Askey ASK-NCQ1338 - Questions Regarding the Modem provided with Verizon Home LTE Service

[MosquitoGoose]

Hello all, I'm really looking for some help from anyone that has experience with Verizon's home LTE service and specifically the modem they use. Any help would be greatly appreciated. First of all, I have ordered the service, but haven't set anything up yet. My zip code is supposed to be compatible with the service, but my specific address isn't, according to Verizon's web tool. So I just ordered it using an address that was listed as compatible. My question is, will the modem refuse to activate if not set up at the exact assigned address? Also how is this checked? Any way around it? Also can the sim be removed from Verizon's Modem and put in to another modem (with IMEI repair)? And would this possibly get around any potential location check?
Thank you for any help.

[MosquitoGoose]

The modem they provide is an Askey ASK-NCQ1338. It appears to have no location verification. I drove around with it powered through an inverter and it works fine. Despite the fact that Verizon calls this a "fixed service" and wants you to verify your address before ordering.
Underneath the rubber piece on the bottom of the device with "lan 1 and lan 2" printed on it can be pulled out with a flat head screw driver, underneath this rubber piece you will find a small panel with a small torx screw holding it down, a USB- C port, and a water damage indicator sticker. The USB-C port has no apparent purpose, its possibly for internal testing or troubleshooting. It doesn't show up when plugged in to windows and appears to provide no power output to charge other devices. Under the Torx screw secured flap is where the sim card resides, it is a standard nano Verizon sim card.
My questions that remain are how do I further disassemble the device? Is there anyway to connect antennas? And what happens if I put that sim card in my own device? I am no expert, but I am interested in learning more about this device and will share what else I find.

[Didneywhorl]

The fcc.io site will show you all the internal board pictures.

To use the SIM you definitely need to move its imei to match on any other device that sim goes into. Tmo home internet is the same way.

[MosquitoGoose]

Pics to follow, the top comes off and there are internal antenna connections. Although a lot of disassembly is required to access these connections.

[whatfiber]

Were you able to take any pictures?

Pics to follow, the top comes off and there are internal antenna connections. Although a lot of disassembly is required to access these connections.

[JimHelms]

Attached are some documents that provide pictures of the VERIZON INTERNET GATEWAY ASK-NCQ1338 as well as the user manuals.

EXTERNAL PHOTOS

External-Photos-5201969.pdf

INTERNAL PHOTOS 1

Internal-Photos-1-5201972.pdf

INTERNAL PHOTOS 2

Internal-Photos-2-5202084.pdf

USER MANUAL:

verizon-internet-gateway-ncq-1338-user-guide-v1.pdf

[NathaliaBerm]

Great photos from the filings.

Looks like there are four internal antennas labeled “5G.”

But getting to them may be a bit of a challenge!

2B56DBF7-3331-4742-B0C9-A868D9BA9B0A.jpeg

21B110F3-B3FC-40C0-BE96-9858E5CEEEDE.jpeg

0FC4351B-7AD0-4315-B90C-17169CBFD201.jpeg

43FF1CD7-35DF-4A2C-9DCA-622023C0568F.jpeg

E10CA1B9-678C-4C23-9138-307839CC939A.jpeg

9E921C62-DE05-4398-BC75-5C37147272EE.jpeg

[NathaliaBerm]

Actually it's worse than I thought: The four LTE (fake 5G or at least "only C band 5G") attenas are what appear to be foil sheets soldered directly to the PCB. Those nice connectors pictured (antenna 6 and 8 in the photos) in a couple of the photos are for the WIFI antennas, not the cellular ones.

[Didneywhorl]

Actually it's worse than I thought: The four LTE (fake 5G or at least "only C band 5G") attenas are what appear to be foil sheets soldered directly to the PCB. Those nice connectors pictured (antenna 6 and 8 in the photos) in a couple of the photos are for the WIFI antennas, not the cellular ones.

Interesting! Do you have pics of those on pcb antennas?

[t2krookie]

So I have this very same modem.

I have ZERO problem with making physical modifications since I bought it outright and almost never use warranty services. With the previous modem it actually had ports for external antennas but this one obviously does not. I am no professional but I have done my share of simple PCB modifications and component replacements but I do NOT know 4g or 5g antennas. Are those three tabs meant to be transmission reception and a ground ?

With the external ports there was a simple plug solution but how would one go about adding external ports to these antennas? Were it just 2 wires I could figure it out fairly easy but there are 3 leads so I am unsure how to proceed. I would be connecting either my memo panel on a pole on the roof, or perhaps two yagi antennae I had used in the past. Suggestions on pigtail choice would help as well.

Also, could one simply solder on connections to the contacts for the internal cell signal antennae and concurrently use both internal as well as the added external port connected antennae or might this actually exacerbate signal noise and degrade performance?

Any advice (Other than "its not worth it" or "I wouldn't suggest trying that") will be sorely appreciated.

[Didneywhorl]

I don't have one to evaluate, but just looking at the pictures here it MIGHT be that the points are serving a center common mimo antenna configuration. OR! its actually two antennas of different frequencies using a common ground.

The FCC docs may elude to this as well. Maybe.

It is very common for 2x2 mimo antennas to share a center common. So if we have pins 1, 2, and 3. Antenna 1 of the MIMO antenna uses pins 1 and 2, and Antenna 2 uses pins 2 and 3. You will need to study the antenna on the case that interfaces these pins to try and see how it is designed.

You may also try checking with a meter to see if one of the 3 is ground referenced. If so, that is likely the common between the two. That would be where I would solder (or use small alligator clips for testing) the cable shield.

If you have some kind of antenna shop or a bigtime drone shop they might have antenna RF meters that can test the antennas frequencies to verify them. That is above my head in experience, but if someone could do it I would do it.

[jg121783]

I am about to purchase this router and I am wondering if I put my verizon prepaid hotspot sim card in this device will it work? Currently I am using a T1114 router I bought off Amazon. Also there is no 5g coverage where I live only 4g. Will that be an issue?

[Didneywhorl]

With Verizon, it likely wont work unless its a hotspot plan or you dupe the system into thinking your device is the phone or tablet activated on the SIM originally.

If there is no 5G signal available, It should just default to LTE. NSA (non-stand alone) 5G relies on an LTE anchor band anyway. SA I'm not sure Verizon uses yet, for Sub 6 5GNR.

[HalfOgre]

Looking at this device to get and play a bit.Can ts test it with non verizon sim?Vzw support answered that device can be used only with vzw home 5g sim.Also test if it detects as fastboot device when you connect usb on powered off device, press and hold reset button, and power it on with pressed reset button.