Cricket Simply Data Plan with LTE Router

[thevinmanfxst]

Does anyone have experience with Cricket Simply Data Plans and BYOD devices?

I live in a rural area and thinking about getting the Orbi 4G LTE Advanced Tri-band Router (LBR20) and one of Crickets data only plans. Has anyone registered the IMEI of an Orbi LTE and been able to use the Simply Data plans with no issues?

[MattB29]

The Orbi wireless modem router is fairly recent but should work with Cricket since it is advertised to be AT&T complaint. I use a Netgear LB1120 with the Cricket Simply data 20gb plan (since April) and it works great. I did have to go through one of their stores to get it signed up and pay the extra $25 fee. I have thought about switching to a WG3526 router build I made with a EM7565 modem but have not done so yet. Cricket website verifies the Sierra modem IMEI as compatible.

[bvwelch]

I installed GO firmware (gl-ar750s-GO2020-03-01.zip) on a gl inet 'slate' and used the The Wireless Haven external pcie / usb adapter and EC25-AF also from The Wireless Haven. I think everything is working but I am not sure which bands are available and what the various GO info screens about bands and signal strengths means yet -- lots to learn here. Long time openwrt user but first time lte user. I think the system chose B2 ?

Cricket simply data plan.

suggestions welcome, and thank you to all who has helped me get to this point.

[Didneywhorl]

Menu: Modem-->Miscellaneous--> AT Command Terminal

This is where you enter commands for the modem, and you can run query commands to ask the modem things.

Code: Select all

AT+QENG="servingcell"

...will tell you the current band and cell radio info. It is raw info that has to be parsed for meaning.

Output should be:

In LTE mode:
+QENG: "servingcell",<state>,"LTE",<is_tdd>,<mcc>,<m
nc>,<cellid>,<pcid>,<earfcn>,<freq_band_ind>,<ul_band
width>,<dl_bandwidth>,<tac>,<rsrp>,<rsrq>,<rssi>,<sin
r>,<srxlev>

To see other cell radios available on that tower:

Code: Select all

AT+QENG="neighbourcell"

Output should be:

In LTE mode:
[+QENG: "neighbourcell intra","LTE",<earfcn>,<pcid>,<r
srq>,<rsrp>,<rssi>,<sinr>,<srxlev>,<cell_resel_priority>,<s_non_intra_search>,<thresh_serving_low>,<s_intra_s
earch>…

[+QENG: "neighbourcell inter","LTE",<earfcn>,<pcid>,<r
srq>,<rsrp>,<rssi>,<sinr>,<srxlev>,<cell_resel_priority>,
<threshX_low>,<threshX_high>
…

Gotta count the commas

The basic info is on the menu: Modem-->Network Status

[bvwelch]

Here is what I see so far. I haven't deciphered it yet tho.

AT+QENG="servingcell"
+QENG: "servingcell","NOCONN","LTE","FDD",310,410,36D1408,33,1100,2,5,5,3C89,-102,-15,-66,16,-

OK
AT+QENG="neighbourcell"
+QENG: "neighbourcell intra","LTE",1100,33,-15,-104,-68,0,19,4,4,2,62
+QENG: "neighbourcell inter","LTE",5110,-,-,-,-,-,-,0,6,2
+QENG: "neighbourcell","WCDMA",9924,6,14,30,-,-,-,-
+QENG: "neighbourcell","WCDMA",1087,0,14,30,-,-,-,-

OK

By the way this was sent via this lte router.

ps is there a preferred way to shut this machine off? thanks

[BillA]

Here is what I see so far. I haven't deciphered it yet tho.

AT+QENG="servingcell"
+QENG: "servingcell","NOCONN","LTE","FDD",310,410,36D1408,33,1100,2,5,5,3C89,-102,-15,-66,16,-

OK
AT+QENG="neighbourcell"
+QENG: "neighbourcell intra","LTE",1100,33,-15,-104,-68,0,19,4,4,2,62
+QENG: "neighbourcell inter","LTE",5110,-,-,-,-,-,-,0,6,2
+QENG: "neighbourcell","WCDMA",9924,6,14,30,-,-,-,-
+QENG: "neighbourcell","WCDMA",1087,0,14,30,-,-,-,-

OK

By the way this was sent via this lte router.

ps is there a preferred way to shut this machine off? thanks

The output +QENG: "servingcell","NOCONN","LTE","FDD",310,410,36D1408,33,1100,2,5,5,3C89,-102,-15,-66,16,-
shows an LTE connection with MCC/MNC 310/410 which is ATT, followed by celID's, and signal strengths represented by the negative dB numbers at the end (RSSI, CSQ, etc).
The output +QENG: "neighbourcell intra","LTE",1100,33,-15,-104,-68,0,19,4,4,2,62 is much the same showing details about neighboring cells. "neighbourcell intra" means in the same band, while "neighbourcell inter" means different bands.
To parse it properly, look in the AT-command manual.


To "shut this machine off" just unpull the plug. lol
A more graceful shutdown is done via:
System > System Stop, then pull the plug, and replug
OR
System > Reboot > Perform Reboot
which doesn't require the "pull the plug" trick.

[GORILLA]

Not to hijack this thread, but does anyone using cricket wireless , know what has worked regarding the apn for cricket wireless? Thank you in advance.

[BillA]

Not to hijack this thread, but does anyone using cricket wireless , know what has worked regarding the apn for cricket wireless? Thank you in advance.

Most people use the APN "ndo" (without the quotes), you could also try "phone" and "nxtgenphone" which are ATT APN's, just don't use "broadband" which tends to block the service.

[GORILLA]

Thanks Billa

[GORILLA]

Seems as if Cricket wireless is changing their policy on certain bringing your own device. See www.cricketwireless.com under bring your own device. Changes to their network. Existing customers have time to get compatible devices.

Gorilla

[tetranz]

Does Cricket's IMEI checker actually work for anyone? https://www.cricketwireless.com/cell-ph ... ata-device

For me on Chrome it spins forever and on Firefox it says this:
Oops! We're having trouble processing your request right now. Sorry for the inconvenience. Please try again later.

[MattB29]

They might have been updating it yesterday. Works this morning for me in Firefox. However there is a new standard for DATA only devices. They must be HD voice compatible. I wrote about this in another recent Thread this morning. see here for requirements: https://www.cricketwireless.com/support ... tdown.html

The problem is now finding a HD voice capable modem that the IMEI is registered workable.

[sharkbait]

The page worked for me last night but my EM7565 is not eligible per Matt's notes above and it being a data only device.

[tetranz]

Yeah it's working for me now. It doesn't like the cellular / VPN I was going through.

The bad news is that my Pepwave which has a MC7455 is no longer compatible.

[bvwelch]

Greetings,
I had this setup working previously, but lately I can't get connected to cricket, and after reading above posts, I re-checked my EC25AF and now cricket says is not compatible??

How I can tell if the issue is cricket, or some software or hardware problem on my end? The usb enclosure and modem are from The Wireless Haven. I have tried two different routers -- the gli.net slate, and also a raspberry pi both running GO. The rooter shows the router and the sim card and correct cricket phone number, but doesnt connect or send / receive sms msgs. thanks for any suggestions.

[BillA]

Greetings,
I had this setup working previously, but lately I can't get connected to cricket, and after reading above posts, I re-checked my EC25AF and now cricket says is not compatible??

How I can tell if the issue is cricket, or some software or hardware problem on my end? The usb enclosure and modem are from The Wireless Haven. I have tried two different routers -- the gli.net slate, and also a raspberry pi both running GO. The rooter shows the router and the sim card and correct cricket phone number, but doesnt connect or send / receive sms msgs. thanks for any suggestions.

I would test the sim card in a compatible or unlocked phone. Make sure you can make calls, and access the web, which will re-registers it to the network, then you could try it again in the router.

[bvwelch]

thank you for your reply -- can you recommend an unlocked phone that isn't expensive? thank you

[BillA]

thank you for your reply -- can you recommend an unlocked phone that isn't expensive? thank you

Well, you could buy a cheap unlocked phone on Ebay or Amazon, or save some money by calling your carrier and request a free unlock for your own phone (as long as you've been a customer for at least 6 months in good standing).

If you're looking for a newer less expensive phone (especially if it's second-hand/used), I would recommend the Samsung A51/A71 4G version (SM-A515U/A715U), or the 5G version (SM-A516U/A716U) which are good for ATT and Tmobile. There's also a 5G mmWave version for Verizon (SM-A516V/A716V). You could even use it as an external modem tethered to the mobile router via USB or WiFi. Here's how to do it:
https://wirelessjoint.com/viewtopic.php?p=10303#p10303

[bvwelch]

my iphone6 is old and might already be unlocked ( bought it years ago at a verizon store but paid for it up front). But i depend on it for my day job and not sure if i want to risk having any trouble with it. i will check out the other phones you mentioned thank you.