Problem with reconnecting when using Ericsson H5321 modem and Aero2 BDI network

[Mateusz P]

On 2018-11-12 03:02, Dan Williams wrote:
> On Sat, 2018-11-10 at 16:34 +0100, Mateusz P wrote:
>> Hi,
>> I have a problem with modemmangager 1.6.8-2ubuntu1 and 1.8.2-1.
>>
>> Modem: Ericsson H5321.
>> Computer: Lenovo ThinkPad X230.
>> Network: Aero2 BDI (Polish, APN darmowy).
>>
>> The network (according to obtained licence for using radio spectrum
>> frequencies) is obliged to provide a service of a free Internet
>> access
>> with a few limits.
>> One of those limits is an automatic disconnection every (about) 1
>> hour.
>> In order to access the Internet again one needs to reconnect and
>> solve
>> the Captcha.
>>
>> The first problem with the mentioned modem is that the disconnection
>> is
>> not visible to the user - the Network Manager works as if the
>> connection
>> would be still active - the Network Manager shows the connection as
>> still active and one needs to disconnect manually as there is no
>> Internet access.
> Looks like the modem doesn't indicate disconnection via MBIM Basic
> Connect Packet Service State.  When you think it's disconnected, could
> you run:
>
> mbimcli -p -d /dev/cdc-wdm3 --query-connection-state=0
>
> I'm curious what the "Activation State" property will be when the modem
> is disconnected.
>
> If it reports that the activation state is disconnected, then we
> probably need to implement support for the MBIM Basic Connect "Connect"
> notification, or implement polling the state via
> load_connection_status.
>
> Dan
Hi,
Here is the result of the command after the Internet access was 
disconnected but claimed as connected by Network Manager (modemmanager 
1.6.8-2ubuntu1):
[/dev/cdc-wdm3] Connection status:
           Session ID: '0'
     Activation state: 'unknown'
     Voice call state: 'none'
              IP type: 'ipv4'
         Context type: 'none'
        Network error: 'unknown'

It does not change after manual disconnecting and later reconnecting or 
turning off and on the network in the Network Manager.

In the meantime I found following the instructions described here solves 
the problem (with the exception that I have ommitted replacing idVendor 
and idProduct as there already was a corresponding rule in the file): 
http://blog2.vorburger.ch/2015/03/fixed-linux-ericsson-h5321gw-3ggpshspa.html
Not sure if that fixes the problem or only workarounds it, though.

Best regards,
Mateusz