LTE card: Mikrotik R11e-4G - would it work with Omnia?

Hi all,

I have a chance to get a LTE card from Mikrotik - product code is R11e-4G.
https://mikrotik.com/product/r11e_4g
Would this product work with Turris Omnia?

Thanks for any hints!

Depends whether a driver is available in OpenWRT that supports the chipset of that card.

I doubt it. Mikrotik themselves only claim support for routeros.

Here is a similar discussion at the OpenWrt forum: https://forum.openwrt.org/t/mikrotik-rbm33g-installing-4g-and-wifi-module/37307

Thanks a lot for your replies, guys. I have also read through the OpenWrt forum and most likely will stick to one of the Quectel modems as it seems to be less cumbersome way.

Unless you always have the router nearby, don’t bother with the Quectel modem.
Most times for me it hangs and needs to power cycle the router for the modem to work again.

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What modem did you finally purchased?

Eventually I have bought a used GL-MiFi 4G Router, took out the Quectel E25-E card it came with, put in TO, installed “Extensions of network protocols for 3G/LTE”, set the login in the protocol config and all worked fine.

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Same happened to me yesterday. Had one mifi purchased a while ago. It was a magic after few nights of attempts to bring up turris. It was like a magic. Damn it, just works out of the box without Luci or console.

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Alright, in case someone is really going for R11e-4G, I have managed to get it up and running.
Disclaimer: this is a result of lots of Try & Fail approaches. Your results may vary.

Foreword

In general, getting this network card up and running on OpenWRT looks a bit like a myth. There is no documentation anywhere, so one has to try. A lot. And fail. A lot. The card was cheap though and I was really interested in getting a card with a support for 3.7 GHz band, as I intend to perform some PoC with it. So here I am, with Turris OS 6.0 alpha (switch-branch hbl, if you wish), lots of (probably unnecessary packages) installed and a manually dialled LTE connection.

About the card

Quoting Osmocom (Mikrotik R11e-4G - Altair LTE Modems - Open Source Mobile Communications):

This is a CAT4 LTE modem in mPCIe form factor based around the Altair ALT3800 baseband chipset and the ALT6300 RF transceiver.

The device is a card with the USB interface, which then represents itself in lsusb:

root@turris-omnia:~# lsusb -d 2cd2:0003
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 2cd2:0003 'MikroTik' 'R11e-4G'
root@turris-omnia:~# cat /sys/kernel/debug/usb/devices
(...)
T:  Bus=01 Lev=01 Prnt=01 Port=00 Cnt=01 Dev#=  3 Spd=480  MxCh= 0
D:  Ver= 2.00 Cls=ef(misc ) Sub=02 Prot=01 MxPS=64 #Cfgs=  2
P:  Vendor=2cd2 ProdID=0003 Rev= 3.34
S:  Manufacturer='MikroTik'
S:  Product='R11e-4G'
S:  SerialNumber=9CB9036571E8
C:  #Ifs= 8 Cfg#= 2 Atr=a0 MxPwr=  2mA
A:  FirstIf#= 0 IfCount= 2 Cls=02(comm.) Sub=06 Prot=00
A:  FirstIf#= 2 IfCount= 2 Cls=02(comm.) Sub=02 Prot=01
A:  FirstIf#= 4 IfCount= 2 Cls=02(comm.) Sub=02 Prot=01
A:  FirstIf#= 6 IfCount= 2 Cls=02(comm.) Sub=02 Prot=01
I:  If#= 0 Alt= 0 #EPs= 1 Cls=02(comm.) Sub=02 Prot=ff Driver=
E:  Ad=83(I) Atr=03(Int.) MxPS=   8 Ivl=32ms
I:  If#= 1 Alt= 0 #EPs= 2 Cls=0a(data ) Sub=00 Prot=00 Driver=
E:  Ad=81(I) Atr=02(Bulk) MxPS= 512 Ivl=0ms
E:  Ad=02(O) Atr=02(Bulk) MxPS= 512 Ivl=0ms
I:  If#= 2 Alt= 0 #EPs= 1 Cls=02(comm.) Sub=02 Prot=01 Driver=
E:  Ad=87(I) Atr=03(Int.) MxPS=  10 Ivl=32ms
I:  If#= 3 Alt= 0 #EPs= 2 Cls=0a(data ) Sub=00 Prot=00 Driver=
E:  Ad=85(I) Atr=02(Bulk) MxPS= 512 Ivl=0ms
E:  Ad=04(O) Atr=02(Bulk) MxPS= 512 Ivl=0ms
I:  If#= 4 Alt= 0 #EPs= 1 Cls=02(comm.) Sub=02 Prot=01 Driver=
E:  Ad=8b(I) Atr=03(Int.) MxPS=  10 Ivl=32ms
I:  If#= 5 Alt= 0 #EPs= 2 Cls=0a(data ) Sub=00 Prot=00 Driver=
E:  Ad=89(I) Atr=02(Bulk) MxPS= 512 Ivl=0ms
E:  Ad=06(O) Atr=02(Bulk) MxPS= 512 Ivl=0ms
I:  If#= 6 Alt= 0 #EPs= 1 Cls=02(comm.) Sub=02 Prot=01 Driver=
E:  Ad=8d(I) Atr=03(Int.) MxPS=  10 Ivl=32ms
I:  If#= 7 Alt= 0 #EPs= 2 Cls=0a(data ) Sub=00 Prot=00 Driver=
E:  Ad=8c(I) Atr=02(Bulk) MxPS= 512 Ivl=0ms
E:  Ad=08(O) Atr=02(Bulk) MxPS= 512 Ivl=0ms
C:* #Ifs= 8 Cfg#= 1 Atr=a0 MxPwr=  2mA
A:  FirstIf#= 0 IfCount= 2 Cls=02(comm.) Sub=06 Prot=00
A:  FirstIf#= 2 IfCount= 2 Cls=02(comm.) Sub=02 Prot=01
A:  FirstIf#= 4 IfCount= 2 Cls=02(comm.) Sub=02 Prot=01
A:  FirstIf#= 6 IfCount= 2 Cls=02(comm.) Sub=02 Prot=01
I:* If#= 0 Alt= 0 #EPs= 1 Cls=02(comm.) Sub=06 Prot=00 Driver=cdc_ether
E:  Ad=83(I) Atr=03(Int.) MxPS=  16 Ivl=32ms
I:  If#= 1 Alt= 0 #EPs= 0 Cls=0a(data ) Sub=00 Prot=00 Driver=cdc_ether
I:* If#= 1 Alt= 1 #EPs= 2 Cls=0a(data ) Sub=00 Prot=00 Driver=cdc_ether
E:  Ad=81(I) Atr=02(Bulk) MxPS= 512 Ivl=0ms
E:  Ad=02(O) Atr=02(Bulk) MxPS= 512 Ivl=0ms
I:* If#= 2 Alt= 0 #EPs= 1 Cls=02(comm.) Sub=02 Prot=01 Driver=cdc_acm
E:  Ad=87(I) Atr=03(Int.) MxPS=  10 Ivl=32ms
I:* If#= 3 Alt= 0 #EPs= 2 Cls=0a(data ) Sub=00 Prot=00 Driver=cdc_acm
E:  Ad=85(I) Atr=02(Bulk) MxPS= 512 Ivl=0ms
E:  Ad=04(O) Atr=02(Bulk) MxPS= 512 Ivl=0ms
I:* If#= 4 Alt= 0 #EPs= 1 Cls=02(comm.) Sub=02 Prot=01 Driver=cdc_acm
E:  Ad=8b(I) Atr=03(Int.) MxPS=  10 Ivl=32ms
I:* If#= 5 Alt= 0 #EPs= 2 Cls=0a(data ) Sub=00 Prot=00 Driver=cdc_acm
E:  Ad=89(I) Atr=02(Bulk) MxPS= 512 Ivl=0ms
E:  Ad=06(O) Atr=02(Bulk) MxPS= 512 Ivl=0ms
I:* If#= 6 Alt= 0 #EPs= 1 Cls=02(comm.) Sub=02 Prot=01 Driver=cdc_acm
E:  Ad=8d(I) Atr=03(Int.) MxPS=  10 Ivl=32ms
I:* If#= 7 Alt= 0 #EPs= 2 Cls=0a(data ) Sub=00 Prot=00 Driver=cdc_acm
E:  Ad=8c(I) Atr=02(Bulk) MxPS= 512 Ivl=0ms
E:  Ad=08(O) Atr=02(Bulk) MxPS= 512 Ivl=0ms
(...)

Apparently I don’t have all the drivers loaded for all the USB devices this card creates. Meh.

You may want to install some of these packages first (or all of them, if you have enough space available):

opkg update
opkg install comgt-directip comgt-ncm kmod-usb-acm kmod-usb-net kmod-usb-net-cdc-ether kmod-usb-net-cdc-mbim kmod-usb-net-cdc-ncm kmod-usb-net-cdc-subset kmod-usb-net-huawei-cdc-ncm kmod-usb-net-qmi-wwan kmod-usb-serial kmod-usb-serial-option kmod-usb-serial-wwan luci-proto-3g luci-proto-ncm luci-proto-qmi umbim usb-modeswitch

(I don’t know which one was it, but some of the kernel modules actually enabled the serial devices. I also had to match the kernel and module versions first. And then, of course, reboot.)

According to my dev-sys-ls-fu, loading of the cdc_acm module created these three USB-serial devices:

  • /dev/ttyACM0 (only this one actually responds to the AT commands)
  • /dev/ttyACM1
  • /dev/ttyACM2

The device also creates an ethernet device, using the cdc_ether driver:

root@turris-omnia:~# ethtool -i eth3
driver: cdc_ether
version: 22-Aug-2005
firmware-version: CDC Ethernet Device
expansion-rom-version:
bus-info: usb-f1058000.usb-1
supports-statistics: no
supports-test: no
supports-eeprom-access: no
supports-register-dump: no
supports-priv-flags: no

The card uses a customized Direct IP mode (similar to what one may find on some older Sierra Wireless cards), but there seem to be no scripts covering that. The closest ones are the comgt and comgt-directip packages, which provide some handy scripts in /etc/gcom/, namely /etc/gcom/directip.gcom (which got me to the point where I am able to launch the connection).

I have all the devices in the system - now what

You will want to create network config. I have used LuCi and created the DHCP Client interface called mikrotik, pointing to eth3 (which was the network device my card was assigned). I have also created another interface, DHCPv6 Client, with the backing device @mikrotik (alias to the mikrotik device).

Now, the funny part - the dialling. While OpenWRT handles the DHCPv4/DHCPv6/RA job on eth3, you need to dial the connection yourself (I haven’t automated this yet).

  1. Launch minicom -s
  2. Configure your serial port. This worked for me: Serial Device /dev/ttyACM0, Bps/Par/Bits 115200 8N1, Hardware Flow Control Yes, Software Flow Control No
  3. (optional) Save the set-up as default. You will find it handy later
  4. In the set-up menu, select Exit, which will get you to the serial port terminal mode where you can enter commands
  5. When the minicom terminal is connected to the serial port, send the ATI command there. This is what you should see:
ATI
Manufacturer: MikroTik
Model: R11e-4G
Revision: R11e-4G_V005

OK
  1. Now it’s time to bring the connection up! My APN is internet and the PDN type is IPV4V6 (dual-stack), you may want to use PDN type IP (IPv4-only) or IPV6 (IPv6-only) and adjust the APN accordingly. In the minicom terminal, send the following command sequence (APN/PDN adjusted):
AT+CFUN=1
AT+CGDCONT=3,"IPV4V6","internet"
AT+CGATT=1
  1. If you want to disconnect from the network, open minicom and send AT+CGATT=0 – this will deactivate the session

While connected, the minicom terminal will see influx of status messages, like:

%NOTIFYEV: "SIB1"

%NOTIFYEV:"RRCSTATE",0

%NOTIFYEV:"RRCSTATE",2

%NOTIFYEV: "SIB1"

%NOTIFYEV:"RRCSTATE",0

%NOTIFYEV:"RRCSTATE",1

%NOTIFYEV:"RRCSTATE",0

%NOTIFYEV:"RRCSTATE",1

There seems to be no use for these.

Connection mode, address assignment and routing table

I have already mentioned it’s Direct IP with DHCP, but some may find the tcpdump captures of address acquisition interesting. Here are the ones for DHCPv4 (the Domain-Name Option 15, length 7: "altair^@" indicates the replies are faked by the card firmware):

00:02:13.552001 IP (tos 0x0, ttl 64, id 0, offset 0, flags [none], proto UDP (17), length 328)
    0.0.0.0.68 > 255.255.255.255.67: [udp sum ok] BOOTP/DHCP, Request from 00:11:22:33:44:56, length 300, xid 0xca7b7d71, Flags [none] (0x0000)
	  Client-Ethernet-Address 00:11:22:33:44:56
	  Vendor-rfc1048 Extensions
	    Magic Cookie 0x63825363
	    DHCP-Message Option 53, length 1: Request
	    Requested-IP Option 50, length 4: 100.98.216.163
	    Server-ID Option 54, length 4: 100.98.216.161
	    MSZ Option 57, length 2: 576
	    Parameter-Request Option 55, length 9:
	      Subnet-Mask, Default-Gateway, Domain-Name-Server, Hostname
	      Domain-Name, BR, NTP, Classless-Static-Route
	      Option 212
	    Vendor-Class Option 60, length 12: "udhcp 1.33.2"
	    Hostname Option 12, length 12: "turris-omnia"
	    END Option 255, length 0
	    PAD Option 0, length 0
00:02:13.552698 IP (tos 0x0, ttl 128, id 22995, offset 0, flags [none], proto UDP (17), length 352)
    100.98.216.161.67 > 255.255.255.255.68: [udp sum ok] BOOTP/DHCP, Reply, length 324, xid 0xca7b7d71, Flags [none] (0x0000)
	  Your-IP 100.98.216.163
	  Client-Ethernet-Address 00:11:22:33:44:56
	  Vendor-rfc1048 Extensions
	    Magic Cookie 0x63825363
	    DHCP-Message Option 53, length 1: ACK
	    RN Option 58, length 4: 345600
	    RB Option 59, length 4: 604800
	    Lease-Time Option 51, length 4: 691200
	    Server-ID Option 54, length 4: 100.98.216.161
	    Subnet-Mask Option 1, length 4: 255.255.255.248
	    FQDN Option 81, length 3: [SO] 255/0 ""
	    Domain-Name Option 15, length 7: "altair^@"
	    Default-Gateway Option 3, length 4: 100.98.216.161
	    Domain-Name-Server Option 6, length 8: 160.218.161.60,194.228.211.33
	    Vendor-Option Option 43, length 7: 1.4.0.0.0.0.255
	    Classless-Static-Route Option 121, length 9: (198.51.100.100/32:0.0.0.0)
	    END Option 255, length 0

And IPv6 RA/DHCPv6 (RA for address assignment, stateless DHCPv6 for DNSv6 config; note that the O2 CZ network doesn’t delegate any IPv6 prefixes to me):

root@turris-omnia:~# tcpdump -nn -i eth3 ip6 -vvv
tcpdump: listening on eth3, link-type EN10MB (Ethernet), capture size 262144 bytes
23:57:30.720682 IP6 (flowlabel 0xb1fe6, hlim 255, next-header ICMPv6 (58) payload length: 16) fe80::211:22ff:fe33:4456 > ff02::2: [icmp6 sum ok] ICMP6, router solicitation, length 16
	  source link-address option (1), length 8 (1): 00:11:22:33:44:56
	    0x0000:  0011 2233 4456
23:57:30.742561 IP6 (hlim 255, next-header ICMPv6 (58) payload length: 88) fe80::5 > fe80::211:22ff:fe33:4456: [icmp6 sum ok] ICMP6, router advertisement, length 88
	hop limit 0, Flags [other stateful], pref medium, router lifetime 65535s, reachable time 0ms, retrans timer 0ms
	  prefix info option (3), length 32 (4): 2a00:102a:5009:d9bc::/64, Flags [auto], valid time infinity, pref. time infinity
	    0x0000:  4040 ffff ffff ffff ffff 0000 0000 2a00
	    0x0010:  102a 5009 d9bc 0000 0000 0000 0000
	  rdnss option (25), length 40 (5):  lifetime 4294967295s, addr: 2a00:1028::1 addr: 2a00:1028::2
	    0x0000:  0000 ffff ffff 2a00 1028 0000 0000 0000
	    0x0010:  0000 0000 0001 2a00 1028 0000 0000 0000
	    0x0020:  0000 0000 0002
23:57:31.519224 IP6 (flowlabel 0xed6c0, hlim 1, next-header UDP (17) payload length: 115) fe80::211:22ff:fe33:4456.546 > ff02::1:2.547: [udp sum ok] dhcp6 solicit (xid=ded905 (elapsed-time 0) (option-request SIP-servers-domain SIP-servers-address DNS-server DNS-search-list SNTP-servers NTP-server AFTR-Name opt_67 opt_94 opt_95 opt_96 opt_82) (client-ID hwaddr type 1 001122334456) (reconfigure-accept) (Client-FQDN) (IA_NA IAID:1 T1:0 T2:0) (IA_PD IAID:1 T1:0 T2:0))
23:57:31.543432 IP6 (hlim 255, next-header UDP (17) payload length: 62) fe80::5.547 > fe80::211:22ff:fe33:4456.546: [udp sum ok] dhcp6 advertise (xid=ded905 (client-ID hwaddr type 1 001122334456) (server-ID vid 000007dba0da4990) (IA_PD IAID:1 T1:4294967295 T2:4294967295 (status-code NoPrefixAvail)))
23:57:32.753769 IP6 (flowlabel 0xed6c0, hlim 1, next-header UDP (17) payload length: 99) fe80::211:22ff:fe33:4456.546 > ff02::1:2.547: [udp sum ok] dhcp6 solicit (xid=fb6e37 (elapsed-time 0) (option-request SIP-servers-domain SIP-servers-address DNS-server DNS-search-list SNTP-servers NTP-server AFTR-Name opt_67 opt_94 opt_95 opt_96 opt_82) (client-ID hwaddr type 1 001122334456) (reconfigure-accept) (Client-FQDN) (IA_PD IAID:1 T1:0 T2:0))
23:57:32.779343 IP6 (hlim 255, next-header UDP (17) payload length: 62) fe80::5.547 > fe80::211:22ff:fe33:4456.546: [udp sum ok] dhcp6 advertise (xid=fb6e37 (client-ID hwaddr type 1 001122334456) (server-ID vid 000007dba0da4990) (IA_PD IAID:1 T1:4294967295 T2:4294967295 (status-code NoPrefixAvail)))
23:57:33.892075 IP6 (flowlabel 0xed6c0, hlim 1, next-header UDP (17) payload length: 93) fe80::211:22ff:fe33:4456.546 > ff02::1:2.547: [udp sum ok] dhcp6 inf-req (xid=7ad105 (elapsed-time 0) (option-request SIP-servers-domain SIP-servers-address DNS-server DNS-search-list SNTP-servers NTP-server AFTR-Name opt_94 opt_95 opt_96 opt_83 lifetime) (client-ID hwaddr type 1 001122334456) (server-ID vid 000007dba0da4990) (Client-FQDN))
23:57:33.892601 IP6 (hlim 1, next-header UDP (17) payload length: 80) fe80::211:22ff:fe33:4457.547 > fe80::211:22ff:fe33:4456.546: [udp sum ok] dhcp6 reply (xid=7ad105 (client-ID hwaddr type 1 001122334456) (server-ID hwaddr/time type 1 time 420876059 000102030405) (DNS-server 2a00:1028::1 2a00:1028::2))
23:57:34.912008 IP6 (flowlabel 0xed6c0, hlim 1, next-header UDP (17) payload length: 93) fe80::211:22ff:fe33:4456.546 > ff02::1:2.547: [udp sum ok] dhcp6 inf-req (xid=7ad105 (elapsed-time 102) (option-request SIP-servers-domain SIP-servers-address DNS-server DNS-search-list SNTP-servers NTP-server AFTR-Name opt_94 opt_95 opt_96 opt_83 lifetime) (client-ID hwaddr type 1 001122334456) (server-ID vid 000007dba0da4990) (Client-FQDN))
23:57:34.912508 IP6 (hlim 1, next-header UDP (17) payload length: 80) fe80::211:22ff:fe33:4457.547 > fe80::211:22ff:fe33:4456.546: [udp sum ok] dhcp6 reply (xid=7ad105 (client-ID hwaddr type 1 001122334456) (server-ID hwaddr/time type 1 time 420876059 000102030405) (DNS-server 2a00:1028::1 2a00:1028::2))

The routing table is quite simple, and managed by OpenWRT:

root@turris-omnia:~# ip route | grep eth3
default via 100.98.216.161 dev eth3 proto static src 100.98.216.163
100.98.216.160/29 dev eth3 proto kernel scope link src 100.98.216.163
198.51.100.100 dev eth3 proto static scope link src 100.98.216.163
root@turris-omnia:~# ip -6 route | grep eth3
default from 2a00:102a:5009:d9bc::/64 via fe80::5 dev eth3 proto static metric 512 pref medium
fe80::/64 dev eth3 proto kernel metric 256 pref medium
root@turris-omnia:~#

I have no idea what’s 198.51.100.100, but this address is generating lots of packets and sending these to me:

root@turris-omnia:~# tcpdump -nn -i eth3 host 198.51.100.100
tcpdump: verbose output suppressed, use -v or -vv for full protocol decode
listening on eth3, link-type EN10MB (Ethernet), capture size 262144 bytes
00:04:09.814601 IP 198.51.100.100.40154 > 100.98.216.163.18455: UDP, length 28
00:04:09.815342 IP 198.51.100.100.40154 > 100.98.216.163.18455: UDP, length 24
00:04:09.816087 IP 198.51.100.100.40154 > 100.98.216.163.18455: UDP, length 28
00:04:09.816834 IP 198.51.100.100.40154 > 100.98.216.163.18455: UDP, length 24
00:04:09.817584 IP 198.51.100.100.40154 > 100.98.216.163.18455: UDP, length 28
00:04:09.818333 IP 198.51.100.100.40154 > 100.98.216.163.18455: UDP, length 24
00:04:09.819083 IP 198.51.100.100.40154 > 100.98.216.163.18455: UDP, length 28
00:04:09.819833 IP 198.51.100.100.40154 > 100.98.216.163.18455: UDP, length 20
00:04:09.820584 IP 198.51.100.100.40154 > 100.98.216.163.18455: UDP, length 28
00:04:09.821333 IP 198.51.100.100.40154 > 100.98.216.163.18455: UDP, length 28
00:04:09.825715 IP 198.51.100.100.40154 > 100.98.216.163.18455: UDP, bad length 5798 > 1472
00:04:09.825726 IP 198.51.100.100 > 100.98.216.163: ip-proto-17
00:04:09.825839 IP 198.51.100.100 > 100.98.216.163: ip-proto-17
00:04:09.825844 IP 198.51.100.100 > 100.98.216.163: ip-proto-17

Some sample mtrs:

root@turris-omnia:~# mtr -6 -c10 -w -b -a 2a00:102a:5009:d9bc:211:22ff:fe33:4456  nix.cz
Start: 2022-01-28T00:06:04+0100
HOST: turris-omnia                                                                                Loss%   Snt   Last   Avg  Best  Wrst StDev
  1.|-- ???                                                                                         100.0    10    0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0
  2.|-- 2001:41d8:1:4c03::1 (2001:41d8:1:4c03::1)                                                   20.0%    10   23.7  23.0  19.0  30.2   3.5
  3.|-- dynamic-2a00-1028-0001-2003-0000-0000-0000-0001.ipv6.broadband.iol.cz (2a00:1028            70.0%    10   23.5  20.7  18.8  23.5   2.4
  4.|-- dynamic-2a00-1028-0001-cf81-0000-0000-0000-0001.ipv6.broadband.iol.cz (2a00:1028             0.0%    10   22.2  21.7  18.1  28.6   2.8
  5.|-- dynamic-2a00-1028-0001-cf8f-0000-0000-0000-0002.ipv6.broadband.iol.cz (2a00:1028            40.0%    10   23.2  23.1  19.9  29.9   3.7
  6.|-- gw4-ipv6.nix.cz (2001:7f8:14::4)                                                            90.0%    10   21.5  21.5  21.5  21.5   0.0
  7.|-- 2a02:38:f:f::4 (2a02:38:f:f::4)                                                              0.0%    10   23.0  22.0  18.4  29.7   3.3
  8.|-- 2a02:38:2::171 (2a02:38:2::171)                                                              0.0%    10   22.9  22.0  18.8  29.6   3.1
root@turris-omnia:~# mtr -4 -c10 -w -b -a 100.98.216.163  nix.cz
Start: 2022-01-28T00:06:35+0100
HOST: turris-omnia                      Loss%   Snt   Last   Avg  Best  Wrst StDev
  1.|-- ???                               100.0    10    0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0
  2.|-- 10.84.26.1 (10.84.26.1)            0.0%    10   21.1  20.7  17.8  22.7   1.8
  3.|-- 194.228.190.157 (194.228.190.157)  0.0%    10   20.9  53.4  17.9 202.4  64.2
  4.|-- 194.228.188.228 (194.228.188.228)  0.0%    10   19.7  22.8  17.6  45.5   8.1
  5.|-- 194.228.191.96 (194.228.191.96)    0.0%    10   20.8  49.0  19.4 265.0  76.2
  6.|-- gw4.nix.cz (91.210.16.245)         0.0%    10   20.3  25.3  19.6  46.3   8.2
  7.|-- fwnix.nix.cz (93.190.135.244)      0.0%    10   20.5  23.5  18.0  45.3   7.8
  8.|-- public.nix.cz (93.190.134.171)     0.0%    10   21.3  23.2  18.9  45.2   7.8
root@turris-omnia:~#

Fun fact - all AT commands list and the hidden shell

You may want to list all the supported AT commands - use the AT+CLAC command for that.

If you take all of the commands from the result, open minicom and send each and every of the commands back to the modem with the ? and =? suffixes (e.g. AT%CATINFO?, AT%CATINFO=?), you may at one moment end up in a weird (Uboot?) shell. I’ve been there once, and don’t want to go back to NOT mess things up. Still, a funny thing.

Post scriptum

This card is not what you want when using Turris as a router with LTE uplink. Get the new LTE kit while it’s available and use the QMI mode – it’s way easier, faster (supports more LTE carriers) and less painful to get it up and running.

Yet, if you (for whatever reason) want and/or need to get the Mikroik R11e-4G card up and running in OpenWRT, be my guest. And share your experience.

I may eventually, maybe, modify the dial scripts so that there’s no need to dial the connection from minicom. If I do so, I will share the details/scripts here.

(The guide might be completely unusable with the other Mikrotik-specific cards such as R11e-LTE and R11e-LTE6. Stay away from these proprietary Mikrotik devices, if you can.)

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Good job, thanks for sharing @zajdee!

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