[GUIDE] : Flashing a baseband and why you should do it

pulz · 09:32 PM

[GUIDE] : Flashing a baseband and why you should do it

Hello All.
I had a small talk with DoomLord about flashing base-bands over the phone and the difference it would make for your phone so have decided to make the information that I got available for the public here so that no one else has to go to the same hassle I did Googling for all the stuff.
I am a power user of Android. But completely unbeknownst to the development side of the OS. So if I make any mistakes, I request you to point them out to me and I will make the necessary corrections.
So what exactly is a baseband ?!
Inside of your cellphone, there is a chip embedded that enables it to communicate with your carrier's transmission towers. This chip is known as a "baseband processor" and it is responsible for signal processing and realtime radio transmission operation. (Got that bit from WikiPedia)
The baseband is actually a piece of software that instructs that processor on what frequencies to operate on.
Kind of like a driver for any hardware that you might install on your computer.
So any gain in the level of harmony between the hardware and software that make data transmission happen on your phone (GSM/DATA) is only going to benefit the phone's performance. ( READ battery life, signal reception, etc.)
Also, each baseband has it's corresponding libraries which also need to be provided for it to be working optimally.
So that's that for the theory part.
I'm open to corrections. If anyone can point them out, I will be happy to edit the post. But I had a lot of trouble trying to understand WHY I should flash a particular baseband and what difference it will make.
Currently, at XDA we have baseband patches for baseband -36 and -64 available.
So as per your ROM requirements, it would be better to flash any of these base-bands onto your phone with their corresponding libraries.
Which brings us to the next part.
ACTUALLY flashing the baseband.
Pretty simple process actually.
But from what I know, you will need a rooted phone with an unlocked bootloader to do this. (!! Not sure !! )
And a custom recovery (Clockwork MOD) that can allow you flash .zip to NAND.
EDIT : You just "NEED" root. (Thanks Flo95)
Please follow post 2 for further info on how to do it without root.

My ARC S is rooted and has an unlocked bootloader.
So all that you need to do now is download the following :
1.Flashtool.
2.Baseband that you require.
3.Corresponsing baseband libraries

I will be posting more on this with screenshots so that everyone can enjoy the same benefits that I have currently after using my phone on -36 baseband and using the corresponding patches.

Credits to DoomLord (For awesome DOOM Kernel) and Iridaki (For baseband patches). If there is anyone else to credit, please do point and I will acknowledge the same here.
I invite inputs from other experienced XDA members to provide more technical Know-how on why this is necessary. Sadly, there is insufficient material right now on this topic here.
Thanks.

EDIT :
Lets share a list of working Basebands in various areas :

For eg. :
Gujarat, India : 36 works fine on Vodafone 3G
64 works fine on Vodafone 3G and Airtel.

NSW Australia (on the Optus network) : Baseband 36 tested to be working great

Finland:
-64 works great for Sonera / Saunalahti / Elisa / DNA
-36 drops connection alot for Saunalahti / Elisa

Croatia
baseband 56 works great in Croatia

You can point to the baseband working for you and your location and I will update the post accordingly.
Thanks

Please click the "THANKS" button if you feel you've benefited from the info !

Flo95 · 24th January 2012, 06:37 PM

You can flash basebands without an unlocked bootloader, as it happens when "normal" users update their devices the official way without need of an unlocked bl.

You can get recovery with SE Extreme Tweaker on locked bootloader, too.
Only thing you need is root.

But for kernel awesomeness I'd definitly recommend to unlock the device.

Sent from my iPad 2 using Tapatalk

rkanwar · 25th January 2012, 09:58 PM

What baseband is actually the best for uk in terms of signal battery and gps?

Sent from my LT18i using Tapatalk

theduke89 · 25th January 2012, 10:15 PM

Thanks for this topic!! :) ok I attach here the post I published in the other thread with no answer :) :
" @Iridaki: Sorry for my stupid question... But is there a way to flash another baseband directly from recovery?? Or I don't know, with root explorer... I'm on firmware. 42 rooted, with locked bootloader and with recovery. Thanks!

Sent from my Arc S LT18i using Xda Premium App"

Thanks in advance for your answer!!

kurnage · 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkanwar

What baseband is actually the best for uk in terms of signal battery and gps?

Sent from my LT18i using Tapatalk

I think this is a great idea to discuss what basebands work best in what areas, it will certainly help a lot of people make the right (and informed decision).

To start off, I am in NSW Australia (on the Optus network) and I have found that the ideal baseband for me is .36 - All the other ones work fine of course but the .36 offers best/optimum battery and radio output for everyday use (with the latest DooMKernel of course!)

dyodyi · 30th January 2012, 05:14 AM

Hi, Im from the Philippines and wondering what baseband suits for my Arc S?

Bin4ry · 30th January 2012, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theduke89

But is there a way to flash another baseband directly from recovery?? Or I don't know, with root explorer... I'm on firmware. 42 rooted, with locked bootloader and with recovery. Thanks!

Sent from my Arc S LT18i using Xda Premium App"

Thanks in advance for your answer!!

Yes there is a way to flash the baseband without Flashtool, but we wont publish it for now, since it's not working reliable on me. For theorie its working like an SE fota update. Which uses binary diff and flashes the diffs to the corresponding areas. This way you could flash all partitions. But this is only theory for now, because with flashtool we have a better way which is very very safe. Even if flashtool fails the phone can be restored everytime. Via FOTA you can really brick it forever

@All asking for which baseband fits best:
Please please DON'T start flashing basebands without thinking about now.
Normally ALWAYS use the baseband which comes with the ROM! For example SE always has the corresponding baseband included. This baseband fits the android libs it comes with.
On custom Roms please read what the developer of the customRom telly you. If he/she has developed the Rom for specific baseband libs.
All other things like baseband patches are tested and developed by other developers which know what they are doing. So if you use such a patch ALWAYS read the manual and the requirements. Because it CAN happen that it is NOT possible to use a GB baseband on a ICS rom and vice versa. The is a little more than "just" libs and firmware. Also the java part framework/base/com/java/internal/telephony....
has to fit the baseband (SE is very special here).

So i hope now you all understand. Please please please leave the decision which baseband is best and which is working to the devs who know what they are doing!!!!!! Don't come here and tell "i tried baeband xxxxx now my phone randomly disconnects data/voice/..."

Thanks