Wammu and Finding USB Ports

Wammu Bluetooth setup is here, you may now carry on reading :)

Wammu is a nice tool I found to keep my mobile data in sync. It provides a nice wizard to start synching and backup mobile phone data, however I had issues trying to find this, USB port address.

I must admit, no regular new user would of figured it out, yet I am sure there is documentation online some where. Yet I didn't have the internet on me at the time, so here is how I did it. Think it is pretty standard for most usb mobile connections, but here is how this piece of information out.

You will Need "hwinfo"
FORGET THE "lsusb" command :P That just brings up interesting numbers that I have already tried in my past attempts lol.

Make sure you can run "hwinfo" command, if you have not got that command, get one!

hwinfo is a "Hardware identification system", pretty cool nifty dump. Comes standard with Ubuntu, not sure about the rest.... ANYWAY!....

How to find the USB Port Address for a Mobile Phone
1) Connect the phone to the USB and let it go in file transfer mode. So the phone is mounted to Linux.

2) Bring up a console or terminal and type

hwinfo > myhardwareinfo.txt

This will save all your hardware information.

3) Search the file for the make of your phone, it should show something like

usb.vendor_id = 7531 (0x1d6b)
usb.is_self_powered = true
usb.product_id = 1 (0x1)
usb.can_wake_up = true
usb.vendor = 'Linux Foundation'
usb.bus_number = 1 (0x1)
usb.product = 'USB Communications Interface'
usb.interface.number = 7 (0x7)
linux.sysfs_path = '/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:10.0/usb1/1-1/1-1:3.7'
info.parent = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/usb_device_1d6b_1_0000_00_10_0'
usb.interface.class = 2 (0x2)
usb.interface.subclass = 9 (0x9)
usb.interface.protocol = 1 (0x1)
usb.interface.description = 'Sony Ericsson Device 039 USB WMC Device Management'

6: udi = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/usb_device_1d6b_1_0000_00_10_0_if1_serial_unknown_0'
linux.sysfs_path = '/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:10.0/usb1/1-1/1-1:3.1/tty/ttyACM0'
info.subsystem = 'tty'
info.parent = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/usb_device_1d6b_1_0000_00_10_0_if1'
info.category = 'serial'

4) This is the tricky bit, look for the line beginning with "Linux.sysfs_path". Mine is

/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:10.0/usb1/1-1/1-1:3.1/tty/ttyACM0

To find the port for the USB, turns out it was just a small bit at the end and not that long address I've learnt something here...

It is not "/tty/ttyACM0" , is it in fact

Change "tty" to "/dev/" and dump the rest....

BEHOLD THE CORRECT USB PORT ADDRESS TO TYPE INTO WAMMU

/dev/ttyACM0

It may be different if you using more than one USB port on your machine.

Final Thoughts
I tried to figure this one on more than one occassion and it is my 3rd time that I figured it out. Funnily enough I must have entered all kinds of addresses.

Apparently tty is a standard input thingy. I'm a little older and wiser and happy I can sync my phone. we're trying to communicate to the device. I am sure there is some logic I am mis understanding as to why it is /dev/.

THEY should improve the "lsusb" to show this? Or can't that be possible?

Wammu Usage Notes
Just some things to realize as you use this software.

• Don't have the phone in File Transfer Mode
• Keep it in regular phone mode
• You may get a error with synching empty things like, you have not used the "TODO" on your phone.
  
• Everytime you run Wammu, it starts off with a clean slate, unless you open up your backups.
• It will come up with errors when you try to backup things that don't exist yet.
• Be aware of duplicate data (Some are on Sim and some are on memory).

Backup

1. Connect to phone (click Phone->Connect)
2. Retrieve everything you use. Click "Retrieve"-> everyone of these items (excluding the ones you don't use ie "todo")
3. Click Backups->"Save" and "save messages"

Restore
Been a while since I restored... Either you connect last or connect first before doing this 1 step.

1) Something tells me you have to connect to phone first then click
Backups->Import
Backups->Import Messages

Moving Mobile Numbers

I needed to change my mobile number to another network and I searched around online, finding people just being lazy about it or saying it very fussy. I decided to go ahead and see what the whole process is like anyway. Also I didn't want to spend around £20 just to unlock my phone from some backstreet store.

Phones are are locked with your first provider and new phone for good reasons. To give you reassurnance that your BRAND NEW may be retraceable,assured if required.

I did the following in this order to change my mobile number and unlock my phone, I hope it helps you see the process.

Oh I managed it by the way :) I will not say the provider's names I changed as I like them both really. Just family and factors of life that make us have to change for fair price at the time.

IMPORTANT
MUST HAVE MOBILE PHONE WITH YOU ALL TIMES, and NOTE your mobile number in hand just incase.

Get Permission to transfer number to New Provider
1) Call up old mobile provider TEAM for PAC (Porting Authorisation Code) number. It be valid for 30 days then expire.

2) Visit the new "NEW mobile provider's" website and search around for moving, "Moving mobile Numbers". They normally provide a form to fill with the PAC number requirement too.
They then email you in a day or so, saying the will start the transfers in 2 to 3 workings roughly. During the process of transfering, you not be able to use any services on the mobile other than the features of the phone software (calendar, notes, games, etc).

Unlocking the Phone to be usuable by any provider
If you do this with a new phone, you may be charged, however if you had the phone over 12 months then it will be free. Understandable there.

1) Call "old mobile provider team" and ask for unlock code to phone. You will need to confirm some security questions in order to an unlock code, as well as give them your "model and make" of mobile phone.

2) Give the operator your EMEI number which is located on the back of the phone, under the battery. Normally begins with the two numbers, "35".

Some times you may call at an awkard time where they are updating their server details, which means you have to wait a couple of hours, and then call them back. Move onto step 3.

3) Once the operator knows your; model, make and EMEI number of phone, the operator will guide you through the process of the unlocking.

For a Sony Erricson k800i, I had to do the following the steps, and stayed with operator till done.

3.1. Take out sim card

3.2. Switch on phone

3.3. push joystick left

3.5. type **

3.6. push joystick left again, once sucessful you'll see a couple of screen flashes, then the display will show "network unlock"

3.7. select Network Unlock

3.8. type in the NCK number that the operator of the old network will give you. (Be nice to them)

If sucessful the screen should display network unlocked, othwise stay with the operator as the phone is locked in their service any how.

3.9 If successfull, destroy old sim card to "old mobile operator".

Final Conclusions
Scary on and off but achieveable, if you remain paitent and can take around roughly 3 days.