Connect to the Internet via cellular (Firmware v4.7 and earlier)¶

Note: This guide is based on firmware v4.7 and earlier. For newer versions, please refer to here.

Most GL.iNet routers support cellular connectivity. This guide covers three types of models:

Built-in 4G Single-SIM models

Some models include a built-in 4G module with a single SIM card slot, such as the GL-XE300 (Puli). Please refer to Setup for Single-SIM models.
USB Modem compatible models

Some models feature a USB port and support cellular connectivity via a USB modem, such as the GL-AXT1800 (Slate AX). The setup steps are similar to those of the built-in 4G single-SIM models. Please refer to Setup for Single-SIM models.
Built-in 5G Dual-SIM models

Some models include a built-in 5G module with dual SIM card slots, such as the GL-X3000 (Spitz AX). The cellular settings in the web Admin Panel may differ slightly. Please refer to Setup for Dual-SIM models.

Note: Some SIM cards require activation before first use. To ensure compatibility, activate the SIM card in a smartphone before inserting it into the router.

Setup for Single-SIM models¶

The following steps apply to models with a built-in cellular modem and a single SIM card slot (e.g., GL-XE300 Puli), or a USB port for connecting an external USB modem (e.g., GL-AXT1800 Slate AX).

Here we use the GL-AXT1800 (Slate AX) with an external USB modem as an example.

We recommend powering off the router first. Insert a pre-activated SIM card into the USB modem, then plug the modem into the router's USB port. After that, power on the router.

If you plug the USB modem after the router has booted up, the web Admin Panel may not update automatically. In that case, please refresh the page or restart the router.

Auto Setup¶

Log in to the router's web Admin Panel and navigate to INTERNET -> Cellular.

When you access it for the first time, it may not connect automatically, but it should display the name of your carrier in the upper left corner, and the IMEI. Click Auto Setup.

Ignore the warning of Incompatible Modem
It will start connecting.

Note: Some SIM cards may have special usage restrictions, such as requiring a specific APN. If your SIM card fails to register, contact your carrier to check for special restrictions.
Once connected, the page will display the network details with a green dot, indicating a successful connection.

Note: After initial setup, if you restart the router with the USB modem plugged in, or replug the modem, the USB modem will be recognized automatically, and the network connection will be established without clicking the Auto Setup button again.

If Auto Setup fails, please try Manual Setup.

Manual Setup¶

In the Cellular section, click Manual Setup to view or modify the cellular settings of the current SIM card.

Note: Some SIM cards may require a specific APN. If your SIM card fails to register, please contact your carrier to check for any restrictions. Configure the correct APN on your router if necessary.

Applying the changes will trigger a reconnection.

4g modem manual setup

Protocol: The cellular communication protocol (e.g., 3G, QMI, or QCM). This is usually auto-detected, and you can change it to match your modem and carrier requirements.
Port: The serial port used to communicate with the cellular modem. This is usually auto-detected and does not require manual adjustment.
APN: APN (Access Point Name) is a gateway parameter required for a cellular network connection. It allows the router to connect to the internet provided by your mobile carrier. You can use the default APN or set a custom APN provided by your carrier.
PIN: If your SIM card is protected by a PIN code, enter it here. This field is optional if no PIN is set.
TTL: TTL (Time To Live) defines the maximum time packets can survive in the network. By default, the router decrements the TTL of incoming packets from client devices by 1 before forwarding them. If you need to override it, you can set a fixed value here. The TTL setting is valid only for IPv4.
Service: Select the cellular service type to define the network technologies the modem will use.
Dial Number: Enter the dial-up number provided by your carrier. This is often pre-configured and may be left blank for most modern networks.
Authentication: Choose the authentication method required by your carrier (e.g., NONE, PAP, CHAP). This is usually set to NONE if no credentials are needed.

Compatible Modems¶

Here is a list of supported modems that we had tested before.

Model	3G/4G	Tested	Tested by	Comments*
Quectel EC20-E, EC20-A, EC20-C	4G	Yes	GL.iNet
Quectel EC25-E, EC25-A, EC25-V, EC25-C	4G	Yes	GL.iNet
Quectel EC200A series	4G	Yes	akw2312	Host-less
Quectel EP06-E, EP06-A	4G	Yes	akw2312
Quectel EM060K-GL, EM120K-GL	4G	Yes	akw2312
Quectel EM120R-GL, EM160R-GL	4G	Yes	akw2312
Quectel RM520N-GL	5G	Yes	akw2312
Quectel UC20-E	3G	Yes	GL.iNet
ZTE ME909s-821	4G	Yes	GL.iNet
Huawei E1550	3G	Yes	GL.iNet
Huawei E3276	4G	Yes	GL.iNet
TP-Link MA260	3G	Yes	GL.iNet
ZTE M823	4G	Yes	Arnas Risqianto
ZTE MF190	3G	Yes	Arnas Risqianto
Huawei E3372	4G	Yes	anonymous
Pantech UML290VW (Verizon)	4G	Yes	GL.iNet/steven	QMI
Pantech UML295 (Verizon)	4G	Yes	GL.iNet/steven	Host-less
Novatel USB551L (Verizon)	4G	Yes	GL.iNet/steven	QMI
Verizon U620L (Verizon)	4G	Yes	anonymous	Host-less
Huawei E3372h-320 (Ukraine)	4G	Yes	anonymous	Host-less

QMI: This modem supports QMI mode. Please select QMI as the protocol, and /dev/cdc-wdm0 as the serial port for your cellular router.
Host-less: This modem supports Tethering mode. Please manage the connection via the router's Tethering interface rather than the Cellular interface.

Setup for Dual-SIM models¶

The following steps apply to models with a built-in cellular modem that supports dual SIM cards. The web Admin Panel may differ slightly from single-SIM models.

Here we use the GL-X3000 (Spitz AX) as an example. It supports Dual SIM, Single Standby, which means it can hold two SIM cards for cellular access, but only one SIM card can be active at a time. You can manually switch between the two SIM cards.

We recommend you power off the router first, insert your pre-activated SIM card(s) into the slots, then power it on. If you insert the SIM card after the router has booted up, the web Admin Panel may not update automatically. In that case, please refresh the page or restart the router.

Auto Setup¶

Log in to the router's web Admin Panel and navigate to INTERNET -> Cellular.

When no SIM card is inserted, the page displays as follows.
When a SIM card is inserted, the router will start connecting automatically.

If the connection is successful, the page will display as follows.

If it does not connect automatically, click Auto Setup and wait for the router to connect, or try Manual Setup.

Manual Setup¶

In the Cellular section, click Manual Setup to enter the Cellular Settings.

cellular settings

You can view or modify the cellular settings of the current SIM card. It also stores some pre-configured profiles, and you can manually add configurations to the "Saved Settings".

SIM Card Slot Settings¶

In the Cellular section, click Current SIM Card.

dual-sim, current sim card

You will enter the SIM Card Slot Settings.

dual-sim, sim card slot settings

If two SIM cards are inserted, you can enable Auto Switch.

dual-sim, auto switch

Auto Switch: Enables automatic switching between SIM 1 and SIM 2. The network detection method for SIM Auto Switch is the same as the one configured on the Multi-WAN page.
Preferred SIM Card Slot: Please set the preferred SIM card to SIM 1 or SIM 2.
Failover Interval: Available values range from 5 minutes to 24 hours.

If the internet connection is still unavailable after a failover, the device will switch back to the preferred SIM slot and wait for this interval before retrying failover.

This option applies when both the preferred SIM card and the backup SIM card have no signal. The device will switch between SIM cards until one of them obtains a valid signal.
Checking Preferred Slot Status Scheduled

When enabled, the device will check the preferred SIM slot daily at the configured time and attempt to switch back if the preferred SIM regains internet access.

This prevents the backup SIM from consuming excessive data. If the preferred SIM still has no signal, the device will continue using the backup SIM.

Note: The Auto Switch feature does not switch to another SIM card immediately. First, the device needs time to confirm that the current SIM cannot access the internet. Second, the other SIM is not in standby mode and requires time to activate.

Traffic Statistics¶

In the Cellular section, click Traffic Statistics.

traffic statistics

You will enter the Traffic Statistics page.

traffic statistics

SMS¶

Please refer to SMS.

SMS Forwarding¶

Please refer to SMS Forwarding.

Modem Management¶

In the Cellular section, click the Tool button in the upper-right corner to enter the Modem Management page.

modem management button

It includes two sections: Modem Info and AT Command.

modem management

AT commands are standard instructions used to communicate with the cellular modem.

When Shortcut is set to Manual command, type your desired command in the AT Command field to check the modem status.

You can also click the Shortcut drop-down to select from a list of preset commands.

shortcut

The following commands are available as presets:

Request IMEI
Request QCCID
Request IMSI
Check Signal Quality
Reset modem
Operator Names
Request SIM card status

As an example, the shortcut "Request IMEI" is selected here. Click "Send" and you will get the result as shown below.

shortcut example

Carrier profile¶

You can save different profiles for the same or different carriers.

In the Cellular section, click the Profile button in the upper-right corner to manage profiles.

manageprofile

Add a new profile or save the current profile.

addprofile

Create your own profile based on your carrier's requirements.

createprofile

You can select a saved profile next time.

selectprofile

Choose any profiles you needed

chooseprofile

Lock Tower¶

This feature is available only on GL-X3000, GL-XE3000, and GL-X2000 (firmware ver.4.7 or later).

If you want to receive a high-quality signal and ensure a stable cellular connection, you can try locking tower.

Note: The locked tower must match the frequency bands supported by your carrier and device; otherwise, the connection may fail.

In the Cellular section, click the Tower icon in the upper-right corner.

signal_tower_lock

It will display the available towers.

signal_tower_lock1

Click a tower to view the details and lock onto it.

signal_tower_lock2

The tower status (e.g., Locked/Unlocked) will be displayed at the top.

signal_tower_lock3

Note:

The device may not be able to scan all towers when the Cellular interface is enabled.
If the locked tower does not match the band masking or APN parameters in your cellular settings, the router will not be able to connect to the cellular network.
After locking a cell tower, if you move the router to another location, it will still attempt to reconnect to the locked tower after rebooting. This may prevent the router from connecting to the cellular network automatically at the new location. In this case, you need to either unlock the current cell tower, or manually lock it to a new tower.

Historical Signal Record¶

In the Cellular section, click the Signal icon in the upper-right corner to check the historical signal strength.

historical_signal_record

This helps you determine the quality of your cellular connection. If the signal is weak, try switching towers for a better signal.

You can view the cellular signal strength history by selecting different time frames.

historical_signal_record1

Band Masking¶

In the Cellular section, click View More and select Cells Info to check the cells details.

You will see the current bands you are using and their signal status.

cellinfo

If the signal is weak, you can enable Band Masking to block certain bands. Alternatively, if the signal is good, you can allow the router to use only specific cellular bands.

Click Manual Setup to enter the Cellular Settings page, then enable Band Masking.

bandmasking

Select the Masking Mode (Block or Open), then select the LTE Bands, 5G NSA Bands, and 5G SA Bands.

Troubleshooting¶

If you fail to establish a cellular connection, click the error message below for relevant solutions.

No SIM / Your SIM card has not been detected

Refresh the page and wait a few minutes to check if the SIM card can be detected.
Ensure the SIM card is installed correctly. Align the notch on the SIM card with the corresponding mark on the card slot to confirm proper insertion orientation.
Power off the router, remove and reinsert the SIM card, then power the router back on.
Try using another SIM card if available.

If the issue persists, download the logs and send them to support@gl-inet.com.

SIM card not registered / The interface is connected, but the Internet can't be accessed

Refresh the page and wait a few minutes to check if the error disappears.
Click Disconnect/Abort, then click Connect to try reconnecting.
Restart the router.
Verify the SIM card status and ensure it is activated. Test the SIM card by inserting it into a smartphone to confirm it can access the internet normally with an active mobile data plan, or contact your network carrier for verification.
Some network carriers may require a 3G protocol for network connection. Please go to Manual Setup -> Cellular Settings -> Protocol, select 3G, then click Apply.

The device will reconnect automatically. Wait a few minutes to check if the connection is successful.
Some SIM cards may have special usage restrictions (e.g., requiring a specific APN). If your SIM card fails to register, contact your carrier to check for any restrictions.

If necessary, go to Manual Setup -> Cellular Settings -> APN, configure the correct APN on the router, then click Apply.
Click View More and select Cells Info to check the cellular signal strength. If the signal is weak, ensure the antenna is installed correctly. Move the router to an open and unobstructed location for better signal reception.
Check if Band Masking or Lock Tower is enabled. If so, disable the feature and try reconnecting.

If the issue persists, download the logs and send them to support@gl-inet.com.

IoT Certification¶

AT&T Certification¶

Click the link att device certification and input the device name, you can find it.

bandmasking

T-Mobile Certification¶

Click the link t-mobile device certification and choose 5G in Filter, you can find it.

bandmasking