Wireless Joint

So I have a Cat16 LTE Modem (MDM9250 like EM7565 uses) out of a zte mf288 router. I have it in a usb adapter. Windows recognizes it but doesn't have any drivers for it.
I am using it with a rooterized Linksys EA8500. It is connected and highest I got was 40mbps (which is my max average so far with other modems and routers). Now speeds about 2mbps. So I need to do some bandlocking and such.

My issue is it doesn't seem to be taking AT commands
What are the basic ones I should try? I type AT and it says OK, ati shows me the modem info and everything else i've tried says error.
at!entercnd="A710" error

Well just spent a couple hours in an linux environment with this module.
In the end I got no further, it won't accept the command to switch to mbim mode. I can't set the bands and can't get the status to know what band it is currently on. So it seems it is using a locked down custom ZTE firmware.

matrx10503 wrote: ↑Mon Nov 29, 2021 4:41 pm So I have a Cat16 LTE Modem (MDM9250 like EM7565 uses) out of a zte mf288 router. I have it in a usb adapter. Windows recognizes it but doesn't have any drivers for it.

Use any zte modem driver or the novatel drives will work if also but you will have to force it.

matrx10503 wrote: ↑Mon Nov 29, 2021 4:41 pm My issue is it doesn't seem to be taking AT commands
What are the basic ones I should try? I type AT and it says OK, ati shows me the modem info and everything else i've tried says error.
at!entercnd="A710" error

if you got a "OK" response from "AT" then you already have the modem driver installed, and the at!entercnd="A710" command is a Sierra command, your not going to get it to work in anything else, some AT commands are somewhat generic others are proprietary and only work if written into the firmware otherwise
the modem has no idea what it means or is asking for.
the bands on your qualcomm chipped zte MF288 modem are meant to be adjusted by dm command not by AT commands. or you could adjust the modem firmware and write it back to the device also.
here is your modem file (MF288) firm for you to look thru maybe it can help you, but you will need to break it down to view it as ubi images are double stacked and mostly machine code.

I downloaded a lot of random or semi-related modem drivers. Didn't really get anywhere.

So far the max i've got with it is 40mbps which is the max I get if I band lock the mc7455 I have to band 4. Being able to band lock and tower/band info is what is keeping me from total success with the card. And also have no way of turning 4x4 mimo mode off since I only have 2x2 antenna at the moment. But I do a few paddle antennas laying around. But didn't notice better speeds when I attached them.
So, it was worth the effort to try it but concluded I just have to buy an cat12/16/20 modem that's on the list.

A little bit of info on this, so this card has 5 antenna ports and can work in 4x4 mimo (and 4xCA). Right now I have it connected and through 5ghz wifi I am pulling between 50mbps-60mbps. I have a 2x2 panel antenna and 2 paddle style antennas sitting in the windows, so a total of 4 antennas hooked up. Unfortunately I broke the antenna connector on the module for #1, would have to be soldered.
Anyway, looking at the debug menu, the signal command is sent and it doesn't seem to be picking up the two paddle antennas in the windows, so I can only image if its aggregating bands or not...note the QCSQ response -81 and -79 signal, but others are zero'd:

Sat Dec 4 16:46:13 2021 : /dev/ttyUSB1 AT+CSQ
+CSQ: 16,99
OK
AT+COPS?
+COPS: 0,2,"310260",7
OK
AT$QCSQ
$QCSQ :-81,-2,0,0,-79
OK
AT$QCSYSMODE?
LTE
OK


All in all, as limited as I am with the card, it still is as fast/little faster than my mc7455 with only 2xCA.