SG-3100 - which cellular module

AndrewZ

have ordered a Sierra Wireless EM7455

Not a good idea IMHO, because
@stephenw10:

MBIM interface which pfSense/FreeBSAD cannot talk to

Without MBIM or QMI we have only [speed limited] PPP option left, but for that you can use a cheap USB stick, probably half of the price of EM7455.
That's why I'm using EM7455 with another router, not pfSense.
Same story with most Huawei modems - there is no support for NCM (Network Card) in pfSense, those modems are again limited to RAS (PPP) mode.

conor

Just for reference Sierra Wireless MC/EM73xx devices are end of life.

Guest

Just for reference Sierra Wireless MC/EM73xx devices are end of life.

Thanks for the information, I was changing my tip from above based on this information.
But then it could be to get the hands on that cards for less money or to get them cheap on eBay or amazon perhaps.

gsmornot

I'm still unclear what the solution is. I want to be able to pop my SIM out of my hotspot and into my SG-3100 in the event my main provider is out of service. What do I need to purchase to be ready? I assume if I have a card installed it would be a matter of changing the WAN port assignment to the wireless option until service is restored on my main link. Or perhaps have two gateways assigned with one down until I install the SIM. Without clear documentation (that I can find) I don't know what my options are other than to wait until the option is sold as an add-on and copy the parts list.

As explained in another thread, my current answer is hotspot wifi to Airport Express wifi which will bridge to the ethernet port and allow me to connect a cable from the Express to the WAN port of my pfSense router. It works fine when needed but it would be nicer to just put a SIM card in and go.

conor

Have a EM7455 module in the SG-3100 image below shows the slot I put it in (airbrushed out the full circuit board to protect Netgate intellectual property). I have a sim in the sim slot to the front and the radio module can see the sim so right slot.

A small warning the EM7455 requires a antenna connector of IPEX MH-4 not a IPEX U.FL which is common with miniPCIe modules.

Running version 2.4.1

The u3g picks up the device and creates 5 ports in /dev/

cuaU0.0
cuaU0.1
cuaU0.2
cuaU0.3
cuaU0.4

When using tip to connect to them using the following settings: br#9600:pa=none: I get connected to all of them however only cuaU0.2 replies to AT command, so I'll check the other ports and map their speeds if thats the issue.

Capture.PNG_thumb

conor

Connecting to cuaU0.2 I enter the following commands:

Password to unlock commands:
at!entercnd="A710"

Checking USB composition settings:
AT!USBCOMP?

Get Reply:
Config Index: 1
Config Type: 1 (Generic)
Interface bitmask: 0000050D (diag,nmea,modem,rmnet0,rmnet1)

So my understanding at this point is as follows:
cuaU0.0 ==> diag
cuaU0.1 ==> nmea
cuaU0.2 ==> modem
cuaU0.3 ==> rmnet0
cuaU0.4 ==> rmnet1

Using cuaU0.2 in PPP I get the following:

Dec 5 14:04:01 pfSense ppp: [opt2] Bundle: Interface ng0 created
Dec 5 14:04:01 pfSense ppp: [opt2_link0] Link: OPEN event
Dec 5 14:04:01 pfSense ppp: [opt2_link0] LCP: Open event
Dec 5 14:04:01 pfSense ppp: [opt2_link0] LCP: state change Initial –> Starting
Dec 5 14:04:01 pfSense ppp: [opt2_link0] LCP: LayerStart
Dec 5 14:04:01 pfSense ppp: [opt2_link0] CHAT: +CGDCONT=1,"IP","xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"
Dec 5 14:04:01 pfSense ppp: [opt2_link0] CHAT: Detected Hayes compatible modem.
Dec 5 14:04:01 pfSense ppp: [opt2_link0] CHAT: Dialing server at 99#…
Dec 5 14:04:01 pfSense ppp: [opt2_link0] CHAT: ATDT99#
Dec 5 14:04:01 pfSense ppp: [opt2_link0] CHAT: Connected at 150000000.
Dec 5 14:04:01 pfSense ppp: [opt2_link0] MODEM: chat script succeeded
Dec 5 14:04:01 pfSense ppp: [opt2_link0] Link: UP event
Dec 5 14:04:01 pfSense ppp: [opt2_link0] LCP: Up event
Dec 5 14:04:01 pfSense ppp: [opt2_link0] LCP: state change Starting –> Req-Sent
Dec 5 14:04:01 pfSense ppp: [opt2_link0] LCP: SendConfigReq #1

It then proceed to request an IP address but I don't get one, but that ok its dialing out which is ok.

So I want to be able to use AT commands while a PPP tunnel is up, to do that I need to have another serial port to connect to. The Sierra documentation refer to a modem port and a AT port. Need to research how to activate that in the USB composition setting.

gsmornot

Good work. I will at some point soon add a cellular module to my 3100. I won't need it much but I do want the feature as a backup for the few times my ISP is out of service. Plan is to add the second gateway but leave it offline until needed. My SIM normally lives in a hotspot that travels with me.

stephenw10

I don't think you will be able to use two ports for AT and PPP separately.

Try running:

AT!UDUSBCOMP=?

That should show you what modes are available.

Steve

conor

@stephenw10

Thanks but had tried that. On the 7455 that command responses with "Obsolete command"

In their document you can see the modem and AT interface are separate. (see image below).

The Huawei ME909-521 and ME909-523 have a modem port and a AT port so you were able to check your connection while the PPP tunnel was up. (The huawei 521 and 523 are end of sale from January 1st).

I've opened a ticket with the distributor and they have asked Sierra hopefully there is a mask that can be set.

Capture1.PNG_thumb

conor

on the 7455 the equivalent command is:

AT!USBCOMP=?

which gives:

!USBCOMP:
AT!USBCOMP=<config index="">,<config type="">, <interface bitmask=""><config index=""> - configuration index to which the composition applies, should be 1

<config type=""> - 1:Generic, 2:USBIF-MBIM, 3:RNDIS
config type 2/3 should only be used for specific Sierra PIDs: 68B1, 9068
customized VID/PID should use config type 1

<interface bitmask="">- DIAG - 0x00000001,
NMEA - 0x00000004,
MODEM - 0x00000008,
RMNET0 - 0x00000100,
RMNET1 - 0x00000400,
MBIM - 0x00001000,
e.g.
10D - diag, nmea, modem, rmnet interfaces enabled
1009 - diag, modem, mbim interfaces enabled

The default configuration is:
at!usbcomp=1,1,10F

OK</interface></config></config></interface></config></config>

stephenw10

Ah interesting, maybe then.

Does it show more options if you run that in 'command mode'?

What does the rmnet interface present as?

Steve

conor

Got a reply from distributor, the EM7455 only supports one modem/AT port, so if you use PPP you can't check the status/signal while the PPP connection is up. :(

Sierra suggested looking at MBIM for data and that then frees up the modem/AT port for command and control.

conor

Just for reference for anyone looking at this.

The diag port is Qualcomm chipset encrypted log stream. You need to have a QXDM license from Qualcomm if you want to decrypt this data.

stephenw10

@conor:

You need to have a QXDM license from Qualcomm if you want to decrypt this data.

Urgh.

I suspected that might be the case with the ports.

It looks like you need to use either QMI (rmnet) or MBIM to pass the data in order to leave the AT interface for status as you say.

It also looks like you can't use Direct IP as you could with some earlier Sierra devices. Though I wonder if config type 3 (rndis) might give that….

And as mentioned in this thread that you will be limited to non-LTE speeds if you use ppp. :-\

Still looking into it.

Steve

Guest

Yeah, PPP and Serial mode is not really the way to go anymore. In some cases, even USB CDC Ethernet with the on-card configuration interface (and basically a full router) is the fastest way to go.

stephenw10

Yes, often easiest as long as it presents an interface pfSense can use.

The EM7345 looks interesting. Offers an AT and USB-Ethernet interface. Not sure if either are usable though right now.

I'm still waiting for Three to deliver a SIM card I can use to test some of this is real world conditions. >:(

Steve

stephenw10

Got a SIM eventually.

Connected up no problems to Three in the UK using the EM7305. Seeing ~32/9Mbps here in London.
http://beta.speedtest.net/result/6887753572

That's using a ppp connection on the AT port so I imagine it's using HSPA+. No easy way to know since as we've seen there no way to interrogate the modem once it's dialed up. Unless I'm missing something.

Steve

Guest

@stephenw10:

Got a SIM eventually.

Connected up no problems to Three in the UK using the EM7305. Seeing ~32/9Mbps here in London.
http://beta.speedtest.net/result/6887753572

That's using a ppp connection on the AT port so I imagine it's using HSPA+. No easy way to know since as we've seen there no way to interrogate the modem once it's dialed up. Unless I'm missing something.

Steve

PPP/AT mode is fairly limited, not much you can do there. Tried CDC mode yet?

stephenw10

As far as I can see there is no way do that on the EM73XX devices. There is no direct IP mode any more like there was on earlier hardware.

I'd love to be wrong though. ;)

Steve

Guest

@stephenw10:

As far as I can see there is no way do that on the EM73XX devices. There is no direct IP mode any more like there was on earlier hardware.

I'd love to be wrong though. ;)

Steve

Someone else had some problems with MBIM, but QMI works which is pretty fast too: https://lists.freedesktop.org/archives/modemmanager-devel/2015-April/001875.html
There are a bunch of people enabling dual interface mode, Debug mode etc. and accessing GPS via AT and serial with QMI on (but not MBIM at the same time it seems – I have only spotted MBIM on Windows so far).