I have added support for Panasonic ToughBook CF-F9 U3G GOBI2000 to FreeBSD U3G kernel module [1]. I have added firmware for Panasonic CF-F9 and HP EliteBook 2740p along with gobi_loader updates [2] that are required for 3G modems to work.

At first U3G module will create /dev/cuaU0 interface for QDL firmware load, then after successful firmware load device will reload itself to a modem mode and U3G module will provide additional /dev/cuaU0.* nodes for operations (/dev/cuaU0.2 is the AT command intarface).

In order for this modem to work on FreeBSD you also need to tune some configutation files:

• /etc/devd.conf:

  attach 100 {
   match "vendor" "0x04da";  #adjust your device VID
   match "product" "0x250e"; #adjust your device PID
   action "/usr/local/sbin/gobi_loader -2000 /dev/cuaU0 /boot/firmware/gobi/";
  };
  

• /etc/ppp/ppp.conf:

  default:
   set log Phase Chat LCP IPCP CCP tun command
   ident user-ppp VERSION
   set device /dev/cuaU0.2
   set phone *99\#
   set redial 5 10
   set speed 115200
   set dial "ABORT BUSY ABORT NO\\sCARRIER TIMEOUT 5 \
             \"\" AT AT-OK-AT ATH OK ATZ OK ATE1Q0 OK \
             AT+CFUN=1 OK-AT-OK \
             AT+CPIN? READY-AT+CPIN=\"YOUR_PIN_HERE\"-OK \
             AT+CGDCONT=1,\\\"ip\\\",\\\"internet\\\" OK \
             \\dATDT\\T TIMEOUT 40 CONNECT"
   set timeout 20
   enable dns
   set ifaddr 10.0.0.1/0 10.0.0.2/0 255.255.255.255 0.0.0.0
   add default HISADDR
  

You now should be able to use your 3G modem connection with ppp -ddial, after you add your local user to the dialer group with pw groupmod dialer -m your_user_name. Remember to have U3G compiled in. Enjoy the Internets! :-)

[1] https://github.com/freebsd/freebsd/pull/115
[2] https://github.com/cederom/gobi_loader

In case you wonder why your device does not connect as Modem via Bluetooth to the Mac OSX, or you cannot see COM port on Windows, your mobile device may not simply support or provide DUN (Dial Up Network) and/or SPP (Serial Port Profile) profile.

On Mac OSX I got following error, until I tried another device and/or starting by hand DUN service on a mobile/client machine:

cannot open /dev/cu.Bluetooth-Modem: Resource busy

Notes:

• Read Bluetooth specification for Serial Port Profile.
• Read Bluetooth specification for Dial-Up Network Profile.
• Modern mobile phones / USB 3G dongles, unfortunately, do not provide direct AT/Hayes access to the Radio Modem anymore.
• You can install DUN application for your smartphone, but it will be only a simple dummy wrapper imitating modem for simple applications, but they do not provide full modem functionality, beware, its a fake.
• Its only necessary for devices to be paired first in order to get SPP/DUN working. If device does not provide serial port over bluetooth when devices are paired and online, probably its just not there implemented.

If you want to use GSM/3G/LTE modem on your FreeBSD box you need to use PPP and following configuration:

default:
 set log Phase Chat LCP IPCP CCP tun command
 ident user-ppp VERSION 
 set device /dev/cuaU0
 set phone *99\#
 set redial 5 10
 set speed 115200
 set dial "ABORT BUSY ABORT NO\\sCARRIER TIMEOUT 5 \
           \"\" ATH OK ATZ OK AT OK-AT-OK ATE1Q0 OK \
           AT+CFUN=1 OK-AT-OK \
           AT+CPIN? READY-AT+CPIN=\"1234\"-OK \
           AT+CGDCONT=1,\"ip\",\"internet\" OK \
           \\dATDT\\T TIMEOUT 40 CONNECT"
 set timeout 10
 enable dns
 set ifaddr 10.0.0.1/0 10.0.0.2/0 255.255.255.255 0.0.0.0
 add default HISADDR