[BPi-R3 mini] RM520N-GL not detected with OpenWRT 24.10.0-rc5

chmanie · January 16, 2025, 3:13am

I installed the newest release candidate for OpenWRT 24.10 on my BPI-R3 mini. Everything works well so far except that I have the Quectel RM520N-GL modem installed but it is not detected. I can’t see it in lsusb or in any of the dmesg entries.

In the stock firmware version 21.02 (2023-11-15 BPI-R3 Mini OpenWRT image with Opensource MAC80211 wifi Driver BSP) it was properly detected.

I have the following relevant kernel modules installed:

kmod-usb-acm - 6.6.69-r1
kmod-usb-core - 6.6.69-r1
kmod-usb-ehci - 6.6.69-r1
kmod-usb-net - 6.6.69-r1
kmod-usb-net-cdc-ether - 6.6.69-r1
kmod-usb-net-cdc-mbim - 6.6.69-r1
kmod-usb-net-cdc-ncm - 6.6.69-r1
kmod-usb-net-cdc-subset - 6.6.69-r1
kmod-usb-net-huawei-cdc-ncm - 6.6.69-r1
kmod-usb-net-qmi-wwan - 6.6.69-r1
kmod-usb-net-rndis - 6.6.69-r1
kmod-usb-ohci - 6.6.69-r1
kmod-usb-serial - 6.6.69-r1
kmod-usb-serial-option - 6.6.69-r1
kmod-usb-serial-pl2303 - 6.6.69-r1
kmod-usb-serial-qualcomm - 6.6.69-r1
kmod-usb-serial-wwan - 6.6.69-r1
kmod-usb-storage - 6.6.69-r1
kmod-usb-storage-uas - 6.6.69-r1
kmod-usb-wdm - 6.6.69-r1
kmod-usb-xhci-hcd - 6.6.69-r1
kmod-usb-xhci-mtk - 6.6.69-r1
kmod-usb2 - 6.6.69-r1
kmod-usb3 - 6.6.69-r1
kmod-wwan - 6.6.69-r1

Is there anything I’m missing to make it work?

SPYFF · January 17, 2025, 8:43am

What does lsmod said?

I think usb_wwan and/or qmi_wwan should be loaded at least.

HighVoltage86 · January 21, 2025, 1:35pm

This is a list of packages I have installed. My RM520N-GL works great with these packages.

backup-pkg.list (8.9 KB)

4241 · February 12, 2025, 10:29pm

@chmanie I’m experiencing the same problem. Did you find a solution?

Denis_Beraldo · March 12, 2025, 6:31pm

@chmanie

In my case, first check

cat /sys/kernel/debug/usb/devices

...
P:  Vendor=2c7c ProdID=0801 Rev= 5.04
S:  Manufacturer=Quectel
S:  Product=RM520N-GL
S:  SerialNumber=e159ed99
C:* #Ifs= 5 Cfg#= 1 Atr=a0 MxPwr=500mA
...

using VID and PID from last, try this command

echo "2c7c 0801" > /sys/bus/usb-serial/drivers/option1/new_id

If ok, you will see ttyUSB0 … ttyUSB4 at /dev

from:

Artur_Jędrzejczak · March 17, 2025, 5:58pm

Hello, how to send this list for R3 Mini, for quick install all this modules?? Thanks

Artur_Jędrzejczak · March 21, 2025, 7:12pm

Hello, i have question. i have BPI-R3-Mini + Modem Quectel RM520 when i send this command

echo "2c7c 0801" > /sys/bus/usb-serial/drivers/option1/new_id

and

lsusb

My modem is visible

Bus 001 Device 002: ID 13fe:4300 Wilk USB DISK 2.0
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux 5.4.171 xhci-hcd xHCI Host Controller
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 2c7c:0801 Quectel RM520N-GL
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux 5.4.171 xhci-hcd xHCI Host Controller

But i cant see him in the modemmanager

How to fixed this?

Denis_Beraldo · March 22, 2025, 12:19am

Hi

Im using another protocol instead modem manager. What options do you see at protocol menu?

skaur · March 22, 2025, 7:40pm

I barely had to do any setup to get the RM520N-GL working with the latest OpenWRT build as of 2025-03-22. Keep in mind that this configuration does NOT involve modem manager.

These are the steps I went through to get it working:

Install OpenWRT 24.10.0 on the eMMC.
Download qmi-utils and luci-proto-qmi via System -> Software (or you could include it in a custom build of the firmware).
Reboot the BPi-R3 Mini
Add new interface, select QMI Cellular as the protocol for the new interface and select the modem as the Modem device and add the APN manually. Also make sure to select the wan/wan6 as the firewall zone from the Firewall settings tab.

This was enough to get the connection up and running for me. To manage the bands and to keep track of the signal strength etc. I also added some packages from 4IceG (Rafał Wabik) · GitHub.

You should also make sure that the RM520N-GL is configured correctly if you are having trouble finding it under cat /sys/kernel/debug/usb/devices.

If I’m not mistaken you should make sure that it’s running in QMI mode by executing the following AT command:

AT+QCFG=“usbnet”,0 - Configures the modem to use QMI mode.

Unlock the modem to enable the radio for communication (+ reboot the module):

AT+CFUN=1,1

Artur_Jędrzejczak · March 23, 2025, 12:05pm

After update last SNAPSHOOT (OpenWrt SNAPSHOT r29064-696ad7b1aa / LuCI Master 25.081.38700~bf48c56).

My 520GL he is still not visible.

How to fix this?


root@OpenWrt:~# cat /sys/kernel/debug/usb/devices

T:  Bus=01 Lev=00 Prnt=00 Port=00 Cnt=00 Dev#=  1 Spd=480  MxCh= 2
B:  Alloc=  0/800 us ( 0%), #Int=  0, #Iso=  0
D:  Ver= 2.00 Cls=09(hub  ) Sub=00 Prot=01 MxPS=64 #Cfgs=  1
P:  Vendor=1d6b ProdID=0002 Rev= 6.06
S:  Manufacturer=Linux 6.6.83 xhci-hcd
S:  Product=xHCI Host Controller
S:  SerialNumber=11200000.usb
C:* #Ifs= 1 Cfg#= 1 Atr=e0 MxPwr=  0mA
I:* If#= 0 Alt= 0 #EPs= 1 Cls=09(hub  ) Sub=00 Prot=00 Driver=hub
E:  Ad=81(I) Atr=03(Int.) MxPS=   4 Ivl=256ms

T:  Bus=02 Lev=00 Prnt=00 Port=00 Cnt=00 Dev#=  1 Spd=10000 MxCh= 1
B:  Alloc=  0/800 us ( 0%), #Int=  0, #Iso=  0
D:  Ver= 3.10 Cls=09(hub  ) Sub=00 Prot=03 MxPS= 9 #Cfgs=  1
P:  Vendor=1d6b ProdID=0003 Rev= 6.06
S:  Manufacturer=Linux 6.6.83 xhci-hcd
S:  Product=xHCI Host Controller
S:  SerialNumber=11200000.usb
C:* #Ifs= 1 Cfg#= 1 Atr=e0 MxPwr=  0mA
I:* If#= 0 Alt= 0 #EPs= 1 Cls=09(hub  ) Sub=00 Prot=00 Driver=hub
E:  Ad=81(I) Atr=03(Int.) MxPS=   4 Ivl=256ms

Fibocom 350L is ok (is visible) But Quectel 520 works only with USB adapter

skaur · March 23, 2025, 8:52pm

It looks like you have the RM520NGLAP-M20-SGASA which probably won’t work in the BPi R3 Mini since the RM520NGLAP-M20-SGASA variant should only support communication via PCIe and the BPi R3 Mini’s M2 key B slot only supports communication via USB. The RM520NGLAA-M20-SGASA variant supports communication via USB.

Not really sure why it works via the USB adapter though…

Artur_Jędrzejczak · March 24, 2025, 4:59am

I have version AA. The best thing is that on the stock R3 mini firmware, this modem 520 is visible… And now it suddenly disappeared in 24.10 openwrt. And only the adapter is visible via USB, can anyone explain this? Damaged M.2 socket?

Artur_Jędrzejczak · March 26, 2025, 7:27pm

Problem solved This command need to be set

echo 544 > /sys/class/gpio/export

RM520N-GL work correct.