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This is the support site for Andrews & Arnold Ltd, a UK Internet provider. Information on these pages is generally for our customers but may be useful to others, enjoy!

FireBrick 3G Dongle: Difference between revisions

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#REDIRECT [[:Category:FireBrick_USB_Dongles]]
 
[[File:2700-small.png|link=:Category:FireBrick]]
[[File:Zoom_Dongle_Small.png]]
 
=3G Fallback=
The 2700 model has a usbUSB port that can be used with a 3G dongle for connectivity and/or fallback. The FireBrick 2500 does not have a USB port). By using a 3G dongle with 1 or more FTTC/ADSL lines from AAISP you'll be able to fall back to using 3G in the case of the FTTC/ADSL going down - this includes routing of your public IPIPv4 blocks and IPv6 blocks (IPv6 via a tunnel).
 
==SupportSupported Dongles==
Dongles do vary, and drivers may need to be written to support a particular dongle. (contactContact us if you have one which is not working.) The following dongles are known to work on a FireBrick 2700:
*[[Zoom_USB_dongleZoom USB dongle|ZOOM model 4598]] (soonAvailable availablefrom AAISP)
*Huawei E353 (Three branding)
*Huawei E170 (BT Branding)
*[http://www.solwise.co.uk/3g-dongle-lp1917e.html Solwise NET-3G-LP1917E]
 
==A Note on Bonding 3G SIMs==
=Basic 3G Config=
Multiple USB dongles can used via a USB hub - however the benefits of bonding multiple 3G are small, as you'll typically be contending with yourself and so there will be little or no added bandwidth.
If you have an AA data SIM, the FireBrick can configured to use this as a backup connection, by using a 3G dongle plugged into the USB port. Any routed legacy IP blocks will continue to work across this link, but so far IPv6 isn't supported (without using a tunnel).
Using multiple dongles with SIMs from different providers may provide extra resilience in the case of one having a problem.
The basic config is:
 
=Basic Config=
If you have an AAISP data SIM, the FireBrick can be configured to use this as a backup connection, by using a 3G dongle plugged into the USB port. Any routed legacy IPv4 blocks will continue to work across this link, but so far IPv6 isn't supported (without using a tunnel).
The example below is all you need to get the dongle configured. If your main broadband connection goes down, the FireBrick will automatically switch to use the 3G connection, then back again once your main connection is back.
 
<syntaxhighlight>
<usb>
<dongle username="me@a.32" password="secret"/>
</usb>
</syntaxhighlight>
 
Provided you use your AA username and password, then that's all you need to get the dongle configured. If your main broadband connection goes down, the FireBrick will automatically switch to use the 3G connection, then back again once your main connection is back.
 
=Tunneled IPv6 Fallback=
If the dongle is not using a AAISP SIM, (and therefore your IPv4 blocks won't be re-routed down the dongle, then include NAT="true" on the dongle line.
If using AAISP, then the options for IPv6 routing on the [[:Category:Control Pages|Control Pages]] allow an IPv6 block to be routed to a tunnel endpoint if the main routing (i.e. ADSL/FTTC) goes down. This means IPv6 can be routed to the 3G dongle if the main broadband(s) go down. The MTU will be limited though. For more configuration options see [[FireBrick 2700 Configuration]].
 
==Example Config with Tunnelled IPv6 Fallback==
LAN Interface for IPv6 tunnel over 3G dongle (with MTU 1500):
If using AAISP, then the options for IPv6 routing on the control pages allow an IPv6 block to be routed to a tunnel endpoint if the main routing (ie ADSL/FTTC) goes down. - This means IPv6 can be routed to the 3G dongle if the main broadband(s) go down. The MTU will be limited though.
<syntaxhighlight>
<interface name="LAN" port="LAN" ra-client="false">
<subnet ip="2001:8b0::1/64 10.0.0.1/24" ra="true" ra-mtu="1480" ra-dns="2001:8b0::2020 2001:8b0::2021"/>
</interface>
</syntaxhighlight>
LAN Interface for IPv6 tunnel over 3G dongle (with MTU 1492):
<syntaxhighlight>
<interface name="LAN" port="LAN" ra-client="false">
<subnet ip="2001:8b0::1/64 10.0.0.1/24" ra="true" ra-mtu="1472" ra-dns="2001:8b0::2020 2001:8b0::2021"/>
</interface>
</syntaxhighlight>
Connect to AAISP over PPPoE session (3G dongle tweaks and NAT):
<syntaxhighlight>
<ppp name="AAISP" port="WAN" username="me@a.1" password="secret" nat="true" lcp-rate="1" lcp-timeout="5" graph="AAISP" log="default"/>
</syntaxhighlight>
Connect to AAISP over 3G dongle (with NAT):
<syntaxhighlight>
<dongle name="AAISP-3G" username="me@a.2" password="secret" nat="true" graph="AAISP-3G" log="default"/>
</syntaxhighlight>
3G dongle IPv6 default route using IPv4 tunnel:
<syntaxhighlight>
<route ip="::/0" gateway="81.187.81.6" comment="IPv6 default route using IPv4 tunnel"/>
</syntaxhighlight>
 
 
Here we have some profiles to manage the 3G, and also add logging.
=Turning the dongle off outside of office hours=
Sometimes we don't want the dongle to be online 24x7 and want it turned off outside of office hours.
This example brings the dongle online for quick fallback during office hours, and leaves it powered up but disconnected.
Fallback still works outside of office hours but takes a few seconds longer to set up.
Note that both <usb> and <dongle> elements can be based on profiles.
Leaving <usb> active but disabling <dongle> will leave the dongle powered up but disconnected.
Disabling <usb> will physically turn off the USB port and therefore also the dongle.
Cold starts take a lot longer!
 
<syntaxhighlight>
<usb>
<usb log="true" profile="No_PPPoE">
<dongle name="AAISP-3G" username="me@a.3" password="secret" nat="false" graph="BackupAAISP-3G" commentprofile="AAISP data SIM-3G"/>
</usb>
 
<profile name="Office-Hours" comment="Office hours">
<route name="6in4" profile="No_DSL" graph="6in4" ip="::/0" gateway="81.187.81.6" comment="IPv6 Default route when AAISP DSL is down" />
<time days="Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri" start="08:00:00" stop="18:00:00"/>
</profile>
 
<profile name="No-DSL" ppp="AAISPADSL1 ADSL2" commentinvert="Monitoring the PPP link named AAISPtrue"/>
<profile name="AAISP-3G" or="Office-Hours No-DSL" comment="Backup active during office hours, or if there is no DSL outside of office hours"/>
 
<profile name="No_DSL" timeout="PT5S" recover="PT1S" not="DSL"/ comment="Just the not of the previous profile">
</syntaxhighlight>
 
This example is taken from a site which has 2 ADSL lines - hence the No-DSL profile being based on ADSL1 and ADSL2 being up.
= 3G based on profiles - turning the dongle off overnight=
The AAISP-3G profile is then active during office hours, but it will become active if both of the ADSL lines are down outside of office hours.
Sometimes we don't want the dongle to be online 24x7 as it's not clear whether the dongle has got into a strange state or not. It's also not clear whether some of these devices are designed to be left connected all of the time.
 
This example brings the dongle online for quick fallback during office hours, and leaves it powered up but disconnected. Fallback still works out of office hours but takes a few seconds longer to set up.
 
=Ping test example of falling back=
Note that both <usb> and <dongle> elements can be based on profiles. Leaving <usb> active but disabling <dongle> will leave the dongle powered up but disconnected. Disabling <usb> will physically turn off the USB port and therefore also the dongle. Cold starts take a lot longer!
 
<syntaxhighlight>
<usb>
<dongle name="Backup" username="example@a.3" password="password" nat="false" graph="3G" profile="3G"/>
</usb>
<profile name="Working_hours" comment="Office working times">
<time days="Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri" start="08:00:00" stop="18:00:00"/>
</profile>
<profile name="No_PPP" ppp="ADSL1 ADSL2" invert="true"/>
<profile name="3G" or="Working_hours No_PPP" comment="Backup active during the working day, or if there's no PPP at night"/>
</syntaxhighlight>
 
This example is taken from a site which has 2 ADSL lines - hence the No_PPP profile being based on ADSL1 and ADSL2 being up.
The 3G profile is then active during the Working hours, but it will become active if both of the ADSL lines are down out of hours.
 
= Ping test example of falling back =
 
Here we ping an IP on the LAN, behind the FB2700, and get the ADSL router to re-sync. The ADSL went down, the 3G kicked in with only a single ping lost, then shortly after the ADSL came back on and took over the routing again.
</pre>
 
You can tell when the swap over happened as the latency increases and then decreases again when the DSL came back online.
 
= Telnet Commands =
 
=Telnet Commands=
 
Reset the USB controller and re-detect everything from scratch:
<pre>clear usb</pre>
Will reset the usb controller and re-detect everything from scratch.
 
 
Show dongle information:
<pre>show dongle</pre>
To show info
 
 
You can turn on debug logging to get more info
 
<pre>set command log level debug</pre>
-there will be lots of info coming out!
 
 
[[Category:Data SIM Devices]]
[[Category:FireBrick]] [[Category:3G]] [[Category:Mobile]]
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