plugging the modem out/in and without clicking the 'connect' button ?

We've learned that one has to do a PING command in order to find out whether the connection is up or not. InternetConnected() is not working properly in all cases.

Any ideas?

Kind regards,
Guenter

Hi Jimbo san,
yeah in good ol times, 100 years ago or so, we send an ATZ to the modem....

Okay, may be this helps a bit more:
I guess the POS modem is not directly connected to a server: Instead there should be a Router in between.

I mean .
POS...........|
.................. Router......Server
POS...........|

afaik every Router can be configured by configuration sripts: So set timeout or similar to 0
in other words never disconnect!

Next stupid idea .
there should be software at the POS which is required to start - stop the modem Why not use this software ?

HTH Bjoern

Quote
BLS
Hi Jimbo san,
yeah in good ol times, 100 years ago or so, we send an ATZ to the modem....

Okay, may be this helps a bit more:
I guess the POS modem is not directly connected to a server: Instead there should be a Router in between.

I mean .
POS...........|
.................. Router......Server
POS...........|

afaik every Router can be configured by configuration sripts: So set timeout or similar to 0
in other words never disconnect!

Next stupid idea .
there should be software at the POS which is required to start - stop the modem Why not use this software ?

HTH Bjoern

Hi master Bjoern,

thank you! And you're right, the Huawei modems accept AT-commands which Huawei says are their business secret and won't give us a command list. On a windows computer you cannot see the command sequence but on my small Asus Eee PC (Xandros Linux) I could see & copy the whole AT-command-sequence. Commands are unlike that what we know from old modem times but actually they are there! Second, you're right that we could use / automate the connection software from a WinDev program. We haven't got any documentation of the software either, but we should be able to Exerun() it and force the connection by SendKey. I'll do more homework on this and will report here!

FYI: Those cash registers are stand alone in small outlets and are in fact a PC with touch screen, slip printer, scanner and cashiers keys. Software looks like that at [www.touchextra.info] ;-) We just plugged in the brodband modems (look like usb-sticks) and closed the covers. One cannot see from outside that the POS system is actually connected to the main office.

Thank you and kind regards,
Guenter

Hi Jimbo san
, glad I could help.
Does the init string looks similar to .
(at+cgdcont=1,"ip","a1.net") ?


Let us know about your progress, please.

beside: Cool Software,cool Hardware, Guenter

Bjoern

Hi master Bjoern,

yes, it looks exactly like:

ATV1
OK
AT+CGDCONT=1,"IPAT^SYSINFO","gprsmetro"
AT+COPS=3,2
AT+COPS?
AT+CSQ
AT^SYSINFO

regards,
Guenter

Guenter,

looking at your AT commands, it seems to be a gprs/umts modem. Google for "gprs at commands" and you will find your way out on these commands.
i.e: AT+CSQ means "signal quality"

Arie

Hi Arie, thank you ! I've been sent to places like [rendo.info] and [www.traud.de] and lots of others. I'll find my way, I'm sure now.

However, Huawei says: the available AT-command-set is their business secret !!! They won't hand out such documentation. The Huawei forum is mostly a mess. Huawei people either don't answer or refer solution-seeking people to the telecom-providers who regularily do not offer downloads or support-forums. I cannot recommend Huawei .. though their modems are the most-offered devices by providers. If you wanna get a gprs/umts-modem, by any means get something else than Huawei.

Kind regards,
Guenter