Nebra Outdoor Miner Network Manager GSM config

Product support
1

Hey Guys,
a few weeks ago i received my Nebra Outdoor Miner that runs on BalenaOS.
I followed their instructions on how to write the config file (named cellular) so that the network manager can connect via the quectel E25-G with a mobile network.

First of all i failed the task to upload a file without an .txt extension into the resin-boot volume of the network manager. This lead to the problem that i now have a blank .txt file called cellular in the resin-state volume of the network manager.
Since i am an absolute linux noob and as as far as i understand i cannot delete this file because i lack the root rights for that volume.
Does this possibly interfere with a proper usage of the 4G module?

The second problem i am encountering is about the logic of the config file for the Network Manager.
It requieres the key words for username and password to acces the apn.
Yet my ISP doesnt require a username nor a password. Do i leave the fields blank or do i delete them entirely?

Also the sim card i am using requires a pin code. In the Network manager docs for GSM configuartion i found the key word pin. I thought that it is just okay to add pin=XXXX below the username field of the config file.

The device cant connect to the internet via the 4G module. The SIM card is not the problem, since i can establish an internet connection with a seperate 4G router.
The ISP is O2 Germany and the netpublic apn goes with their public IPv4 adress.

I am sorry to post this issue here but the Nebra support is highly unavailable due to massive shitstorms and thousands of other problems.
Many thanks in advance!

https://helium.nebra.com/outdoor-hotspot/lte-config
Network Setup on balenaOS 2.x - Balena Documentation [See Cellular modem setup]
gsm: NetworkManager Reference Manual

cellular.txt (204 Bytes)

2

Hi @Manniac and welcome to the Forums. Sorry to hear about the troubles.

Having that unneeded file in resin-state should not affect operation, as Network Manager will not read it’s configuration from that location. Next, you’ll need to get the properly named file into the resin-boot/system-connections folder, call it cellular without an extension.

I am not familiar with O2’s network configuration, but, I would fist try removing the “username” and “password” lines from the file, as opposed to leaving them in place with no values like you have it now.

And setting the pin=xxxxx does seem to be correct according to the Network Manager documentation, but ultimately you may need to check with O2 to see if they have any guidance.

I also think you can remove the number=*99# line, but again confirm with them to see if they require it.

Hope that helps, thanks.

4

Hey @dtischler thanks for your fast response and sorry for my late one.

The wrong file is located in resin-boot/system-connections.
And there is also the correct cellular file without an extension.

Can you tell me how the syntax for the pin in the file would look like if its not for example: pin=1234.

I will soon try to delete the fields you mentioned.

Best regards.

7

@Manniac Ah, I misunderstood, I thought the incorrectly named file was in resin-state, in which case it would not have mattered too much.

In this case, I would recommend deleting the incorrectly named file from the resin-boot partition, just to ensure that there is no confusion.

And in the correctly named file, your syntax for the Pin number looks fine, it should be plain text, with no spacing.

Let us know how your testing goes. :slight_smile:

9

Thanks to a post in the Helium Discord i was able to get the 4G Module running.

To do this i disabled the PIN of the SIM Card and deleted unnecessary lines in the cellular file and used the SIM-Card holder on the Quectel 4G Module.

The file for 02 Germany then looks like this:

[connection]
id=cellular
type=gsm
autoconnect=true

[gsm]
apn=internet
number=*99#

[serial]
baud=115200

[ipv4]
method=auto

[ipv6]
addr-gen-mode=stable-privacy
method=auto

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