Set Cellular Access Point Name (APN)
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@benstr thanks for clarifying that our for me
Do you have any Australian NB-IOT providers?
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@ahaw021 Looks like we provide access to Optus and Telstra networks. Not sure if either have NB. I’m currently mobile and only have access to a partial list.
More than happy to dig further if need be - when I’m in the office tomorrow.
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@benstr Do you have any info about Cat-M1/NB providers in Poland? I already have one of your DevSIM card but still waiting for my FiPy.
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@rskoniec in Poland our 4G networks include T-Mobile, Orange, and Play. I’m told once they turn on M1/NB our sim will have access.
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@benstr said in Set Cellular Access Point Name (APN):
@rskoniec in Poland our 4G networks include T-Mobile, Orange, and Play. I’m told once they turn on M1/NB our sim will have access.
Thank you for your respond. I wonder when do they turn on M1/NB, because so far I couldn't find any timelines (which month or 2018Qx).
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@jmarcelino even if the modem is not PTCRB certified in its final release you can still use it on ATT as part of their developer program, which is where I am right now. Is there any movement on letting me set my APN so I can test it? Thanks!
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@benstr I too have a hologram SIM, so I changed the hard-coded name in the C stack and re-compiled. No dice.
Would love to get my hands on test firmware.
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@jmarcelino any update on this? If there are other things that are pushing this feature out for much longer, can we get a custom build to set the APN? I think quite a few people have hologram.io sims burning holes in their pockets.
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@michaelhobo I was able to make the hologram SIM work for me: it wasn't the APN setting. As far as I can tell, APN is irrelevant. The problem is that the 3GPP stack won't connect unless the SIM is on a home network.
If you're feeling ambitious, read on and I'll show how I did it.
First, the documentation. If you haven't already, download https://github.com/pycom/pycom-documentation/blob/master/chapter/datasheets/downloads/Monarch_4G-EZ_LR5110_ATCommands_ReferenceManual_Rev3_NOCONFIDENTIAL.pdf
Go to the beginning of Table 3-3 on page 85. What you'll see is a list of stat codes that the LTE modem returns after the 3GPP stack initializes and turns the radio on. What the stack is looking for is stat code
1: which means it's registered on a home network. Here it is in the 3GPP source code:
https://github.com/pycom/pycom-micropython-sigfox/blob/81f0934f48361403b3b638c150ba8ad026056884/esp32/3gpp/lib3GPP.c#L173Problem: Hologram isn't a home network. It's a roaming network: stat code
5(you've still got Table 3-3 up right?)If you enable the debug mode in the 3GPP stack (and re-compile and flash the firmware, of course), you'll see that, after the radio turns on, it starts with stat code
0, then stat code4(usually a couple of times), then settles on stat code5.Solution? Change the
1to a5:
No:.cmdResponseOnOk = "+CEREG: 2,1",
Yes:.cmdResponseOnOk = "+CEREG: 2,5",Compile, flash, problem solved. No APN change necessary.
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@brotherdust I need to try this today! Thanks for the detailed explanation. Time to pull down the pycom source...
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@michaelhobo Good luck! One more thing: the documentation doesn’t explicitly mention it, but if you’re using the FiPy or GPy with the Expansion Board, you need to disable the RTS and CTS pins on the board (see Expansion Board 2.0 datasheet: https://docs.pycom.io/chapter/datasheets/boards/expansion.html). This is because the pins for RTS/CTS function on the FTDI USB to UART chip on the Expansion Board overlap with the LTE pins on the FiPy (and possibly GPy, I’m too lazy to look right now).
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https://docs.pycom.io/chapter/datasheets/development/fipy.html
saw an AT command manual at the bottom.
I don't have my FiPy (in NZ at the moment)
but when i do i can do some more digging
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@brotherdust @ahaw021 Thanks all.
I flashed my Gpy to look for roaming networks and turned on GSM_DEBUG. Then I realized I forgot to get an antenna... My poor little board never stood a chance.I can tell what's happening when I try to connect to the network now, thanks to debug mode. And I can build my own firmware, so I'm much further along than before. I will try again once my antenna arrives.
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@michaelhobo Did you blow up your board?!
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@brotherdust Oh no, it just couldn't get signal (and never could have in my room with no antenna)
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@michaelhobo I hope everything is OK with your board, because using LoRa/Sigfox/LTE without connecting the antenna is not recommended.
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@brotherdust Hello, I'm a beginner with Fipy and new in this forum...
Could you please explain how you enable the debug mode in the 3GPP stack and where are stored the libraries on my PC (W10) for me to modify the code as you explained ?
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@bbel91 You'll need to set up a development environment. See https://github.com/pycom/pycom-micropython-sigfox#the-esp32-version for instructions. Follow them carefully! When are you able to compile and flash the firmware from the unmodified source, you'll be ready for modifying the code to enable GSM_DEBUG and LTE roaming features (if that's what you want to do). I STRONGLY suggest getting comfortable with Git before you start modifying the source code. I personally use a combination of Tower and Git CLI commands.
It's possible to directly access the Sequans modem over UART if you have the expansion board; once you have that setup, you can type AT commands directly to the modem and see what works. See https://forum.pycom.io/topic/2496/gpy-readiness/20 for more info (and a great face-palm moment by yours truly when he forgets to swap the UART pins).
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@rskoniec said in Set Cellular Access Point Name (APN):
@michaelhobo I hope everything is OK with your board, because using LoRa/Sigfox/LTE without connecting the antenna is not recommended.
My understanding is that, with no antenna attached, it could fry the LNA on the modem. It's expecting a particular impedance on the ANT connector. I really hope you didn't fry it. That would be sad and irritating. =( I've fried a REALLY expensive GPS chip this way (ublox LEA-6T); now it's just a paperweight.
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@brotherdust Thanks a lot for your help.
As I am on Windows10, I looked for a corresponding environment (msys2).
I could then follow your procedure but it blocks at "cd mpy-cross ..." because the directory does not exist. Do you have an idea of what it can be?
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