Chateau LTE12 - dropping LTE interface/connection

RouterOS RouterOS beta
1

Hello,

I have a problem with LTE connection. Recently mikrotik started to dropping LTE connection/interface, when an issue occur there is no LTE interface visible in winbox. I know that I do not have the best signal strength but it was working fine for few months. I am also planning to buy external antenna for it. However, I would like to understand if the issue is caused by weak signal or possible hardware/software issue.

When I am looking at the logs it looks like modem drops and it starts initializing it again. I am not good at LTE logs so I might not fully understand them, however I was looking at https://www.quectel.com/UploadImage/Downlad/Quectel_EM12&EG12&EG18_AT_Commands_Manual_V1.0.pdf

Winbox shows Link Down at 20:53:30 but when I am looking at the logs I think the issue starts at approx. 20:52:57 and happens till 20:53:32

LTE FW: EG12EAPAR01A06M4G
ROS 7.1beta4

Any ideas what the issue might be?
Thank you.
LTE_Issue05.png
LTE_Issue06.png
LTE_Logs01.txt (96.5 KB)

2

This should be reported to MikroTik Support.
Please contact with support@mikrotik.com

Try enable only one Band and check if then it’s more stable.

3

Thank you for the advice. I kind of expected this might have to be for the support. I have just raised a ticket, let’s see what they are going to say.

I also noticed there is newer FW version available:
installed: EG12EAPAR01A06M4G
latest: EG12EAPAR01A09M4G

I am just thinking to try it but I do not want to lose my router. Do you know if this has been already tested or if there are any release notes available?

When you say to try on one Band, do you think about possible carrier aggregation issue which can be found on mikrotik/quectel forum?

4

The firmware upgrade definitely seems to be worth it.

My CA interface was constantly up and down and seems a lot more stable since the upgrade. As a result my bandwidth seems to doubled from 30 to 60Mb

5

Just to confirm that the new firmware is an amazing improvement for me. I was going to return the Chateau LTE12 as it has been honestly so terrible with the previous firmware, but as of this update it is an order of magnitude better and now probably a keeper again. I have gone from the LTE link flapping in double/triple digits a day to still single digits over the past few days since the release of the firmware.

6

I have upgraded firmware to the latest version (EG12EAPAR01A09M4G) but the issues was the same. I tried to put only single band (B3) but I was suprised on the next day that I have CA running so it looks like the settings was dropped/ignored.
The connections were dropped so often that I put my sim card into hAP ac3 LTE6.
In the mean time I looked at Chateau LTE12 and noticed it is running old firmware! That was a suprise and I do not understand why it came back to previous firmware.
I put my sim card back into Chateau because support asked me to provide support file again with LTE logging. I am sure I did it when I raised a ticket but never mind. I have just provided them new file and waiting for next step.

What is a bit interesting that I also had some connections drops on hAP ac3 LTE6 but I did not have logs configured so I did not capture the issue. However, the logs seems to be less verbose compare to Chateau.

I am getting a bit desperate with it and thinking to buy external antenna but I am not sure if this going to solve my issue. I am waiting for support what they say about it.

7

For better log the change in parameters you can do this
Watch LTE parameters: http://forum.mikrotik.com/t/r11e-lte6-2ca-not-staying-connected/136004/22

8

hello, do you know if this was related to when you put some bandwidth on the router?
i had a similar issue, where LTE interface was dropping as soon as I actually got some real traffic on it with a few 10s of megabits…

9

Some people have got a problems with a speed/bandwidth when they loose CA connection, and they must do some action like disable disabled Cell Lock or setup CellLock when they have got CL because that action is fast, recovery connection is fast and CA back to work.
And they do own scripting to detect and do some action.

I can only share my scripts who detect no internet and that way you can do any action who is at your option the fastest.
Simple watchdog: http://forum.mikrotik.com/t/sxt-lte-4g-cat6/134468/1
Advance watchdog: http://forum.mikrotik.com/t/tx-rx-fp-rx-dropped-pppoe-account/132656/1

10

OK, User at forum Sebastii share code for me and I can share it for you.
He use it as
*) Check if Chateau have CA connected, if it’s is then exit.
*) No CA then do a Bandwitch Test with one of Public BTest Servers, details here: http://forum.mikrotik.com/t/public-mikrotik-bandwidth-test-server-s-now-shutdown-as-of-april-1st-2025/94863/1 who can restore CA
*) Still NO CA then if SPEED is wrong do again CellLock to his favourite BTS/SectorAntenna as .“at+qnwlock="common/4g",1,3350,187”

You should do a Cell Monitor, or check what EARFCN & Phy-CellID you use and replace it at the end of scirpt.
This code can be paste into a scheduler like every 30minutes.
You should read details about Public BTest Servers to not do a speedtest to often.


:log warning "start CA Band 1"
:local caband [interface lte monitor lte1 duration=5 as-value]
:local SccBand ($caband->"ca-band")

:log warning "start CA Band 2"
:if ($SccBand) do={:error "CA OK bye!"}

:log warning "start CA Band 3"
:local speedtest [tool bandwidth-test 87.121.0.45 protocol=tcp user=neterra password=neterra direction=receive duration=10s as-value ];

:log warning "analyse bandwidth"

:local MyFuncDataToMKbps do={
:local DataOriginal $1
:set DataOriginal ($DataOriginal / 1000)
:local Mbps ($DataOriginal / 1000 * 1000)
:local Kbps ($DataOriginal - $Mbps)
:set Mbps ($Mbps / 1000)
:return ($Mbps."M ".$Kbps."K - bps")
}

:local Rx [$MyFuncDataToMKbps ($speedtest->"rx-current")]
:local Tx [$MyFuncDataToMKbps ($speedtest->"tx-current")]
:local Time ([/system clock get date]." ".[/system clock get time])
:put "$Time | Rx: $Rx | Tx: $Tx"
:log warning "$Time | Rx: $Rx | Tx: $Tx"
:local DLMb [pick $Rx 0 [:find $Rx "M"]]

:log warning "start CA Band 4"

:local caband [interface lte monitor lte1 duration=5 as-value]
:local SccBand ($caband->"ca-band")
:if (!$SccBand) do={/interface/lte/at-chat lte1 input="at+qnwlock=\"common/4g\",1,3350,187"}

:log warning "start CA Band Trigger"
11

I have been in touch with support but they asked if they can access the router remotely to do more debugs. The problem is that I do not have public IP address available on LTE. I suggested to have a remote session i.e.zoom but they do not do it due to security reasons.

They pointed me to this entry:

“Mar/10/2021 08:13:31 lte,async,event lte1: +CGEV: NW DETACH”

which suggest that ISP/BTS dropped my connection.

I setup temporary syslog server to trying capture more logs but since then the connection is running stable.

I am looking if there is any option to get public IP address on LTE.

12

If you have alternative ISP… I can help to access internet from that unit by/via LAN site and we can share unit to MikroTik support.
You can use any Public Cloud for build CHR with Public IP, or use VPN who give you Public IP…
You can write me at Telegram,

Chętnie pomogę.

13

Hello,

It is been a while since last update. However, luckily my LTE connection runs rock solid now. I am not sure what solved the issue. Two options:

  1. Firmware update
  2. my LTE provider (orange) improved something on BTS

Thank you for all help.

@SiB
I tried to get in touch with you on telegram but no response.

14

Hi, I back from big offline time… one big project is end now and I can back to hobby like LTE & MikroTIk.
Good that case was solved in your scenario. I think the MikroTik firmware upgrade solve issue.