MR6500 Issue Connecting To Networks - dx command warning (and requested remedy?)

[dfkinca]

I had had my MR6500 working on the Visible (Verizon) network (IMEI repaired to 5G phone I own with same modem chipset); now, after some tinkering by me (I could not leave well enough alone, I know!),my MR6500 no longer will activate on the Visible (or Verizon) networks.

My (didn't leave well enough alone!) tinkering: I was working to stop any auto-updates to the MR6500 per the related guidance found on reddit (https://www.reddit.com/r/Dish5G/comment ... e_warning/). Unfortunately, in implementing the recommended "dx" command tweaks (via terminal and telnet), I ended up with the following issues (related to FOTA and taking OTA updates):
1. running in the terminal shell the command "dx fota", the only difference in the outputs between (a working on Verizon network) MR5200 and the (nonworking) MR6500 is that on the (working) MR5200, the variable "[FotaChkAllow]" has a value of 1, while on the (non-working) MR6500, the variable "[FotaChkAllow]" has a value of 0.
2. when I go into the GUI of the (nonworking) MR6500 under "Firmware Update", there is no button that allows me to check for firmware update.

My questions to the community:
1. Could the MR6500 device's inability to check for OTAs (i.e., because variable "[FotaChkAllow]" has a value of 0, and there is no button that allows me to check for firmware update) be the reason why I cannot connect to Visible/Verizon network?
2. How can I change the variable "[FotaChkAllow]" to have a value of 1? (Trying with dx in terminal shell, I get an NVItem error when I try to write "dx -c fota.FotaChkAllow 1"; is there an analogous command that can be used via AT and the 5510 telnet modem access (which I still have)?
3. How did that variable "[FotaChkAllow]" value change in the first place? Is that an example of Efuze triggered at work? Or, something else?

The key answer I am looking to implement is the answer to question 2 above; hopefully, that answer will allow my MR6500 to be able to reconnect to the Visible (Verizon) network. The rest is curiosity.

Thanks in advance.

[w1lliam]

Would reset to factory default bring the device back to work?

[Rich Hathaway]

ota is controlled by the nv in most devices, sierra devices also have fota rules and config in the filesystem, but to start you can look at the nv items 260,5037 & 5042 they are ota controllers. You should always make a backup before as you say ( not leave well enough alone ) so you can get back to where you were before, however I seriously doubt if any fota value is keeping you from getting service on visible or any other carrier.

[dfkinca]

Thanks, guys, for your response.

Yes, device has been factory reset. Multiple times. Using both the GUI and the physical reset button. NV item re FOTAChkAllow does not change on reset.

I was just wondering if, when Verizon/Visible networks are negotiating a cellular connection with the device, the fact that OTA check is off on the device might keep the Verizon/Visible networks from moving forward with the successful cellular connection negotiation. Thoughts?

Also, re: checking on the NV items you identified, can that be done through telnet (modem port (5510) or telnet port (23)?), and, if so, what are the commands for checking and changing NV item values? If checking on/modifying the NV items cannot be done through telnet, what software tools are needed to do the checking/modifying?

Thanks, and keep the ideas coming, please!

[Rich Hathaway]

I was just wondering if, when Verizon/Visible networks are negotiating a cellular connection with the device, the fact that OTA check is off on the device might keep the Verizon/Visible networks from moving forward with the successful cellular connection negotiation. Thoughts?

definitely not

Also, re: checking on the NV items you identified, can that be done through telnet (modem port (5510) or telnet port (23)?), and, if so, what are the commands for checking and changing NV item values? If checking on/modifying the NV items cannot be done through telnet, what software tools are needed to do the checking/modifying?

modifying nv items within range (0-65535) is done thru DM commands, modifying the ones out of range (beyond 65535) is now (as of about 2010) handled by the efs it is far to much to type out use google

[dfkinca]

So I searched on Google for DM commands and using the EFS, and other than manuals that point to AT commands (where DM is a command under the AT umbrella), I am not finding much.

One quick question: Is there a command that I can issue that will reset ALL modem variables back to factory default, REGARDLESS of what interim tweaks I may have done with the dx command?

Thanks in advance.

[Rich Hathaway]

AT+CFUN=1,1 (the second 1 means reset)
AT!GRESET
likely neither will change those modem values you set with dx as the original values are not backed up which means the ones you wrote stick.
Always make a backup before you test anything.
you may need to reload the modem partition if you cant write back your original values or get the un-modded values from another m6 and dx them back to yours.

[dfkinca]

Thanks, Rich.

I tried both those AT commands (e.g., AT+CFUN=1,1 (the second 1 means reset); AT!GRESET) already and, yes, as you state, those commands do not change the modem values that I sent with DX (my mistake for not having backed up original values).

The only changes I made via DX were with certain fota. values.

Can anyone who has access to an MR6500 post on here the default values that get generated when you enter in root telnet shell (i.e., shell that you get to via telnet port 23) the command "dx fota"?

What I currently get (which I believe may be wrong as to certain values) is the following (no quotes):

"/ # dx fota
[FotaState] - 1
[FotaDownlProg] - 0
[FotaAllowResponse] - 0
[FotaUserResponse] -
[FotaPostponeTime] - 14400
[FotaInstall] - 2
[FotaChkNow] -
[FotaChkAllow] - 0
[FotaChkStatus] - 0
[FotaChkTimeLeft] - 0
[FotaAutoDownload] - 1
[FotaAutoSdm] - 1
[FotaDownlSize] - 0
[FotaMaxDownlSize] - 0
[FotaStatusCode] - 200
[FotaRunSessionCnt] - 0
[FotaLastChkDate] - 0
[FotaTtlTimer] - 0
[WebupdaterEnable] - 0
[WebupdaterCheckNow] -
[WebupdaterPeriod] - 0
[AlertFwDownAvail] - 0
[AlertFwIsDownloading] - 0
[AlertFwInstallAvail] - 0
[AlertFwInstallCharger] - 0
[AlertFwInstallPostponed] - 0
[AlertFwInstallNextReboot] - 0
[FotaDisableFlashWrite] - 0
[FotaWebUpdaterState] - 0
[WUAutoCheck] - 1
[WUAutoDownload] - 0
[WUAutoUpdate] - 0
[WUAutoCheckRoam] - 0
[WUAutoDownloadRoam] - 0
[WebupdaterErrCode] - 0
[WebupdaterErrDetail] -
[StartUpdate] -
[FotaBatteryLow] - 0
[FotaBusy] - 0
[FotaDebug] - 0
[FotaClearState] - 0
/ # "

Thanks in advance.

[Rich Hathaway]

here is from a m5 it should be similar
C:\Users\Rich I9 gigabyte\Documents\sierra\nighthawk 2\adb>adb shell
* daemon not running; starting now at tcp:5037
* daemon started successfully
/ # dx fota
[FotaState] - 1
[FotaDownlProg] - 0
[FotaAllowResponse] - 0
[FotaUserResponse] -
[FotaPostponeTime] - 14400
[FotaInstall] - 2
[FotaChkNow] -
[FotaChkAllow] - 0
[FotaChkStatus] - 0
[FotaChkTimeLeft] - 0
[FotaAutoDownload] - 1
[FotaAutoSdm] - 1
[FotaDownlSize] - 0
[FotaMaxDownlSize] - 0
[FotaStatusCode] - 200
[FotaRunSessionCnt] - 0
[FotaLastChkDate] - 0
[FotaTtlTimer] - 0
[WebupdaterEnable] - 0
[WebupdaterCheckNow] -
[WebupdaterPeriod] - 0
[AlertFwDownAvail] - 0
[AlertFwIsDownloading] - 0
[AlertFwInstallAvail] - 0
[AlertFwInstallCharger] - 0
[AlertFwInstallPostponed] - 0
[AlertFwInstallNextReboot] - 0
[FotaDisableFlashWrite] - 0
[FotaWebUpdaterState] - 0
[WUAutoCheck] - 1
[WUAutoDownload] - 0
[WUAutoUpdate] - 0
[WUAutoCheckRoam] - 0
[WUAutoDownloadRoam] - 0
[WebupdaterErrCode] - 0
[WebupdaterErrDetail] -
[StartUpdate] -
[FotaBatteryLow] - 0
[FotaDebug] - 0
[FotaClearState] - 0
/ #

[dfkinca]

Thanks for the info; I think I have it now back to stock as far as the dx command changes go.

Strangely, I now have the MR6500 working on the Verizon network (shows 5GMMWAVE connection on B66 - getting DL speeds of 196 - 274 Mb/s). Not sure which of the following that I did solved the Verizon connection issue: doing the above dx commands to bring fota values back to stock, doing AT command SIM unlock, doing 3x factory resets (and 1x radio reset), all via AT command, doing an IMEI repair manually with AT command, and/or installing a modded ttl script (MANGLE).

Thanks all for the help!

[Rich Hathaway]

I can tell you it would have been the imei and ttl that got it working on vzw

[Klaus4]

is there any Firmwarepdate for the M6 available for downloading?

Thanks

[Rich Hathaway]

These are not open source devices and they usually keep the firms pretty well hidden and dont release them to the public
Is yours having problems or something?

[Klaus4]

there is oone on ebay for 199USD with bootloop.

[Rich Hathaway]

oh I see, people do love to "fiddle" with these devices lol

[Klaus4]

do you have used ones for sale? Cause Amazon.de is asking 1000€ or more...

[Rich Hathaway]

No not any m6, they are near impossible to find in any quantity, look on ebay