Serial ports not detected on LTE modem Quectel EP06-E

Hardware MikroTik hardware general
1

Hello all,

as mentioned in the official documentation the Quectel EP06-E modem should be supported by the latest RouterOS version.
I’m currently testing on both 6.42.3 and 6.43rc21 on a wAP 2nD unit.

The modem is correctly detected as a regular USB device (after taping the USB3 pins like described in the doc), but the kernel module does not detect/init the serial port in order to pass AT commands, or to establish a regular PPP connection.

[admin@MikroTik] /system resource usb> print detail 
 0 device="1-0" vendor="Linux 3.3.5 ehci_hcd" name="RB400 EHCI" serial-number="rb400_usb" vendor-id="0x1d6b" device-id="0x0002" speed="480" ports=1 usb-version=" 2.00" 
 1 device="1-1" vendor="Quectel" name="LTE-A Module" serial-number="c431WXYZ" vendor-id="0x2c7c" device-id="0x0306" speed="480" usb-version=" 2.00"

As you can see the modem is not seen as a serial port provider. Furthermore, the modem is not detected as a LTE interface in

/interface lte

.

Does anyone who had success with this modem model could help ?

Regards,

MFX

2

Just to let you know that support gave me that info which seems to work fine :

please set the ignore-directip-mode to yes under Port Firmware and reboot the router - the usb port should be recognized - there you can send the AT commands.

I can now speak AT with the modem. I need some more time and AT commands reference manual reading for this modem to get it work as a regular LTE interface.

3

Hello .

i would likr to use the same modem as you to get the CA benefits in my area. I do not have a really good coverage.

I’m actually using the SXT LTE kit..do you think would be possible to replace the R11E with the Quectel EP 06 ?

Do you know if the RBM11G is compatble as well?

THanks in advance.

Maurizio

4

If you want to keep the modem EP06 in USB2.0 Mode (and not USB3.0, disabling it with dome tape to mask the related pins), I think It could work on any Routerboard, using latest ROS version, and using a recent version of the modem firmware (you need to contact Quectel support). Be also careful of the used antenna, the best is to have a wide range spectrum to allow inter-band CA, and to have 2 MIMO chains to benefit the full speed of LTE cells (with MIMO and CA up to 300Mbps).
Additional info, ROS only supports ECM mode at the moment, which is still better than PPP/serial emulation, but not recommended by Quectel if you want to get high performances (the modem acts as a router with NAT and DHCP in this particular mode).

5

Take a look at : http://forum.mikrotik.com/t/quectel-ep06-e-and-wap-r-ac-rbwapgr-5hacd2hnd/131724/1

6

Yep, but you are using PPP, which is very limited in terms of bitrate… I was able to get more than 100Mbps with the EP-06 with the taping solution, and using the ECM mode.

Regards