Connect Azure Percept DK over 5G and LTE by using a Vodafone USB Connect 4G v2 modem
Important
Retirement of Azure Percept DK:
Update 22 February 2023: A firmware update for the Percept DK Vision and Audio accessory components (also known as Vision and Audio SOM) is now available here, and will enable the accessory components to continue functioning beyond the retirement date.
The Azure Percept public preview will be evolving to support new edge device platforms and developer experiences. As part of this evolution the Azure Percept DK and Audio Accessory and associated supporting Azure services for the Percept DK will be retired March 30th, 2023.
Effective March 30th, 2023, the Azure Percept DK and Audio Accessory will no longer be supported by any Azure services including Azure Percept Studio, OS updates, containers updates, view web stream, and Custom Vision integration. Microsoft will no longer provide customer success support and any associated supporting services. For more information, please visit the Retirement Notice Blog Post.
This article discusses how to connect Azure Percept DK by using a Vodafone USB Connect 4G v2 modem.
For more information about this modem, go to the Vodafone Integrated Terminals page.
Use the modem to connect
Before you begin, make sure that you've prepared Azure Percept DK for connecting by using a USB modem. No preparation for the USB modem itself is required.
Plug a SIM card into the Vodafone modem.
Plug the Vodafone modem into the Azure Percept USB A port.
Power up Azure Percept DK.
Connect to Azure Percept DK by using the Secure Shell (SSH) network protocol.
Ensure that ModemManager is running by writing the following command to your SSH prompt:
systemctl status ModemManagerIf you're successful, you'll get a result that's similar to the following:
ModemManager.service - Modem Manager Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/ModemManager.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled) Active: active (running) since Mon 2021-08-09 20:52:03 UTC; 23 s agoList the active modems.
To check to ensure that ModemManager can recognize your modem, run:
mmcli --list-modemsYou should get a result that's similar to the following. Here the modem ID is
0, but your result might differ./org/freedesktop/ModemManager1/Modem/0 [Alcatel] MobilebroadbandGet the modem details.
To get the modem status details, run the following command (where modem ID is
0).mmcli --modem 0By default, the modem is disabled (
Status -> state: disabled).-------------------------------- General | path: /org/freedesktop/ModemManager1/Modem/0 | device id: 20a6021958444bcb6f6589b47fd264932c340e69 -------------------------------- Hardware | manufacturer: Alcatel | model: Mobilebroadband | firmware revision: MPSS.JO.2.0.2.c1.7-00004-9607_ | carrier config: default | h/w revision: 0 | supported: gsm-umts, lte | current: gsm-umts, lte | equipment id: xxx -------------------------------- System | device: /sys/devices/platform/soc@0/38200000.usb/xhci-hcd.1.auto/usb3/3-1/3-1.2 | drivers: option, cdc_mbim | plugin: generic | primary port: cdc-wdm0 | ports: cdc-wdm0 (mbim), ttyUSB0 (at), ttyUSB1 (qcdm), | ttyUSB2 (at), wwan0 (net) -------------------------------- Status | unlock retries: sim-pin2 (3) | state: disabled | power state: on | signal quality: 0% (cached) -------------------------------- Modes | supported: allowed: 2g; preferred: none | allowed: 3g; preferred: none | allowed: 4g; preferred: none | allowed: 2g, 3g; preferred: 3g | allowed: 2g, 3g; preferred: 2g | allowed: 2g, 4g; preferred: 4g | allowed: 2g, 4g; preferred: 2g | allowed: 3g, 4g; preferred: 4g | allowed: 3g, 4g; preferred: 3g | allowed: 2g, 3g, 4g; preferred: 4g | allowed: 2g, 3g, 4g; preferred: 3g | allowed: 2g, 3g, 4g; preferred: 2g | current: allowed: 2g, 3g, 4g; preferred: 2g -------------------------------- Bands | supported: egsm, dcs, pcs, g850, utran-4, utran-5, utran-2, eutran-2, | eutran-4, eutran-5, eutran-7, eutran-12, eutran-13, eutran-71 | current: egsm, dcs, pcs, g850, utran-4, utran-5, utran-2, eutran-2, | eutran-4, eutran-5, eutran-7, eutran-12, eutran-13, eutran-71 -------------------------------- IP | supported: ipv4, ipv6, ipv4v6 -------------------------------- 3GPP | imei: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx | enabled locks: fixed-dialing -------------------------------- 3GPP EPS | ue mode of operation: csps-2 -------------------------------- SIM | primary sim path: /org/freedesktop/ModemManager1/SIM/0We recommend that you start with the default setting:
Modes: current: allowed: 2g, 3g, 4g; preferred: 2g.If you're not already using this setting, run:
mmcli --modem 0 --set-allowed-modes='2g|3g|4g' --set-preferred-mode='2g'.Enable the modem.
Before you establish a connection, turn on the modem's radio or radios by running the following code:
mmcli --modem 0 --enableYou should get a response like "successfully enabled the modem."
After some time, the modem should be registered to a cell tower, and you should see a modem status of
Status -> state: registeredafter you run the following code:mmcli --modem 0Connect by using the access point name (APN) information.
Your cell phone provider provides an APN, such as the following APN for Vodafone:
mmcli --modem 0 --simple-connect="apn=internet4gd.gdsp"You should get a response like "successfully connected the modem."
Get the modem status.
You should now see a status of
Status -> state: connectedand a newBearercategory at the end of the status message.mmcli --modem 0-------------------------------- General | path: /org/freedesktop/ModemManager1/Modem/0-mobile. | device id: 20a6021958444bcb6f6589b47fd264932c340e69 -------------------------------- Hardware | manufacturer: Alcatel | model: Mobilebroadband | firmware revision: MPSS.JO.2.0.2.c1.7-00004-9607_ | carrier config: default | h/w revision: 0 | supported: gsm-umts, lte | current: gsm-umts, lte | equipment id: xxx -------------------------------- System | device: /sys/devices/platform/soc@0/38200000.usb/xhci-hcd.1.auto/usb3/3-1/3-1.2 | drivers: option, cdc_mbim | plugin: generic | primary port: cdc-wdm0 | ports: cdc-wdm0 (mbim), ttyUSB0 (at), ttyUSB1 (qcdm), | ttyUSB2 (at), wwan0 (net) -------------------------------- Numbers | own: xxx -------------------------------- Status | unlock retries: sim-pin2 (10) | state: connected | power state: on | access tech: lte | signal quality: 19% (recent) -------------------------------- Modes | supported: allowed: 2g; preferred: none | allowed: 3g; preferred: none | allowed: 4g; preferred: none | allowed: 2g, 3g; preferred: 3g | allowed: 2g, 3g; preferred: 2g | allowed: 2g, 4g; preferred: 4g | allowed: 2g, 4g; preferred: 2g | allowed: 3g, 4g; preferred: 4g | allowed: 3g, 4g; preferred: 3g | allowed: 2g, 3g, 4g; preferred: 4g | allowed: 2g, 3g, 4g; preferred: 3g | allowed: 2g, 3g, 4g; preferred: 2g | current: allowed: 2g, 3g, 4g; preferred: 2g -------------------------------- Bands | supported: egsm, dcs, pcs, g850, utran-4, utran-5, utran-2, eutran-2, | eutran-4, eutran-5, eutran-7, eutran-12, eutran-13, eutran-71 | current: egsm, dcs, pcs, g850, utran-4, utran-5, utran-2, eutran-2, | eutran-4, eutran-5, eutran-7, eutran-12, eutran-13, eutran-71 -------------------------------- IP | supported: ipv4, ipv6, ipv4v6 -------------------------------- 3GPP | imei: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx | enabled locks: fixed-dialing | operator id: 302220 | operator name: TELUS | registration: roaming -------------------------------- 3GPP EPS | ue mode of operation: csps-2 -------------------------------- SIM | primary sim path: /org/freedesktop/ModemManager1/SIM/0 -------------------------------- Bearer | paths: /org/freedesktop/ModemManager1/Bearer/0Get the bearer details.
You need the bearer details to connect the operating system to the packet data connection that the modem has now established with the cellular network. At this point, the modem has an IP connection, but the operating system is not yet configured to use it.
mmcli --bearer 0The bearer details are listed in the following code:
-------------------------------- General | path: /org/freedesktop/ModemManager1/Bearer/0 | type: default -------------------------------- Status | connected: yes | suspended: no | interface: wwan0 | ip timeout: 20 -------------------------------- Properties | apn: internet4gd.gdsp | roaming: allowed -------------------------------- IPv4 configuration | method: static | address: 162.177.2.0 | prefix: 22 | gateway: 162.177.2.1 | dns: 10.177.0.34, 10.177.0.210 | mtu: 1500 -------------------------------- Statistics | attempts: 1Bring up the network interface.
sudo ip link set dev wwan0 upConfigure the network interface.
By using the information provided by the bearer, replace the IP address (for example, we use 162.177.2.0/22 here) with the one your bearer has:
sudo ip address add 162.177.2.0/22 dev wwan0Check the IP information.
The IP configuration for this interface should match the ModemManager bearer details. Run:
sudo ip address show dev wwan0Your bearer IP is listed as shown here:
wwan0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST,NOARP,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 1500 qdisc pfifo_fast state UNKNOWN group default qlen 1000 link/ether c2:12:44:c4:27:3c brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff inet 162.177.2.0/22 scope global wwan0 valid_lft forever preferred_lft forever inet6 fe80::c012:44ff:fec4:273c/64 scope link valid_lft forever preferred_lft foreverSet the default route.
Again, by using the information provided by the bearer and using the modem's gateway (replace 162.177.2.1) as the default destination for network packets, run:
sudo ip route add default via 162.177.2.1 dev wwan0Azure Percept DK is now enabled to connect to Azure by using the LTE modem.
Test the connectivity.
In this article, you're executing a
pingrequest through thewwan0interface. But you can also use Azure Percept Studio and check to see whether telemetry messages are arriving. Make sure that you're not using an Ethernet cable and that Wi-Fi isn't enabled so that you're using LTE. Run:ping -I wwan0 8.8.8.8You should get a result that's similar to the following:
PING 8.8.8.8 (8.8.8.8) from 162.177.2.0 wwan0: 56(84) bytes of data. 64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=1 ttl=114 time=111 ms 64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=2 ttl=114 time=92.0 ms 64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=3 ttl=114 time=88.8 ms ^C --- 8.8.8.8 ping statistics --- 3 packets transmitted, 3 received, 0% packet loss, time 4ms rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 88.779/97.254/110.964/9.787 ms
Debugging
For general information about debugging, see Connect by using a USB modem.
Vodafone modem rules to mitigate enumeration issues
To prevent the modem from enumerating in a non-supported mode, we suggest that you apply the following userspace/dev (udev) rules to have ModemManager ignore unwanted interfaces.
Create a /usr/lib/udev/rules.d/77-mm-vodafone-port-types.rules file with the following content:
ACTION!="add|change|move|bind", GOTO="mm_vodafone_port_types_end"
SUBSYSTEMS=="usb", ATTRS{idVendor}=="1bbb", GOTO="mm_vodafone_generic_vendorcheck"
GOTO="mm_vodafone_port_types_end"
LABEL="mm_vodafone_generic_vendorcheck"
SUBSYSTEMS=="usb", ATTRS{bInterfaceNumber}=="?*", ENV{.MM_USBIFNUM}="$attr{bInterfaceNumber}"
# Interface 1 is QDCM (ignored) and interfaces 3 and 4 are MBIM Control and Data.
ATTRS{idVendor}=="1bbb", ATTRS{idProduct}=="00b6", ENV{.MM_USBIFNUM}=="00", ENV{ID_MM_PORT_TYPE_AT_PRIMARY}="1"
ATTRS{idVendor}=="1bbb", ATTRS{idProduct}=="00b6", ENV{.MM_USBIFNUM}=="01", ENV{ID_MM_PORT_IGNORE}="1"
ATTRS{idVendor}=="1bbb", ATTRS{idProduct}=="00b6", ENV{.MM_USBIFNUM}=="02", ENV{ID_MM_PORT_AT_SECONDARY}="1"
GOTO="mm_vodafone_port_types_end"
LABEL="mm_vodafone_port_types_end"
After they're installed, reload the udev rules and restart ModemManager:
udevadm control -R
systemctl restart ModemManager
Next steps
Depending on the cellular device you have access to, you can connect in one of two ways: