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U-blox Modules with Super SIM



Cellular modules covered on this page

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  • SARA-R5
  • SARA-R4
  • LARA-R2

General getting started information

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Please refer to the main Knowledgebase page for modem-independent configuration tips.


SARA-R5 Cat-M1, NB-IoT

sara-r5-cat-m1-nb-iot page anchor
(warning)

Warning

Super SIM does not support NB-IoT.

Firmware

Update your R5's firmware to version 3.15 or above for use with Super SIM. You can check the installed version with AT+GMR. Please see the R5's AT commands manual to learn how to update the module.

Initialization

The SARA-R5 supports LTE Cat-M1 and NB-IoT in bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 66, 71, and 85. Super SIM is compatible with Cat-M1 but not NB-IoT. It's therefore important to ensure that your SARA-R5 is set to operate only using Cat-M1.

SARA-R5 supports the use of only a single RAT at a time, so if Cat-M1 is selected and no suitable network is available, the module will not attempt to connect using NB-IoT. Consequently, if you have set the module to use NB-IoT, it will never connect until Cat-M1 is set as the favored RAT.

By default, all current SARA-R5 variants prioritize Cat-M1, but you can set this manually by issuing the command AT+URAT and specifying the value 7. You should apply the value using the following command sequence:

1
AT+CFUN=0
2
AT+URAT=7
3
AT+CFUN=16

The value 16 in the last command tells the modem to reboot and persist the specified RAT value.

Establish a data connection

The following commands can be used to establish a PDP context once the APN has been set as shown on the Knowledgebase overview page:

1
AT+CGACT=1,1
2
AT+UPSD=0,0,0
3
AT+UPSD=0,100,1
4
AT+UPSDA=0,3

Line two must match the PDP type set in the AT+CGDCONT command. For example, the latter includes "IP" to select IPv4, so the final parameter of AT+UPSD=0,0,0 must also indicate IPv4, i.e., 0.

Line three maps the module's internal packet-switched data (PSD) profile, 0, to the PDP context ID, 1, set with the AT+CGDCONT command as shown on the Knowledgebase overview page.

Line four activates PSD profile 0.

Perform a ping

Issue AT+UPING=<TARGET_IP_ADDRESS_OR_NAME>. This will yield, for example:

1
AT+UPING="8.8.8.8"
2
OK
3
4
+UUPING: 1,32,"dns.google","8.8.8.8",109,1105
5
+UUPING: 2,32,"dns.google","8.8.8.8",109,271
6
+UUPING: 3,32,"dns.google","8.8.8.8",109,238
7
+UUPING: 4,32,"dns.google","8.8.8.8",109,216

Perform an HTTP GET

To perform an HTTP GET using the built-in HTTP client:

  1. Set up a data connection as described above .
  2. Reset the parameters of HTTP profile 0 to the defaults: AT+UHTTP=0 .
  3. Configure the HTTP server name: AT+UHTTP=0,1,"api.ipify.org" .
  4. Perform a GET request using profile 0 and store the result in the file test.ffs: AT+UHTTPC=0,1,"/","test.ffs".
    • The modem will respond with +UUHTTPCR: 0,1,1 .

Now you can read the file containing the response from the server by requesting the file test.ffs for profile 0. Do so by issuing AT+URDFILE="test.ffs". This will yield:

1
+URDFILE: "test.ffs",178,"HTTP/1.1 200 OK
2
Server: Cowboy
3
Connection: close
4
Content-Type: text/plain
5
Vary: Origin
6
Date: Mon, 14 Mar 2022 11:54:03 GMT
7
Content-Length: 11
8
Via: 1.1 vegur
9
10
3.239.194.9"
11
OK
(warning)

Warning

This example uses a service that returns the IP address of the requester.

Low-power modes

The SARA-R5 supports eDRX and PSM for low-power operation. The commands to enable each of these are, respectively:

1
AT+CEDRXS=1
2
AT+CPSMS=1

Using these features, but especially PSM, can make the modem inaccessible to the terminal during its sleep time. It's best to experiment with these features locally. To disable all power saving, send:

1
AT+CEDRXS=0
2
AT+CPSMS=0

You can learn more about implementing these modes in our low-power usage documentation.

Known issues

None at this time.

Additional resources


SARA-R4 Cat-M1, NB-IoT

sara-r4-cat-m1-nb-iot page anchor
(warning)

Warning

Super SIM does not support NB-IoT.

Initialization

You must only configure the modem's Radio Access Technology (RAT) preference for Cat-M1 when connecting via LTE. To apply this setting, issue AT+URAT=7.

Disable NB-IoT

First de-register from the network, set UMNOPROF to 0, and then restart the module:

1
AT+COPS=2
2
AT+UMNOPROF=0
3
AT+CFUN=15

When the module comes back, select the correct RAT:

1
AT+URAT=7
2
AT+CFUN=15
(information)

Info

If you are using the SARA-R410M-02B variant, you are in the US, and you are experiencing exceptionally long (50 minutes) attachment times, u-blox recommends setting UMNOPROF to 100 rather than 0. MNO profile 100 is defined as "standard Europe", but u-blox says this the best generic configuration for this variant.

Data-centric attach mode

To set the SARA-R4 to force data-centric attachment, issue AT+CEMODE=2.

The parameter's value is as follows:

0 = PS mode 2: EPS only, data centric 1 = CS/PS mode 1: voice centric 2 = CS/PS mode 2: data centric 3 = PS mode 1: EPS only, voice centric

This setting is non-volatile.

Perform an HTTP GET

To perform an HTTP GET using the built-in HTTP client:

  1. Configure the APN: AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","super" .
  2. Reset profile 0's parameters to the defaults: AT+UHTTP=0 .
  3. Configure the HTTP server name: AT+UHTTP=0,1,"api.ipify.org" .
  4. Set the network port to 443: AT+UHTTP=0,5,443 .
  5. Apply TLS encryption: AT+UHTTP=0,6,1 .
  6. Perform a GET request and store the result in the file test.ffs: AT+UHTTPC=0,1,"/","test.ffs".
    • The modem will respond with +UUHTTPCR: 0,1,1 .

Now you can request the file containing the response from the server by issuing AT+URDFILE="test.ffs". This will yield:

1
+URDFILE: "http_last_response_0",179,"HTTP/1.1 200 OK
2
Server: Cowboy
3
Connection: close
4
Content-Type: text/plain
5
Vary: Origin
6
Date: Tue, 05 Jan 2021 18:31:02 GMT
7
Content-Length: 12
8
Via: 1.1 vegur
9
10
3.86.104.174"
11
OK
(warning)

Warning

This example uses a service that returns the IP address of the requester.

Low-power modes

The SARA-R4 supports eDRX and PSM for low-power operation. The commands to enable each of these are, respectively:

1
AT+CEDRXS=1
2
AT+CPSMS=1

Using these features, but especially PSM, can make the modem inaccessible to the terminal during its sleep time. It's best to experiment with these features locally. To disable all power saving, send:

1
AT+CEDRXS=0
2
AT+CPSMS=0

You can learn more about implementing these modes in our low-power usage documentation.

(warning)

Warning

The use of a PIN-protected SIM card and PSM is not supported on the SARA-R410M. If the SIM has a PIN set, the module will not enter PSM.

Known issues

None at this time.

Additional resources


Initialization

First, configure the APN with AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","super".

Next, bring up the initial PDP context — this is required for both the ping and HTTP GET examples, below:

  1. Check the GPRS attachment status, which should be 1 : AT+CGATT? .
  2. Configure the APN for GPRS profile 0: AT+UPSD=0,1,"super" .
  3. Optionally, save the GPRS config to non-volatile memory (NVM): AT+UPSDA=0,1 .
  4. Activate the GPRS connection: AT+UPSDA=0,3.
    • The modem will respond with: +UUPSDA: 0,"100.64.80.24" .
  5. Ensure the GPRS connection is up: AT+UPSND=0,8.
    • The modem will respond with: +UPSND: 0,8,1 . The final parameter of the response will be 1 if the GPRS connection is up.
  6. Optionally, request the currently assigned IP address: AT+UPSND=0,0.
    • This will generate a response like: +UPSND: 0,0,"100.64.80.24" .

Perform a ping

Issue AT+UPING="8.8.8.8". This will yield:

1
+UUPING: 1,32,"dns.google","8.8.8.8",111,95
2
+UUPING: 2,32,"dns.google","8.8.8.8",111,101
3
+UUPING: 3,32,"dns.google","8.8.8.8",111,88
4
+UUPING: 4,32,"dns.google","8.8.8.8",111,95

Perform an HTTP GET

To perform an HTTP GET using the built-in HTTP client:

  1. Reset profile 0's parameters to the defaults: AT+UHTTP=0 .
  2. Configure the HTTP server name: AT+UHTTP=0,1,"api.ipify.org" .
  3. Set the network port to 443: AT+UHTTP=0,5,443 .
  4. Apply TLS encryption: AT+UHTTP=0,6,1 .
  5. Perform a GET request and store the result in the default filename for profile 0: AT+UHTTPC=0,1,"/","".
    • The modem will respond with +UUHTTPCR: 0,1,1 . The modem will respond with: +UUHTTPCR: 0,1,1 — the final parameter of this response indicates success ( 1 ) or failure ( 0 ).

Now you can read the file containing the response from the server by requesting the file with the default name for profile 0, "http_last_response_0". Do so by issuing AT+URDFILE="http_last_response_0". This will yield:

1
+URDFILE: "http_last_response_0",180,"HTTP/1.1 200 OK
2
Server: Cowboy
3
Connection: close
4
Content-Type: text/plain
5
Vary: Origin
6
Date: Tue, 05 Jan 2021 20:54:44 GMT
7
Content-Length: 13
8
Via: 1.1 vegur
9
10
54.81.145.161"
11
OK
(warning)

Warning

This step uses a service that returns the IP address of the requester.

Known issues

None at this time.

Additional resources

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