Quick question for those running recent OpenWrt on the GL-X3000 if I might: is the 2.5G ethernet 'wan' port working for you?
I'm running u-boot 2024-07 and mainline linux 6.9.x on mine with a slightly modified version of the OpenWrt device tree. I noticed the 2.5G port was detecting a link but not passing traffic correctly. It doesn't really affect my use of the device, so I haven't got round to debugging yet, but I should at some point.
I assume it's fine on OpenWrt 6.6.x kernels, as nobody's mentioned any issue? If so, that gives me a known-good kernel and config to compare against when I do get round to working out what I've screwed up!
I would hope they backport fixes for security issues but you bring up a good point that I should probably ask the manufacturer if they do.
Its more that while this is a developers forum, its not always developers trying to shoe-horn not yet ready versions onto their hardware. When its the 5G modem, its main purpose, not working to its full capabilities then I'd question the logic in doing that unless you have the skill to fix it.
Like I said earlier, a big reason I wouldn't do it myself is I saw some reports of the modem hard bricking if you switch it into USB mode. Clearly some work, but I'm not sure they all do. The bravest I got was updating the modem firmware, which I kinda regret as somehow it triggered my mobile network into CG-NAT mode.
I use XE3000 with with vendor software and appreciate that 2 SIM's can easily be locked each to an antenna from different providers in GUI. This was (in my particular use case) important. During a mass meeting roaming in Europe I strongly (and correctly) suspected major part of attendees would connect to one particular provider (to stream from their smartphone) but I professionally needed good upload myself, and for the production teams. So I had a second connection alternative to try (which effectively worked better during peak).
I am not saying I prefer vendor software, on the contrary, I want latest open source software, certainly in the future, for obvious reasons.
I will go for 23.05.4 and do not fear performance (I used X750 with satisfying performance in the past). But I do wonder if git OpenWRT can lock 2 SIM's to different providers. I guess so using modem AT commands perhaps or in network config, but, being able to do so in vendor GUI was some kind of relief to me when I needed it.
Hello,
I’m currently using kernel 6.6.30 with unmodified device tree and I have configured the wan (2.5G) port as lan port and have had no issues with performance or routing…
Hope that helps…
The version is about a month old and I will be updating soon, so I’ll see if there are problems with newer kernels.
Hello,
As I said - depends on the use case. SIM switching is done using AT commands (and that’s what the gl-inet firmware does in the background). Such functionality is not implemented in the openwrt gui (and I don’t need it, since I use one provider).
And yes, the gl-inet firmware uses older openwrt versions with additional proprietary stuff added (gui, pci-e modem) and as far as I have seen, they do not backport fixes from openwrt.
I’m currently using kernel 6.6.30 with unmodified device tree and I have configured the wan (2.5G) port as lan port and have had no issues with performance or routing…
Hope that helps…
Brilliant, many thanks. I was pretty sure it was a screw-up at my end - potentially a missing phy in my kernel config or a device tree typo - but it's really handy to know that for certain as it gives me a known working kernel to compare against when I do get around to debugging.
I really like this device: well-enough supported soc and wifi that mainline u-boot and kernels work just fine, arm64 so I don't need to build and maintain a separate userspace for a legacy architecture, eMMC boot so I can drop all the mtd/ubi/ubifs mess and treat it like a normal host, and the soc has uart-boot so it's pretty much impossible to brick.
Thanks for expert comments!
SIM switching is one thing, but, having each SIM locked to a different provider network or even antenna on a tower is another thing.
It is possible (if I read modem manuals right, but, very cryptic and a bit scary) to do so in AT (I found some hints and manuals online).
Regardless of amount of SIMs, can git OpenWRT lock a SIM to a particular provider network? I think (and I believe did with one SIM) so with 'option plmn' and I guess perhaps that will always choose particular provider antenna on a nearby tower. Or does tower locking work differently?
Hello,
Unless you are in another country and have roaming enabled, switching between operators is highly unlikely (generally in the country of origin, the sim is locked to the operator).
In the case where you could potentially roam to another operator, you could lock the sim to a particular operator, but this is a function of the modem. It can be done using qmi or AT commands (or just disable roaming using qmi or AT commands). There is no gui way to do that as far as I know.
Agreed, but roaming in Europe between foreign operators is free, so one can choose better one. I have known situations (in Paris) where, being on one side of the location (a building between two boulevards), one provider had far more better performance, and, being on other side of the location other provider had far more better performance. At times when such performance is important being able to easily lock to better one (which was not chosen automatically) is handy. In fact, in such location, one could need and use two routers, each one locked to different one, I imagine and have encountered different scenarios while roaming abroad inside Europe where locking one or two SIMs in one or two routers is optimal and was needed.
Hi all, I am planning to get an X3000 for myself, however, I do prefer vanila open source version over their proprietary version. Could anyone tell me what core features do I lose by not using their version of the firmware? I don't plan on using any their mobile app anyway so hopefully I don't lose much. I probably am not going to use the second SIM slot as well. It'd be great if any of you can tell me more about this before I make this purchase.
I think I understand from testimonies here that for 1-SIM usage you are not going to loose anything. And, with proper AT knowledge and usage, not for 2-SIM usage either. One question is if you want to use a snapshot now or if you prefer to wait for release.
Amusingly, when I came to debug this, it turns out that the routine upgrade from a 6.9.x to a 6.10.x kernel fixed the 2.5Gb ethernet without any kernel config or device tree changes. Ho hum! Strange, but I probably won't dig into it properly as the 6.6.x openwrt kernel and the current mainline kernel both work fine.
Is it possible to remove Quectel modem country restriction?
I bought GL-X3000Nr from Italy and moved to Russia, now it can't connect. It's restricted. Probably based on APN and GPS. They didn't tell buyers about the restrictions back then. Can I modify the related codes in Openwrt? Is there anyone to help me fix this issue? It's an expensive router and I can't buy a new different one. I appreciate any help.
Here, I can confirm that 5G from telekom is successfully running with the latest snapshot.
There is just a minor difference to the docs:
To flash openwrt, there is no recovery mode anymore - you dont get anywhere by pressing the reset button during startup.
But there is a link on the regular proprietary UI: In the update / flash settings:
They let you navigate to the luci UI --> to get some "advanced settings".
(unfortunately I dont have a screenshot)
from there, you flash the sysupgrade image just like usual.
I am in another country than the person you asked, but I use 2 sim cards which are different providers and I have a local isp modem plugged into wan. I use Lan primary, sim 1 is fallback, sim2 is set as second sim choice for when sim1 isn't working. I also set that at a specific hour it will try to go back to the primary sim1, so as to try and keep using that one instead of sim2 (because sim1 is a local sim card and sim2 is a googlefi simcard and I am currently out of USA). It all works great but there is lag when things switch over.
Edit: also I seem to get much better signal quality from sim2, the googlefi sim since it can use any local cell network and not limited to the provider that sim1 is from.
