External SIM Boron LTE. Impossible to reach APN

Connectivity Cellular
1

Hi,

I just bought a Boron LTE. I cannot connect using the external SIM card. SFR supplier card (France) I followed the procedure below. LED D7 does not light up indicating probably that I cannot reach the APN. Could you please help me.

#include "Particle.h"
#include "dct.h"

SYSTEM_MODE(SEMI_AUTOMATIC);

void setup() {
	Cellular.setActiveSim(EXTERNAL_SIM);
	Cellular.setCredentials("epc.tmobile.com");

	// This clears the setup done flag on brand new devices so it won't stay in listening mode
	const uint8_t val = 0x01;
    dct_write_app_data(&val, DCT_SETUP_DONE_OFFSET, 1);

	// This is just so you know the operation is complete
	pinMode(D7, OUTPUT);
	digitalWrite(D7, HIGH);
}

void loop() {
}
2

Your code is not trying to connect to cellular since you are not calling Cellular.on() nor Cellular.connect().

However, the D7 LED not turning on would rather suggest your code is not executed at all (or maybe not even flashed correctly).

Try Cellular.on() before calling the other Cellular.xxx() functions.
BTW, it’s typically better to put the SIM and APN selection into a STARTUP() block instead of setup().

3

My guess is if you flashed that firmware to a brand new Boron it’s likely going into safe mode to update Device OS before running the code to change to the external SIM.

In DFU mode (blinking yellow):

particle update
1 Like
4

Thank you. I will try.

5

Hi,
I tried to put Cellular.on () inside a startup () block as below. I also tried Particle update in DFU. Nothing works. I am a beginner and am a bit lost. I try to change APN as found on web for SFR provider (websfr, wapsfr, sl2sfr, mmssfr).

#include "Particle.h"

#include "dct.h"


SYSTEM_MODE(SEMI_AUTOMATIC);

void startup() {
    Cellular.on();
	Cellular.setActiveSim(EXTERNAL_SIM);
	Cellular.setCredentials("websfr");

	// This clears the setup done flag on brand new devices so it won't stay in listening mode
	const uint8_t val = 0x01;
    dct_write_app_data(&val, DCT_SETUP_DONE_OFFSET, 1);

	// This is just so you know the operation is complete
	pinMode(D7, OUTPUT);
	digitalWrite(D7, HIGH);
}

void loop() {
}
6

Can you provide us with the exact device type you got there?
I'm not sure the Boron LTE (with u-blox SARA-R410-02B LTE ) does work in Europe anyway.

https://docs.particle.io/datasheets/boron/boron-datasheet/#features

However, this is also not what I meant with this

It should rather look like this

//SYSTEM_MODE(AUTOMATIC)  // default setting 

void yourInitialisationSteps() {
  Cellular.on();
  Cellular.setActiveSim(EXTERNAL_SIM);
  Cellular.setCredentials("websfr");
}

STARTUP(yourInitialisationSteps());

void setup() {
  pinMode(D7, OUTPUT);
  digitalWrite(D7, HIGH);
}
void loop() {
  ...
}

You also won't need to redo the DCT_SETUP_DONE in your code anymore. You can just use CLI particle usb setup-done once and that should set the flag once and for all.

7

I believe that the Boron LTE cannot be used on SFR in France as they have deployed NB-IoT, not LTE CAT M1. The Boron LTE only supports LTE Cat M1.

8

Thx. I will try your code. The Boron I bought is BRN402KIT. I understood that LTE was not available in Europe but it was possible to connect with 2/3G. And Mouser certified that it was possible to have an 2/3G access with this model.

9

That is not correct. The Boron LTE does not have 2G/3G fallback.

10

Great :slight_smile: If I understood correctly, I just have to buy another module because in Europe we are still late. I would love to live in the USA.

11

The Boron 2G/3G is the best choice for Europe in the Boron line.

The B523 SoM is another choice for Europe, and supports LTE Cat 1, 3G, and 2G, but it’s not in the Boron form-factor.

12

Next step: buy another Boron. Thanks for all guys.

1 Like
13

Ok I will buy Boron 2/3G model. Thx

14

Mouser was not wrong. Everything is my fault :frowning:

15

Could you please tell me if Mesh is available on the Boron 2G/3G. The final goal is to deploy hundreds of modules in many industrial plants. If a module cannot connect to 2 / 3G I would like it to find another route automatically via a mesh network. Some areas do not offer the possibility of connecting directly to the cellular network.

16

Mesh has been discontinued since March 2020. While the Boron 2G/3G hardware does support mesh when using Device OS 1.5.2 and earlier, the ability to create new mesh networks will be removed at the end of 2020. Also, the Boron has never been able to use mesh as a backup to cellular.

17

Thank you for your reply. So the only way would be to deploy GSM repeaters / amplifiers so that every sensor can access them?

18

If there is no cellular and no Wi-Fi (Argon), then the possibilities are more limited. While you can do device-to-device communication over BLE, it’s not a mesh and it’s not possible to use features like OTA firmware upgrades over BLE.

Repeaters often work, however most micro/pico/femto/nano cells that use the Internet back to a specific provider do not, even when the carrier is the same as the Particle carrier.