Like many of you out there I use mobile broadband as my Internet connection. What bugs me the most is that annoying virtual CD-ROM drive that pops out every time I put my stick in my USB connector. The idea is that average user has all of its modem drivers (of course Windows only) nearby. What's the use for that thing on our beloved Linux boxes? I know one. We can have fun disabling this annoyance once and for all. In this article I'll show you how to use your your Linux PC to disable virtual CD-ROM drive with built in software on Huawei and ZTE GSM modem devices.

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Disclamer: In this article you are going to send direct AT commands to your modem hardware and if you try real hard you can mess your hardware to the point where you will be unable to use it to connect to Internet.

I've tested following procedure with my Huawei E220 and ZTE MF100 devices but it should work for all Huawei and ZTE hardware. I know that you will probably proceed because that's what every Linux geek (my self included) would do in your place but you've been warned.

So let's cut to the chase. In this article I'm using Ubuntu Linux 10.04 but the logic is the same for any Linux distribution. We will use minicom to communicate with our modem so let's install it first;

Now lets configure minicom for our modem device and select 'Serial port setup' from the 'Configuration' menu:

For 'Serial Device' you will select /dev/ttyUSB0 if you have Huawei E220 device or /dev/ttyUSB2 if you have ZTE MF100 modem device. If you have some other modem device for the 'ttyUSBX' part take a look at the 'Connection information' window from your Network Manager when you have established Internet connection. That will give you serial device location for your hardware. Here are the screen shots for my Huawei E220:

After you've finished just select 'Save setup as dfl' option and 'Exit from Minicom' what will bring you back to terminal.

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Now you should be able to communicate directly with your modem using AT commands. Keep in mind that Network Manager locks your modem device as soon as you establish Internet connection using this device. It stays locked even after you disconnect so to be on the safe side now is the time to right click to your Network Manager and uncheck 'Enable Mobile Broadband' or even 'Enable Networking' option to release your device for use with minicom.

Now run minicom using:

If everything is correct you will be presented with the following screen:

Huawei modem devices

Now comes the most important part, AT commands to disable virtual CD-ROM drive. If you have Huawei device other than E220 you should consult the table bellow before entering any AT commands. If your device is Huawei E220 you can simply do the following:

Here's the more detailed table for more settings you can use instead of '0'. It should stand for most Huawei modem devices:

modem (M)
NAND-flashmemory drive (CD)
microSD-drive (SD)
PC UI interface (UI)
network adaptor (N)
smartcard (SC)

n	M	CD	SD	UI	N	SC	Remarks
0	+	+
1	+	+
3	+	+	+	won't work on devices without SC*
5	+	+	+	won't work on devices without N*
9	+	+	+	won't work on devices without N & SC*
10	+	+	+	won't work on devices without SC*
12	+	+	+	won't work on devices without N*
255	+	+	+	+	?	?	reset to factory defaults
256	+	+	+	for most devices: everything enabled except the flashmemory; microSD-drive will be available under Windows even without drivers installed
257	+	+	+
259	+	+	+	+	won't work on devices without SC*
261	+	+	+	+	won't work on devices without N & SC*
265	+	+	+	+	won't work on devices without N & SC*
266	+	+	+	+	won't work on devices without SC*
267	+	+	+	won't work on devices without N*
268	+	+	+	+	won't work on devices without N*
276	+	+	+	+	+	?	reset to factory defaults

ZTE modem devices

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On the other hand if you have ZTE GSM modem device (tested with ZTE MF100) you can use following AT command to disable virtual CD-ROM drive with built in software on ZTE GSM modem devices:

If you change your mind later you can use following AT command to enable virtual CD-ROM device:

If everything is OK restart your Linux PC and you'll never see that annoying virtual CD-ROM drive again. If something got broken you can post here and I or someone else will assist.

Huawei E3531 comes available in 4^th Quarter of 2013, as a new surf stick on the market. Huawei E3531 is mainly for Germany operators. Depending on the rate and network environment, the download speeds could reach up to 21.6 Mbit/s and upload speeds achievable could reach to 5.76 Mbps. The features are similar to HUAWEI E3131, which is already available in the market since 2012.

Basic functions

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The Huawei E3531 offers dual-band UMTS (900/2100 MHz) and quad-band GSM (850/900/1800/1900 MHz). The HUAWEI E3531 is SIM card unlocked and free for any operators. So the E3531 modem could be used in most countries in Europe, but only in the U.S. and parts of Asia, the HUAWEI E3531 can’t be used. With dimensions of 84x27x10, 5 mm, and weight of only 30 grams, the E3531 stick is very compact and slim, which makes it eas to take in hand or pocket when travelling. Huawei E3531 has a connector for an external antenna, it helps user to get better signal strength in rural area where lower signal.

Connects In 15 seconds
The Huawei E3531 HSPA+ Surfstick software is supplied with the Huawei HiLink, which allows operation without additional software. Only drivers will be installed at the first plugging to the computer, all operating systems are supported on Windows XP/SP3. The complete configuration is done via a web interface in the browser.
HiLink Another advantage of the software: after plugging to PC for about 15 seconds, Huawei E3531 would automatically connect to the internet and PC can start surf freely. The E3531 can work with almost all sim cards completely,

Huawei E3531 Software