Tethering FreeBSD with Android

Harry_the_rat · #1 July 29th, 2012, 16:01

Hi all, I've used FreeBSD in the past but struggled with mobile broadband, so I have mainly been using Linux. As anyone had experience with tethering FreeBSD with an Android phone, I've googled around but I haven't found a lot and wondered if FreeBSD supports it.

Thanks...

**SirDice** · #2 July 30th, 2012, 10:35

It shouldn't be difficult but it does take a bit of fiddling. I've done it in the past.

First you'll need to get a bluetooth connection using RFCOMM. You can then use the 'standard' PPP connection. Usually you need to dial a special phonenumber; *99#.

32.4 Bluetooth
Chapter 28 PPP and SLIP

Harry_the_rat · #3 July 30th, 2012, 11:05

Thanks for the reply SirDice, when I was using my Android to tether my Linux laptop I used a cable from my Phone to may laptop connected to usb. Which once connected created /dev/usb0, then I used dhcpcd to get an ip and was wondering if the would apply with FreeBSD.

**SirDice** · #4 July 30th, 2012, 11:23

I've done it with Bluetooth and a Nokia phone. I haven't tried it yet with my new Android phone though.

The idea would be the same. Instead of a Bluetooth connection, it'll be a (serial) USB connection. Setting up PPP should be the same.

I haven't done this as setting up a temporary Wifi hotspot with my Android phone was a lot easier to do.

Harry_the_rat · #5 August 15th, 2012, 15:20

I've just installed FreeBSD 9 and tried to plug in usb cable to attempt to tether. Here is some output.

lsub
http://zlin.dk/p/?MWQwZWRl

dmesg
http://zlin.dk/p/?MDZiZWNl

I'm not sure if FreeBSD is seeing my phone as a storage device, with linux it creates usb0. Whether I need to load a module manually, kldstat shows kernel and modem.ko modules loaded.

**lme@** · #6 August 15th, 2012, 15:47

It should be very easy. On the phone you need to set the connection sharing method to "Mac OS X" (I don't know if "Windows" would also work) and then connect your phone to the notebook and share the connection.
On FreeBSD you should have a "ue0" network device then and just run # dhclient ue0.

Harry_the_rat · #7 August 15th, 2012, 18:15

Ime@, it doesn't create a device when the cable is plugged in and I can't find any option for sharing method with "Mac OS X" on my phone. I was wondering if I used a USB to Ethernet adapter, which would mean I would be plugging it into a physical device(fxp0)?
Then I could use dhclient, don't know if that would work until I figured this out.

**lme@** · #8 August 16th, 2012, 13:38

Maybe you need to load the if_cdce kernel module first. Does # kldstat -v | grep cdce return anything? If not issuse # kldload if_cdce and plug in your phone.

Harry_the_rat · #9 August 16th, 2012, 16:15

Ime@ when i run

I get "317 uhub/cdce", so i presume the module is already loaded?

**lme@** · #10 August 16th, 2012, 16:28

Yes, it's loaded. Hmm, and I guess on your phone you chose to share your connection via USB?

Harry_the_rat · #11 August 16th, 2012, 16:48

Yes, i've chosen USB to tether on my phone. Here is the output from dmesg, I get nothing about ue0 but something of da0?

http://zlin.dk/p/?ZGZhMDFh

**lme@** · #12 August 17th, 2012, 08:26

Code:

umodem0: <CDC Abstract Control Model ACM> on usbus1
umodem0: data interface 2, has no CM over data, has no break

But you have a umodem device.
Can you show the output of ifconfig(8)?

Harry_the_rat · #13 August 17th, 2012, 09:01

Here is the output of "ifconfig -a" when my phone is plugged into USB.

http://zlin.dk/p/?YjI4NmUx

**lme@** · #14 August 17th, 2012, 09:42

Hummm.... strange...
What Android phone do you have?

vermaden · #15 August 17th, 2012, 10:00

@Harry_the_rat

I am using it from time to time, with WiFi Hotspot from Android phone. FreeBSD works/connects to it as to any other Access Point. I haven't tried USB tethering thought.

**lme@** · #16 August 17th, 2012, 10:44

The hotspot method should work, but it sucks a lot more of power of your phone's battery.

Harry_the_rat · #17 August 17th, 2012, 11:51

Ime@, I have Samsung Galaxy Y phone, I have also tried this on Vodafone 858 Smart this morning with same effect, which are both Android phones.
@vermaden, I haven't tried wifi yet with FreeBSD but have a few wireless cards to try. I'd prefer to use tethering with a cable though.

vermaden · #18 August 17th, 2012, 12:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by lme@

The hotspot method should work, but it sucks a lot more of power of your phone's battery.

Yup, its best to attach the phone to USB (for battery charging) for the time of WiFi Hotspot use

FBI_Guy · #19 March 14th, 2013, 16:16

Sorry if this thread is considered dead and I shouldn't be reviving it, but I'm having the same problem as described here. I'm wondering if anyone else knows anything about this and would be willing to give some advice.

Thank you.

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