[PLUG] Alcatel Linkzone sold by T-Mobile, labeled "4G LTE HotSpot

Ben Koenig techkoenig at protonmail.com
Sat Jun 4 22:02:54 UTC 2022


It is USB tethering. There are a handful of hotspot devices that include the driver stack necessary to bring up a USB-to-ethernet adapter but most just act as a client controller and let the user's laptop drive. This actually came up recently at work so I tested a few different hotspots for compatibility reasons.

If he successfully installed debian on the device then chances are he wiped out all of that functionality. This isn't something to troubleshoot - it's going to be broken because he blew away the OS and all the settings that go with it.

USB connections on hotspot devices are very software centric. They are Android devices that allow for multiple USB modes as defined through the user interface. If you wipe out the android OS then you'll lose all of the tethering functionality that existed previously.
-Ben


------- Original Message -------
On Saturday, June 4th, 2022 at 1:27 PM, Robert Citek <robert.citek at gmail.com> wrote:


> Smells like tethering.
> I do that often, just not with that equipment.
> To any connected host, it should look like just another Ethernet over USB
> connection.
> Is that what you are doing?
> What issues are you having?
>
> Regards,
> - Robert
>
> On Sat, Jun 4, 2022 at 12:53 PM Richard Owlett rowlett at cloud85.net wrote:
>
> > On 06/04/2022 12:37 PM, Russell Senior wrote:
> >
> > > I don't have one, so I can't help in the way you are requesting, but
> > > because as a volunteer I don't feel constrained by your constraints, I
> > > will
> > > ask anyway: If Wifi turned off, how are you connected to the hotspot?
> >
> > As intended by the manufacturer <grin>
> > It connects to:
> > host via USB
> > internet via cell network
> > others via WiFi
> >
> > > I assume you are installing debian on a computer and not on the hotspot.
> >
> > View "hotspot" as a fancy modem.
> >
> > > On Sat, Jun 4, 2022, 10:07 Richard Owlett rowlett at cloud85.net wrote:
> > >
> > > > I am using an Alcatel Linkzone sold by T-Mobile.
> > > > It is labeled "4G LTE HotSpot.
> > > > The WiFi has been turned off via the device's setup menu.
> > > >
> > > > Is anyone on this list using that device? ?? ???? ;}
> > > >
> > > > I am trying to install Debian 11.3
> > > > [requires non-free firmware]
> > > >
> > > > I have succeeded. ROFL ;/
> > > > BUT I'm trying to document encountered problems.
> > > >
> > > > I'm developing a test procedure to be the basis of a "bug report".
> > > >
> > > > I am looking for a fellow Linkzone user to be a QC checkpoint.
> > > >
> > > > Takers &/or comments.
> > > > TIA



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