5G

Hardware

AutomatePro has optional 5G connectivity. To use it, connect an external antenna to the highlighted FAKRA D-coded (Claret Violet) connectors shown below.

Connector Location

5G Specifications

Parameter	Value
Transceiver	RM520N-GL
Max upload data rates	550 Mbps (NSA) or 900 Mbps (SA)
Max download data rates	3.4 Gbps (NSA) or 2.4 Gbps (SA)
Frequency	sub-6 GHz
Protocol	5G, LTE, WCDMA
Coverage	Worldwide 5G and LTE-A coverage
NSA Bands	n1/n2/n3/n5/n7/n8/n12/n13/n14/n20/n25/n26/n28/n29 /n30/n38/n40/n41/n48/n66/n71/n75/n76/n77/n78/n79
SA Bands	n1/n2/n3/n5/n7/n8/n12/n13/n14/n20/n25/n26/n28/n29 /n30/n38/n40/n41/n48/n66/n71/n75/n76/n77/n78/n79

note

The maximum upload and download rates are based on the manufacturer’s specifications for the 5G device. Actual performance may vary depending on the antenna used and the location of the device.

External Antenna

The AutomatePro system is compatible with a variety of antennas. More information on compatible antennas can be found here.

SIM Card

For devices shipped without a SIM card, you can add one as follows:

Installing or Removing the SIM Card

1. Ensure the device is powered off and disconnect any external connectors. This operation is easiest on a bench with AutomatePro unsecured.
2. Loosen and remove the eight M4x16 socket head cap screws (1).
3. Carefully lift the casing off from the heat sink (2).
4. Using tweezers, carefully install the Nano SIM. To remove it, push the SIM card inward until it ejects.
5. Check the heat sink (4) for sufficient thermal paste.
6. Verify that the O-ring (3) is correctly installed and seated.
7. Reposition the casing onto the heat sink (2) and tighten the eight M4 cap screws in a cross-star pattern. Do not over-torque the screws.

Configuration

SIM

Important

Be cautious when using AT commands. Incorrect AT commands can cause the device to malfunction. For more information, refer to the manual.

Open a serial terminal using minicom or another serial terminal program to access the 5G module AT interface.

sudo minicom -D /dev/ttyUSB3

Run AT commands to check the SIM status:

AT+CPIN?

Output:

+CPIN: READY

OK

If the SIM card is not ready, you will need to enter the PIN code using the following command:

AT+CPIN=XXXX

Replace XXXX with the SIM card PIN code. This command will unlock the SIM card temporarily, and it will be locked again after a reboot.

To unlock the SIM card permanently, use the following command:

AT+CLCK="SC",0,"XXXX"

Driver

The 5G connection is managed by a systemd service called automatepro-wwan.service. The service runs Quectel-CM, is enabled by the automatepro-installer-wwan package, and will automatically connect to the network when the device is powered on. This service can be enabled, disabled, started, stopped, and restarted using the systemctl command.

By default, the 5G connection is configured to automatically connect to the network. If you need to manually configure the 5G connection, follow the steps below.

• Start the 5G connection service (temporary start, will not persist after reboot):

sudo systemctl start automatepro-wwan

• Stop the 5G connection service (temporary stop, will restart on reboot):

sudo systemctl stop automatepro-wwan

• Disable automatic connection:

sudo systemctl disable automatepro-wwan

• Enable automatic connection:

sudo systemctl enable automatepro-wwan

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues connecting to 5G, try the following steps:

Verify the driver status

sudo systemctl status automatepro-wwan

If it is not running, start the service using the following command:

sudo systemctl restart automatepro-wwan

Check the signal strength

Open a serial terminal using minicom or another serial terminal program to access the 5G module AT interface.

sudo minicom -D /dev/ttyUSB3

Run AT commands to check the signal strength:

AT+CSQ

Output:

+CSQ: <RSSI>,<ber>

OK

RSSI	dBm Level	Signal Quality
0	-113 dBm or less	▃ (Poor)
1	-111 dBm	▃ ▅ (Fair)
2 - 30	-109 dBm to -53 dBm	▃ ▅ ▇ (Good)
31	-51 dBm or greater	▃ ▅ ▇ ▉ (Excellent)
99	Not known or not detectable	Signal Fault: Check Antenna Connection

If the problem persists, please contact support for further assistance. When contacting support, include the output of the following command:

sudo journalctl -u automatepro-wwan