Quectel EM160 - Not Resetting - Errors on AT Commands

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LTELoser123
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Quectel EM160 - Not Resetting - Errors on AT Commands

Post by LTELoser123 »

Really struggling with my new em160. I've been struggling to get it to stay binded to ATT. In testing, I've set it to prefer LTE and lock to band 5 but, after doing so, some commands that were working are now giving errors. For example AT+QRSRP? now reports 'ERROR'. I've tried resetting the board using AT+QPRTPARA=3, and AT&F, and ATZ0. The commands all seem to run fine but, when the modem restarts the configuration changes I made previously are still set and the other commands still throw an error.

Anyone know what I could be doing wrong? I just want to get back to the factory default so I can start fresh. Thank you!
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Didneywhorl
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Re: Quectel EM160 - Not Resetting - Errors on AT Commands

Post by Didneywhorl »

Try not to run AT+QPRTPARA=3 much, it is known to be damaging to the memory of the card if run too much; cumulatively. Now that you have though, you always have to run AT+QPRTPARA=1 afterwards. You can do it now, it doesn't have to be immediate.

Also I think you need to run AT&F1, or AT&F0, after AT&F not sure why. I gotta look it up. Quectel isn't always very helpful when asking what these commands really do.

If you don't run the =1 at any time, it wont save your settings changes. They will disappear after resets.

Does the firmware not show you your signal strength? Why are you relying on AT+QRSRP? I'm not 100% sure it works very well on the EM160. You can get the overall signal strength with the servingcell command (AT+QENG="servingcell")
LTELoser123
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Re: Quectel EM160 - Not Resetting - Errors on AT Commands

Post by LTELoser123 »

Thanks so much for responding! It's odd, I tried running AT+QPRTPARA=1 and it seems to have caused some of the settings to take the reset but not all. For example, the mode_pref is now back to 'AUTO' but the Band is still set to 5.

I also tried AT&F0 after the AT&F command, it returned 'OK' but doesn't seem to have done anything, even if I do AT+CFUN=1,1 after. AT&F1 returned 'ERROR'

Maybe I've just fouled it up somehow. I'll keep trying. Was thinking about flashing the whole firmware... I figure that's fraught with danger but might help.

Thanks for the tips on the servicingcell command. I saw the AT+QRSRP? in post on here regarding the EM160. It worked for a bit but not anymore. Like you said, I can get that through the router too. Thank you again!
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Didneywhorl
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Re: Quectel EM160 - Not Resetting - Errors on AT Commands

Post by Didneywhorl »

All good. We are all learning this stuff as we go :)

Usually the first thing someone does when they cant get connected and they have run commands on the modem is to "factory reset" it. This isn't recommended rally, as there isn't some mystery command that was run when you ran yours. Usually the issue is not having run a command that is needed, not so much having run a command that isn't reversable or that messed the modem up.

Some may disagree with me, but the memory on these modems isn't really meant to be scrubbed over and over.

Flashing the firmware to a new or updated version will not overwrite base settings in some cases, but it is generally safe to do firmware installs as much as needed.
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