Hi everybody,
Has anybody got experience with interfacing a 3G USB modem with arduino ?
Is it possible.
BR,
Muhammad
Has anybody got experience with interfacing a 3G USB modem with arduino ?
Interfacing is such an overused/misused term that it has become a meaningless term.
Use some more specific terms, and define which particular 3G USB modem you are interested in.
i need to connect a 3G USB modem with the usb connection of the board. I need to send sensor data to the 3G modem using HTTP protocol. Moreover, we want to use the USB power to power up the modem. Can u tell me is it ok to use the USB connection to communicate between 3G modem and the arduino or we need to add some other circuitry for conversion of signals. I would able to specify the modem in some days. What I really want to know is that do we directly connect the USB conncetion of the board and 3G modem and start sending HTTP commands or we need to add up some circuitry.
i need to connect a 3G USB modem with the usb connection of the board.
Does the 3G modem look like it has the same connector as the Arduino? I didn't think so.
I need to send sensor data to the 3G modem using HTTP protocol.
Not sure exactly what this means. Serial data is serial data.
Moreover, we want to use the USB power to power up the modem.
As in, you want the Arduino to send power out to the modem via it's USB input connector?
Can u tell me is it ok to use the USB connection to communicate between 3G modem and the arduino
Once you have figured out how to get two different kinds of inputs connected together, the rest should be pretty easy. Not.
What I really want to know is that do we directly connect the USB conncetion of the board and 3G modem and start sending HTTP commands or we need to add up some circuitry.
No, you don't. You need a USB Host shield, and a whole lot of software, in between. Before you ask, if you have to ask, no you can't.
PaulS:
i need to connect a 3G USB modem with the usb connection of the board.
Does the 3G modem look like it has the same connector as the Arduino? I didn't think so.
Well I am rite now researching for a low power board. Once I am done with that, I would check out the 3G modem
I need to send sensor data to the 3G modem using HTTP protocol.
Not sure exactly what this means. Serial data is serial data.
Moreover, we want to use the USB power to power up the modem.
As in, you want the Arduino to send power out to the modem via it's USB input connector?
Yes I want to send power to the Modem via the USB connection of Arduino. I am new to this platform but what I can understand from your explanation is that the USB port of Arduino is input only for power. Do we need to setup the USB host shield to provide power to the 3G modem ?
Can u tell me is it ok to use the USB connection to communicate between 3G modem and the arduino
Once you have figured out how to get two different kinds of inputs connected together, the rest should be pretty easy. Not.
What I really want to know is that do we directly connect the USB conncetion of the board and 3G modem and start sending HTTP commands or we need to add up some circuitry.
No, you don't. You need a USB Host shield, and a whole lot of software, in between. Before you ask, if you have to ask, no you can't.
Can u explain or share a link which provides the functioning of a USB host shield ?
felis:
https://www.circuitsathome.com/mcu/interfacing-arduino-to-usb-gprs-modem
Can u share a link which gives the definition and purpose of USB host ?
USB is an interface specification. There are two sides to that interface. Host (or Master) and slave. Slaves get told what to do (initialize yourself, give me some data, store this data, etc). Masters get to crack the whip and give the commands.
The Arduino is a slave. The 3G modem is a slave. With no master around, the slaves sit around and drink beer all day.
The USB Host shield, and the software on that link, are the master that can get the slaves to do stuff.
1 Like
I'm currently working on a simular project, and stumpled across this.. i'll give you a few general pointers that might get you moving in the right direction.
#1 As the previous post indicated the gsm modem and the arduino are both slaves.
#2 Get a modem that directly communicates over serial like this https://www.sparkfun.com/products/10138
#3 you will be able to run it off of your voltage in power(parallel with the onboard 5v regulator) NOT USB POWER, they suck too much current, also you will need to use a voltage regulator to regulate down to 3.8v, the 5v arduino runs at will kill it.
#4 once its powering up you can hook it up to your serial port on your arduino (pins 0 +1)
#5 Not sure if the IP library includes SLIP stuff or not but you need to run SLIP serial over IP this is how your arduino will communicate with the internet.
To PaulS: why are you so mean ?!
To vik09: I guess it's doable but you need the arduino to be a usb host controller, unless you have a due, tre, intel galileo or any other arduino board with built in usb host/otg, you need a usb host shield. for powering the modem, it ususally consumes relativley high power compared to other usb devices such as pen drives, so powering it through the arduino's built in voltage regulator is probably not a good idea. For the software part you need to search the internet a bit.
Whouah that's was so dry PaulS. 
A lot of the Huwaeii modems have a serial interface for re flashing, their printed on the circuit board as four round gold pads, each modem has a different configuration.
You won't find a datasheet for these proprietary items 
& AT command sets are pretty sparse too
Your better off asking at a firmware flashing site.
I just ripped open my el-cheapo 3g router , inside there is rx td gnd vcc, my router can do bt downloads without a pc storing to sd/microsd, the converter is max chip. Just by educated guess if you knew the at commands for the router you could serve pages to and from the sd. I do not know any, nor do i care, i have a computer 
Unless you back up your statements I don't see the relevance of this post. Let me go trough it:
JB_AU:
A lot of the Huwaeii modems have a serial interface for re flashing, their printed on the circuit board as four round gold pads, each modem has a different configuration.
Can you give more details? Is the protocol simple Serial/TTL or proprietary? Have you ever seen such a thing being done?
JB_AU:
You won't find a datasheet for these proprietary items
You are contradicting yourself. If indeed I had access to the modem serial port the AT commands would be the same., regardless the TCP/IP and PPP stack would have to be done by the arduino. mbed uses such a thing http://mbed.org/cookbook/VodafoneUSBModem
JB_AU:
Your better off asking at a firmware flashing site.
I have an official Huawei unlock dongle and never heard such a thing, to unlock or re-flash. Unlocking is done using the USB serial port for the modem and it is that way since the older PCMCIA dongles. In fact they were exactly the same - a PCMCIA to USB chip (I once opened one and soldered a USB cable straight to the PCMCIA to USB HUB IC), just didnt had the virtual CD-ROM driver which make them a pleasure to set up with Linux and routers.
JB_AU:
I just ripped open my el-cheapo 3g router , inside there is rx td gnd vcc, my router can do bt downloads without a pc storing to sd/microsd, the converter is max chip. Just by educated guess if you knew the at commands for the router you could serve pages to and from the sd. I do not know any, nor do i care, i have a computer
First of all, does your router support any alternative firmwares such as DD-WRT, Open-WRT, tomato or similar? If so you wont be able to set up anything. If it does you can infact use a serial modem and load the PPP stack, but again that's not going to help the poster without having a serial modem in the first place, which is what it was asked.
JB_AU:
I do not know any, nor do i care, i have a computer
If its not useful i don't see why posting it.
PaulS:
Interfacing is such an overused/misused term that it has become a meaningless term.Use some more specific terms, and define which particular 3G USB modem you are interested in.
Paul, what on earth are you talking about? The word interface is neither over used or meaningless.
Vik used that word correctly and what he wants to do is quite clear from his description.
@sporadic_kit, no more name calling. Help @Vik009 or move along.
I landed on this thread looking for a answer to a similar issue that I am experiencing. However, I must admit that I am quite surprised, shocked even, at the negative feel that this thread has. Hopefully this post will address that and change the balance somewhat towards the positive.
@Vik009, there appears to be a solution to your issue. Using a USB host shield, and a bit of code, you should be able to proceed. This post, Interfacing Arduino to USB GPRS modem, should help you.
I hope that this helps.
I am using huawei e3131 3g modem can you send me code which is compatible to it