Mobley/United Explore SIM error

[John Laninga]

I've had the Mobley system since they first became available, moved the SIM to a United Explore MiFi device almost a year ago.  It has worked fine until now.

I wanted to check something so I took the SIM card out of the Explore, and since I put it back in I get an error message  "SIM not installed" and then to check the SIM card for proper insertion.  I tried that multiple times, the Explore won't come up.  I checked my ATT app, it shows the United Explore device on my account and it shows it as active. 

So wondering if anyone had any experience with this error and what I can do about it.  Thanks for any help you can give me.

==John

[Dutch_12078]

Have you tried putting the SIM back in the Mobley? You may have damaged one of the contacts in the Explore.

[Yarome]

A dirty sim or damaged contact (provided it has been inserted in the right direction... which happens.. ;-)) would be my guess as well. Might try cleaning the SIM contacts with a pencil eraser. If all else fails I would pick up a new SIM from the ATT store... takes all of 5 minutes... and try that next before dealing with the possibility of a damaged SIM reader slot.

I don't know how or why but SIM's "do" go bad on occassion... I guess. In the early mobley days I had to have mine replaced for no apparent reason. Hadn't removed it from my mobley and just stopped being able to gain internet access one day. Thought it might be some issue with my account, went into the ATT store, they handed me a new SIM and all has been right with the world since. 

To note... we have 4 in our family using the mobley/explore setup. Pulled our SIM's during the "caution" period and have since placed them back into our Unite Explore's. All are working flawlessly.

 

To note: SIM/Cellular and all that business isn't much in my wheelhouse so take the above with a grain of salt.

[Smitty77_7]

Please close the loop back on this, once you get it sorted out:)! May help other's us down the road:)!

Best,

Smitty

[John Laninga]

So far no go.  I put the SIM back in my Mobley and got two green lights,  which I believe means it is on and on the Internet.  However, no SSID is being transmitted, either a known or unknown.  Guess I’ll try a few more things and if all else fails visit an ATT store.  But I have doubts that anyone working in a retail store knows what a Mobley is.

[Pat & Pete]

Have you tried resetting the Mobley ? 

This from the user guide :

Reset the Mobile Hotspot
You can reset the mobile hotspot to its factory settings on the 
mobile hotspot itself or on the full AT&T Wi-Fi Manager home page. 
(This is useful if you have lost your Administrator login for the 
AT&T Wi-Fi Manager home page.) 
Notes:
•    If you reset the modem to factory settings, all of your 
customizations will be lost.
•    When you reset the mobile hotspot, any currently connected 
devices will lose access and will have to be reconnected after the 
mobile hotspot restarts. 
On the mobile hotspot: 
 Press and hold the Reset Key until the LED 1 indicator turns red 
(about 7 seconds). 
After the device has reset, reconnect Wi-Fi devices. 
On the full AT&T Wi-Fi Manager home page:
Log in as Administrator.
Click Settings on the navigation menu on the left side.
Click Advanced Device Reset.
 Click Reset

[John Laninga]

I was quite impressed with the store level ATT support I got.  Told them my problem, had the SIM card in the United Explore.  She got a new card, flashed all the data with a scanner/writer, and re-registered the device.  Unit powered up, tested the connection, and all is well.

No issues about the Connected Car although I told her I used it in my RV, which of course is true.  I found the support to be easy, quick, thorough and maybe best of all no charge.

Go Connected Car!

[Dutch_12078]

Glad you got it straightened out with so little fuss, John!

[Smitty77_7]

Also good to hear they did not bother you any on the SIM being in the Unite Explore. I've had mine in for two years now. Felt so comfortable, perhaps a mistake, that I went ahead and canceled my second Mobley account. Kept the Mobley as a back up, but with the other options we have available to us, we just did not need the second Mobley's data - so canceled. (I'd kept for about a year, in case ATT did not like my SIM from what I call Mobley #1 in the Unite Explore, and canceled that line on me. If they had, I'd have had Mobley #2's line, and would have reverted to using Mobley #2.) 

I did as the ATT tech helping us in San Diego about 8 months ago, about the Car Connect SIM's being used in other devices. He was up on the Car Connect (Which most ATT Store Employees that I've encountered were not.), and said that he had one in the newer Netgear Nighthawk device, as his primary Data provider at home. So that also gave me another level of comfort. 

Glad you're back up and running:)!

Smitty

 

[Dutch_12078]

As far as I've seen on the cell related forums, Howards, etc., it still looks like the only Mobley SIM swappers that have had any push back from AT&T have been those putting the SIM in phones instead of another hotspot. It seems that as long as we use the SIM in the same device class as the Mobley, we're good with AT&T.

[John Laninga]

After the success I had with ATT the problem resurfaced.  I had the United Explore off, since the coach was in for service.  When I got it back and turned it back on once again I got the SIM error.  I took it to a different ATT store, the manager said that it probably was the United Explore causing the problem.  Only suggestion was to get a new router.

So when I got back I put the SIM back in the Mobley, did a factory reset, and reset passwords etc.  my Mobley is running fine with no rebooting after 2 hours (but it is still on 1.0.1 software).

So my problem was the United Explore, not the SIM card or my account.

John

[Dutch_12078]

It's good you at least know where the problems is now, John. If your Mobley does update, as it likely will at some point, the preliminary evidence seems to be that as long as the voltage powering the device stays at 13 volts or so, the Mobley will not shut down since it will think the engine is still running. I'm still running my SIM in my Unite, so I haven't done any testing of that though.

[Smitty77_7]

Please do keep us updated as things change. Unite Explore being the problem seems a bit odd(?). 

Now you're going to make me do some looking to see what software version is reflected on mu Unite Explore with the Mobley SIM installed. (Knocking on wood, no similar problems at this time:)!)

Best to you,

Smitty

 

 

[Dutch_12078]

From what I've seen on the cell forums, the Unite series hotspots are one of the most popular for Mobley SIM swaps. I think the only other failures I've seen mentioned was a DOA refurbished unit bought on eBay and a damaged SIM.