Using old BanglaLion Wimax modem on Ubuntu

[UPDATE: The latest BanglaLion Wimax modems which are being sold by the Wimax company right now claim to have native support for Windows, Mac and Linux. However, many people still have the old devices and those devices don't work natively with Linux - although they sometimes seem to work natively with Mac. So here it is.]

There are quite a few posts on this around the internet. But I have had a hard time following through the instructions given there. Either because they are not sequenced properly, or because the screenshots do not match, or because links are broken, or because photo captions don't say much about the photo, or because the language is really fragmented. There is one really nice post by Md. Minhazul Haque regarding this, but it is in Bangla. If anyone prefers it in English, here is your dime. So I am re-creating a post which is already available out there, but hopefully in a more structured way.

Pre-Requisites before starting out the processes

You don't need to have pre-reqs 1 & 2 if your modem is not the ZTE AX226 model (see the label on your modem to find out which model it is)

1. a Windows operating system
   --- needed before trying to make the modem work with linux
2. Beceem Control Panel - download
   --- runs on windows to configure the modem hardware so that it can be detected by linux
3. a linux operating system
   --- I used ubuntu 12.04 - 32 bit
4. modem setup file for linux
   --- download for ZTE AX226 models and WU216 models
   --- download for Acton U211 models
5. a banglalion wimax modem
   --- I used ZTE AX226 Device

Now going step by step with the procedure:

You don't need to follow through steps 1-7 if your modem is not the ZTE AX226 model

1. Boot up in Windows OS without having the BanglaLion modem inserted into the USB
2. Download and install the Beceem Control Panel. Then run the Beceem Control Panel without inserting the modem.
3. After you start the beceem control panel software, choose USB as the interface parameter.
4. Then insert the modem... I used a ZTE AX226 model. 
5. You should then see a Device detected notice in the control panel. If not, then click the 'Connect Device' button
6. Now go to the DSD tab. Then from the left panel, select "Edit tools" and then select "Modify USB Autoinit data"
7. NOW THIS IS THE SENSITIVE PART... be very careful as you might corrupt the device if not done correctly:
1. Click on "Read from Device"... Your device info should be loaded on the screen
2. Your current info should show Vendor ID = 19D2 and Product ID = 0172.
   These are the values needed to make the modem work on windows or on Mac. To make this modem workable with linux, we need to change these IDs. Be very careful while doing this as it may corrupt your modem if not done correctly.
3. Insert the following into the text fields: Vendor ID = 198F and Product ID = 0220
4. Then click on "Write to Device"
5. Wait for a while until the writing is complete.
6. Close the software.
7. Unplug the device - your modem is now ready to be recognized by ubuntu
8. REMEMBER THAT: you will have to reset the Vendor ID and Product ID back to the default values to make it work on Windows again. But be very careful while doing it as it may corrupt your modem if not done correctly.
8. Boot up in linux while the modem is disconnected from your machine... I used Ubuntu 12.04 without having the BanglaLion modem inserted into the USB.
9. Download the modem setup files for linux. Choose the appropriate download file based on the model of the device that you are using.
10. Make sure you download the file into the Home folder (or in desktop) of your Ubuntu OS. Sometimes, the partition permissions can cause trouble with the installation if you install from some other partition.
11. Right click on the downloaded file and click properties.
12. Make sure the "Allow executing" / "Is executable" checkbox is turned on.
13. Then close the properties box.
14. Make sure your modem is NOT connected to your PC yet.
15. Now double-click the installer file and click on "Run" if prompted. You should see some terminal code executing and returning a success response. 
16. After that, open your ubuntu dash and search for "Wimax CM GUI". You should see an app launcher icon. Open the app.
17. You should notice it that the app shows there is no connected device. 
18. Now connect your BanglaLion Wimax modem and the status should now show that a device has been detected.
19. Then go over to the "Account" tab and press the "Find it" button to fill in your modem's MAC address automatically.
20. Insert the username and password that you received from your banglalionwimax provider. 
21. Save that profile for future use.
22. Click activate to activate the profile into the app.
23. Then go over to the "Status" tab and click on "Connect"... wait for some time.
24. Your BanglaLion connection should now be established and recognized as a Wired Connection by Ubuntu.

DONE!

[Screenshots source: http://minhazulhaquebn.blogspot.com/2012/04/blog-post_30.html]

Beceem Control Panel on Windows:
Select USB and Connect Device

Beceem Control Panel on Windows:
Go to DSD tab and then select "Edit Tools" from the left Panel.
Then click "Modify USB Autoinit Data"

Beceem Control Panel on Windows:
VERY SENSITIVE STEP - BE VERY CAREFUL
First "Read from Device", then insert the desired IDs, then "Write to Device"
For Windows/Mac: Vendor ID = 19D2 and Product ID = 0172
For Linux: Vendor ID = 198F and Product ID = 0220

Right-Click Wimax installer on Ubuntu and go to Properties > Permissions tab
Make sure "allow executing file as program" is turned on

Double-Click Wimax installer on Ubuntu
Click Run

Wimax CM GUI on ubuntu:
Connect the device into your computer's USB port.
Go to "Account" tab and click "Find It" button to fill in your modem's MAC address.
Fill in the username password information that you received for YOUR BanglaLion connection.
Click "Save". Then click "Activate".

Wimax CM GUI on Ubuntu:
Go to status tab, Click Connect.

Citing my original sources here:

1. http://minhazulhaquebn.blogspot.com/2012/04/blog-post_30.html
2. http://www.techtunes.com.bd/linux/tune-id/89277
3. http://thirsty2know.blogspot.com/2012/04/use-banglalion-ax226-in-ubuntu-32bit.html
4. http://luv2know.wordpress.com/2012/05/28/3/

The perks of interest in our wealth

Almost all banks, movies, corporates, colleagues and friends n' family provide us with some creative ideas on how to improve our future by keeping our "idle" money in savings accounts, or as a fixed deposit, or under a deposit pension scheme etc etc. I hear commercials on the TV and radio which say return from banking interests can save us from misery. The commercials say "Ensure your child's future with our flexible deposit schemes... 10% per annum... 12% per annum... No hidden charges... Your choice". Or "Buy your dream car for interest as low as only 4%". Very impressive and very lucrative indeed. I mean, if that is all I need to do from the earliest stage of my life to secure the future of my wife, my children and my medical expenses for my old age - I would dive right in. It's my choice, right?

And then Allah says ABSOLUTELY CLEARLY in plain words:
"O you who believe! Eat not Ribâ doubled and multiplied, but fear Allâh that you may be successful"
 - Surah Aal-'Imraan - Chapter 3 - Verse 130.

So what is Ribâ.
[*1] Ribâ: Usury of two major kinds:
a) Riba An-Nasî'ah, i.e., interest on lent money;
b) Riba Al-Fadl, i.e., taking a superior thing of the same kind of goods by giving more of the same kind of goods of inferior quality, e.g., dates of superior quality for dates of inferior quality in great amounts.

Thus, banking interests (whether it's savings account, or deposit scheme or whatever) clearly falls under Riba An-Nasî'ah. And giving more mass of the 1990s gold, to get a lesser mass of the current modern gold in return (something we all tend to see during weddings where the mother exchanges her old gold to give modern gold to the bride) clearly falls under Riba Al-Fadl. Now, most of us knew about the debates of Riba An-Nasî'ah but not about Riba Al-Fadl, right?

I see my friends and my family members HEAVILY advocating the benefits of opening which account in which bank. How much return will we get by depositing a hundred thousand bucks, or even ten thousand bucks, in which bank. How many folds of return we will get out of it in 3 years, 4 years, 5 years, 10 years etc from our "idle" money by doing absolutely nothing - A SECURED FUTURE SERVED AS A PIECE OF CAKE INDEED, huh? This is WRONG!

Allah also says ABSOLUTELY CLEARLY in plain words:
"Those who eat Ribâ will not stand (on the Day of Resurrection) except like the standing of a person beaten by Shaitân (Satan) leading him to insanity. That is because they say: "Trading is only like Ribâ," whereas Allâh has permitted trading and forbidden Ribâ. So, whosoever receives an warning from his Lord and stops eating Ribâ, shall not be punished for the past; his case is for Allâh (to judge); but whoever returns (to Ribâ), such are the dwellers of the Fire – they will abide therein forever."
 - Surah al-Baqarah - Chapter 2 - Verse 275

From the verse here, it's clear that eaters from Ribâ shall not be punished for their past if they let go of the sources of Ribâ and repent sincerely to Allah and promise to never go back to those affairs again. However brothers and sisters, if you are planning to enjoy from Ribâ now and to let go of Ribâ later when you have almost reached the age of retirement in the hope that Allah would forgive you then, how do you know you won't die in a road accident tomorrow while going from home to office or while coming back from office to home? Please act on your intentions right now instead of waiting for yourself to get retired. Enjoying all haraam now and planning to let go of haraam later is not entirely a sincere asking of forgiveness from Allah.

[*2] Quoting a sahih hadith from the book of Bukhari:
Narrated Abu Hurairah [radhi-yAllâhu 'anhu]: The Prophet [sal-Allâhu 'alayhi wa sallam] said, "Avoid the seven great destructive sins." The people enquired, "O Allâh's Messenger! What are they?" He said, "(1) To join others in worship along with Allâh, (2) to practise sorcery, (3) to kill a person which Allâh has forbidden except for a just cause (according to Islâmic law), (4) to eat up Ribâ, (5) to eat up an orphan's wealth, (6) to show one's back to the enemy and fleeing from the battlefield at the time of fighting, and (7) to accuse chaste women, who never even think of anything touching their chastity and are true believers."
 - [Sahih Al-Bukhâri, 4/2766 (O.P.28)].

Brothers and Sisters, Allah promises to provide for our sustenance if we live and spend according to His prescribed methods and beliefs. Gobbling upon the attractiveness of interests from banks, or business, or loan, or exchange, or whatever means for the sake of ensuring the sustenance of our future is a way which does not make Allah pleased with us. May Allah Guide us all in the right path. Earning wealth is not wrong when done the right way. But earning interest is SUPER DUPER UBER wrong.

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I am not a religious scholar and neither am I pretending to be one. This is just my effort to try and make my muslim friends, family, acquaintances and others aware of the implications of the orders of Islam. May Allah guide us all in the right path. May Allah guide me in the right path. May we all be benefited from the marvelous blessings of Allah that He has bestowed upon us. May we learn to appreciate the marvelous blessings of Allah that He has already bestowed upon us and that He has kept in reserve for us InshAllah.

[*1] Footnote of verse 2:275 from the book called "Interpretation of the Meanings of the Nobel Qur'an in the English Language" - compiled by Dr. Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din Al-Hilall adn Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan - published by Darussalam Publishers & Distributors

[*2] Footnote of verse 3:130 from the book called "Interpretation of the Meanings of the Nobel Qur'an in the English Language" - compiled by Dr. Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din Al-Hilall adn Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan - published by Darussalam Publishers & Distributors

A sad news - she left

So, since the beginning of pursuing after a healthy oral lineup of my mouth, I would say she has been a great dentist Ma Sha' Allah. She has been like an elder sister to me. Been very careful about every thing she had been doing. She has always been open to explaining very nicely the various procedures that have been implemented in my treatment. And she been paying a lot of attention so that nothing is hurting me too much - so much so that every time she did the extractions of my teeth, i never even felt that something was being pulled out. Yeah, it's definitely the anesthesia, but still... didn't feel a single bit of pain Al'hamdulillah.

However, she was a dentist who had joined this clinic few years ago while she was a student back then. Now she wanted to upgrade her career by starting up a clinic of her own and, thus, she had to resign from this clinic. Well, everybody has to think about growth in their own respective careers. So, this was time for her to upgrade her own career in her own way. May Allah bless her for whatever she is trying for.

Well, my contract was with the clinic and not with her. So she moved on to her own clinic, while my case was handed over to the head dentist of this clinic who is, Ma Sha' Allah, a very highly experienced dentist in the city for many many years. He is a really good dentist too and since my childhood I always used to come to this clinic for him. So nothing to worry about my long time orthodontic surgeon departing away. But I would definitely miss her.