Use 4G Module on ROCK Pi 4

This guide describes how to use 4G module on ROCK Pi 4. 4G modules including SIM7600 and QUECTEL EC20 are tested.

Nowadays Rock Pi Boards are popular. Rock Pi is the best alternative of Raspberry Pi. Rock Pi 4 is a most popular SBC. Rock Pi Developed and Manufactured by Radxa. Radxa is a startup founded 2013, focusing on design, manufacture and sell Open Source Hardware products. Radxa also provides custom designing, prototyping and software/hardware integration services. Radxa® is pronounced as [reksə]. The name is from the Latin word radix which means root.

Here a info post about Rock Pi Boards – Rock Pi Boards | Rock Pi 4 | Rock Pi X | Rock Pi N10

How To Use 4G Module on ROCK Pi 4

Install needed packages

The new version (4.4.179) of ROCK Pi 4 Kernel packages are located at Radxa APT testing branches.

Firstly, add Radxa APT source, stretch-testing or bionic-testing according to Radxa APT

Secondly, update U-Boot

• ROCK Pi 4A

   sudo apt-get install rockpi4a-rk-u-boot-latest

• ROCK Pi 4B

   sudo apt-get install rockpi4b-rk-u-boot-latest

Thirdly, update Kernel

   sudo apt-get install -y rockchip-overlay
   sudo apt-get install -y linux-headers-4.4.179-11-rockchip-g7ebe2c58142e 
   sudo apt-get install -y linux-image-4.4.179-11-rockchip-g7ebe2c58142e 
   sudo apt-get install -y linux-firmware-image-4.4.179-11-rockchip-g7ebe2c58142e

Finally, reboot the machine.

Test

After pluging the 4G Module, some Kernel log would be shown like this.

   root@rockpi:~# dmesg -c
   [   30.578257] usb 2-1: new high-speed USB device number 2 using ehci-platform
   [   30.702800] usb 2-1: New USB device found, idVendor=2c7c, idProduct=0125
   [   30.702844] usb 2-1: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=0
   [   30.702870] usb 2-1: Product: Android
   [   30.702894] usb 2-1: Manufacturer: Android
   [   30.736435] usbcore: registered new interface driver cdc_wdm
   [   30.741322] qmi_wwan 2-1:1.4: cdc-wdm0: USB WDM device
   [   30.742860] qmi_wwan 2-1:1.4 wwan0: register 'qmi_wwan' at usb-fe3c0000.usb-1, WWAN/QMI device, ce:88:21:9d:67:76
   [   30.743011] usbcore: registered new interface driver qmi_wwan
   [   30.748004] usbcore: registered new interface driver usbserial
   [   30.748295] usbcore: registered new interface driver usbserial_generic
   [   30.748413] usbserial: USB Serial support registered for generic
   [   30.754861] usbcore: registered new interface driver option
   [   30.754954] usbserial: USB Serial support registered for GSM modem (1-port)
   [   30.755801] option 2-1:1.0: GSM modem (1-port) converter detected
   [   30.757208] usb 2-1: GSM modem (1-port) converter now attached to ttyUSB0
   [   30.757492] option 2-1:1.1: GSM modem (1-port) converter detected
   [   30.757817] usb 2-1: GSM modem (1-port) converter now attached to ttyUSB1
   [   30.757994] option 2-1:1.2: GSM modem (1-port) converter detected
   [   30.761613] usb 2-1: GSM modem (1-port) converter now attached to ttyUSB2
   [   30.761851] option 2-1:1.3: GSM modem (1-port) converter detected
   [   30.763861] usb 2-1: GSM modem (1-port) converter now attached to ttyUSB3

Also, the device /dev/cdc-wdm0 is created with network interface name wwan0.

Test commands:

   echo Y > /sys/class/net/wwan0/qmi/raw_ip
   
   ip link set dev wwan0 up
   
   qmicli --device=/dev/cdc-wdm0 --device-open-proxy --wds-start-network="ip-type=4,apn=data.tre.se" --client-no-release-cid
   
   udhcpc -q -f -n -i wwan0

Use speedtest tool

   root@rockpi:~# speedtest
   Retrieving speedtest.net configuration...
   Testing from China Unicom Guangdong (112.97.57.63)...
   Retrieving speedtest.net server list...
   Selecting best server based on ping...
   Hosted by ShenZhen Unicom (ShenZhen) [0.00 km]: 52.334 ms
   Testing download speed................................................................................
   Download: 49.50 Mbit/s
   Testing upload speed....................................................................................................
   Upload: 41.49 Mbit/s

Rock pi 4 a large community. If you have a issue, start a new post on the forum. https://forum.radxa.com/

Source -https://wiki.radxa.com/Rockpi4/Use_4G_Module_on_ROCK_Pi_4

Recommended : 

• Top IoT Operating Systems in 2020 | IoT OS and RTOS
• Smart City and IoT | Role of Internet of Things in Smart City
• Rock Pi 4 Tutorials | Getting Started with Rock Pi 4

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