Mobile Modem

Configure and monitor the mobile modem's connections and linking parameters.

Review Installations

To ensure a seamless mobile internet connection, please review the below steps. If any steps have been misconfigured, click the hyperlink to return to their guides.

Location – The router should have a fair mobile signal reception.
SIM Card – An activated and functional SIM card is inserted into the primary SIM1 slot.
5G Antennas – 5G-NR antennas are installed into the "Mobile" sockets on two side panels.
Power Adapter – The original AC-DC power adapter is connected to the router.

Wait 3 to 5 minutes until the router is fully booted up and the "System" indicator on the front panel remains solid white.

Modem Status

After booting up, the EZR26-5G router automatically connects the inserted SIM card to cellular networks. The "Mobile" indicator will light up and remain solid after connecting to a cell tower and gaining mobile internet access.

After connecting to the router and logging into the admin panel, you can navigate to the following pages to monitor details of the modem status and manage the modem settings.

Mobile section on the top right corner of the front dashboard
Mobile Status on System > Overview page
Mobile Interface on Network > Interfaces page

After establishing a connection to a cell tower, the SIM status indicates "Connected." The dashboard and mobile status display operator ID, access tech, and signal quality. The mobile interface displays the Mobile IP address, real-time RX TX stream, and mobile connection uptime.

i. Terms

The following are the common terms used to define mobile devices and their connectivity.

Modem – RM520N-EU or RM520N-GL – the mobile modem's model number.
IMEI No. – The serial number of the mobile modem device.
Phone No. – The unique numerical sequence in the carrier's database that is linked to the IMSI and MSISDN stored in the SIM card installed in the active SIM slot. The data-only SIM card does not have a phone number.
(Mobile) Operator ID – PLMN of the mobile carrier, consisting of MCC and MNC.
Global Cell ID – The specific cell tower connecting on the primary band.
Cellular / Access Tech – Connected cellular networks, such as 3G WCDMA, 4G LTE, and 5G-NR. It shows "LTE and 5GNR" when connected to a 5G-NSA (non-standalone) network, which must rely on 4G LTE bands.
RSRP, RSRQ, and SINR are the signal quality parameters. Their background color indicates the estimated quality level: green represents excellent, yellow means fair, and red represents poor.

ii. Troubleshooting

Below are the common issues that may occur during daily use and their related solutions. Please refer to the modem diagnosis for detailed instructions on running modem diagnostics and troubleshooting.

No SIM Card Detected

Appearance: If the SIM status shows "No SIM" and the modem cannot connect, the SIM card might be inserted incorrectly or blocked by the mobile carrier.

Solution: First, test the SIM card on a smartphone to ensure it is functional. If it's a brand-new SIM card, follow the mobile carrier's instructions to activate it.

Then, follow the SIM card operating instructions to reinsert the SIM card. Remember to check the golden contacts on the SIM card and clean any dirt before reinserting.

Failed To Connect

Appearance: If the SIM card is detected but the modem status shows "Not Connected," the signal may be too weak, or the SIM card may have run out of data allowance.

Solution: First, check the signal quality and ensure the RSRP value is above -105dBm. Then check your SIM card account and ensure it has enough data allowance.

After that, verify the mobile APN settings. If you are still unsuccessful, refer to the below mobile protocol guidance to switch to the traditional protocol. Some low-priority data plans may be restricted from connecting through the advanced protocol.

Connected But No Internet

Appearance: This issue led to being unable to access the internet, indicating that the SIM status is connected. The mobile interface has obtained an IPv4/6 address, and the Mobile status displays signal quality.

Solution: First, test the SIM card on a smartphone to ensure it is functional. If it's a brand-new SIM card, follow the mobile carrier's instructions to activate it.

Then, check that it has enough data allowance. After that, verify the APN address with the carrier and modify it as the guide below shows. Finally, recheck the RSRP value for signal quality and ensure it's above -105dBm.

Connected But Unstable

Appearance: If the modem status is connected but suffering from slow internet speed or intermittently interrupted connections, these issues are usually caused by busy hours, unstable mobile signals, and frequent remote access requests.

Solution: When too many terminals connect to the same cell tower during busy hours, the average mobile speed slows down and may be interrupted. Consider improving the signal quality by changing locations or upgrading the SIM card's data to a business grade, which typically offers an uninterrupted priority connection from mobile carriers.

To maintain a fast and stable mobile connection, the recommended RSRP value should be above -100 dBm. To enhance mobile signals, consider adjusting the location or upgrading the antennas.

If the mobile connection obtains a public IP address, it may receive frequent remote access requests that could disrupt local networks. Go to "Status > System Log" to download the router's system log and send it to our support team for an optimization plan.

APN Settings

APN, the mobile network gateway, stands for Access Point Name. Generally speaking, the EZR26-5G router can establish a mobile connection using the prebuilt parameters for many carrier SIM cards.

Some carriers and specific data plans require a dedicated APN address to connect. Please check the correct APN address with your SIM card provider, then follow the guide below to configure the APN parameters.

To modify APN settings

Access the router admin panel and go to the "Network > Interfaces" page.
Click the "Edit" button on the first row of the Mobile interface and open the popup window.
Choose the "SIM Card" from "Primary SIM1" and "Secondary SIM2" before making changes.

Then, input the below corresponding APN settings provided by your mobile carrier:

Protocol – Keep it as "Modem Manager" unless a traditional PPP or QMI protocol is needed.
Bring Up On Boot – Keep this checkbox selected to start the mobile connection at every startup.
APN – Input your SIM card's APN gateway address.
PIN – Your custom PIN code to protect the SIM card. Leave it empty if the SIM is on default PIN.
Authentication Type – Use PAP, CHAP, or both PAP/CHAP. Usually deploy PAP.
IP Type – Usually use IPv4 only or leave it as IPv4/IPv6 both.
Signal Refresh Rate – The interval for scanning and detecting signal quality, which is displayed on the dashboard and modem status. Setting it to more than 10 seconds to avoid interruption.

Click the green "Apply" button to save and apply the custom settings to the primary SIM1 slot. Repeat the same operation for the secondary SIM2 slot if it has a SIM card.

Finally, click the green "Save" button in the bottom right corner to make the changes effective. Wait 5-10 seconds for the parameters to be applied, then refresh to check the new status.

Learn more about general APN settings and generic global APN parameters. The best option is to contact your SIM card provider for the accurate APN address assigned to your data plan.

Mobile Protocols

The default Modem Manager protocol provides advanced features and fast speeds that work well in most scenarios. However, some limited data plans or rural areas may still rely on traditional protocols.

Click on the Mobile Protocol tutorial to learn more about QMI and PPP protocols and how to switch them. Their APN, PIN, and authentication settings are similar. Please pay attention to set the correct modem devices for different protocols.

QMI ––– /dev/cdc-wdm0 PPP ––– /dev/ttyUSB2

Mobile Watchdog

The 5G router has integrated a dedicated monitoring program to keep mobile internet alive. It continuously and periodically checks the internet connection through ping tests. If the connection test fails, it automatically triggers a modem reset and reconnection process.

Go to "Services > Mobile Watchdog" to check its settings. Refer to the Mobile Watchdog tutorial to explore more introductions and advanced configurations.

Last updated 4 months ago