compatible LTE mini pci-e cards?

syadnom · February 13, 2020, 5:36pm

Is there a good list of known working LTE mini-pci-e cards that support bands 4/66,12, and ideally 71? I’m only getting partial band support in the existing LTE modems and really need to find something. I could live with a USB modem in some circumstances, but really needing an outdoor device so the mini pci-e is about 90% required.

SiB · February 13, 2020, 5:55pm

No one with band listing.
You must check

and maybe some of them have got your Band’s.

jspool · February 14, 2020, 1:57am

What country and what carriers are you interested in connecting to using 4,66,12,71?

syadnom · February 14, 2020, 2:05am

US/T-Mobile.

jspool · February 14, 2020, 2:21am

I import Quectel modems personally. For your application I would use the EC25-AF It’s a Cat4 that supports B2/B4/B5/B12/B13/B14/B66/B71 I use it with Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T with no problems.

syadnom · February 14, 2020, 3:20am

Have a reasonably priced source?

syadnom · March 9, 2020, 7:09pm

I picked up one of these cards, swapped it for an R11e-LTE-US model and it’s not recognized by routeros…

jspool · March 9, 2020, 7:43pm

Put it in ECM mode and it will show up as a LTE interface. Wiki has instructions. Essentially you send it an AT command to switch modes.

SiB · March 9, 2020, 7:48pm

syadnom

Please read this: http://forum.mikrotik.com/t/how-to-send-at-commands-to-ec25-lte-modem-in-ltap-mini/131542/1 about ECM mode and post feedback if this give you success or not.
Of course please upgrade ROS to stable or beta channel.

Stuff what have decision about properly detect device (only as ROS example) I write here: http://forum.mikrotik.com/t/ltap-mini-series-lte-missing/137294/1

syadnom · March 9, 2020, 8:58pm

I’ve ran through these posts and was able to enter the AT command at+qcfg=“usbnet”,1, but the modem doesn’t show up in LTE interfaces after that either. I can dial via ppp, but it’s not in LTE interfaces. Any idea for a next step?

SiB · March 9, 2020, 10:09pm

syadnom

First, upgrade ROS to latest stable or testing channel. In old ros the directip can work different ways.
Be sure that “/port firmware set ignore-directip-modem=yes” & “/system reboot” give you access to AT command. Remember that port print give you info like channels=3 and this means channels=[0,1,2]. You can try connect to one of channel and put display current settings: AT+QCFG=“usbnet” or AT+QCFG? what shoud give result. +QCFG: “usbnet”,1 OK
At some vendor are different firmware and until correct is installed then all ways do nothingh, Please check this.

If you cannot doit then use Laptop with windows/linux and $10-15 wwan adapter and doit outside RB.

At ROS do “/port firmware set ignore-directip-modem=no” & “/system reboot” and check if the lte1 interface show.
This method have good HowTo at twin post: Quectel EP06-E and wAP R ac (RBwAPGR-5HacD2HnD)

You can always create case at forum modem vendor like this: https://forums.quectel.com/t/ec25-e-openwrt-problem/2665

I hope I give some fresh idea at least.
P.S. You read documentation, true ? https://wiki.mikrotik.com/wiki/Cellular_Quectel_modems_01

syadnom · March 9, 2020, 10:29pm

The fix was a second round of
“/port firmware set ignore-directip-modem=yes”
reboot
“/port firmware set ignore-directip-modem=no”
reboot

now it shows up.

SiB · March 9, 2020, 10:49pm

syadnom

Perfect!.
If you can give screenshot from Cellular tab then I will be happy to check what MikroTik assign from that modem. Sometimes SNR/CQI not show or feature is minimal and Cellular tab is empty.