MikroTik LTE Configuration Guide
Summary
This document provides a comprehensive overview of LTE client configuration and management within RouterOS. It covers basic setup, advanced features, and troubleshooting for MikroTik devices equipped with LTE modems.
LTE Client
The LTE client allows for the configuration and management of LTE interfaces. Support for Direct-IP mode is available in RouterOS v7 and later. For older versions, PPP emulation can be used, though it may offer lower throughput.
Properties
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
| allow-roaming | Enables data roaming for connecting to other countries' data providers. Not all modems fully support this feature. |
| apn-profiles | Specifies the APN profile to use for the interface. |
| band | LTE Frequency band used for communication. |
| nr-band | 5G NR Frequency band used for communication. |
| comment | A descriptive name for the item. |
| disabled | Enables or disables the interface. |
| modem-init | Modem initialization string (AT command executed at modem startup). |
| mtu | Maximum Transmission Unit, defining the maximum packet size. |
| name | A descriptive name for the interface. |
| network-mode | Selects the operating mode for the LTE interface (e.g., 3G, GSM, LTE, 5G). |
| operator | Used to lock the device to a specific operator using the PLMN number. |
| pin | SIM Card's PIN code. |
APN Profiles
Network-related settings are managed through APN profiles, starting from RouterOS 6.41.
Properties
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
| add-default-route | Determines whether to add a default route for forwarding traffic over the LTE interface. |
| apn | Service Provider's Access Point Name. |
| authentication | Allowed protocol for authentication (PAP, CHAP, none). |
| default-route-distance | Sets the distance value for auto-created default routes. |
| ip-type | Requested PDN type (IPv4, IPv4/IPv6, IPv6). |
| ipv6-interface | Interface on which to advertise the IPv6 prefix. |
| name | APN profile name. |
| number | APN profile number. |
LTE Settings
LTE and router-specific LTE settings are available starting from RouterOS v7.
Properties
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
| mode | Operation mode setting (auto, MBIM, serial). |
| firmware-path | Firmware path in the host OS. |
| external-antenna | Configures external antenna usage for Chateau routers (auto, both, div, main, none). |
| external-antenna-selected | Shows the currently selected antenna when external-antenna is set to 'auto'. |
| sim-slot | Selects the SIM slot for devices with switchable SIM slots. |
Scanner
The /interface lte scan command can be used to scan LTE interfaces. It provides information such as OPERATOR, MCC-MNC, RSSI, RSRP, and RSRQ.
Available properties
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
| duration | Duration of the scan in seconds. |
| freeze-frame-interval | Time between data printouts. |
| number | Interface number or name. |
User Info command
The /interface lte info command retrieves detailed information about the LTE interface. In RouterOS v7, this command is moved to the /interface lte monitor menu.
User at-chat command
The /interface lte at-chat command allows sending user-defined AT commands to the LTE interface. The wait=yes parameter can be used to wait for a response.
Quick setup example
This section provides a step-by-step guide for setting up network connections using LTE APN profiles.
- Add a new APN profile:
/interface lte apn add name=profile1 apn=phoneprovider.net authentication=chap password=web user=web - Select the newly created profile:
/interface lte set [find] apn-profiles=profile1
After successful configuration, the LTE interface should appear with a running (R) flag.
Passthrough Example
The Passthrough feature allows IP configuration to be applied directly to a client device. This is useful when the modem firmware handles IP configuration, and the router is used only for modem settings.
Note: Passthrough is not supported by all chipsets.
Examples
- To configure passthrough on ether1:
/interface lte apn add apn=apn1 passthrough-interface=ether1 - To configure passthrough on ether1 for a specific MAC address:
/interface lte apn add apn=apn1 passthrough-interface=ether1 passthrough-mac=00:0C:42:03:06:AB
Dual SIM
This section details the configuration for devices with switchable SIM slots.
Boards with switchable SIM slots
| RouterBoard | Modem slot | SIM slots | Switchable |
|---|---|---|---|
| LtAP | lower | 2|3 | Y |
| LtAP mini | upper | 1 | N |
| LtAP mini | up | down | Y | |
| SXT R | a | b | Y |
SIM slots switching commands
- RouterOS v7:
/interface lte settings set sim-slot=down - RouterOS v6 after 6.45.1:
/system routerboard modem set sim-slot=down - RouterOS v6 pre 6.45.1:
/system routerboard sim set sim-slot=down
Tips and Tricks
This section provides additional information for features and usage cases.
Find device location using Cell information
Information such as current operator, LAC, and cell ID can be obtained using the info command for devices with R11e-LTE International version cards.
Using Cell lock
Cell lock allows users to lock LTE modems to a specific LTE tower. The lte info command provides the currently used cellular tower information, including phy-cellid and earfcn.
AT commands can be used to lock the modem to a specific tower. For example, to lock to a tower with earfcn 1300 and PCI 384:
/interface lte at-chat ltel input="AT*Cell=2,3,,1300,384"Note: For R11e-LTE, cell lock information may be lost after a reboot or modem reset. For R11e-LTE6, cell lock works on the primary band.
Cell Monitor
The /interface lte cell-monitor command allows scanning available nearby mobile network cells, providing data like PHY-CELLID, BAND, EARFCN, RSRP, RSRQ, RSSI, and SINR.
Troubleshooting
This section covers common troubleshooting steps for LTE connections.
Enable LTE logging
Enable LTE logging with: /system logging add topics=lte
Check for errors in the log using: /log print
If a CME error occurs, search online for its description. For example, CME error 10 indicates that the SIM card is not inserted.
Locking band on Huawei and other modems
To lock a band on Huawei modems, AT commands can be used. The AT^SYSCFGEX command can be used to check supported bands and to set the desired band.
Example to lock to LTE band 7:
/interface lte set ltel modem-init="AT^SYSCFGEX=\"03\",3FFFFFFF,2,4,40,,,"For more information on band HEX values and AT commands, refer to the Huawei AT Command Interface Specification guide.
mPCIe modems with RB9xx series devices
If a modem is not recognized after a soft reboot, a delay might be needed before USB port initialization. Use the following command:
/system routerboard settings set init-delay=5sBoards with USB-A port and mPCIe
For devices sharing USB lines between mPCIe and USB-A ports, manual switching might be necessary if auto-switch fails. Use:
/system routerboard usb set type=mini-PCIeModem firmware upgrade
Before upgrading, ensure RouterOS is updated to the latest version. Firmware upgrades are available via FOTA (Firmware Over The Air) or from a file.
Check currently used firmware version:
/interface lte info ltel onceCheck if new firmware is available:
/interface lte firmware-upgrade ltelUpgrade firmware with:
/interface lte firmware-upgrade ltel upgrade=yesAvoiding tethering speed throttling
Some operators limit tethering speeds. RouterOS allows changing the TTL parameter to help bypass these limitations. This may conflict with fair use policies.
IPv4 mangle rule:
/ip firewall mangle add action=change-ttl chain=postrouting new-ttl=set:65 out-interface=ltel passthrough=yesIPv6 mangle rule:
/ipv6 firewall mangle add action=change-hop-limit chain=postrouting new-hop-limit=set:65 passthrough=yesUnlocking SIM card after multiple wrong PIN code attempts
If a SIM card is locked, it can be unlocked using AT commands. Check PIN code status with:
/interface lte at-chat ltel input="at+cpin\?"To unlock, provide the PUK code and the new PIN:
/interface lte at-chat ltel input="AT+CPIN=\"PUK_code\",\"NEW_PIN\""
