Kindle International 3G -> Pandora

[SNESFAN]

I bought a kindle international version last week. It has free data as of right now for internet browsing within the united states, internationally it is limited to amazon book store and wikipedia only.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_Kindle#Web_browser_limitations

I understand the risks of getting the modem shut off due to abuse if one were to abuse the system... excessive use, hacking, tethering etc etc....

That being said looks like the data radio module appears to be miniPCIe

This is a nice graphical breakdown on how to remove the card
http://ikindle3gs.eu/

Q. I want to hack in a serial or usb to miniPCIe adapter onto the pandora and use it in conjunction with the kindle's 3g module, any words of wisdom or positive advice?

EDIT:miniPCIe

 

[Jourdy288]

I think it's unfair that they lock you to a couple sites, but I wouldn't abuse that since it might slow service for others...
I didn't visit the link but I'm pretty sure you can hack this in. Not sure exactly how, though.
And I'm not sure how good an idea this is since I heard of them deleting your stuff from afar.. careful.

Sorry for a half useless post but I thought you may want to be warned.

 

[mali]

You'd need a mini-PCIe card with integrated SIM holder. I'd rather use a dongle, tbh.

 

[kingoddball]

Not worth all the effort.
Head to sparkfun's website and buy the 3g module (very small) and plug it in or try install internally (seems like there is no room internally).
Or just grab a huewai USB modem. E160 and newer orther wise you'll need to use it via a USB hub.

Devices that you want plugged directly into the Pandora need to be HighSpeed Certified.

 

[SNESFAN]

I think it's unfair that they lock you to a couple sites, but I wouldn't abuse that since it might slow service for others...
I didn't visit the link but I'm pretty sure you can hack this in. Not sure exactly how, though.
And I'm not sure how good an idea this is since I heard of them deleting your stuff from afar.. careful.

Sorry for a half useless post but I thought you may want to be warned.

thanks for the reply,
1)You share the same network as cell phones, if you don't go stupid with the useage, it won't effect other users more than you would with your cell phone

2)taking it out of the kindle looks very simple, putting it in/on the pandora was what I was asking about

3)their ability to delete stuff from afar is limited to how they have god rights to your amazon account because... well they're amazon. With proper security they couldn't do anything other than shut you off I am fairly certain

@kingoddball & mali- this was to get the free connection (i live in the states) onto the pandora, not put another modem into the pandora or kindle, the link was just reference to how to remove the kindle and give you all better visualization of what I had in mind

EDIT: the modem is CDMA (not sim based and connection is bound to the IMEI of the radio... think mac address) corrected, it is GSM and is SIM based but the SIM card is bound to the radio's IMEI (serial/mac)

 

[kingoddball]

Well on another note:
You COULD try spoof the 3G dongle's IMEI number

I understand what you're trying to get. It's going to be a pain to wire that to a USB connector. You'll need to have a micro controller (whatever it may be - FTDI/FPGA - Something. Not my field) and it probably can be done..

But whats to say that the Sim/GSM module are dependent on each other only?

They may very well link back to the main motherboard and also need to see the Kindles OS (in order to keep the free data)?

It may not be a simple "plug and play" hack.

 

[SNESFAN]

Well on another note:
You COULD try spoof the 3G dongle's IMEI number

I understand what you're trying to get. It's going to be a pain to wire that to a USB connector. You'll need to have a micro controller (whatever it may be - FTDI/FPGA - Something. Not my field) and it probably can be done..

But whats to say that the Sim/GSM module are dependent on each other only?

They may very well link back to the main motherboard and also need to see the Kindles OS (in order to keep the free data)?

It may not be a simple "plug and play" hack.

very true with the dependentcy thing, I hadn't really thought about that at all honestly. I was baseing it off info that the sim does not work in other devices. It doesn't appear to be software based because of a story I read on a guy running ubuntu on his kindle and still having 3g. But it quite possibly might be forwarding something from the mainboard as well. I guess I'll have to try and find out. The rumor it is just sim/imei tied into each other. I shoudl have stated it wasn't confirmed to my knowlege.

I want to stay away from cloneing as much as possible, mainly due to lack of knowlege in GSM, I have experience in cloning CDMA radios, it's probally similar but I don't want to add too many variables into why it wouldn't work but if all else fails I will attempt to clone the kindle's IMEI onto a 3g dongle.

as far as drivers go if I do find some sorta 3rd party usb to miniPCIe adapter, depending on the linux distro that's on the stock kindle, could I ask for some help porting them to angstrom linux? This is an area I have no experience in at all. Identifying, extracting, what software is needed from within linux to get this to work.

 

[paulguy]

Apparently Mini PCIe can contain a USB 2.0 port, so that might work OK if it doesn't use the PCIe bus part of it at all. If it does, then you're pretty much screwed out of the idea of using a USB -> mini PCIe adapter. There're also a few other things that it'd need, like SMbus lines and a couple voltages... in the end an adapter, even neglecting the PCI-e line, could end up drawing too much current seeing as at most it'll draw 500mA + whatever the extra device to handle the SMbus communication needs + whatever it decides to draw from the 3.3 and 1.5 v lines.

 

[Consequence_9]

I'd rather use a dongle, tbh.

DAZ WUT SHE SED LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

 

[SNESFAN]

found some adapters

this one looks like best bet... not TOO expensive but not so much as I want to just throw my money away to see if it will work
http://www.steatite-embedded.co.uk/usb-to-mini-pcie-adapter-ideal-for-3g.html

this one is confusing, by decription it is what I'm looking for... by image it looks a little off IMO
http://www.alibaba.com/product-free/106507585/USB_to_PCIe_MiniCard_Adapter.html

this one looks to be the most robust having PCIe, USB, and miniPCIe conncections
http://www.alibaba.com/product-free/103922327/PCIe_USB_to_PCIe_MiniCard_Adapter.html

my thoughts are on number 1, anyone agree/disagree?

 

[TheRain]

If what you're trying to do is use the free services on the Pandora- then spoofing the IMEI is probably the most viable route to persue. You will likely also need to obtain the apn and any proxy settings being used by the device, as this is probably a big part of how they determine that it's a kindle and can through. There might be other things at play here, I suspect they would not leave the channel very open to this kind of manipulation.

 

[kingoddball]

Whats to say that when the 3G "device" dials in (*99# for Vodafone/Three in Aust) that it does dial into an Amazon server (?)
It will be looking for Kindle Firmware..

Look at the HipTop. All data has to go through Danger Servers. That way you can't run the SIM in another phone.
Most likely similar to what is happening with Kindle.

 

[SNESFAN]

Whats to say that when the 3G "device" dials in (*99# for Vodafone/Three in Aust) that it does dial into an Amazon server (?)
It will be looking for Kindle Firmware..

Look at the HipTop. All data has to go through Danger Servers. That way you can't run the SIM in another phone.
Most likely similar to what is happening with Kindle.

Good point, I'll do some more research before I go any further, might have more than just the money on an adapter on the line if I go into this somewhat blindly, might make my kindle a tethered only device. Problem is, from what I can tell is that the information is simply just not out there. I will continue to search further however. If someone knew for certian I'm sure they would have chimed in by now... oh well, the hunt continues.