USB Modem on Balena OS NVIDIA TX2 cannot connect to internet.

Project help
1

We have an array of different Balena OS devices that are collecting data for us while being connected to cellular using a USB Modem. They are having issues that cause them to not connect to the internet.

IMG_1533
IMG_15333024×4032 3.27 MB

I am running balenaOS 2.45.1+rev1 with the gsm connection config files:
{
[connection]

id=cellular

type=gsm

autoconnect=true

autoconnect-priority=2

autoconnect-retries=0

[gsm]

apn=hologram

[serial]

baud=115200

[ipv4]

method=auto

[ipv6]

addr-gen-mode=stable-privacy

method=auto
}
AND
{
[connection]

id=cellular

type=gsm

autoconnect=true

autoconnect-priority=3

autoconnect-retries=0

[gsm]

apn=vzwinternet

[serial]

baud=115200

[ipv4]

method=auto

[ipv6]

addr-gen-mode=stable-privacy

method=auto
}

This is for both Hologram and Verizon sim cards.
I connect to ethernet to see the status of the USB Modem and I get these results

root@90b0e9e:~# mmcli -L
/org/freedesktop/ModemManager1/Modem/0 [QUALCOMM INCORPORATED] QUECTEL Mobile Broadband Module

root@90b0e9e:~# nmcli connection show
NAME UUID TYPE DEVICE
cellular 6981df61-ffe5-3454-8e0c-81a71468c0c6 gsm cdc-wdm0
Wired connection 1 0456c7b4-6d7b-37d7-b5b8-5553bd064d8a ethernet eth0
supervisor0 4474e472-a0e2-4312-a5f7-a30e813b88f0 bridge supervisor0
cellular 19e9f6b6-8100-3f4d-8655-a5363e2c3de3 gsm –

root@90b0e9e:~# mmcli -m 0

General | dbus path: /org/freedesktop/ModemManager1/Modem/0
| device id: 7ca836896a838d330504274e46cc7de01196199c

Hardware | manufacturer: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
| model: QUECTEL Mobile Broadband Module
| firmware revision: EC25AFFAR07A08M4G
| carrier config: ROW_Generic_3GPP
| carrier config revision: 0501081F
| h/w revision: 10000
| supported: gsm-umts, lte
| current: gsm-umts, lte
| equipment id: 866834040553211

System | device: /sys/devices/3530000.xhci/usb1/1-2
| drivers: qmi_wwan, option1
| plugin: Quectel
| primary port: cdc-wdm0
| ports: ttyUSB0 (qcdm), ttyUSB2 (at), ttyUSB3 (at), wwan0 (net),
| cdc-wdm0 (qmi)

Status | lock: sim-pin2
| unlock retries: sim-pin (3), sim-pin2 (3), sim-puk (10), sim-puk2 (10)
| state: connecting
| power state: on
| access tech: umts
| signal quality: 54% (recent)

Modes | supported: allowed: 3g; preferred: none
| allowed: 4g; preferred: none
| allowed: 3g, 4g; preferred: 3g
| allowed: 3g, 4g; preferred: 4g
| current: allowed: 3g, 4g; preferred: 4g

Bands | supported: utran-4, utran-5, utran-2, eutran-2, eutran-4, eutran-5,
| eutran-12, eutran-13, eutran-14, eutran-66, eutran-71
| current: utran-4, utran-5, utran-2, eutran-2, eutran-4, eutran-5,
| eutran-12, eutran-13, eutran-14, eutran-66, eutran-71

IP | supported: ipv4, ipv6, ipv4v6

3GPP | imei: 866834040553211
| operator id: 310260
| registration: home

3GPP EPS | ue mode of operation: csps-2

SIM | dbus path: /org/freedesktop/ModemManager1/SIM/0

Bearer | dbus path: /org/freedesktop/ModemManager1/Bearer/8759

Does anyone know why the modem would be stuck in this connecting state? This is with a Hologram sim card.

3

Hi there, what model of modem are you using? Is it listed here: Network Setup on balenaOS 2.x - Balena Documentation

6

Hello, did you solve your issue using the USB modem? Let us know if we can help you more.

8

@michaelstewart, my apologies, it looks like my colleague missed some of the output you shared, but I noticed you’re using the Quectel EC25-AF:

Hardware | manufacturer: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
| model: QUECTEL Mobile Broadband Module
| firmware revision: EC25AFFAR07A08M4G

I don’t personally have experience using it, but I know some colleagues who do, so this is just a quick ping to let you know I’m reaching out to them and hope to be back with some troubleshooting suggestions soon. :slight_smile:

13

@michaelstewart my colleague recommends taking a look at the networkmanager logs first: journalctl -u networkmanager and keeping an eye out for errors from ModemManager while connecting. If that doesn’t turn up anything helpful, he also suggests that the connection profile is extremely sensitive to things like extra spaces, so that might be worth looking at as well.

Please let me know how the troubleshooting goes from that perspective. Any info you can share about the results - whether you’re successful in finding the cause or if you still need help - will be helpful to anyone else with similar issues. :slight_smile: