Max BR1 Mini 5G & T-Mobile Home Internet?

[rotaecho]

Hello! I’m a T-Mobile new Home Internet user, that found the hardware super limiting; connection was sound.

I wanted a pass through router which their gateway wouldn’t let me. So, I got the Pep Link Max BR1 Mini 5G.

When hooking it up, I was told that I had to get a T-Mobile Business Account to use my Home Internet with my own hardware.

Well, got the business account, multiple store trips, and their phone support is clueless.

It just sits there trying to authenticate the SIM; it sees the sim and the APN server least looks that way.

Has anyone got this connected up with T-Mobile Home Internet under a business account?

If so, was there anything special?

I gave them the IEMI number of the BR1 Mini and they handed me a sim saying it’d work; twice now. The Router just hangs on authentication.

What’s the trick? Or is there a better network to use this equipment in the USA?

Location: Phoenix, AZ USA

[Jonathan_Pitts]

I would check with them if their is any different apn required?
If you gave them the imei I would think it should work.
If it still doesn’t work file a ticket with peplink if you can connect up a wan to it for them to remote to and troubleshoot.

[zegor_mjol]

I suspect it is an APN issue (if they did not give you one).

Just a WAG.

[rotaecho]

Getting a WAN setup on it maybe difficult. I’m trying to get home internet LOL but with a standard pass through than, the triple NAT’d crap with T-Mobile’s “Internet Gateway” which it’s anything but; I do a LOT of *NIX/Linux work as VPN often. I prefer to have control over my router functions.

So, my research indicated that I could use T-Mobile home-internet under their Business Account with my own device.

I’ve spent 3 days with T-Mobile “business” support which is worthless. And that’s AT their physical location as on phone support with their Philippines call center. And I haven’t talked to one knowledgeable technician yet. For my first experience with T-Mobile, they make AT&T & Verizon’s support seem like a cakewalk.

So, I’m not sure if the “Business Internet” only allows their 5G hot-spot plans or included in their Home Internet (for business users) or only hotspot plans, and NOT ONE T-Mobile representative can answer that question either. They all make it sound taboo bringing your own modem/router for their services which I know I’m not the only one.

Everyone from their store to their online support says, the APN should be given automatically. And based on the photos below, I see the server being assigned. No authentication that I can see/know off to be entered.

One “thing” confusing them is, I JUST want a data-plan, and they are saying that a Business User Account on ONLY a data-plan (not sure if only Home Internet or hotspot plan) “authentication” happens on the device the number is tied to (like a SMS pin code for support calls etc).

Since, I have another voice provider (USMOBILE) for my phone, they sent me on the business side to use their website for login, since I can’t use my “t-mobile number” to get authenticated pins and what not. So, I need to be “Invited to Account Hub” which sent me to the Philippines call-center for their Business side; which are scripted readers with zero comprehension of English. I end up with a denied access page on my business account login page requesting to be invited to “Account Hub” haha. Three days on that goat rodeo with them with zero success or confidence that’ll get resolved LOL.

I see the SIM, it’s just not authenticating on T-Mobile site, and like I said not one “tech” has had a clue.

If anyone knows what I could “say” to them to make them make it work, I’m all ears.

The MTN being blank concerns me, but I can’t find anyone who can give an answer there on that either.

But as it stands, T-mobile by mid week will be binned as a crap solution if I can’t resolve.

I’m going to add three photos to help diag. It’ll only let me submit one at a time though. So sorry for the three replies.

[rotaecho]

The other photo of the SIM info which it see’s T-Mobile

[rotaecho]

But this is all I get in the connection status

This is with the latest firmware

[Jonathan_Pitts]

it’s common on a lot of data plans for the MTN to be blank.

Let me ask some t-mobile contacts I know, if they can tell me the APN to use for your sim card.
If I can’t get it resolved we can get you on one of our resold t-mobile business plan without the router.

[Jonathan_Pitts]

My tmo contact said that you have to get a whole new plan, if you don’t want to use their equipment.

PM me or e-mail me if you want me to get you setup on a different t-mobile business plan.
[email protected]

[Lee_Zim]

I had a very similar experience when I was getting set up with T-Mobile Business. It took the better part of a week to finally connect with the correct support tech. I requested a business account, but they provisioned it as TMHI (local stores were unsuccessful in their capacity to perform this transition to TMBI).

Three key points for your pursuit:

1.) Call the T-Mobile Business support line - NOT the generic T-Mobile Home Internet support line.
2.) When speaking with T-Mobile Business, ask them to confirm your account/line is provisioned as Business Internet, NOT Home Internet.
3.) Officially T-Mobile Business uses this APN: fbb.home [not, fast.t-mobile.com]. However, once your account is provisioned correctly, you can use either APN with your Peplink device.

I have been using this TMBI line in multiple Peplink and other 3rd party cellular routers for two years. Once the account is provisioned properly, you will have all the functionality expected with the Peplink BR1.

[rotaecho]

This sounds like my problem. T-Mobile business isn’t available on the phone except Mon-Fri it seems.

The numbers, I have are sales / tech support, which of the three you suggest I try? Or do you have a better number to reach someone?

I get these numbers while on the: T-Mobile for Business: Wireless & Business Solutions website.

844-324-6707; sales

855-984-3998; tech support

855-995-5309; Business Expert

I’ve spent a ton of time on their phone lines bounced around. If you know if one of the above is better for this situation or have a better number, I would appreciate it.

Thanks!

[Rick-DC]

@rotaecho: The number we use for business accounts is 1-800-375-1126. Hours are 08:30-20:30 EST.
And, yes, dealing with TMO is a nightmare.

[rotaecho]

Thanks! If I can’t get T-Mobile to work, I’ll drop you a note to see if you have something that’d work similar.

I did what your contact suggested; least I believe so.

I had a T-Mobile Home Internet consumer account I bought, and I realized hardware too limiting for me. So, I went back to store, and stated I wanted to use my own equipment with their Home Internet.

I was then directed only way to do that was with a Business Account. My account was supposedly converted to a business account, and I was given a different SIM.

And, that’s been the process I’m on now. It’s supposedly a “Business Account”, but I can’t login via the website without an error.

Because, I am using an Internet Only plan with a modem device that doesn’t accept text messages–I think the Max BR1 Mini 5G does in the interface, but not sure–and my voice phone isn’t T-Mobile, my business authentication is being done via Email.

But I need to be invited to “Account Hub” which I can’t get anyone on tech support to email me a link. Or when I did point out the issue, get any resolution from their support on a fix LOL.

This is where I’m stuck on logging into my business account currently.

[rotaecho]

Thank you! I’ll attempt that in the morning. Thanks!

[Lee_Zim]

FWIW… here is the number I used previously - you can add this to your call number(s) list:

1-877-347-2127

Contact Business Care at 611 from a T-Mobile phone or call 1-877-347-2127 from any phone. *All fields required. Thank you. A T-Mobile Business Expert will contact you to discuss the best options for your business.

[rotaecho]

Well, I’m convinced TMBI is pretty much a joke haha.

I spent a good 3hrs on their Business Tech Support before I got someone who spoke USA English and comprehended what I was telling them.

They re-provisioned the TMBI account line. Corrected some other issues on their end, and same behavior. Says it’s connecting 5G and just hangs on obtaining an IP.

I swapped out the SIM per his recommendations, so went back to T-Mobile retail, got a new SIM, and same behavior.

I even for shits and giggles I swapped between the APNs, fbb.home and fast.t-mobile.com, but it defaults to the fast.

So, I’m pretty much over dealing with them. I’m giving it the 2hr provision as they stated, but if nothing after that I’m calling to close the accounts.

I’ll reach out to Jonathan and others who reached out.

T-Mobile Support is just a nightmare literally

[ChristopherSpitler]

fast.t-mobile.com is the correct APN.

Generally a “network reset” will fix this, they may have to do it twice instead of once.

For your access to account hub, you need to contact business support to have them create your accounthub account. Additionally, make sure you’re using unique email addresses per account hub logins (T-Mobile doesn’t support + addresses) for that to work as well. a DE (Dedicated Expert) or Business T-Force (US-based team) can support the AccountHub fix.

If you bought this from an account manager, they need to be in front of this for you with their sales engineer. If you didn’t buy from an account manager, ask the store/T-Force who your account manager is and get them fixing this for you.

We work with T-Mobile in every channel and we are Peplink partners (and lead with Peplink every time). We have had a few issues like what you’re saying, but a quick call to a DE or T-Force can get it sorted in a matter of minutes.

[rotaecho]

We’re slowly making progress.

I can login to tfb.t-mobile.com and see my business account and line information. It says active and looks good.

I got someone from the US, and he tried two network resets, no dice. We see the SIM reading data from the towers–and he’s verified the SIM should work, as I’ve been stating. But no network info & IP handed off.

He said they see more CradlePoint than anything else and they just work, so he’s not sure what’s the problem.

We’re now letting it sit for an hour to see if anything works through the system; the Max BR1 Mini 5G is cycling through trying to connect.

If that fails, in 2hrs they plan to call back and issue a “master reset” of my lines.

They are literally at a loss after that they told me. And not much I can do on my side. I’m pretty sure the BR1 isn’t defective; reads the SIM data fine. And it’s up to date on the firmware.

I’ll keep you all posted.

[ChristopherSpitler]

They see Cradlepoint because that’s what their salespeople have on their screen to sell to people, but they dont even get people access to do anything with them.

It shouldn’t take an hour to do a full reset, but whatever the “hard reset” is (I think they suspend and unsuspend the line) should be the immediate next step.

I saw this yesterday with another client and we had to do a few network resets and it came online. They had ordered a static IP, but the IP of the SIM was showing 192.0.0.2 (464xlat addres), so i knew the line wasn’t provisioned correctly. I stopped messing with the peplink and told them to call tmobile. After a few persistent minutes it was sorted and everything was working.

[rotaecho]

Awesome thanks for the feedback.

Curious, as I’m not seeing info online. I know I can control the BR1 with SMS messages to it.

Is there a way to change a SIM PIN when it’s an internet only device? Or a way to obtain it? I was given a 6 digit pin from TM, but I don’t think that’s for the SIM as well. Does the pep-link allow SMS messages to the device?

Reason I ask, is if T-Mobile would send any auth or other info to it where I may need the SIM PIN.

Or the data-only setups maybe don’t do that. Just trying to verify the SIM PIN isn’t messing me up. As I don’t know what that is.

[ChristopherSpitler]

T-Mobile does not use SIM PINs like that. These are mainly for use internationally. There are SIM PINs on the SIM card (the full size, credit card thing you popped it out from), but they’re not used.

The 6 digit number you got was for your BAN (billing account) from T-Mobile and will allow anyone with it to make any modifications to your account. Do not share this.

I also do not recommend setting SIM PINs as it adds an unnecessary complication to your management. Just dont leave your SIM cards laying around with public access