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- This topic has 12 replies, 2 voices, and was last updated 2020-03-20 at 5:38 PM by
Matt Barney.
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2020-03-02 at 7:12 PM #13877Our Mayfly loggers are using XBee3 LTE modems, Hologram SIMs, and ModularSensors 0.23.16. We have one that is having difficulty connecting consistently, and have noticed that on the Hologram dashboardOur Mayfly loggers are using XBee3 LTE modems, Hologram SIMs, and ModularSensors 0.23.16. We have one that is having difficulty connecting consistently, and have noticed that on the Hologram dashboard, it always shows it having connected via AT&T Mobility network (similar to the attached screen cap), despite the fact that there is a better Verizon signal at the monitoring site (at least we’re pretty sure there is). Should Hologram display “Verizon” when your XBee connects via Verizon?
In order to see what Hologram displays for Verizon connections, I’ve tried forcing the modem at my desk to use Verizon by setting CP to 3 (from the default, 0), but it does not want to connect at all. Should this work, assuming I have a Verizon signal?
Thanks,
Matt
cc: @jlemontu-orgAttachments:
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2020-03-02 at 7:31 PM #13879The Hologram dashboard should say “Verizon” in some way if it connected to that network. The Hologram SIMs do work on Verizon, but they nearly always connect to AT&T in my experienceThe Hologram dashboard should say “Verizon” in some way if it connected to that network. The Hologram SIMs do work on Verizon, but they nearly always connect to AT&T in my experience. There was a thread just a bit ago about setting the carrier profiles for the LTE-M XBee3’s , and for the time being we’ve decided that the default of “0/Automatic” isn’t stable on Hologram and we will specifically select AT&T unless it’s known to not be present at the site.
Changing the setting in profile to 3/Verizon should work, but I’ve found you might need to set it and reset or power cycle a few times before the setting “takes.” You may also need to clear your “forbidden” list: https://support.hologram.io/hc/en-us/articles/360035697373-How-do-I-clear-the-FPLMN-list-. From recent conversations with Hologram tech support they say the u-blox SARA R410M is pretty quick to decide that it’s failed to connected to a network/operator and should mark that network as forbidden.
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2020-03-03 at 4:22 PM #13883Thanks, Sara; I’ll check out the FPLMN issue and keep trying with a modem at my desk.
What’s the easiest way to send AT commands directly to the modem? Load StreamDebugger on a Mayfly, as
Thanks, Sara; I’ll check out the FPLMN issue and keep trying with a modem at my desk.What’s the easiest way to send AT commands directly to the modem? Load StreamDebugger on a Mayfly, as described here? https://www.envirodiy.org/topic/trouble-initializing-xbee3-lte-m/#post-12658
I can’t seem to get any response; i.e., nothing gets echoed to the serial monitor window in PlatformIO.
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2020-03-03 at 7:18 PM #13885Do you have a carrier board that you can use to connect the XBee3 to the computer? If so, then the easiest way is to use that.
Open XCTU and find the XBee3. To type direct AT commands to the u-bl
Do you have a carrier board that you can use to connect the XBee3 to the computer? If so, then the easiest way is to use that.Open XCTU and find the XBee3. To type direct AT commands to the u-blox you need to be in bypass – get there by scroll down in XCTU to the “Serial Interfacing” section and change API Enable to “Bypass Mode [5].” Click the pencil to write. XCTU is smart enough to reset the Bee when you change the mode. After changing that, open the terminal tab in XCTU (icon in the top right that looks like a screen with a command prompt on it). Hit the “open” icon. Then in the console log section you can type away. If you don’t get an ok back after hitting enter, verify that you’re in bypass mode. Try just “AT” several times to make sure you’re talking. There’s no Digi commands for the forbidden list, so bypass is the only way to do it.
The StreamDebugger can work, but it’s finickey. Usually if there’s some reason I want to talk to the XBee directly and I don’t have the carrier board with me, I write the a simple program that wakes the Bee and then sends
Serial1.print("AT blah..");and prints backSerial.print(Serial1.readString());for everything I want to say and run that on the Mayfly. Doing it that way usually works better for me.If you want to use the Digi AT commands to talk to your Bee, you definitely want to change the “Guard Time” setting either with XCTU or using the Mayfly to send it “ATGT6D3” to increase that guard time back up to the default of 1 second. To enter command mode you wait the guard time, type in three +++’s (NO ENTER!) and wait the guard time again and should get an OK. Default is 1s wait on each side. When TinyGSM talks to the bee, the first thing it does is cut that down to 100ms. I can’t ever manage to type the +’s in fast enough to get into command mode unless I bump the time up again. Once you’re in command mode you have 10s from the last successful command before it will automatically fall out of command mode and you’ll need to use the +’s again. The “ATCN” will also immediately exit command mode.
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2020-03-04 at 6:58 PM #13894Thank you Sara! Using my XBee TH board and XCTU, I got my FPLMN list cleared, and am still trying to force a Verizon connection. Nothing yet, but I will keep trying, power cycling, switching to BypassThank you Sara! Using my XBee TH board and XCTU, I got my FPLMN list cleared, and am still trying to force a Verizon connection. Nothing yet, but I will keep trying, power cycling, switching to Bypass and back to transparent, etc.
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2020-03-04 at 8:17 PM #13897If you’re having trouble, you can try going into bypass and checking the operator profile directly on the u-blox: send
AT+UMNOPROF?It should reply 3 (If you’re having trouble, you can try going into bypass and checking the operator profile directly on the u-blox: sendAT+UMNOPROF?It should reply 3 (matching up with the CP value). If for some weird reason it doesn’t, you can change it by first disconnecting from the network, changing the profile, and then restarting:AT+CFUN=0(OK)AT+UMNOPROF=3(OK)AT+CFUN=1,1(OK, then a delay and possibly a junk character or two on restart). The setting should hold when you go back into Transparent (and the Digi software will register the change).Shannon and I were just talking about this – the Hologram SIM’s just really prefer AT&T. Verizon gets written the the FPLMN list really fast. It appears there as 311480.
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2020-03-04 at 8:22 PM #13898😛 In double checking what the number would be for Verizon when it appears on the FPLMN, the very first google hit I got was an issue with someone else trying to force a Hologram SIM to use Verizon😛 In double checking what the number would be for Verizon when it appears on the FPLMN, the very first google hit I got was an issue with someone else trying to force a Hologram SIM to use Verizon: https://github.com/botletics/SIM7000-LTE-Shield/issues/163 Per that thread from just a few days ago, others suspect that Verizon has just very recently clamped down again booting out most Hologram users.
Are you totally sure you can’t just use the weak AT&T signal? What about T-Mobile? (As a T-Mobile subscriber, I’m dubious that there’s anywhere that T-Mobile exits and not AT&T.) You might be able to hop to T-Mobile by using bypass and setting the UMNOPROF to 5. I haven’t ever tried it and you might be denied by the network, but here’s a chunk of code you can add to your setup that might work:
C++1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829// Extra modem set-upSerial.println(F("Waking modem and setting Cellular Carrier Options..."));modem.modemWake(); // NOTE: This will also set up the modem// Turn off the cellular radio while making network changesmodem.gsmModem.sendAT(GF("+CFUN=0"));modem.gsmModem.waitResponse();// Mobile Network Operator Profile - 0 = SW default// - 1 = SIM ICCID selected// - 2: ATT// - 6: China Telecom// - 100: Standard Europe// - 4: Telstra// - 5: T-Mobile US// - 19: Vodafone// - 3: Verizon// - 31: Deutsche Telekommodem.gsmModem.sendAT(GF("+UMNOPROF="), 5);modem.gsmModem.waitResponse();// Selected network technology - 7: LTE Cat.M1// - 8: LTE Cat.NB1// Fallback network technology - 7: LTE Cat.M1// - 8: LTE Cat.NB1// NOTE: As of 2020 in the USA, AT&T and Verizon only use LTE-M// T-Mobile uses NB-IOT// modem.gsmModem.sendAT(GF("+URAT="), 7, ',', 8);// modem.gsmModem.waitResponse();// Restart the module to apply changesmodem.gsmModem.sendAT(GF("+CFUN=1,1"));modem.gsmModem.waitResponse(10000L); -
2020-03-13 at 3:21 PM #13921I’m unable to query the FPLMN list. I did it successfully last week, so not sure what’s up now.
When I issue the command, I get 3 errors:
1at+crsm=17I’m unable to query the FPLMN list. I did it successfully last week, so not sure what’s up now.When I issue the command, I get 3 errors:
123at+crsm=176,28539,0,0,12ERRORERRORERRORI thought that the last time I got it to work, I was in bypass mode and airplane mode. This time, I’ve tried bypass and transparent modes and have tried it in airplane mode and in normal mode (AM=0). All return 3 errors. I’m using the Digi TH dev board and XCTU.
I also get an error (just 1) when I issue
1at+umnoprof?Thanks for any insights!
Matt
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2020-03-13 at 3:34 PM #13922More info: It appears that the command is being sent to the modem at every comma; I had been pasting the entire command into the Console window and getting the 3 errors. If I try typing it by hand, asMore info: It appears that the command is being sent to the modem at every comma; I had been pasting the entire command into the Console window and getting the 3 errors. If I try typing it by hand, as soon as I type this comma: at+crsm=176,
…it immediately returns ERROR.
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2020-03-13 at 8:47 PM #13923Huh. I don’t have any *good* suggestions, but he’s a hodgepodge of things to check :
You have to use bypass or USB direct to be able to use those commands, transparent/command mode won
Huh. I don’t have any *good* suggestions, but he’s a hodgepodge of things to check :You have to use bypass or USB direct to be able to use those commands, transparent/command mode won’t work. Can you get normal responses to other commands? (ie AT – OK; ATI – modem info) Do you have your SIM card installed? The file being cleared is on the SIM card, so it has to be installed. Do you have CFUN set to something other than 0=minimum functionality? At minimum functionality it may not be able to communicate properly with the SIM. Did you try USB direct? With the TH board you can use the side micro USB port for that – keep the USB-c plugged in for power, flip the dip switches by the micro USB both toward the plug, and then use xctu to set device options bit 2 (check the help it might be bit 4 for software usb direct enable) and enable USB direct communication on pin 7 (dio1?).
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2020-03-17 at 2:47 PM #13950Thanks Sara. I managed to get the forbidden list displayed, and cleared. Not certain what I was doing wrong before.
If I remain in the Console and continue querying, the forbidden list will get repop
Thanks Sara. I managed to get the forbidden list displayed, and cleared. Not certain what I was doing wrong before.If I remain in the Console and continue querying, the forbidden list will get repopulated after 15-30 seconds. The response is:
123+CRSM: 144,0,"130184FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF"OKSo, assuming that that value decodes to MCC=311 and MNO=480, that’s Verizon, and it appears that Verizon just won’t accept the Hologram SIM.
I’ve ordered a couple of Verizon SIMs from DigiKey, so we’ll see what happens with those. AT&T just won’t work at this particular monitoring site. We haven’t tried T-Mobile, but I assume its coverage is the same as (or less than) AT&T.
Matt
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2020-03-17 at 3:14 PM #13951
Let us know how the Verizon SIMs work for you!
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2020-03-20 at 5:38 PM #13968The new SIM card from Verizon works! I first did some testing using XCTU, and I can set the Carrier Profile (CP) either to 3-Verizon, or to 0-Auto-detect, and it registers and works successfully. (NotThe new SIM card from Verizon works! I first did some testing using XCTU, and I can set the Carrier Profile (CP) either to 3-Verizon, or to 0-Auto-detect, and it registers and works successfully. (Not surprisingly, it never registers when CP is set to 2 (AT&T), and I also presume that setting CP=0 in an AT&T-only coverage area would not work).
Back on the Mayfly, I changed the APN value to ‘vzwinternet’, and it works there too. (The APN value of ‘-‘ will also work; this is the default setting in XCTU.)
Best,
Matt
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