Community discussions

MikroTik App
 
User avatar
Amm0
Forum Guru
Forum Guru
Topic Author
Posts: 3169
Joined: Sun May 01, 2016 7:12 pm
Location: California

Does the non-LTE Audience still have a SIM/miniPCIe slot?

Mon Sep 06, 2021 5:25 am

We've replaced the LTE6 modem in several "Audience LTE6 kits", with Telit/Sierras (better bands for US). But does the cheaper non-LTE version of the Audience (RBD25G-5HPacQD2HPnD) still have the hardware inside to install a modem, or it a different board inside?

The spec/manual/block diagram don't mention one, but the photo shows the SIM/card slot:

Image
 
User avatar
SiB
Forum Guru
Forum Guru
Posts: 1888
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2013 11:19 pm
Location: Poland

Re: Does the non-LTE Audience still have a SIM/miniPCIe slot?

Mon Sep 06, 2021 6:06 am

Hmm, anyone not report that to me... I not know.
FCC show https://fccid.io/TV7D25-5HPQ2HP but in internals photos FCC show a LTE6 module... but this not be proof the PCB is the same with empty slot...
No answer. Maybe write to support@mikrotik.com directly.
 
AllexRo
Frequent Visitor
Frequent Visitor
Posts: 77
Joined: Fri Nov 22, 2019 4:24 pm
Location: Bucharest, RO

Re: Does the non-LTE Audience still have a SIM/miniPCIe slot?

Mon Sep 06, 2021 11:26 am

Someone had a very in-depth review of the Audience, with some teardown pictures: https://mikrotik-routeros.com/2019/10/m ... -teardown/
Maybe it helps..
 
User avatar
SiB
Forum Guru
Forum Guru
Posts: 1888
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2013 11:19 pm
Location: Poland

Re: Does the non-LTE Audience still have a SIM/miniPCIe slot?  [SOLVED]

Mon Sep 06, 2021 1:30 pm

This solve problem.
mPCIe is not soldered to PCB.

This is the same situation like hAPac³ - that one without LTE.
 
User avatar
Amm0
Forum Guru
Forum Guru
Topic Author
Posts: 3169
Joined: Sun May 01, 2016 7:12 pm
Location: California

Re: Does the non-LTE Audience still have a SIM/miniPCIe slot?

Mon Sep 06, 2021 3:31 pm

@AllexRo, we actually used it same post to figure out how to open the couple Audience-LTE6 we "modified". But yeah didn't think to look again...

@SiB is right, the miniPCIe slot isn't soldered on:
Image

As the teardown article above indicates, the Audience is not the most "user serviceable" design, so not too unexpected.

My wish it would come with a more "all band" modem in the Audience – I'd actually rather not open them up (possible, but you have to be careful not break the snaps or scratch the unit). See in the US, the LTE band support of R11e-LTE6 limits it potential. e.g. specifically, no Band 14, 30, 4/66 – all bands we do see with a Telit modem in a Mikrotik. (In fairness, R11e-LTE6 does support LTE Band 2 and 12, which are pretty common, but often congested.)
 
User avatar
SiB
Forum Guru
Forum Guru
Posts: 1888
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2013 11:19 pm
Location: Poland

Re: Does the non-LTE Audience still have a SIM/miniPCIe slot?

Mon Sep 06, 2021 3:50 pm

Good that MikroTik go with Chateau 12/5G with new vendor of LTE SoC, means they use good Quectel product who just work.
For SXTR/LHG(G)R/LDFR I replace internal R11e-LTE6 with Quectel EP06-E or EM12-G (adapter and pigtails) and this then is perfect device for EU.
 
User avatar
Amm0
Forum Guru
Forum Guru
Topic Author
Posts: 3169
Joined: Sun May 01, 2016 7:12 pm
Location: California

Re: Does the non-LTE Audience still have a SIM/miniPCIe slot?

Mon Sep 06, 2021 6:10 pm

Guessing once the dust settles from v7 (with has MBIM, opening the door to different modems), we'll eventually see better modems in the LTE things. Chateau's eventual modem choices look good, maybe they eventually filter down to stuff like the Audience etc.
For SXTR/LHG(G)R/LDFR I replace internal R11e-LTE6 with Quectel EP06-E or EM12-G (adapter and pigtails) and this then is perfect device for EU.
Yup, in US we do the same with the SXTR (which has modem-less option) and LtAP – currently been use the Telit LM960 since that is miniPCIe (but IPEX4 pigtails), Cat18, ECM, and 5x carrier aggregation. Why I was asking about the Audience is Band 48/CBRS be useful on it (US's 3.5Ghz "shared spectrum" band), so kinda none of the current Mikrotik R11s work for that.

@SiB, you have me curious... what M.2 adapter you use? I've avoid doing that thus far, but way better selection of LTE modems with M.2 FF...
 
User avatar
SiB
Forum Guru
Forum Guru
Posts: 1888
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2013 11:19 pm
Location: Poland

Re: Does the non-LTE Audience still have a SIM/miniPCIe slot?

Mon Sep 06, 2021 6:48 pm

I am in progress of new few thread about LTE, watch/track my signarute.
I will be few howto in one forum thread and you will know all I know.

PS. New platform like Cheateau boards, hAP ac³ etc at PCB they have both... mPCIe and m.2 slots.. means MikroTik have got prefered a Hardware platform.. they work with them as mPCIe now but ros7.1 is at Release Candidate 3 (some person have it) this means realy, in this year maybe we have ROS7.1 stable and new LTE devices...
Cheateau LTE12:
PCB-LTE.png
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
 
User avatar
Amm0
Forum Guru
Forum Guru
Topic Author
Posts: 3169
Joined: Sun May 01, 2016 7:12 pm
Location: California

Re: Does the non-LTE Audience still have a SIM/miniPCIe slot?

Sun Sep 12, 2021 1:53 am

in this year maybe we have ROS7.1 stable and new LTE devices...
Maybe. I'm currently fixing a Sierra 7354 modem that still runs in PPP mode – & thinking I was told MBIM would be "in v7", in 2016... Mikrotik didn't lie BUT predicting their timing is risky business.

Now while I wait for v7, I'll go back to fixing my PPP modem.
 
User avatar
SiB
Forum Guru
Forum Guru
Posts: 1888
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2013 11:19 pm
Location: Poland

Re: Does the non-LTE Audience still have a SIM/miniPCIe slot?

Sun Sep 12, 2021 1:16 pm

We use RouterOS 7 with MBIM, simple DHCP/NAT and one VPN to manage unit in production. About 30x of that units in USA with EP06A and few units with other modules.
MBIM works very good in ROS7, even it's now not beta but Release Candidate
 
User avatar
Amm0
Forum Guru
Forum Guru
Topic Author
Posts: 3169
Joined: Sun May 01, 2016 7:12 pm
Location: California

Re: Does the non-LTE Audience still have a SIM/miniPCIe slot?

Sat Sep 18, 2021 6:30 am

We use RouterOS 7 with MBIM, simple DHCP/NAT and one VPN to manage unit in production. MBIM works very good in ROS7, even it's now not beta but Release Candidate
Yeah v7/MBIM has been stable for us too, use it sometimes in production but only if config is simple. Now, the various "2 slot" ones (RB953, RB33, LtAP) is were I still worry about v7 since we do use more complex PBR/FW marking/queues/etc. on those units.

Despite grumbling about PPP, it's only been in past 1-2 year that LTE speeds in US regularly exceeded PPP limit of 25Mb/s. But photos of an M.2 slot and the Chateau modem options https://i.mt.lv/cdn/product_files/Chate ... 210344.pdf are encouraging. Hopefully one day a "stock" Mikrotik LTE device will outperform an iPhone (without using third-party modems and external 4x4 MIMO).

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Ahrefs [Bot], Reinis and 19 guests