Mobile Networking

Mobile Networking

RouterOS provides comprehensive mobile networking capabilities for MikroTik devices, enabling cellular connectivity through USB modems, built-in LTE modules, and mPCIe expansion cards. Mobile networking allows routers to connect to cellular networks for primary internet access, backup connectivity, or remote deployment scenarios.

Overview

The mobile networking documentation covers all aspects of cellular connectivity in RouterOS, including:

• USB Modem Configuration - Setting up and managing USB-based cellular modems
• LTE Interface Management - Configuring built-in LTE modules and mPCIe cards
• SIM Card Management - Handling multiple SIM cards and carrier selection
• Signal Monitoring - Tracking signal strength, quality, and network registration
• Band Configuration - Selecting and locking specific frequency bands
• PPP over Cellular - Establishing PPP links over mobile networks
• Troubleshooting - Diagnosing and resolving connectivity issues

Key Capabilities

• Support for a wide range of USB LTE/4G/5G modems from major manufacturers
• Built-in LTE category designations (CAT4, CAT6, CAT12, CAT18, CAT20)
• Dual-SIM support for failover and multi-carrier scenarios
• Signal quality monitoring with RSSI, RSRP, RSRQ, and SINR metrics
• Band locking for carrier-specific or performance optimization
• Automatic and manual network operator selection
• SMS messaging and USSD support
• GPS integration for location-based services
• Quality of Service controls for cellular traffic

USB Modem Configuration

USB modems provide cellular connectivity through the router’s USB port. RouterOS includes a generic USB modem driver that supports many common modems, along with specific drivers for known device types.

Interface Creation

When a USB modem is connected, RouterOS automatically creates the appropriate interfaces. The modem type determines which interface is created:

• lte1 - Primary LTE interface for CAT4 and above modems
• ppp-out1 - PPP interface for modems requiring PPP encapsulation
• qmiwwan0 - QMI interface for Qualcomm-based modems
• cdc-wdm0 - CDC-WDM interface for MBIM-based modems

Create an LTE interface for a USB modem:

/interface lte apn
add apn=internet name=internet

/interface lte
set [find] lte-name=lte1 apn-profiles=internet

/interface lte monitor [find]

USB Modem Identification

List connected USB devices and identify the modem:

/system resource usb print

View detailed modem information:

/interface lte info [find] once

Display modem firmware and hardware information:

/interface lteAT
/port at:sim1 ATI

Modem-Specific Configuration

Some modems require specific initialization commands. Configure modem-specific settings:

/interface lte at-chat
set at="" input-result-map="" error=""

/interface lte at-chat at"=AT+QCFG=\"usbnet\",2"

USB Port Power Management

Ensure adequate power for USB modems, especially on routers with limited USB power:

/system routerboard usb set type=usb2

/interface lte set [find] power-saving-management=disabled

LTE Interface Configuration

LTE interfaces provide direct access to cellular networks through built-in modems or mPCIe expansion cards. These interfaces support advanced LTE features and provide better performance than PPP-based connections.

Basic LTE Configuration

Configure the LTE interface with APN settings:

/interface lte apn
add apn=internet name=internet authentication=chap username= password=

/interface lte
add lte-name=lte1 apn-profiles=internet

/ip address add address=10.0.0.2/24 interface=lte1 network=10.0.0.0

/ip route add gateway=10.0.0.1

Network Mode Selection

Configure the LTE interface to use specific network modes:

/interface lte set [find] network-mode=4g+3g+2g

/interface lte set [find] preferred-network-mode=lte,3g,2g

Available network modes:

• 4g - LTE only
• 3g - UMTS/HSPA only
• 3g+4g - Automatic selection between 3G and 4G
• 4g+3g+2g - Full automatic mode
• 5g - 5G NR (on supported hardware)

Carrier Locking

Lock the modem to a specific carrier for testing or optimization:

/interface lte set [find] operator=24601

/interface lte set [find] operator-lock=allow-specific

/interface lte set [find] forbidden-operator=12345,67890

SIM Card Management

Multiple SIM cards enable carrier failover, multi-carrier deployments, and cost optimization through selective routing.

SIM Configuration

Configure SIM card settings and switching behavior:

/interface lte sim
set [find] number=1 default-action=use-sim1

/interface lte sim
set [find] number=2 default-action=use-sim2

/interface lte sim
set [find] switch-policy=on-signal-quality-below threshold=-95

SIM-based Routing

Configure routing policies based on which SIM is active:

/ip route rule
add src-address=10.0.0.0/24 routing-mark=sim1-traffic action=lookup table=sim1
add src-address=192.168.1.0/24 routing-mark=sim2-traffic action=lookup table=sim2

/ip route
add dst-address=0.0.0.0/0 gateway=10.0.0.1 routing-mark=sim1
add dst-address=0.0.0.0/0 gateway=192.168.1.1 routing-mark=sim2

SIM Status Monitoring

Check SIM card status and activity:

/interface lte sim print

/interface lte info [find] sim-status

/interface lte info [find] once

Signal Monitoring

RouterOS provides comprehensive signal monitoring through the LTE interface. Monitor signal quality to optimize antenna placement and troubleshoot connectivity issues.

Signal Metrics

Key signal metrics available through RouterOS:

Metric	Description	Optimal Range
RSSI	Received Signal Strength Indicator	Better than -85 dBm
RSRP	Reference Signal Received Power	Better than -95 dBm
RSRQ	Reference Signal Received Quality	Better than -10 dB
SINR	Signal to Interference Plus Noise Ratio	Better than 10 dB
CQI	Channel Quality Indicator	10-15

Monitor signal metrics continuously:

/interface lte monitor [find] once

/interface lte monitor [find] interval=5s

Signal History

View historical signal data for trend analysis:

/interface lte info [find] stats

/tool fetch url="http://[lte-ip]/signal" mode=http

Signal-Based Actions

Configure automatic actions based on signal thresholds:

/interface lte set [find] sms-trigger=""

// Create a script to react to signal changes
/system script add name=signal-monitor source={
    :local signal [/interface lte info [find] rssi];
    :if ($signal < -100) do={
        /log warning "Weak LTE signal detected: $signal dBm";
    }
}

Band Configuration

LTE bands are specific frequency ranges allocated for cellular use. Different carriers use different bands, and band selection affects coverage and performance.

Available Bands

Common LTE bands worldwide:

Band	Frequency	Common Use
B1	2100 MHz	Europe, Asia
B2	1900 MHz	Americas
B3	1800 MHz	Global
B4	1700 MHz	Americas (AWS)
B5	850 MHz	Americas
B7	2600 MHz	Global
B8	900 MHz	Europe
B20	800 MHz	Europe
B28	700 MHz	Global

Band Selection

Configure which bands the modem should use:

/interface lte set [find] band=B3,B7,B20

/interface lte set [find] band-locking=enabled

/interface lte set [find] allowed-bands=B3,B7,B20

CA (Carrier Aggregation) Configuration

Configure carrier aggregation for improved throughput:

/interface lte set [find] ca-mode=enabled

/interface lte set [find] ca-bands=B3+B7

PPP over Cellular

Some cellular connections require PPP encapsulation. Configure PPP over LTE for compatibility with certain carriers or modem types.

PPP Client Configuration

Set up a PPP client over the cellular interface:

/interface pppoe-client
add add-default-route=yes default-route-distance=10 \
    dial-on-demand=no disabled=no interface=lte1 \
    name=pppoe-lte1 password=internet user=internet

/ppp profile set default-encryption=required

PPP Authentication

Configure PPP authentication methods:

/ppp aaa
set accounting=yes interim-update=10m use-radius=no

/interface pppoe-client
set [find] pap-secret=internet chap-secret=internet

PPP Status Monitoring

Monitor PPP connection status:

/interface pppoe-client print

/interface pppoe-client monitor [find]

SMS and USSD Support

RouterOS supports SMS messaging and USSD commands for carrier interaction, balance checking, and management.

SMS Configuration

Enable and configure SMS handling:

/interface lte set [find] sms-auto-respond=""

/tool sms
set enabled=yes port=lte1 receive-on=sim1

/tool sms inbox
print

Send an SMS message:

/tool sms send phone-number=+1234567890 message="Status check"

USSD Commands

Execute USSD commands for carrier services:

/interface lte at-chat input="*123#"

/interface lte at-chat input="AT+CUSD=1,\"*123#\",15"

Quality of Service

Implement QoS policies for cellular traffic to prioritize critical applications and manage bandwidth effectively.

Queue Configuration

Configure queues for cellular traffic:

/queue simple
add name=cellular-traffic target=interface=lte1 max-limit=50M/100M

/queue tree
add name=cellular-prio parent=lte1 priority=1

Traffic Marking

Mark cellular traffic for QoS processing:

/ip firewall mangle
add action=mark-packet chain=prerouting new-packet-mark=cellular-voip \
    passthrough=no port=5060,5061 protocol=tcp

add action=mark-connection chain=prerouting connection-mark=no-mark \
    new-connection-mark=cellular-web passthrough=yes port=80,443 protocol=tcp

Backup and Failover

Configure cellular as a backup connection for primary WAN failover scenarios.

Default Route Configuration

Set up primary and backup routes:

/ip route
add dst-address=0.0.0.0/0 gateway=10.0.0.1 distance=1 comment="primary-wan"

add dst-address=0.0.0.0/0 gateway=lte1 distance=10 comment="cellular-backup"

Health Check Failover

Configure automatic failover based on connectivity checks:

/tool netwatch
add host=8.8.8.8 timeout=3s interval=10s up-script="/ip route set [find comment=\"primary-wan\"] distance=1" \
    down-script="/ip route set [find comment=\"primary-wan\"] distance=20"

Scripted Failover

Create advanced failover logic with scripts:

/system script add name=failover source={
    :local primary [/interface get [find comment="primary"] running];
    :if (!$primary) do={
        /interface set [find name=lte1] disabled=no;
        /log info "Primary down - cellular activated";
    }
}

Troubleshooting

Diagnose and resolve common mobile networking issues using RouterOS tools.

Connectivity Tests

Test cellular connectivity step by step:

/interface lte info [find] once

/ping 8.8.8.8 interface=lte1

/tool traceroute 8.8.8.8 interface=lte1

Modem Diagnostics

Access detailed modem diagnostic information:

/interface lteAT
/port at:sim1 AT+CSQ

/port at:sim1 AT+CREG?

/port at:sim1 AT+COPS?

Log Analysis

Review system logs for cellular-related events:

/log print where message~"lte\|cellular\|modem"

Common Issues

No network registration:

/interface lte set [find] network-mode=4g+3g+2g

/interface lte reset

Poor signal quality:

/interface lte monitor [find] once

/reboot

Connection drops:

/interface lte set [find] pin-insert=no

/system routerboard usb power-reset

Related Topics

• SMS - SMS messaging and USSD commands
• Dual SIM Application - Multi-SIM management
• Network Interfaces - General interface configuration
• PPP - PPP client and server configuration for cellular modems
• Firewall and Quality of Service - Traffic filtering and QoS
• Diagnostics and Monitoring - Network troubleshooting tools
• High Availability Solutions - Redundancy configurations