I’m working on a product based around the MikroTik RBM33G and R11e-LR9 and a Quectel LTE modem. My understanding is that even though all devices are FCC certified, the co-location of radios and integration into a larger product requires Host Verification Testing to ensure the device remains compliant.
In order to conduct these tests, certain radio modes need to be set up to generate the signaling that the test procedures require. I’ve done this before with radios from other manufacturers. The manufacturer provides a set of commands and/or special firmware that can be used for such tests.
I have been completely unable to find any such firmware or command sets from MikroTik. Has anyone done a project like this before, and were you successful in getting the required support? It’s also my understanding from similar projects in the past that a part of any manufacturers FCC certification of modules is the legal requirement to support third parties in obtaining the proper certifications for their end devices.
Any insight on how to get this support from MikroTik would be greatly appreciated!
Probably best to ask Mikrotik, or perhaps Quectel.
But for FCC Part 15, which you’d need to sell them, you shouldn’t actually need any special commands. Now the LTE modem and various cell carriers are a different story… that typically where you need the LTE modem into various test modes. So if the cell side, Quectel does have all the test commands in their AT manual (which is on the internet, but technically not public). So on the Mikrotik, to put the LTE modem into test modes, you’d use:
/interface/lte [find] at-chat="AT...."
And if you’re talking about Verizon in US specifically - who do have an elaborate set of required tests – it’s the LTE modem commands that are needed.
I have reached out to MikroTik support. After some radio silence, I finally heard back shortly after I made this post. They are looking in to it, but it seems like they don’t have such a tool readily available.
From previous testing I’ve done with other LoRa radio products, the test labs have needed special commands to verify Part 15 compliance. They’ve just required that the radio be put in a mode where it transmits a CW signal (no packets, modulation, etc), at a set frequency, power, and for a specified duration. This has been enough to satisfy their needs.
We are working with Quectel separately to sort out the configuration of the LTE stuff. But there is more documentation and communication from them.
You may need Part 15 for other reasons. IANAL, but just using different antennas may fall under the FCC’s “permissible change” stuff. But imagine Part 15 certification be cheaper than lawyers arguing about FCC rules.
Ah, yes a test house would want to see a CW/sine/clean carrier for Wi-Fi. I believe Mikrotik uses a special package to enable root access, but they obviously don’t share that. RouterOS certainly does not have CLI to enable CW on Wi-Fi.
