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dirkpharox
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Joined: Wed Jul 28, 2021 7:12 pm

KNOT device GPS + LTE-M issues

Wed Jul 28, 2021 8:08 pm

Dear community,

I am new to the community so I will shortly introduce myself.
My name is Dirk and I am working as IT developer in a small team.
We are using Mikrotik's KNOT devices for several IoT projects.

We are encountering some issues with utilizing LTE-M and GPS on the KNOT devices.
We have tried configuring the devices both with the stable version of routerOS (6.48.3) as well as the development version (7.1beta6).

A demo video for the KNOT shows how to configure LTE-M on the device, using the PPP-out1 interface. Double clicking this interface in the interfaces list in Winbox opens a configuration menu. In the demo a port called ‘modem’ is selected. That is because the demo is using RouterOS 7.1 beta 7, which is not yet released. In the current versions, the correct port for LTE-M is called 'usb2', which is shared with GPS initialization and data.

When requesting cellular info for the PPP-out1 interface (by pressing 'info') a window is opened that shows some information. However, it returns error for 'Current Operator', 'Access Technology' and 'Signal Strength'. Perhaps this is common and it concerns info that cannot be retrieved. However, when closing the window and enabling the ‘ppp-out1 interface’, I am not able to successfully ping an address such as “8.8.8.8”. These attempts were done using several LTE-M sim cards and their corresponding APN’s. We have also made sure that the ppp-out1 interface is disabled when requesting the info, because this can not be done simultaneously.

Image
Image

As for GPS, we were informed that it uses channel 2 for initialization and channel 1 for data. So in our configuration we set 'init channel' to 2, and 'channel' to 1, and checked the 'enabled' checkbox. The GPS is now initialized, but it is not returning us any values except for 0. Image

I think we may be doing something wrong here, but find it hard to figure out what exactly.
Perhaps someone in the community has encountered this issue before and/or knows how to resolve it.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

In the attachment there are some images which show the issue

Best regards,

Dirk
Last edited by dirkpharox on Tue Aug 03, 2021 12:24 pm, edited 5 times in total.
 
jcbhltz909
newbie
Posts: 35
Joined: Tue Apr 28, 2020 10:49 pm

Re: KNOT device GPS + LTE-M issues

Sat Jul 31, 2021 7:24 am

You cannot click "info" while the interface is up - can you confirm the interface is down before clicking info?
 
dirkpharox
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Re: KNOT device GPS + LTE-M issues

Sun Aug 01, 2021 6:49 pm

You cannot click "info" while the interface is up - can you confirm the interface is down before clicking info?
Thank you for your reply. It does not show in the image but I can confirm that the ppp-out1 interface was disabled when pressing info.
I have also updated the post.
 
jcbhltz909
newbie
Posts: 35
Joined: Tue Apr 28, 2020 10:49 pm

Re: KNOT device GPS + LTE-M issues

Tue Aug 03, 2021 7:32 pm

1.) Your settings are correct for PPP. I have the same provider (1nce) and it is working.
2.) So far as I can tell, you cannot enable GPS while running the PPP interface. I think the init channel overlaps with the PPP interface.
3.) I've found that the initialization of the PPP interface can take time on startup and that it "playing" with the interface can cause the modem to lock up and become unresponsive requiring a reboot.


My suggestion would be:

Disable the PPP interface and GPS
Power off the device and put the SIM card in
Power back on

Open a terminal and enter the following:


at+cpin?
(expected response)
+CPIN: READY
OK

at+cfun?
(expected response)
+CFUN: 1
OK

AT+COPS=?
(expected response, this command can take some time to complete)
+COPS: (2,"Provider ES","Provider","21XXX",9),,(0,1,2,3,4),(0,1,2)
OK


Please post results back here
 
dirkpharox
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Joined: Wed Jul 28, 2021 7:12 pm

Re: KNOT device GPS + LTE-M issues

Wed Aug 04, 2021 12:14 am

1.) Your settings are correct for PPP. I have the same provider (1nce) and it is working.
2.) So far as I can tell, you cannot enable GPS while running the PPP interface. I think the init channel overlaps with the PPP interface.
3.) I've found that the initialization of the PPP interface can take time on startup and that it "playing" with the interface can cause the modem to lock up and become unresponsive requiring a reboot.


My suggestion would be:

Disable the PPP interface and GPS
Power off the device and put the SIM card in
Power back on

Open a terminal and enter the following:


at+cpin?
(expected response)
+CPIN: READY
OK

at+cfun?
(expected response)
+CFUN: 1
OK

AT+COPS=?
(expected response, this command can take some time to complete)
+COPS: (2,"Provider ES","Provider","21XXX",9),,(0,1,2,3,4),(0,1,2)
OK


Please post results back here
For the record. The ppp-out1 interface was disabled when I previously sent the GPS init string. The GPS is actually initialized successfully (or so it seems), though the GPS data is not coming in as can be seen in the image that was attached to the first post.

I also followed up on the AT commands with the interface disabled and a reboot, and these are the results.
Image
 
jcbhltz909
newbie
Posts: 35
Joined: Tue Apr 28, 2020 10:49 pm

Re: KNOT device GPS + LTE-M issues

Wed Aug 04, 2021 11:00 am

What antenna are you currently using?

I had some issues with my first antenna, now using a "generic" 2.4 GHz dipole SMA antenna without any issues. The last command you ran should return cell towers and the fact that it is not likely means your outside range, which a new antenna may help with.

https://imgur.com/nK2LNus
 
dirkpharox
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Re: KNOT device GPS + LTE-M issues

Tue Aug 10, 2021 10:18 am

What antenna are you currently using?

I had some issues with my first antenna, now using a "generic" 2.4 GHz dipole SMA antenna without any issues. The last command you ran should return cell towers and the fact that it is not likely means your outside range, which a new antenna may help with.

https://imgur.com/nK2LNus
We have tried again this Mikrotik antenna and this antenna from a local distributor.

With the second antenna, we are able to get a connection, as you can see in the next image.
With the Mikrotik antenna, we are not able to get a connection, even though it is also a 2.4GHz omni-antenna.
Image

In the following image, you can see that we are able to ping the internet, after enabling ppp-out1 interface.
Image

I noticed that after reboot, it can take up to 5 minutes before the device is connected to the network.
If this delay is normal, than I think the issues for LTE-M have been resolved.
As for GPS, we will try again with a new external GPS antenna as soon as possible, and I will then provide an update.
 
jcbhltz909
newbie
Posts: 35
Joined: Tue Apr 28, 2020 10:49 pm

Re: KNOT device GPS + LTE-M issues

Fri Aug 13, 2021 10:06 pm

The several minute delay is "normal", however I was able to work around this issue by disabling dial on demand
 
aes
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Joined: Thu Aug 05, 2021 9:10 pm

Re: KNOT device GPS + LTE-M issues

Sun Oct 10, 2021 10:29 pm

No connection, waited more than 24 hours.
What can be the problem?

Firmware version
RouterOS 6.49
Interface settings
/interface ppp-client
add add-default-route=yes allow=pap,chap,mschap1,mschap2 data-channel=2 default-route-distance=2 \
dial-command=ATDT dial-on-demand=no disabled=no info-channel=2 keepalive-timeout=30 max-mru=1500 max-mtu=\
1500 modem-init=AT mrru=disabled name=ppp-out1 null-modem=no password="" phone="" pin="" port=usb2 \
profile=default use-peer-dns=yes user=""
With a SIM card of Megafon and MTS (tariff for IoT).
/system serial-terminal port=usb2 channel=2

[Ctrl-A is the prefix key]
at+cfun=4
OK
at+creg=1
OK
at+cpin?
+CPIN: READY
at+cfun=1
OK
at+cops?
+COPS: 0

OK
at+cops=?
+cops: (1,"MTS RUS","MTS RUS","25001",9),(1,"MegaFon RUS","MegaFon","25002",9),,(0,1,2,3,4),(0,1,2)

OK

+CREG: 2

+CREG: 3

+CREG: 2
Log
22:20:05 async,ppp,debug ppp-out1: LCP opened
22:20:05 async,ppp,debug,packet ppp-out1: rcvd LCP DiscReq id=0xb6
22:20:05 async,ppp,debug,packet <magic 0xd02adc61>
22:20:05 async,ppp,debug,packet ppp-out1: rcvd CHAP Challenge id=0x1
22:20:05 async,ppp,debug,packet <challenge len=16>
22:20:05 async,ppp,debug,packet <name UMTS_CHAP_SRVR>
22:20:05 async,ppp,debug,packet ppp-out1: sent CHAP Response id=0x1
22:20:05 async,ppp,debug,packet <response len=16>
22:20:05 async,ppp,debug,packet <name gdata>
22:20:05 async,ppp,debug,packet ppp-out1: rcvd CHAP Success id=0x1
22:20:05 async,ppp,info ppp-out1: authenticated
22:20:05 async,ppp,info ppp-out1: authenticated
22:20:05 async,ppp,debug ppp-out1: IPCP lowerup
22:20:05 async,ppp,debug ppp-out1: IPCP open
22:20:05 async,ppp,debug,packet ppp-out1: sent IPCP ConfReq id=0xbe
22:20:05 async,ppp,debug,packet <addr 0.0.0.0>
22:20:05 async,ppp,debug,packet <ms-dns 0.0.0.0>
22:20:05 async,ppp,debug,packet <ms-dns 0.0.0.0>
22:20:05 async,ppp,debug ppp-out1: IPV6CP open
22:20:05 async,ppp,debug ppp-out1: MPLSCP lowerup
22:20:05 async,ppp,debug ppp-out1: MPLSCP open
22:20:05 async,ppp,debug,packet ppp-out1: sent MPLSCP ConfReq id=0xbe
22:20:05 async,ppp,debug ppp-out1: BCP open
22:20:05 async,ppp,debug ppp-out1: CCP lowerup
22:20:05 async,ppp,debug ppp-out1: CCP open
22:20:05 async,ppp,debug,packet ppp-out1: rcvd LCP ProtRej id=0xb7
22:20:05 async,ppp,debug,packet 82 81 01 be 00 04
22:20:05 async,ppp,debug,packet ppp-out1: rcvd LCP TermReq id=0xb8
22:20:05 async,ppp,debug ppp-out1: LCP closed
22:20:05 async,ppp,debug ppp-out1: CCP lowerdown
22:20:05 async,ppp,debug ppp-out1: BCP lowerdown
22:20:05 async,ppp,debug ppp-out1: BCP down event in starting state
22:20:05 async,ppp,debug ppp-out1: IPCP lowerdown
22:20:05 async,ppp,debug ppp-out1: IPV6CP lowerdown
22:20:05 async,ppp,debug ppp-out1: IPV6CP down event in starting state
22:20:05 async,ppp,debug ppp-out1: MPLSCP lowerdown
22:20:05 async,ppp,debug,packet ppp-out1: sent LCP TermAck id=0xb8
22:20:05 async,ppp,debug ppp-out1: LCP lowerdown
22:20:05 async,ppp,debug ppp-out1: CCP close
22:20:05 async,ppp,debug ppp-out1: BCP close
22:20:05 async,ppp,debug ppp-out1: IPCP close
22:20:05 async,ppp,debug ppp-out1: IPV6CP close
22:20:05 async,ppp,debug ppp-out1: MPLSCP close
22:20:05 async,ppp,info ppp-out1: terminating...
22:20:05 async,ppp,info ppp-out1: terminating...
22:20:05 async,ppp,debug ppp-out1: LCP lowerdown
22:20:05 async,ppp,debug ppp-out1: LCP down event in starting state
22:20:05 async,ppp,info ppp-out1: disconnected
22:20:05 async,ppp,info ppp-out1: disconnected

[admin@KNOT] /log>
 
ArtisM
MikroTik Support
MikroTik Support
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Jun 25, 2020 12:29 pm

Re: KNOT device GPS + LTE-M issues

Mon Oct 11, 2021 2:52 pm

AT+COPS?
+COPS: 0 - not registers in any cellular network

+CREG: 2 - modem is searching for network to register

+CREG: 3 - Registration denied

Check SIM card subscription status.
 
aes
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Joined: Thu Aug 05, 2021 9:10 pm

Re: KNOT device GPS + LTE-M issues

Sat Oct 23, 2021 9:01 pm

AT+COPS?
+COPS: 0 - not registers in any cellular network

+CREG: 2 - modem is searching for network to register

+CREG: 3 - Registration denied

Check SIM card subscription status.
[admin@KNOT] > /system serial-terminal port=usb2 channel=2

[Ctrl-A is the prefix key]


AT+COPS? 
+COPS: 0

OK


The telecom operator says that there are no restrictions on the SIM card.
 
microlyme
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Joined: Thu Nov 11, 2021 2:28 pm

Re: KNOT device GPS + LTE-M issues

Thu Nov 11, 2021 3:03 pm

Does anyone know if the GNSS port supports active antennas or does power need to be provided separately?

There is also a BG77 application note that speaks of WWAN or GNSS priority modes. Does the KNOT support this functionality, so you can obtain GNSS position request without having to shut down ppp-client session every time?

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