MX64 LTE connection using EE in the UK ?

[NR]

Anybody got a functional MX64 LTE connection using EE in the UK ?

I purchased the Huawei E3372-153 dongle because it was listed as MX64 compatible on the Meraki site. However there is no ability to set the APN settings from within the MX64 and it wont connect to EE data. When I insert the dongle in my laptop it needs me to add the APN "everywhere" before the data connection is established. So after opening a case with Meraki I was told that only the Meraki support guys can add the APN config I need to establish the data connection (thats not a great design) . So apparently they made the change but I still cant get a connection - its constantly stuck in "connecting" state.

[GaryShainberg]

NR,

I have used this solution many times now on both MX64's, Z1's and MX100 with both EE and Vodafone using the Huawei E3372 and its literally been plug and play.

I have just inserted the SIM into the USB dongle and tested it on my Mac and made sure there was no SIM pin and then just plugged it into the MX and "bob's-ur-uncle" its worked.

Where did you get the EE SIM and USB dongle from ?

I got the SIM direct from EE and the dongle from Amazon UK.

When I have inserted these SIM's in other LTE/4G modems / routers the APN's have always self populated.

If you test this on your laptop does it work ?

-Gary

[NR]

Thanks for the reply - EE sim from EE and dongle from Amazon also.

The one difference I have is that I have to manually enter the APN to bring up the data connection on my PC so its probably this which is causing the issue with the MX. However the support guys said that they could set it on the backend which they supposedly did , but still no luck. Now they are saying its a bug which the developers are looking into.

Might try getting EE to send me a new sim or ask if they can set it to push APN settings.

[MacuserJim]

On some appliances have found that unplugging the MX and removing the cellular dongle, then turning the MX on and waiting for it to boot up, then connecting the dongle will get it to work. Maybe try some little things like that. Not a great solution, but might help to get it to actually work.

[NR]

Thanks - have tried rebooting it with & without dongle , will give it another go though since it worked for you 🙂

[GaryShainberg]

Another thing that may be worth trying is to reboot the MX with only the USB dongle connected - no WAN connection, this will force the MX to use the 4G connection as a main traffic route.

I have done a whole event with an MX connected via USB dongle so I know this works, might be just enough to kick the dongle into working.

I will also have a play with my LAB tomorrow for you to see if I can replicate the issue.

-Gary

[NR]

Even had EE send me a new SIM but its still sitting in a "connecting" state.

Guess that I will have to wait on the bug fix …….

[Corblimey]

I am having a similar problem. Having studied the packaging I can see that Huawei sent me the wrong version. They sent me the E3372h-153 when I ordered the E3372s-153.

I am now going to try and source an S, not an H.

But for your benefit, it did the same thing, hung on connecting but never actually connected.

[NR]

Interesting , let me know if you resolve the problem.

Thanks

[Corblimey]

It might be a struggle. I think the s version is the old model, I'm on the hunt now.

[NR]

Status from Meraki :

it would appear that this is an incompatibility between the mobile network dongle and the MX rather than a configuration issue.The bug has been assigned a moderate priority but does not currently have an engineer assigned due to other issues taking precedence, we don't have a timeframe available just yet for the fix.

Given that I bought this dongle because it was on the Meraki compatibility list I am seriously unimpressed with their lack of commitment to their users.

[Corblimey]

Next update... the E3372s-153 was discontinued a while ago. Which means any recent purchase is almost certainly the E3372h-153.

I can't get hold of an s version anywhere. However, a rather nice chap has said they can downgrade the software from hi-link to driver based. He is working with Huawei on this. 

No promises made, however, if it works, I'll certainly let you know and post the details of the supplier.

[Corblimey]

And after agreeing to that I find a supplier with the E3372s (or they say they do at least). lol

I'm going to try the downgraded one first (because I already ordered it and it's cheaper), and if that fails I'll try ordering the E3372s. 

[Corblimey]

The downgraded version was unsuccessful. I am trying a last resort purchase from someone who is "pretty sure" it's an s version. Getting ready to bin the whole thing. lol.

I can't believe a company of this reputation would allow a flagship product to carry on with no compatible hardware. I'm amazed. The E3372s was discontinued almost 2 years ago. 

[NR]

Yes , I'm not impressed with their lack of commitment - but maybe this is also why the new MX's have the sim built in.

[Corblimey]

I have a working cellular connection.

My last chance was to order from the below site.

https://www.morecomputers.com/a?pid=E3372S%3E%3EHuawei

They said it should be an S model but would refund if it wasn't.

It arrived this morning and the box said it was an S model. However, the internal serial said it was an H. My heart sank, but I plugged it in anyway just to see. 

Well wasn't I shocked! It worked!

Happy days. However, I'm now not sure if this is Huawei fixing the glitch, or this supplier doing something clever.

So I'm not sure if this solution is fixed, or I just got lucky. 

[Corblimey]

I said it worked.... It says "Ready" but it doesn't do anything when I pull the other connections. Troubleshooting but I think it's going to be another fail.

[AnythingHosted]

I had a similar issue and purchased a dongle from Amazon that the seller specifically said it would work with MX64.

The previously purchased dongles wouldn't work. 

I also found (although it was O2) that I had to plug in the dongle into a laptop and activate it with software for data to start working with O2. 

[Corblimey]

I just fixed it! I hadn't enabled data roaming. Dumbassedness was the reason, and not the device. 

Now I just have to figure out why one string of data only didn't come through the cellular connection. Time to go learn about firewall rules. lmao (I don't know why they trust me to do this either!!!)

[NR]

Thanks for updating - I shall re-check my settings also when I get am back from travels

[NR]

Thanks for letting us know - guess its not limited to EE

[Corblimey]

No, The EE sim is working fine (although the Meraki registers it as Tesco for some reason). 

The best way to check functionality and make sure it is live is in Appliance Status -> Tools, then run a Traceroute and MTR on the line, comparing to the WAN connections. 

On the Traceroute I had pings - but followed by a "N!" when it was not correct

On the MTR I had 100% packet loss when not correct

Now it's sorted they look similar to the same tests on the WAN lines.