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    LTE mPCIe module hardware solution (cellular failover)

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    • K
      kapara
      last edited by

      Great thank you!

      received usb mpcie adapter.  waiting for MC7700 from china :-( long boat ride!

      Skype ID:  Marinhd

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      • K
        kapara
        last edited by

        Got the card.  But dont know where to find the flasher software to use on windows.  I do a random search and come up with many options.

        Skype ID:  Marinhd

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        • Q
          q54e3w
          last edited by

          sierra wireless' website has firmware.

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          • K
            kapara
            last edited by

            Downloaded the firmware

            https://source.sierrawireless.com/resources/airprime/software/mc7700-att-approved-firmware-swi9200x_03,-d-,05,-d-,29,-d-,03_dip/

            Downloaded the watcher

            https://source.sierrawireless.com/resources/airprime/development_kits/airprime-mc-series-connection-manager-dip-build-3830/

            Downloaded Drivers

            https://source.sierrawireless.com/resources/airprime/software/airprime-mc-series-windows-drivers-dip-build-3795/

            Initialization failure

            Card shows up during boot of pfsense and also shows as WWAN modem in windows.  Just not sure how to apply the DIP firmware.

            ugen1.3: <sierra wireless,="" incorporated="">at usbus1
            ada0 at ahcich0 bus 0 scbus0 target 0 lun 0
            ada0: <ts32gmsa370 n1126kb="">ACS-2 ATA SATA 3.x device
            ada0: Serial Number D544021971
            ada0: 600.000MB/s transfers (SATA 3.x, UDMA6, PIO 1024bytes)
            ada0: Command Queueing enabled
            ada0: 30533MB (62533296 512 byte sectors)
            ada0: Previously was known as ad4

            Sierra.PNG
            Sierra.PNG_thumb
            Sierra2.PNG
            Sierra2.PNG_thumb</ts32gmsa370></sierra>

            Skype ID:  Marinhd

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            • K
              kapara
              last edited by

              Do I need windows 7?  I am using windows 10.

              Skype ID:  Marinhd

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              • Q
                q54e3w
                last edited by

                im not at home right now so can't check but I used windows 10 and was able to just select the card and update the firmware.
                If its not a sierra wireless device, you will likely need to convert the device to a sierra OEM model Id before you can flash it. The huwaii modem tool is needed for this.

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                • K
                  kapara
                  last edited by

                  See attached photos

                  IMG_1376.jpg
                  IMG_1376.jpg_thumb
                  Capture3.PNG
                  Capture3.PNG_thumb

                  Skype ID:  Marinhd

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                  • F
                    FranciscoFranco
                    last edited by

                    What I would do at this point is slip it in a FreeBSD box or pfSense and use the terminal program to determine the current firmware and mode. Here is where I would start.

                    
                    root@E6420:~ # cu -l /dev/cuaU0.3
                    Connected
                    at
                    OK
                    atz
                    OK
                    ati
                    Manufacturer: Sierra Wireless, Incorporated
                    Model: MC7700
                    Revision: SWI9200X_03.05.29.03ap r6485 CNSHZ-ED-XP0031 2014/12/02 17:53:15
                    IMEI: 012626000778678
                    IMEI SV: 23
                    FSN: CDC0183099710
                    3GPP Release 8
                    +GCAP: +CGSM,+DS,+ES
                    
                    OK
                    at!udinfo?
                    VID: 0x1199
                    PID: 0x68A3
                    Interface: DIP
                    Manufacturer: Sierra Wireless, Incorporated
                    Product: MC7700
                    
                    OK
                    
                    

                    So from ATI and AT!UDINFO? you can glean the firmware and Interface. From there you will plot a strategy.
                    You may need to use Win7 and the QMI drivers  to flash it. Then switch it to DIP. Depends on the above terminal info. Post yours please.

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                    • K
                      kapara
                      last edited by

                      Do I need to execute another command to get to the # prompt?

                      [2.3.3-RELEASE][root@pfSense.localdomain]/root: cu -l /dev/cuaU0.3
                      /dev/cuaU0.3: No such file or directory
                      link down

                      Skype ID:  Marinhd

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                      • F
                        FranciscoFranco
                        last edited by

                        Do you have any recent Ubuntu or Mint memsticks around. I would check that next to see what it is doing. ModemManager can deal with most any device. The best way to do this is use Ubuntu/Mint with persistant storage from unetbootin for image burning to USB stick.
                        That way you can install some tools you might need. ModemManager GUI is the first piece of software I would install there. You might also need putty or your preferred Linux terminal program to talk to the modem.

                        I would make sure there is a SIM installed as well. Try connecting via NetworkManager by making a Mobile Broadband connection profile with your APN. The reason we are doing this is the IMEI number might be flagged if the last owner is in arrears. That and your module is using a different IMEI prefix than is usually used on MC7700. Notice mine starts with 0126. That is pretty standard from what I see online.

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                        • K
                          kapara
                          last edited by

                          Got this from the diagnostics in windows.

                          ATQ0V1E0 - OK
                          AT+GMM - MC7700
                          AT+FCLASS=? - +FCLASS: (0-1)
                          AT#CLS=? - COMMAND NOT SUPPORTED
                          AT+GCI? - COMMAND NOT SUPPORTED
                          AT+GCI=? - COMMAND NOT SUPPORTED
                          ATI1 - Manufacturer: Sierra Wireless, Incorporated
                                Model: MC7700
                                Revision: SWI9200X_03.05.14.00AP R5164 CARMD-EN-10527 2012/05/29 19:13:25
                                IMEI: 359469040373130
                                IMEI SV: 11
                                FSN: CDC3434279310
                                3GPP Release 8
                                +GCAP: +CGSM,+DS,+ES
                          ATI2 - Manufacturer: Sierra Wireless, Incorporated
                                Model: MC7700
                                Revision: SWI9200X_03.05.14.00AP R5164 CARMD-EN-10527 2012/05/29 19:13:25
                                IMEI: 359469040373130
                                IMEI SV: 11
                                FSN: CDC3434279310
                                3GPP Release 8
                                +GCAP: +CGSM,+DS,+ES
                          ATI3 - Manufacturer: Sierra Wireless, Incorporated
                                Model: MC7700
                                Revision: SWI9200X_03.05.14.00AP R5164 CARMD-EN-10527 2012/05/29 19:13:25
                                IMEI: 359469040373130
                                IMEI SV: 11
                                FSN: CDC3434279310
                                3GPP Release 8
                                +GCAP: +CGSM,+DS,+ES
                          ATI4 - Manufacturer: Sierra Wireless, Incorporated
                                Model: MC7700
                                Revision: SWI9200X_03.05.14.00AP R5164 CARMD-EN-10527 2012/05/29 19:13:25
                                IMEI: 359469040373130
                                IMEI SV: 11
                                FSN: CDC3434279310
                                3GPP Release 8
                                +GCAP: +CGSM,+DS,+ES
                          ATI5 - Manufacturer: Sierra Wireless, Incorporated
                                Model: MC7700
                                Revision: SWI9200X_03.05.14.00AP R5164 CARMD-EN-10527 2012/05/29 19:13:25
                                IMEI: 359469040373130
                                IMEI SV: 11
                                FSN: CDC3434279310
                                3GPP Release 8
                                +GCAP: +CGSM,+DS,+ES
                          ATI6 - Manufacturer: Sierra Wireless, Incorporated
                                Model: MC7700
                                Revision: SWI9200X_03.05.14.00AP R5164 CARMD-EN-10527 2012/05/29 19:13:25
                                IMEI: 359469040373130
                                IMEI SV: 11
                                FSN: CDC3434279310
                                3GPP Release 8
                                +GCAP: +CGSM,+DS,+ES
                          ATI7 - Manufacturer: Sierra Wireless, Incorporated
                                Model: MC7700
                                Revision: SWI9200X_03.05.14.00AP R5164 CARMD-EN-10527 2012/05/29 19:13:25
                                IMEI: 359469040373130
                                IMEI SV: 11
                                FSN: CDC3434279310
                                3GPP Release 8
                                +GCAP: +CGSM,+DS,+ES

                          Skype ID:  Marinhd

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                          • F
                            FranciscoFranco
                            last edited by

                            I would use putty and see if you can talk AT to the modem there in Windows. Look in your device manager to find the correct AT terminal COM port. You want to run the at!udinfo? command to see the Interface Mode.

                            The thing is Windows above Version 8 now uses MBIM only mode which is non-standard and offers no AT command facility. Windows also slips in special MBIM only firmware updates to the Sierra modems via Windows Updates. You defiantly don't want a MBIM-only module. I wouldn't have a ethernet wire anywhere near Windows. Download the firmware, flash it and escape.

                            There is a Sierra Windows utility for switching between DIP and QMI mode as well. No flashing required.

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                            • K
                              kapara
                              last edited by

                              That is my issue.  No windows 7.  I will. Hold out a system with windows 7.

                              Skype ID:  Marinhd

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                              • F
                                FranciscoFranco
                                last edited by

                                I would try first with Ubuntu and make sure it connects. Like I say the IMEI numbers can get blacklisted. You seem to have an OEM variant looking at the picture(SKU=110-1882). That is why it uses a different IEMI prefix(3594). Plus you can tell by the 2012 firmware date it is an early model. Plus it is marked A0 module. I think 1882 SKU is Panasonic OEM number.

                                I can tell you the earlier modules sometimes need to be brought up to date in stages. See if you can find something from 2013 for firmware then do the newest..

                                Have you tried flashing with the newest QMI firmware from Windows. I think it may be in QMI mode as per your pfSense output.
                                Then you could flash with DIP firmware. You probably also need the Windows QMI drivers to load the card. Also the Sierra watcher is only DIP for QMI it uses a different app called Skylight watcher.

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                                • F
                                  FranciscoFranco
                                  last edited by

                                  I say its in QMI mode because my dmesg looks like this;

                                  
                                  root@E6420:~ # dmesg |grep u3g0
                                  u3g0: <sierra 0="" 3="" wireless,="" incorporated="" mc7700,="" class="" 0,="" rev="" 2.00="" 0.06,="" addr="">on usbus1
                                  u3g0: Found 6 ports.</sierra> 
                                  
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                                  • F
                                    FranciscoFranco
                                    last edited by

                                    Also the modules PID changes for QMI mode. So if you can pull up a terminal you can switch it to DIP. Then install DIP drivers in Windows and flash it with DIP firmware.

                                    https://gist.github.com/mmv-ru/1a52c10a4d5577a5ed30

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                                    • K
                                      kapara
                                      last edited by

                                      Finally got it to work.  I guess not giving up eventually pays off!

                                      Found a post regarding a tool to switch from QMI to DIP

                                      Post:

                                      https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/ThinkPad-T400-T500-and-newer-T/T430i-and-MC7700-in-DIP-mode-will-not-boot-System-is-Halted-Was/td-p/3367435

                                      Tool:

                                      http://hptouchpad4g.com/Support/sierra/windows/ModeSwitch/BZ31018_DIP_QMI_ModeSwitch.zip

                                      I probably read over 80 forum postings before I could find this!

                                      After running tool PC required reboot and now device is DIP mode

                                      Output from my Putty attached.

                                      Ok so now the next step.  How to get this working with Carrier T-Mobile on the pfsense!

                                      Capture.PNG
                                      Capture.PNG_thumb

                                      Skype ID:  Marinhd

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                                      • F
                                        FranciscoFranco
                                        last edited by

                                        From here it is a matter of choosing what interface you want to call it. Either OPT or WAN for your failover.
                                        So go to PPP and make your connection. Use your APN for T-Mobile and cuaU0.3 to connect, From there check your logs to see it connect or wait for it to acquire a DHCP address. It will show up on the dashboard.

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                                        • K
                                          kapara
                                          last edited by

                                          My APN?  What is that and how do I find it?

                                          Skype ID:  Marinhd

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                                          • F
                                            FranciscoFranco
                                            last edited by

                                            It comes up under Interfaces>PPP
                                            Use cuaU0.3. My screenshot is an example with no modem.

                                            screenshot2.png
                                            screenshot2.png_thumb

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