Nokia 3120 tethered to USB using a Radio Shack Cable 22 (Gammu)


I'm using a Radio Shack Cable 22 (Part Number 170-0762 or 17-762?) to connect my Nokia 3120 mobile phone to my computers.  The Radio Shack cable utilizes the usb-serial and pl2303 modules already within the Linux kernel. 

Contents of my /usr/src/linux/.config
CONFIG_USB_SERIAL_GENERIC=y
CONFIG_USB_SERIAL_PL2303=y

(On my laptop, sometimes the kernel detects the device too fast and the pl2303 module does not link a /dev/tts/USB device.  To resolve, I configured the pl230 as a module so I can reload the module as needed.  This seems to be resolved with >=kernel-2.6.15.4 or it could be due to a repair with using older parts.  See my notes at bottom of the page concerning a phone repair.) 


I then use Gammu with the following within a ~/.gammurc file:

[gammu]
port = /dev/tts/USB0
model = 6820
connection = dku5

$ gammu --identify
Manufacturer  : Nokia
Model         : 3100b (RH-50)
Firmware      : 05.01 I (15-11-04)
Hardware      : 5020
IMEI          : 356244006323095
Original IMEI : 356244/00/632309/5
Manufactured  : 08/2005
Product code  : 0519865
UEM           : 1092

Get memory ME locations 1 thru 20:
$ gammu --getmemory ME 1 20 (I personally do not use this to backup my phone data.)

Backup and restore my phone's data:
$ gammu --backup backup-pb.20050922
$ gammu --restore backup-pb.20050922

Backup without prompts:
$ (echo no; echo ALL) | gammu --backup backup-pb.20050922

(Some limitations for backup include:  Gallery and image items, Notes within contacts, Any image or tone associations with contacts, Settings, etc.  To be blunt, only my names, phone numbers and email addresses were backed-up and were able to be restored successfully to the best of my knowledge.)

Identify a file or folder's specific ID number:
$ gammu --getfilesystem

Add an image (png/jpg/gif - max. 130x130) to the Images folder.  (Retrieve the Images folder specific ID number with "--getfilesystem" ie. Mine is "4"):
$ gammu --addfile 4 ./Safeandwarm.jpg

Delete a file, retrieve the file's specified ID number with "--getfilesystem" and execute:
$ gammu --deletefiles 104


If you use "use_locking = yes", then make sure you have read/write permissions to your /var/lock folder or else you will get a read/write permission error with the device.


To utilize more then one device with gammu, do something like this within your gammurc file:

[gammu1]
# NOKIA 8290
port = /dev/ircomm0
model = 6110
connection = irda
#logfile = .gammulog
#logformat = textall
use_locking = yes
startinfo = yes

[gammu2]
# NOKIA 3120B
port = /dev/ttyUSB0
model = 6820
connection = dku5
#logfile = .gammulog
#logformat = textall
use_locking = yes
startinfo = yes

To use gammu with device #2 (or the Nokia 3120B labeled as gammu2):

$ gammu 2 --identify


Notes:

Wammu is a frontend (GUI) for Gammu.

I'm also considering creating a BASH script to download all image files within the gallery for backup purposes.
And here it is gammu-backup.sh.  Gammu-backup.sh will retrieve all images (gif, jpg, png) including Java applications (jad, jar).  Afterwards, it will perform a PIM backup of all personal data (contacts).  Finally, it will then tarball everything up.  Modify the variable declarations (top of file) to suite your systems layout including ensuring the tempfile has write permissions.  The script should just *work* on most systems.  No "-h, --help" menu or switches yet.  A restore option will be written the next time I have to send my phone in for fixing. :-)


(2006.03.10)
My original Nokia 3120 malfunctioned so I sent it back for repair to Nokia.  Here's what gammu --identify now shows:

Manufacturer  : Nokia
Model         : 3100b (RH-50)
Firmware      : 05.01 I (15-11-04)
Hardware      : 5008
IMEI          : 355028007966247
Original IMEI : 355028/00/796624/7
Manufactured  : 03/2005
Product code  : 0519865
Old simlock   : Pac Bell (310 17)
UEM           : 16

The repair order stated they replaced the display or something, but the case does look like mine.  Interesting to note, I now have an "Old simlock   : Pac Bell (310 17)" on this phone and it has a lower Hardware number.