Potential device lockdown - Network providers

[Dylan]

Hey everybody,

I have been using a FiPy and having the same trouble that appears to be happening to most people (maybe everybody) in Australia.

I was in the middle of writing something up for a new topic on FiPy but since this is basically it I'll put it here.

Currently the following occurs:

• LTE connects successfully many times in a row, but can then go for hours without a connection (With 60 second sleep cycles). Just like discussed here:
  https://forum.pycom.io/topic/2878/fipy-lte-connection-working-with-telstra/18
  and
  https://forum.pycom.io/topic/2769/telstra-lte-cat-m-working-on-fipy-just/24

• When doing longer sleeps between messages (15minutes) I very rarely get a connection

• Today I have simply not been able to get a connection at all.

• Sometimes when I do connect, it will say message sent however it is never received by adafruit

• Last successful connection was last night around 9pm.

I just installed the new sequans firmware and having the same result.

I am using SIM cards that are given out by telstra for m2m.

My code:

import machine
from network import LTE
from pytrack import Pytrack
import os
import time
import socket
import pycom
from MQTT import MQTTClient
from L76GNSS import L76GNSS


def sub_cb(topic, msg):
    print(msg)

lte = LTE()
# lte.reset()
print("Line 15") #lots of prints for debugging
time.sleep(1)
lte.send_at_cmd('AT^RESET') #trying this to see if it helps on restart
print(lte.send_at_cmd('AT^RESET'))
print("Line 16")
time.sleep(1)

lte.send_at_cmd('AT+CFUN=0')
print("Line 17")
time.sleep(1)
lte.send_at_cmd('AT!="clearscanconfig"')
print(lte.send_at_cmd('AT!="clearscanconfig"'))
print("Line 18")
time.sleep(1)

lte.send_at_cmd('AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","telstra.m2m"')
print(lte.send_at_cmd('AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","telstra.m2m"'))
print("Line 19")
time.sleep(1)

lte.send_at_cmd("AT!=\"RRC::addscanfreq band=28 dl-earfcn=9410\"")
print(lte.send_at_cmd("AT!=\"RRC::addscanfreq band=28 dl-earfcn=9410\""))
print("Line 20")
time.sleep(1)

lte.send_at_cmd('AT+CFUN=1')
print(lte.send_at_cmd('AT+CFUN=1'))
print("Line 21")
time.sleep(1)

print("Line 22")
time.sleep(1)

while not lte.isattached():
    print("Attaching...")
    time.sleep(0.1)
print("Attached")

lte.connect()

while not lte.isconnected():
    print("Connecting...")
    time.sleep(0.1)
print("Connected!")
time.sleep(2)
def settimeout(duration): 
   pass
print("line41")
def sub_cb(topic, msg): 
   print(msg)
print("line44")

client = MQTTClient("Demo","io.adafruit.com",user="Dylan", password="xxxx", port=1883)
print("Line 38")
client.set_callback(sub_cb)
print("Line 41")
client.connect()
print("Line 43")
time.sleep(1)
client.subscribe(topic="Dylan/feeds/test")
print("Line 46")
py = Pytrack()
battery = py.read_battery_voltage()
l77 = L76GNSS(py, timeout=30)
coord = l77.coordinates()
coord = str(coord) + str(',') + str(battery)

print("Sending ON")
client.publish(topic="Dylan/feeds/test", msg=coord)
print("Line 51")
time.sleep(1)
print("Line 55")
client.check_msg()

py.setup_sleep(60)
py.go_to_sleep()

[Prawnhead]

Anyone who's got working LTE with Optus or Vodafone wanna share your setup? Just looking for APN/channel configuration that would make testing other carriers quicker. Thanks, Chris.

[timh]

@prawnhead I haven't been able to spend time on this (heavy workload on non rpycom related projects).

It does seem worrisome that no one seems to have it working.

[timh]

@tealbrains So I finally found time to test the SEQUANS firmware.

I performed the firmware upgrade as per the instructions.

The upgrade performed as per instructions on a FiPy

And the result, working fine. - Success for me at least.

(sysname='FiPy', nodename='FiPy', release='1.17.3.b1', version='v1.8.6-849-83e2f7f on 2018-03-19', machine='FiPy with ESP32', lorawan='1.0.2', sigfox='1.0.1')

    lte.send_at_cmd('AT+CGDCONT=2,"IP","telstra.internet"')
    lte.send_at_cmd("AT!=\"RRC::addscanfreq band=28 dl-earfcn=9410\"")
    lte.send_at_cmd('AT!="RRC::addScanBand band=28"')
    lte.send_at_cmd('AT+CFUN=1')

    for i in range(retries):
        if wdt:
            wdt.feed()

        if (lte.isattached()):
              print("attached")
              lte.connect()
              break
        time.sleep(1)

I will keep this running over the weekend, but looks good for me on at least one device.

The other devices are on the other side of the country in mechanical pumps so need to organise people to get me access to perform the upgrade ;-(

[micksta]

@timh

Hey lads, changed nothing here. Just thought I'd try and connect - Success here as well.

(sysname='GPy', nodename='GPy', release='1.17.5.b6', version='v1.8.6-849-56d00234 on 2018-05-18', machine='GPy with ESP32')

send_at_cmd_pretty('AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","mdata.net.au"') # Aldi sim / "mdata.net.au" Aldi APN (aka Telstra network)
time.sleep(1)
send_at_cmd_pretty("AT!=\"RRC::addscanfreq band=28 dl-earfcn=9410\"")
time.sleep(1)
send_at_cmd_pretty('AT+CFUN=1') # enable modem & set to full functionality mode
time.sleep(1)

[blindman2k]

Same here. Everything was working one day, nothing working the next day, everything working again today.

[timh]

@micksta really. Thats interesting. Have Telstra rolled back some changes.
I will ask the support engineer on Monday of they know of any changes

[tealbrains]

@timh @micksta @Prawnhead @reclusio Yep, so I just tested it and it's working now.

1. The firmware update was not the solution.
2. Telstra has been tinkering with the network as we all know. This last change, which has fixed the problem, seems to have happened at the same time of the week, exactly one month later. It is worth noting that they have just done the following : https://www.telstra.com.au/aboutus/media/media-releases/Telstra-deploys-Australias-first-LTE-Broadcast-technology-to-support-sports-streaming . I wouldn't be surprised if it is connected to the issue.
3. As for me, I will not be developing any products around the Gpy/Fipy until their modem is certified. I am supporting a couple of projects that are already using them. I am developing a comms board with a certified modem. Such a shame...wasted so much time and effort. I might still use these boards for quick tests but nothing more.

I guess we can consider the case closed (fingers crossed) for now.

[timh]

@tealbrains Hmm not so sure.
I am finding that if I don't have a terminal connected when using LTE, after a while I am getting socket errors.
I don't get this when terminal is connected.

Disconnecting for a short time, means mqtt packets don't get sent, reconnecting the terminal in time means they are sent back to back quickly (seems they are queued). Reconnecting after a longer period (minutes) I see socket errors.

Where as the same code with a WIFI connection doesn't have the problem.

I am struggling to understand why having a terminal connection makes any difference, but it is repeatable, across a GPY and FiPY.

[timh]

@timh To fix this I found I had to dupterm to a null device. This is odd and make development hard. This appears to have been introduced with the latest firmware. I don't know how my code could introduce such behaviour.

[timh]

@tealbrains Just received this from Telstra

Thanks for your email and sorry for the delay. I was basically consulting number of different teams to have clear answer for you.

I just had confirmation from our engineering team that they are working with “Sequans” on certifying the Cat M1 module. (same chipset as your devices). This will be mostly completed by end of August and we will have Telstra module FW to support these devices.

I will keep following it up and let you know once this activity has been completed.

Given various other people found their pycoms started working late last week, it looks like we have a few moving targets with SEQUANS firmware and Telstra network.

[micksta]

@timh

Thanks t for the follow up/post, appreciated.

[IOAg]

@daniel I understand Telstra connectivity issue should be resolved. I don't see how to test it myself, Sequans firmware being unavailable at the moment.

Did you get positive feedback in this forum?