Huawei broadband modem fails to connect after the most recent Ocelot update (Sep. 3.2011)

This is a bug report made for question #169977, in behalf of Dustin M. Jackson (caymanpirate).

The only network package (to my knowledge) that was updated was "glib-networking" :
"Preparing to replace glib-networking 2.29.15-0ubuntu1 (using .../glib-networking_2.29.18-0ubuntu1_i386.deb) ..."

 I'd like to confirm that this package, glib-networking, is causing the error, is there a way to roll back the update of this package?

I was able to:

sudo dpkg -i glib-networking_2.29.15-0ubuntu1_i386.deb

dpkg: warning: downgrading glib-networking from 2.29.18-0ubuntu1 to 2.29.15-0ubuntu1.
(Reading database ... 174838 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to replace glib-networking 2.29.18-0ubuntu1 (using glib-networking_2.29.15-0ubuntu1_i386.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement glib-networking ...
Setting up glib-networking (2.29.15-0ubuntu1) ...
Processing triggers for libglib2.0-0 ..

this however, has not solved the issue.

in trying to pin point the 'offending' upgrade package, a clean install (Alpha 3) was performed to which the broadband Huawei modem connected flawlessly.

after checking for updates, a partial upgrade was recommended and was performed.

again, after completing the Partial Upgrade, the modem is recognised, and is able to dial, but will not connect.

apt history log is attached.

Another clean install was attempted, this time using:

 ubuntu-11.10-beta1-desktop-amd64+mac.iso

Using the Huawei Broadband modem to connect to the internet and after running update-manager and selecting all updates, and restarting... the issue appears again, that being:

The Huawei Broadband modem is recognised, attempts to dial, but fails to connect.

**Progress**

Again, another clean install was attempted, this time using:

 ubuntu-11.10-beta1-desktop-amd64+mac.iso

Using the Huawei Broadband modem to connect to the internet and after running update-manager and after de-selecting the following packages, downloading and installing the updates, the modem is connecting. The issue (of Huawei Broadband Modem connection failure) lies within one (or more) of these packages:

glib-networking
gnome-power-manager
ifupdown
isc-dhcp-client
isc-dhcp-common
libnm-glib-vpn1
libnm-glib4
libnm-util2
linux-generic
linux-headers-3.0.0-10
linux-headers-3.0.0-10-generic
linux-headers-generic
linux-image-3.0.0-10-generic
linux-image-generic
linux-libc-dev
network-manager
network-manager-gnome

term.log attached

** Progress 2 **

The following updates were installed successfully and the Huawei Broadband modem continues to connect:

linux-generic
linux-headers-3.0.0-10
linux-headers-3.0.0-10-generic
linux-headers-generic
linux-image-3.0.0-10-generic
linux-image-generic
linux-libc-dev

The issue (Huawei Broadband Modem connection failure) now lay within one (or more) of these packages:

glib-networking
gnome-power-manager
ifupdown
isc-dhcp-client
isc-dhcp-common
libnm-glib-vpn1
libnm-glib4
libnm-util2
network-manager
network-manager-gnome

term2.log attached

***Eureka***

I think have found the "offending" package: network-manager_0.9.0-0ubuntu2_amd64.deb

As you can see from the attached term.log, I installed each package, one by one, then restarted each time; logged in and tried to connect to the internet.

Connectivity failed after the install of the "network-manager_0.9.0-0ubuntu2_amd64.deb package."

term3.log attached

****Confirmed****

I rolled back network-manager to network-manager_0.9.0-0ubuntu1_amd64.deb; and internet connectivity via Huawei Broadband Modem is restored!

dpkg: warning: downgrading network-manager from 0.9.0-0ubuntu2 to 0.9.0-0ubuntu1.
(Reading database ... 144119 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to replace network-manager 0.9.0-0ubuntu2 (using network-manager_0.9.0-0ubuntu1_amd64.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement network-manager ...
Setting up network-manager (0.9.0-0ubuntu1) ...
Processing triggers for ureadahead ...
ureadahead will be reprofiled on next reboot
Processing triggers for man-db .

Indeed, it's the issue. More precisely, the IPv6 patch change in NM 0.9.0-0ubuntu2 is breaking modem connections, because they end up trying to bring up ipv6 (and most of it is not supported). I'm already working on this, it's just taking some time to clear up the details. Worst case we'll revert the change.

This bug was fixed in the package network-manager - 0.9.0-0ubuntu3

---------------
network-manager (0.9.0-0ubuntu3) oneiric; urgency=low

  * debian/patches/lp761558_default_ip6_setting_auto.patch: disable the patch,
    it causes an issue with mobile broadband connections. (LP: #840082)
    Reopens LP: #761558.
 -- Mathieu Trudel-Lapierre <email address hidden> Thu, 08 Sep 2011 17:02:34 -0400

I have a Huawei E220 HSDPA USB Modem which fails to work with precise. I'm seeing NM assertion failures in syslog as shown on bug 874987, so for me this bug is not fixed. Is there some way to disable NM configureing IPv6 for a connection? There is only an IPv4 tab displayed when editing the connection in question.

I can confirm that in Oneiric it worked but after upgrading to Precise Beta 1 it stopped working. Reported it as bug 948837 just in case.

What I fixed was an issue reported by Jose and that I could reproduce on my end; related directly to IPv6 support patches introduced in Oneiric.

Now, there's an unrelated issue specifically with some Huawei modems; which we recently fixed in Precise and will SRU to Oneiric. That was bug 868034.

James, don't hesitate to ping me on IRC about this, but I do think it's fixed with modemmanager 0.5.1.97-0ubuntu1 in Precise. :)