Issues with Internal SIM on Boron 2G/3G

Troubleshooting
1

Hello,

I’ve set up a few Boron 2G/3G devices before with no problem and since I was happy with the results, I’m trying to do the same on a few new ones I just bought but I am getting stuck on the set up process. Some checks:

  • Antenna is plugged in
  • LiPo is plugged in
  • USB cable is plugged in
  • I’ve tried the newest firmware 0.9.0

So… I am trying to use the Boron as a stand alone device (i.e. not mesh) followed the set up process via mobile phone. The process seems to get stuck on “Connecting to the Internet via cellular” right after “Activating Particle SIM”. The device is blinking green and seems to be searching for cellular connection. After awhile, it times out and the set up says an error has occurred and tells me to exit the set up and retry again. Try again I did =(

I did some debugging and if I switch to a 3rd party SIM (i.e. insert a 3rd party SIM, change the APN etc…) the device finds connection no problem. Switching back internal SIM seems to be an issue and it never finds connection. I would like to be able to use the Particle SIMs since the management feature is pretty cool and the carrier has a long keep alive time.

Has anything changed between Dec 2018 and now? Maybe with the carriers? Or am I missing something really simple. I am located in Vancouver, Canada.

Docs that I went through:

2

so, the borons you set up earlier are using the internal sim and connect just fine? when you say you tried the 0.9.0 build did you mean that you flashed the new ones with the hybrid 0.9.0 build via the cli?

3

You should probably capture the output from the Boron cloud debug tool and either post it here, or submit it as a support ticket.

In Canada, using the Boron 2G/3G and the internal Particle SIM, the carrier is Telus.

4

so, the borons you set up earlier are using the internal sim and connect just fine? when you say you tried the 0.9.0 build did you mean that you flashed the new ones with the hybrid 0.9.0 build via the cli?

@dkryder yup, the Boron I set up earlier (sometime in January) were on 0.8.0-rc.27 and seem to be working fine. I did try to flash back to that build with no luck.

With regards to upgrading to 0.9.0, the mobile set up process also upgrades the deviceOS to 0.9.0, I also tried flashing hybrid 0.9.0 as well and then the 0.9.0 tinker on top, repeat the set up process with no luck as well.

You should probably capture the output from the Boron cloud debug tool and either post it here

@rickkas7 good point. Here you go~! What do you make of it? I realize the logs say "external Nano Sim Card" but I don't have an external card inserted.

What I did was:

  • Open a new Boron, went through the mobile set up, failed at the same step I mentioned in the OP
  • Flashed cloud debug build and got logs

The carrier of the 3rd party SIM cards I am using is Rogers. I have 4 more brand new 2g/3g Borons I am willing to crack open if you want to debug the OOBE set up process. Just let me know.

Normal test after 10s + Showing Carriers At This Location

clouddebug: press letter corresponding to the command
a - enter APN for 3rd-party SIM card
k - set keep-alive value
c - show carriers at this location
t - run normal tests (occurs automatically after 10 seconds)
or tap the MODE button once to show carriers
starting carrier report...
turning cellular on...
0000030384 [system.nm] INFO: State changed: DISABLED -> IFACE_DOWN
0000036502 [hal] INFO: Using external Nano SIM card
looking up operators (this may take up to 3 minutes)...
0000049811 [app] INFO: cellular response type=TYPE_UNKNOWN len=105
0000049812 [app] INFO: \r\n
0000049815 [app] INFO: MCC:302, MNC:720, LAC:ffdc, RAC:1, CI:0437abc, DLF: 4383, ULF: 4158, SC:141, RSCP LEV:48, ECN0 LEV:31\r\n
0000050249 [app] INFO: cellular response type=TYPE_UNKNOWN len=105
0000050250 [app] INFO: \r\n
0000050253 [app] INFO: MCC:302, MNC:720, LAC:ffdc, RAC:1, CI:04379f2, DLF: 4383, ULF: 4158, SC:422, RSCP LEV:41, ECN0 LEV:15\r\n
0000066949 [app] INFO: cellular response type=TYPE_UNKNOWN len=105
0000066950 [app] INFO: \r\n
0000066953 [app] INFO: MCC:302, MNC:720, LAC:ffdc, RAC:1, CI:0437a02, DLF:  462, ULF:   62, SC:422, RSCP LEV:32, ECN0 LEV:27\r\n
0000067401 [app] INFO: cellular response type=TYPE_UNKNOWN len=104
0000067402 [app] INFO: \r\n
0000067405 [app] INFO: MCC:302, MNC:720, LAC:ffdc, RAC:1, CI:0437bda, DLF:  462, ULF:   62, SC:67, RSCP LEV:29, ECN0 LEV:21\r\n
0000068127 [app] INFO: cellular response type=TYPE_UNKNOWN len=105
0000068128 [app] INFO: \r\n
0000068131 [app] INFO: MCC:302, MNC:720, LAC:ffdc, RAC:1, CI:0437c94, DLF:  462, ULF:   62, SC:359, RSCP LEV:25, ECN0 LEV:13\r\n
0000094059 [app] INFO: cellular response type=TYPE_UNKNOWN len=72
0000094060 [app] INFO: \r\n
0000094062 [app] INFO: MCC:302, MNC:720, LAC:3e80, CI:bde4, BSIC:03, Arfcn:00178, RXLEV:032\r\n
0000094143 [app] INFO: cellular response type=TYPE_UNKNOWN len=72
0000094144 [app] INFO: \r\n
0000094146 [app] INFO: MCC:302, MNC:720, LAC:3e80, CI:bd63, BSIC:3e, Arfcn:00179, RXLEV:045\r\n
0000094291 [app] INFO: cellular response type=TYPE_UNKNOWN len=72
0000094292 [app] INFO: \r\n
0000094294 [app] INFO: MCC:302, MNC:720, LAC:3e80, CI:e068, BSIC:09, Arfcn:00559, RXLEV:028\r\n
0000094422 [app] INFO: cellular response type=TYPE_UNKNOWN len=72
0000094422 [app] INFO: \r\n
0000094425 [app] INFO: MCC:302, MNC:720, LAC:3e80, CI:d3f6, BSIC:33, Arfcn:00234, RXLEV:034\r\n
0000095006 [app] INFO: cellular response type=TYPE_UNKNOWN len=72
0000095007 [app] INFO: \r\n
0000095009 [app] INFO: MCC:302, MNC:720, LAC:3e80, CI:b93f, BSIC:39, Arfcn:00239, RXLEV:024\r\n
0000095059 [app] INFO: cellular response type=TYPE_UNKNOWN len=72
0000095060 [app] INFO: \r\n
0000095062 [app] INFO: MCC:302, MNC:720, LAC:3e80, CI:df29, BSIC:25, Arfcn:00562, RXLEV:022\r\n
0000095085 [app] INFO: cellular response type=TYPE_UNKNOWN len=72
0000095086 [app] INFO: \r\n
0000095088 [app] INFO: MCC:302, MNC:720, LAC:3e80, CI:bd62, BSIC:06, Arfcn:00235, RXLEV:029\r\n
0000095160 [app] INFO: cellular response type=TYPE_UNKNOWN len=72
0000095161 [app] INFO: \r\n
0000095163 [app] INFO: MCC:302, MNC:720, LAC:3e80, CI:e0e0, BSIC:3a, Arfcn:00688, RXLEV:020\r\n
0000095704 [app] INFO: cellular response type=TYPE_UNKNOWN len=72
0000095705 [app] INFO: \r\n
0000095707 [app] INFO: MCC:302, MNC:720, LAC:3e80, CI:d3fc, BSIC:32, Arfcn:00585, RXLEV:019\r\n
0000096743 [app] INFO: cellular response type=TYPE_UNKNOWN len=72
0000096744 [app] INFO: \r\n
0000096746 [app] INFO: MCC:302, MNC:720, LAC:3e80, CI:d59f, BSIC:3d, Arfcn:00689, RXLEV:020\r\n
0000096885 [app] INFO: cellular response type=TYPE_UNKNOWN len=72
0000096886 [app] INFO: \r\n
0000096889 [app] INFO: MCC:302, MNC:720, LAC:3e80, CI:b93e, BSIC:2c, Arfcn:00152, RXLEV:029\r\n
0000097822 [app] INFO: cellular response type=TYPE_UNKNOWN len=72
0000097823 [app] INFO: \r\n
0000097825 [app] INFO: MCC:302, MNC:720, LAC:3e80, CI:b944, BSIC:32, Arfcn:00561, RXLEV:022\r\n
0000101911 [app] INFO: cellular response type=TYPE_OK len=6
0000101912 [app] INFO: \r\n
0000101912 [app] INFO: OK\r\n
0000101913 [app] INFO: service rat=UMTS mcc=302, mnc=720, lac=ffdc ci=437abc band=UMTS 850 rssi=-73 dlf=4383 ulf=4158
0000101915 [app] INFO: neighbor 0 rat=UMTS mcc=302, mnc=720, lac=ffdc ci=4379f2 band=UMTS 850 rssi=-80 dlf=4383 ulf=4158
0000101917 [app] INFO: neighbor 1 rat=UMTS mcc=302, mnc=720, lac=ffdc ci=437a02 band=GSM 900 rssi=-89 dlf=462 ulf=62
0000101919 [app] INFO: neighbor 2 rat=UMTS mcc=302, mnc=720, lac=ffdc ci=437bda band=GSM 900 rssi=-92 dlf=462 ulf=62
0000101921 [app] INFO: neighbor 3 rat=UMTS mcc=302, mnc=720, lac=ffdc ci=437c94 band=GSM 900 rssi=-96 dlf=462 ulf=62
0000101923 [app] INFO: neighbor 4 rat=GSM mcc=302, mnc=720, lac=3e80 ci=bde4 band=GSM 850 rssi=-71 bsic=3 arfcn=178 rxlev=50
0000101925 [app] INFO: neighbor 5 rat=GSM mcc=302, mnc=720, lac=3e80 ci=bd63 band=GSM 850 rssi=-52 bsic=3e arfcn=179 rxlev=69
0000101927 [app] INFO: neighbor 6 rat=GSM mcc=302, mnc=720, lac=3e80 ci=e068 band=DCS 1800 or 1900 rssi=-81 bsic=9 arfcn=559 rxlev=40
0000101929 [app] INFO: neighbor 7 rat=GSM mcc=302, mnc=720, lac=3e80 ci=d3f6 band=GSM 850 rssi=-69 bsic=33 arfcn=234 rxlev=52
0000101932 [app] INFO: neighbor 8 rat=GSM mcc=302, mnc=720, lac=3e80 ci=b93f band=GSM 850 rssi=-85 bsic=39 arfcn=239 rxlev=36
0000101934 [app] INFO: neighbor 9 rat=GSM mcc=302, mnc=720, lac=3e80 ci=df29 band=DCS 1800 or 1900 rssi=-87 bsic=25 arfcn=562 rxlev=34
0000101936 [app] INFO: neighbor 10 rat=GSM mcc=302, mnc=720, lac=3e80 ci=bd62 band=GSM 850 rssi=-80 bsic=6 arfcn=235 rxlev=41
0000101938 [app] INFO: neighbor 11 rat=GSM mcc=302, mnc=720, lac=3e80 ci=e0e0 band=DCS 1800 or 1900 rssi=-89 bsic=3a arfcn=688 rxlev=32
0000101940 [app] INFO: neighbor 12 rat=GSM mcc=302, mnc=720, lac=3e80 ci=d3fc band=DCS 1800 or 1900 rssi=-96 bsic=32 arfcn=585 rxlev=25
0000101942 [app] INFO: neighbor 13 rat=GSM mcc=302, mnc=720, lac=3e80 ci=d59f band=DCS 1800 or 1900 rssi=-89 bsic=3d arfcn=689 rxlev=32
0000101944 [app] INFO: neighbor 14 rat=GSM mcc=302, mnc=720, lac=3e80 ci=b93e band=GSM 850 rssi=-80 bsic=2c arfcn=152 rxlev=41
0000101946 [app] INFO: neighbor 15 rat=GSM mcc=302, mnc=720, lac=3e80 ci=b944 band=DCS 1800 or 1900 rssi=-87 bsic=32 arfcn=561 rxlev=34
looking up operator names...
results...
3G  UMTS 850 3 bars
3G  UMTS 850 2 bars
3G  GSM 900 2 bars
3G  GSM 900 1 bars
3G  GSM 900 1 bars
2G  GSM 850 3 bars
2G  GSM 850 5 bars
2G  DCS 1800 or 1900 2 bars
2G  GSM 850 3 bars
2G  GSM 850 2 bars
2G  DCS 1800 or 1900 2 bars
2G  GSM 850 2 bars
2G  DCS 1800 or 1900 2 bars
2G  DCS 1800 or 1900 1 bars
2G  DCS 1800 or 1900 2 bars
2G  GSM 850 2 bars
2G  DCS 1800 or 1900 2 bars
clouddebug: press letter corresponding to the command
a - enter APN for 3rd-party SIM card
k - set keep-alive value
c - show carriers at this location
t - run normal tests (occurs automatically after 10 seconds)
or tap the MODE button once to show carriers
starting tests...
turning cellular on...
deviceID=e00fce68f77c09e2281f3268
manufacturer=u-blox
model=SARA-U201
firmware version=23.60
ordering code=SARA-U201-03B-00
IMEI=358887090666619
IMSI=u-blox
ICCID=
0000116019 [app] INFO: enabling trace logging
attempting to connect to the cellular network...
0000116021 [system.listen] INFO: Entering listening mode
0000116021 [system.listen] INFO: Entering listening mode
0000116023 [hal.ble] TRACE: Fast advertising mode started
5

Did a bit more testing and found the issue. The problem is the time taken to find connection. I managed to set up 1 boron but only after spooling on the “Connecting to the Internet via cellular” for 10+ mins. The Borons’ I tried setting up in the OP took over 20+ mins before I gave up. I took another crack at them, switched to the internal SIMs and they manage to connect after 10+ mins.

Rebooting the Borons’ finds connection within 1-2mins so my guess is that it is just the initial activation that takes awhile. I am also guessing the time taken may vary depending on where you are and what carrier the SIM is using in your location. So all is well.

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