Tag Archive: 3g


I have mentioned a few posts ago about a cheap 3G module that would fit in my HP EliteBook 8530w laptop. It seems, at least at HP, they call it a WWAN (Wireless Wide Area Network) module, but whatever it’s called, I am more interested in getting it to work.

When I checked my mail this afternoon, the 3G module had arrived. So, it’s time to play with my new toy ;)

DSC_0262DSC_0263

So, let’s get started

DSC_0265DSC_0267

My greatest problem was finding fitting screws. I was only able to find one screw that would fit, so that’s why there is only one screw there. But it sits in its slow. So… let’s see if it works, right?

DSC_0270DSC_0268

The BIOS recognises the device, and it’s enabled in the configuration, we’re ready to go. In order to use a 3G Modem, I need a SIM card. I have chosen for a pre-paid card from the virtual provider *bliep. The SIM card slot is behind the battery. In order to use this SIM card, I have to “activate” it by inserting it into a phone and call a phone number. After having done is, it can be inserted in the laptop.

DSC_0278DSC_0269

But after booting ArchLinux, the device is not recognised. There appears to be nothing at all. After a little research, I discovered this is because of the rfkill.

But first things first, installing the drivers:

$ yaourt -S gobi-loader gobi-firmware


Activating the automatic disabling of the soft-block

systemctl start rfkill-unblock@all
systemctl enable rfkill-unblock@all

Edit: the automatically unblocking doesn’t work well that way. It will need some more tweaking. The problem: this way the firmware will not be loaded. The goby-driver uses some udev rules to manage that, but the udev rules need to be parsed before the device becomes visible, which appears not to be the case using this method. But since 3G is not a feature I will be using much, I think I’ll leave it on manual unblocking for now. The code for that is rfkill unblock 3 or rfkill unblock wwan

Activating the ModemManager

systemctl start ModemManager
systemctl enable ModemManager

And when we start xfce4 then, we’ll see

Schermafdruk - 15-11-13 - 20:33:07

And then it’s just configuring the connection. All we need to know is the APN for *bliep, which is internet.arta and we’re ready to rock. What we see here is an IP address from the T-Mobile Netherlands range ;) It works!

Schermafdruk - 15-11-13 - 21:10:05

One thing to observe is the fact *bliep gives me a NAT’ed connection:

Schermafdruk - 15-11-13 - 23:23:31

Looking inside my laptop, I noticed:

An empty slow with wires

An empty slot with wires

I noticed an empty slow with two wires. I believe those are inteded to install a 3G module. There is a SIM slot behind the battery. Looking at my laptop’s (HP EliteBook 8530w) data sheet, the appropiate 3G module is an HP un2400. It’s available on ebay for US $13.58 + $2.89 shipping. According to google that’s about € 12. For that price i’d say it’s worth a try.

Looking at the datasheets of my other laptop’s (HP EliteBook 8570w) data sheet, the matching 3G Module is HP un2430. This is also available on ebay, but it’s a little more pricy: US $ 53.99 + $2.99 shipping. For that price, I say no thanks!

I mean, I don’t need it at all, but it would be a nice toy to play with. So, I wonder, would the cheaper un2400 also work in the new laptop? According to this thread on the hp forums it might be blocked by the BIOS. Damn, that would be a nasty trick to make people buy the expensive 3G card. I mean, what the fuck? The thing performs the exact same task, why it is 4 times as expensive?

So… I might buy that thing some time, and test it in both laptops. Who knows… but I will also be looking for an optical drive to use in the “upgrade bay” of my 8570w. I mean… a laptop without an optical drive feels kinda incomplete.