Can Trisquel 8 mini do tethering with iPhone via an USB cable directly?

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Masaru Suzuqi -under review-
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Joined: 06/06/2018

Hello. My iPhone has succeeded tethering with Trisquel 8 via USB cable directly by default. I am currently using Trisquel 8 mini with the x60s (btw librebooting succeeded, maybe, thank you very much) and I cannot do it with mini. Currently some problems are preventing it from WIFI access (I am going to report these bugs(?) later) so I want to do tethering with the USB cable directly. Would you teach me how I do it and whether there is a security risk to connect a PC to a smartphone directly by an USB cable? Thanks for your support as always. Sincerely.

Beformed
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Joined: 01/12/2017

Hey Masaru, in regards to the wifi problem, did you replace the wifi card that came with the x60s when libreboot was installed? that might be the issue.

chaosmonk

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> Hello. My iPhone has succeeded tethering with Trisquel 8 via USB cable
> directly by default. I am currently using Trisquel 8 mini with the x60s (btw
> librebooting succeeded, maybe, thank you very much) and I cannot do it with
> mini. Currently some problems are preventing it from WIFI access (I am going
> to report these bugs(?) later) so I want to do tethering with the USB cable
> directly.

So WiFi and USB tethering work for you in Trisquel but not in Trisquel
Mini? The WiFi and tethering issues could be related. Can you describe
the WiFi issues.

Can you clarify whether the Trisquel system where WiFi works is on a
different machine from your X60s? If so, this could be a hardware issue.

What is the output of

$ lspci | grep Network

?

nadebula.1984
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Joined: 05/01/2018

Or else try this command:

lspci | grep Ethernet

Certain Atheros WLAN cards are recognized as "Ethernet controller" rather than "Network controller". This is true for the two possible Atheros cards (AR5418 and AR5424) that come with X60 series. Since his computer doesn't recognize any "Network controller", he may (fortunately) have an Atheros card already. It seems relatively more Japanese sub-models come with Atheros cards (compared to those sold to other areas of world). I do have a Japanese version AR5424. It works perfectly under Trisquel, albeit certain channels are disabled, in order to meet local law regulations.

I routinely use USB tethering, but only with an Android (Lineage OS or Resurrection Remix) smart phone or else a KaiOS "smart feature phone" (something between smart phone and feature phone, e.g. Nokia 8110). I have never been an "i-Thing" victim. So I can't answer the question about USB tethering with an iPhone.

Masaru Suzuqi -under review-
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@Beformed
Thank you. Yes I have just noticed that the problems might have started after libreboot was installed, but not immediately after installing it. I removed the Wifi card right after I got the X60s so the space is empty right now then I have been using USB dongles. (maybe both AR9271) I am going to get the recommended Wifi card in the near future.

@chaosmonk
Thank you.

>So WiFi and USB tethering work for you in Trisquel but not in Trisquel
Mini?

Both Wifi and USB tethering worked for me in Trisquel. For Trisquel mini, USB tethering doesn't work. Wifi works, but since maybe yesterday, it is cut suddenly. Wifi has no problem while after a few minutes each time it booted.
I don't notice it was cut from the Wifi icon because the icon keeps indicating the connection is making. Other indications also indicate Wifi is connecting but actually it is not connecting. If I click the icon, then choose "iPhone" from the list to cut once, then choose "iPhone" again soon, connection gets recovery. But after a few minutes usually it is cut again then the same way doesn't work anymore. But after shutdown or reboot, I can use Wifi for a few minutes. I noticed the problem since I was looking at the download byte indicator(?) of qbittorrent. It was stopping. And the iPhone also keeps indicating it is connecting with X60s while the trouble. (a blinking blue square signal the top of the screen)

The output was like this:

$lspci | grep Network
$lspci | grep Network
$lspci | grep Network
$

I see sometimes this. Nothing happens after entering.

>Can you clarify whether the Trisquel system where WiFi works is on a
different machine from your X60s?

No it is the same machine.

chaosmonk

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> I am going to get the recommended Wifi card in the near future.

I highly recommend it. I find that a $7 PCI Atheros card works much
better than a $30 ThinkPenguin USB dongle, and now that you've installed
libreboot there's nothing stopping you.

> Both Wifi and USB tethering worked for me in Trisquel. For Trisquel
> mini, USB tethering doesn't work. Wifi works, but since maybe
> yesterday, it is cut suddenly.

Okay, so WiFi *did* work in Trisquel Mini, but stopped yesterday,
whereas USB tethering *never* worked, even before you had WiFi problems.
Is that correct?

> If I click the icon, then choose "iPhone" from the
> list to cut once, then choose "iPhone" again soon, connection gets
> recovery.

So USB tethering works for a moment, and then stops working? Does it
stop working when the phone locks? That's just a wild guess. I've never
tried to get USB tethering working with an iPhone before.

> But after shutdown or reboot, I can use
> Wifi for a few minutes.

Next time, instead of rebooting, see if

$ sudo systemcrl restart NetworkManager fixes the problem

Also see if turning the laptop's WiFi hardware switch (on the X60 the
switch is in the center of the front edge of the laptop base) off and on
again fixes the problem.

Magic Banana

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$ sudo systemcrl restart NetworkManager

Just correcting your typo: 'systemctl' (not 'systemcrl').

Masaru Suzuqi -under review-
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I wanted to try your suggestions but the trouble doesn't happen. Wifi tethering is fine now. I have been connecting with the internet more than a hour. But I learned some things, and it seems that it is better to avoid USB tethering an iPhone to the machine. I might jailbreak this phone and install Trisquel on it or get some cheap smart phone for tethering. Talking with Apple girls is one of my few pasttimes.
If it happens persistently again, please let me ask again here. Thank you guys.

chaosmonk

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> I might... get some cheap smart phone for tethering.

Since you were able to libreboot your X60s, I think you would not find
it too difficult to install Replicant. You should be able to find a
Replicant-supported device[1] for pretty cheap. I have found that USB
tethering works pretty reliably with Replicant and Trisquel.

[1] https://www.replicant.us/supported-devices.php

Masaru Suzuqi -under review-
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Wow, thanks for the info. OK, I will try install Replicant on Trisquel. S3 was cheap and I favor its design.

Magic Banana

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Wow, thanks for the info. OK, I will try install Replicant on Trisquel.

Replicant is an Android distribution that can be installed on some phones: https://replicant.us/supported-devices.php

Not a program to install "on Trisquel".

Masaru Suzuqi -under review-
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I see. I got it. I think I would try, though.

Magic Banana

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But I learned some things, and it seems that it is better to avoid USB tethering an iPhone to the machine. I might jailbreak this phone and install Trisquel on it

Trisquel (or any operating system except iOS, as far as I know), does not support iThings.

Masaru Suzuqi -under review-
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I think that you are talking about installing, but about USB tethering, when I was able to use USB tethering, the distro on the X60s was probably Debian. I remembered it. So I guess that I cannot tether my iPhone to Trisquel 8 either with USB cable.

Magic Banana

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I think that you are talking about installing

So were you:

I might jailbreak this phone and install Trisquel on it

nadebula.1984
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Joined: 05/01/2018

iThings are tyrants (Restricted Boot), so jail breaking is not enough.