R11e-LTE6 2CA not staying connected

drracing07 · Sat Jan 11, 2020 5:05 pm

Hi everyone,

I just picked up a R11e-LTE6 to test in place of my Sierra Wireless MC7455 connecting to AT&T in the states. With the MC7455 on router OS v7.0beta4 on a hap ac2, modem in a USB enclosure with 2 yagi antennas, I'm able to get about 40mb/s down and 5-7mb/s up. What I would like is some more insight on the LTE interface page with the MC7455, but that will come in time with support, I hope. In the mean time, I tried the R11e-LTE6 since it/s CAT6 and should support CA like the MC7455. What I'm seeing is that it will connect to either band 12, 17 or 2 primarily, and only sometimes if the primary is band 2, it will show 2CA with band 5 but then drop right back up. Speeds on any of the bands don't compare to how the MC7455 performs and it might be a combination of the low band distance and the high band 2 performance. The MC7455 also has bands 29 and 30, also used by AT&T but I'm not sure of those are coming into play. With the MC7455 connected to the routerboard, I can't get access to the AT commands to check anything, and if I plug it in my laptop, I can get AT commands but for some reason won't connect with data so I'm unable to check speeds. I know the MC7455 connects with CA, even if the screenshot i was able to grab shows inactive.

Some other posts show some issues with CA dropping. Is anyone able to get CA working? Thinking of trying a Telit LM940 too.
I should add that I'm experiencing the same thing with stable and testing releases of router OS

MC7455-1.jpg

MC7455-2.jpg

SiB · Sat Jan 11, 2020 9:53 pm

drracing07

.
You not use a vendor documentation or search in this forum - this was write many times.
R11e-LTE6 not use B29 or B30. Maybe you should wait for lr11e-LTE6-US|4G version with better Band selection for you.
https://i.mt.lv/cdn/rb_files/R11e-LTE6-1575025885.pdf

Band's what you say and answer why B2 as primary can have other ca-band.

QLKg36y3LY.png

Please use a CellLock into your B2 or B5 and then check ca-band.
I use a realease candidate v22 of modem firmware but in official v20 I had the same issue that ca-band can never connect if I use "few disable/enable lte1" or "few at*cell= command" but always after at+reset or usb power-reset or reboot the ca-band work wary well if I have a good signal (in my case).

ca-band works, can work stable with good signal.
I have B3+B8 works 24/7

7aQdQ5OZNy.png

If you have this possibility plese:

give a model of your usb wwan adapter
do in table the comparison of Band/Speed/rsrp on both modem with this 2xYAGI antenas.
The same but without external antenas give us a amplification per band of your YAGI.

tommy91 · Sat Jan 11, 2020 10:52 pm

Thanks a lot for answering. I was also facing the same problem now I get solution.

Acryli · Sun Jan 12, 2020 7:48 am

What I'm seeing is that it will connect to either band 12, 17 or 2 primarily, and only sometimes if the primary is band 2, it will show 2CA with band 5 but then drop right back up.

That's actually the normal behavior of any LTE modem.
The carrier aggregation channels are only used on heavy load, after that the CA bands are released.

Check the status with AT-commands while you download a huge file.

mkx · Sun Jan 12, 2020 11:57 am

I've described briefly how CA works in another thread.

SiB · Sun Jan 12, 2020 2:02 pm

I can add even info from one of answers MikroTik Support Team about 2xCA

Artis M.03/01/20 16:21:46
...
Modem should follow handshake/commands from eNB (base station), so we can't write firmware that permanently enables CA. For instance in Latvia, major cellular providers have a different view for CA, one activates CA at connection, and keeps it active for some time, even without significant traffic, other enables CA only when it is needed. By the way second even offers as service TV reception using Andriod/iOS app using its cellular network (same content as DVB-T).

Best regards,

and my ISP in Poland (Cyfrowy Polsat) give me a ca-band to non-stop even if I don't any traffic at lte1.
Other ISP (Play) must have at least 10MB/10minuts from my testing to not disconnect me ca-band.
All this is dependence of YOUR ISP, not your modem feature.

About R11e-LTE6 I give you a hint in AT commands.
Do a loop every 1s with: "at+eemginfo\?" and in separately terminal thise one command /log print follow-only where message~"EEMLTEINTER:|EEMLTEINTRA:" to see that send you a your eNB with what parameters because answers are in syntax "x,phy-cellid,earfcn,~rsrp,~rsrq".

drracing07 · Mon Jan 13, 2020 10:40 pm

Thanks for all the replies.
I am aware that B29 and 30 aren't on this modem. Unsure if the MC7455 was locking to them or not.

I wasn't aware that CA wouldn't always stay up, so that's good to know. With the LTE6 modem, even if I ran a speedtest or large download, it wouldn't connect CA.

Is a US version of the R11e-LTE6 coming out? Wasn't aware of that or I would have waited for that. Is there a way to get r22 firmware for this one? I'd like to try it out.

SiB · Tue Jan 14, 2020 1:02 am

drracing07

With the LTE6 modem, even if I ran a speedtest or large download, it wouldn't connect CA.

Try "at+reset" / usb power-reset / reboot.
Be sure that set band="" means auto-selection is set to LTE6 who can connect to one of any of them and try assign the ca-band.
You can reach 2+5 or 2+12 or 2+17 means the CellLock on 2 or 12 or 17 is good way to check
.

Is a US version of the R11e-LTE6 coming out? Wasn't aware of that or I would have waited for that. Is there a way to get r22 firmware for this one? I'd like to try it out.

In separe post the MikroTik team say they plan create new version but I think we must wait for MUM Prague to anonce the new info about new hardware. But for sure someting will be in future.
Check the firmware because my version is release candidate and I share with support all my feedback and wait for news as you. You can send e-mail to support@mikrotik.com about this. For me the RC version of firmware should be shared with beta version of ROS.

Ferrograph · Tue Oct 06, 2020 1:33 pm

Im facing a similar issue, and I think that the one of the receivers in the r11e-LTE6 gets in a state where it stops functioning and you end up with no CA/single band operation until you at+reset.

Heres what I observe happening (I sent all this to MT support along with logs and they (Emils T) fobbed me off saying it was parameters from the cell):

# After boot or AT+RESET it connects CA with B3+B20 and cell monitors shows B3+B20 cells. Speeds are great.
# After a time (varies from few mins to hours) it drops the connection and reconnects on B20 only (the slow cell) and speeds are poor. Weirdly at this point cell monitor only shows B20 cells.
# I issue AT+RESET and CA is instantly back and cell monitor shows both bands again.

Why would cell-monitor be affected by the connection parameters and only see cells what the connected cell wants it to see - or even if what MT support are saying makes sense. This has been a really frustrating experience and its spoiling an otherwise good product. I'm at my whit's end with it.

Cell monitor with CA (these are good signals right?)

[admin@MikroTik-LTE] > interface lte cell-monitor 
number: 0
PHY-CELLID BAND  PSC EAR..          RSRP          RSRQ          RSSI         SINR          RSCP
       171 B3         1392         -91dBm       -19.5dB
       387 B20       6175         -78dBm        -9.5dB
-- [Q quit|D dump|C-z pause]

Cell monitor after drop:

[admin@MikroTik-LTE] > interface lte cell-monitor 
number: 0
PHY-CELLID BAND  PSC EAR..          RSRP          RSRQ          RSSI         SINR          RSCP
         14 B20       6175         -95dBm       -15.5dB
       387 B20       6175         -79dBm       -11.5dB
-- [Q quit|D dump|C-z pause]

Help.

SiB · Tue Oct 06, 2020 1:52 pm

I special for that problems buy LDFR with LTE6 to not drive again and again to BTS to receive good signals.
I just report the same problems with other user who can do CellLock to the same eNB at Bands 3/1/7/20 and should receive aggregations like 3+7 / 3+20 / 1+20 / 7+20 in ISP:Orange.
ROSv6 give him stable few days connections but ROSv7 give him breake in every 4|5h .

I have Orange sim card too and will start that testing to check what's in game bcs many ppl ask me about not working 2CA in R11e-LTE6 and I have confirmation is some not right here.

PS. You can do a
* enable only band=3,20
* do CellLock at B3 by: /interface lte at-chat lte1 input="at*cell=2,3,,1392,171"

About cellmonitor, it's greate tool but he report that what module see, means:
* he not show current connection details bcs he show neighbour as his nature
* he show neighbour only from that band or ca who are current connected (even if you active other bands who are not connected then you not show theyr details until you not connect to that band)
* good that he show us other towers from the band he connect and/or connected CA - this is greate.
Please report the eNB bcs not every tower have all bands :( and to receive great speed we nead good SINR(CQI)

Ferrograph · Tue Oct 06, 2020 10:45 pm

I've tried enabling just band 3 as this is the primary band when CA works but the modem still drops CA but remains connected to just B3 instead of dropping to B20.

I also tried enabling just B3 & B20 but same result. Drops CA and drops to B20.

I wish MT would take this issue seriously.

Ferrograph · Wed Oct 07, 2020 12:15 am

I applied the cell-lock as suggested. Ive not tried this yet so thanks for putting the exact string needed. I will report back results.

Thanks SiB

SiB · Wed Oct 07, 2020 12:47 am

Then I have please to help me with proper diagnostic and report that to MikroTik as "additional case" - you will be 3rd with "proof".

Diagnostic:

Enable logging of LTE, regular logs.

/system logging action add memory-lines=10000 name=lte target=memory
/system logging add action=lte prefix=DIAG__LTE6 topics=lte

Upload a lteLogger2.rsc to your ros and do /import lteLogger2.rsc;
You see new scheduler&script items what are software watchdog for script lteLogger2 - it keeps that script is still running.

RouterOS v6
ros6-lteLogger2.rsc
RouterOS v7
ros7-lteLogger2.rsc

Watch your logs, detect problems like swape/hop/switch/replace eNB/phy-cellid/primary or ca band... to other one... maybe flapping ca in time... maybe every 4 or 5h... logs like this example:

fHPSP8g6JS.png

That give you better perspective to see if something is change or not with LTE general.
Now we will discuss about your case. But this checking must be with time.

I will tested other firmware 024, 025, 026 with r11e-lte6 on LDFR in this near week time and good if you check your side, that what you can.

What we do a testing

Main example is one. If you can connect to the same Tower, eNB with few bands, and that bands "should" aggregate then we have 50% of confirmation on our site.
When other (not R11e-LTE6) module can aggregate that bands then we have like 100% of sure that it should at lte6 be 2CA too.

You should set band 3, connect and report connected EARFCN and PHY-CELLID.
Do a CellMonitor and report others earfcn&pci. ROS in testing and development branch have a new parameter "max-age=2m" for cell-monitor.
I have that 43 possibility at sxtr and 5 are connected, yes, I do the 44 Cell Locks. I record in excel the eNB with 3x speedtest.net/run .
Now I know the best eNB and in future I repeat that all test to found other bands from that eNB.
Correct the position of SXTR to one of the best results thanks to Cell Lock at this earfcn&pci and a MikroTik App, now I have better SINR what give me +20Mb...

ELkhnP9Ha3.png

When I do that for other Bands like B1/7/20 then magic of Excel show me all Bands earfcn&pci of that eNB.
When I can do Cell Lock to all of them - this is proof you could connect to them.

At his level we not have more diagnostic like watch a SIB messages in LTE between eNB and our module and we not know what they negotiate.. and our role end-s here.

Report

When we have confirmation etc. then please use https://help.mikrotik.com/servicedesk to create case with MikroTik Support Team and share case with me as info@sibex.it. Thanks.

SiB · Wed Oct 07, 2020 1:11 am

Ferrograph

I applied the cell-lock as suggested by placing it in modem-init. Ive not tried this yet so thanks for putting the exact string needed. I will report back results.

At https://wiki.mikrotik.com/wiki/Manual:Interface/LTE we have that info about Cell Lock @ r11e-lte6:

For R11e-LTE6 modem cell lock information will not be lost after reboot or modem reset. To remove cell lock use at-chat command:
/interface lte at-chat lte1 input="AT*Cell=0"

Please not use that in modem-info feature!.
modem-init better is not to be used, bcs we have reported problems after reboot when first initialisation of lte was done... .
modem-init should be with only part like "at*cell=1,3,,1392" means only directly at command without that ros CLI part /interface lte ...

Here is a Frequency Lock to your Band 3 at example.
You can create a separate scripts for lock/activate proper Band instead of using the band=3 bcs FreqLock is done in ~10sek and set cmd in ~1m :) Litle trick to select band in fast way.
This not block 2CA who can still be connected and should be of course if your Tower have INTRA or INTER earfcn.

Ferrograph · Wed Oct 07, 2020 1:40 am

Thanks SiB - I realised not long after that modem-init was bad place to use cell-lock so I removed with at*cell=0, did a reset and then issue cell-lock with terminal once.

It is connected now with CA so I will monitor to see if it stays. I should know by the morning.

SiB · Wed Oct 07, 2020 2:12 am

Ferrograph

It is connected now with CA so I will monitor to see if it stays. I should know by the morning.

Use lteLogger2 - this is perfect to track parameters who you see at Cellular tab of lte1.
Best Regards, Good connection :).

Ferrograph · Wed Oct 07, 2020 1:00 pm

Sadly it didnt stay up long on the B3 band and dropped after a few minutes. But with the cell-lock in place it didn't reconnect to even the B20 band, I had to get the customer to issue AT*Cell=0.

This adds weight to my theory about the 2nd receiver crashing, and it would seem to be that in r11e-LTE6 bands are divided up between two receivers, hence the limited list of CA workable band combinations. This would explain a lot of the behaviour that is being reported about r11e-LTE6.

Dropping CA

Cell-Monitor only shows bands of the working receiver

Not all cell-tower-possible CA band combinations workable with r11e-LTE6

I have now installed the lteLogger2 script (SiB's) so will check back in few hours to see what is reported.

Its a shame theres no way to get to internal logs of the r11e-LTE6 to see why 2nd receiver stops functioning.

Thanks SiB!

SiB · Wed Oct 07, 2020 1:17 pm

I do one mistake.
Script what I share have a main cmd works at ros7 :(, for ros6 one word must be change.
I upload a two scripts in original post, you can download and import proper one - he remove and add new scheduler & script.

Change is here:

RouterOS v6
:do {:set lteInfo [/interface lte info lte1 once as-value]} on-error={}
RouterOS v7
:do {:set lteInfo [/interface lte monitor lte1 once as-value]} on-error={}

even you replace that one word, or import new rsc then still you must do:
/system script job remove [find script=lteLogger2]
and a scheduler in 1m time run the new one script.

Ferrograph · Wed Oct 07, 2020 7:29 pm

Thanks SiB for the update. I updated the script and killed it from the jobs tab. Then reran the script.

There is data now in the lte log. Should I clear the log and collect data with the fixed script?

Ferrograph · Thu Oct 08, 2020 1:54 am

The CA was dropped and the following entries were logged...

lteScriptOP1.png

Unless I'm misreading the B3 connection was lost (the reason isnt not clear) and it connected to the B20.

SiB · Thu Oct 08, 2020 1:55 am

Thanks SiB for the update. I updated the script and killed it from the jobs tab. Then reran the script.

There is data now in the lte log. Should I clear the log and collect data with the fixed script?

no, you can just create a Point-Of-Time log to see from where you have fixed it. Example:
/log warning "************************************************ NO LOGS, NO FUN *********************************************************************"

:) Be happy :)

SiB · Thu Oct 08, 2020 2:10 am

The CA was dropped and the following entries were logged...

We not have internal logs... and reason of that behavior... you have a separate "lte" logs and probably here can be some clue.

About that change:
* good, the eNB is still the same = the same eNB give you B3 & B20 with the most strong signal.
* You could do a CellLock to that B3 by
/interface lte at-chat lte1 input="2,3,,1392,92"
to lock earfcn=1392 & pci=92 what give you no option to hop to other one cells.

Minus:
* without a proper rescue scripts you can reach some offline per x minutes and a auto rescue cmd should be used, I like that my way:
Advance watchdog: viewtopic.php?f=9&t=151492&hilit=watchdog#p768392
* r11e-LTE6 have a unconfirmed error with stuck offline when the CellLock is setup, I have that at my unit and thats why I buy ldfr+lte6 to confirm that in all Poland ISP... check is the RSRP not go frezz = -140... and ca is leave

opera_x6aWANbJ48.png

Plus: CellLock give you a constance connection with the same cell... when I have good signal then it's work by days as session-uptime.

Ferrograph · Thu Oct 08, 2020 2:15 am

Here is the lte log:

lteScriptOP1a.png

Ferrograph · Thu Oct 08, 2020 2:17 am

Regarding cell-lock I did try this and it ended up offline as described above and I had to talk customer through removing it. So yes I have experienced the cell-lock issue resulting in system being offline.

SiB · Thu Oct 08, 2020 3:00 am

opera_vDC9XC8juS.png

This is strange.

LAC - your region should be the same, or maybe you have some roaming.... or change SIM slot... ?
0e13 hex -> 3 603 dec
1c4c hex -> 7 244 dec
This is very strange, this should be the same LAC/TAC - your region.
Probably every Band have other LAC... bcs other cmd have ending "05c"hex=92dec phy-cell-id and next one for B20...

next params are CurrentCellID
001ee402 hex -> 2 024 450 dec CurrentCellID who /256 give 7 908 eNB/Tower
001ee408 hex -> 2 024 456 dec CurrentCellID who /256 give 7 908 eNB/Tower - the same Tower from the same ISP
additionally
001ee4 hex -> 7 908 dec - without last two digit you have a eNB in hex
last two digits 02 and 08 are a SectorID.

Summary - this not give us any hint.

Ferrograph · Thu Oct 08, 2020 3:47 am

The device is LHG-LTE6 and way out of reach so SIM cant be changed. Operator is Three UK, roaming is not enabled.

What more can be done? Its al very weird, what do you think of my theory that one of the modems receivers is becoming non functional?

R11e-LTE6 2CA not staying connected

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