PINE64
LTE support. - Printable Version

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+--- Forum: General Discussion on Pinebook Pro (https://forum.pine64.org/forumdisplay.php?fid=112)
+--- Thread: LTE support. (/showthread.php?tid=9801)



LTE support. - krigl - 05-06-2020

It would be very beneficial if next version of PBP would include a sim card slot and LTE modem built in.
I use my current PBP for daily driver bussines laptop and hate the dongle sticking out. I am looking in a way to put it inside of case and add antennas. 

Would buy another one if it had lte support built in.


LTE support. - Samurai_Crow - 05-06-2020

PBPs do have a PCIe m.2 slot. The question is: Are there ARM64 Linux drivers for any such hardware or LTE modems that will fit in it?

Update:

Some quick googling found that 4g LTE modems in PCIe M.2 form factor go for about $30 USD. Now the question is only the drivers.


RE: LTE support. - Arwen - 05-07-2020

Please note that M.2 slots come in many flavors. The existing Pinebook Pro PCIe M.2 slot adapter is PCIe only, type M or M&B cards only.

There is a project to create a different flavor of M.2 card adapter;
WiFi 6 for the Pinebook Pro
It may show WiFi 6, but there is talk about other types of cards.

That is one nice thing about the Pinebook Pro, the ability to create other adapter cards.
Or multi-function cards. Or even 2 separate cards, right & left.


RE: LTE support. - salteddoughnut - 05-08-2020

You can buy M.2 Key B LTE cards at Think penguin. Since they are a Linux hardware vendor, you can ask for support.

https://www.thinkpenguin.com/gnu-linux/4g-em7455-mobile-broadband-m2-card-gnulinux-tpe-em7455chip-europe-middle-east-africa
https://www.thinkpenguin.com/gnu-linux/4g-lt4120-mobile-broadband-m2-card-gnulinux-tpe-lt4120chip-north-america-usa


RE: LTE support. - Arwen - 05-09-2020

(05-08-2020, 07:45 PM)salteddoughnut Wrote: You can buy M.2 Key B LTE cards at Think penguin. Since they are a Linux hardware vendor, you can ask for support.

https://www.thinkpenguin.com/gnu-linux/4g-em7455-mobile-broadband-m2-card-gnulinux-tpe-em7455chip-europe-middle-east-africa
https://www.thinkpenguin.com/gnu-linux/4g-lt4120-mobile-broadband-m2-card-gnulinux-tpe-lt4120chip-north-america-usa

They won't work as is, because the Pinebook Pro NVMe M.2 adapter card does not supply a SIM card slot. The site has this warning;

Quote:SIM             Slot No (your system must have a SIM slot to utilize the card)

Further, the site does not specify if the M.2 Key B card uses PCIe only. B slotted cards have this available;

Quote:PCIe ×2, SATA, USB 2.0 and 3.0, audio, UIM, HSIC, SSIC, I2C and SMBus
[url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMBus][/url]The LTE card could be USB 2.0 or USB 3.0.