If the device / modem shows a signal, but will not connect, it is very likely that the APN setting is incorrect, particularly if trying to use a phone SIM in a modem/router. Most routers automatically configure the APN from the SIM or have preconfigured APNs per the SIM type, so it’s likely it is either trying to configure an obsolete APN or picking up an incorrect APN from the SIM.
Many Eir (Meteor) and Three masts will allow the SIM to connect with any APN name keyed in, except when roaming. With Eir, it can result in an intermittent connection where sometimes the router can connect in 3G mode and refusing to connect altogether in 4G mode. With Three, it varies from mast to mast with some 3G masts only accepting the correct APN for the type of SIM, e.g. 3ireland.ie for a Three phone SIM.
The APNs below are ones I’ve run into either trying SIMs myself or while helping people configure their forum/device such as with friends and on boards.ie. These are the main networks that offer data SIMs. I also included their phone SIM APNs for reference. Three is the only network I’m aware of that still offers public IP addresses in some areas with their data plans, required for remote access such as CCTV and home server access.
As far as I am aware of, none of the main Irish networks require a username or password. If a dial-up number is required, it is *99#
Note: If the device is showing ‘No Signal’ or No Service’, it is not an APN issue. The APN is only required to establish an Internet connection, which occurs after the device has established a connection with the network. The above right screenshot shows an example where the router has a connection to the network (3 bar signal), but is disconnected due to an incorrect APN setting.
Three / O2
- 3ireland.ie (Three phone SIM)
- 3internet (Three data SIM, public IP address*)
- 3broadband.ie (Three data SIM, private IP address)
- nbs.ie (former NBS data SIM, private IP address)
- internet (business phone & former O2 phone SIMs)
- open.internet (former O2 data SIMs, private IP address)
- open.internet.public (former O2 data SIMs, public IP address*)
*Public IP address may need to be requested.
Update 13 Jan ’21: Three is working to make public IP addresses available again, going by this recent post on their forum.
Note: Data roaming must be enabled to connect in 2G/3G mode with Three SIMs.
To check whether a Three phone SIM is a former O2 SIM, check the APN setting on the phone. If it is ‘3ireland.ie’, it is a native Three SIM and if it is ‘internet’, it is a native O2 SIM. Three still supplies O2 native SIMs with certain contracts, particularly iPhone and Business contracts. On most Android phones, the APN setting can be accessed by going into the Network settings menu and then into ‘Access point names’.
Warning! Using the incorrect APN with bill pay SIMs can result in auto-of-bundle charges even on the unlimited / All You Can Eat plans, especially with business, iPhone and former O2 plans. Some Three bill pay phones such as the iPhones are configured to use the open.internet APN for tethering, which will also result in out-of-bundle charges when attempting to tether directly from the handset (Hotspot mode).
Eir / Meteor / GoMo
- data.myeirmobile.ie (Eir phone SIM)
- data.mymeteor.ie (phone SIM with GoMo or Meteor branding)
- data.eir.ie (older Eir phone SIM)
- broadband.mymeteor.ie (data SIM with Meteor branding)
- broadband.myeirmobile.ie (data SIM with Eir branding)
- isp.mymeteor.ie (older Meteor data SIM, 3G-only)
- wap.mymeteor.ie (older Meteor phone APN)
- eircom.ie (older Eir phone SIM, may use Meteor’s APN)
- broadband.eircommbb.ie (older Eir data SIM APN, public IP address*)
*Public IP addresses are not offered by Eir/Meteor. They may still be available by request on Eir data SIMs.
GoMo Note: GoMo uses the former Meteor APN settings. While GoMo does not offer a mobile broadband package at this time of posting, they likely would use the Meteor data SIM APN. With a suitable router (e.g. Huawei B525), the phone SIM will function for data (using either Meteor phone or data SIM APNs), voice and SMS.
Update 13 Jan ’21: I have received multiple reports that a GoMo SIM no longer works for phone calls via the telephone jack of Huawei routers.
Meteor note: One person with an older Meteor SIM let me know that the ‘isp.mymeteor.ie’ APN will no longer connect in 4G mode. This happened shortly after the brand change to Eir. I also tried this APN with a more recent Meteor SIM and it could only connect in 3G mode with this APN. For anyone with this issue, try the ‘broadband.mymeteor.ie’ or ‘broadband.myeirmobile.ie’ APN. With my prepay Meteor broadband SIM, these are the only APNs that will connect in 4G mode.
Vodafone
- live.vodafone.com (phone data bundle)
- hs.vodafone.ie (broadband bundle)
Warning! The APN must match the type of data bundle, otherwise it incurs out-of-bundle charges. All bill pay data SIMs use the hs APN. The day/week/month passes on prepay also use the hs APN. All phone data bundles including the €20 top-up for 5GB data plan use the live APN.
Note: Unlike other networks, Vodafone issues the same prepay SIM for both mobile phones and data devices. When registering for My Vodafone, it will ask whether the SIM will be placed in a phone or modem. It will then show the relevant bundles. As mentioned already, it is essential that the correct APN is configured on the device as attempting to use a phone data bundle with the hs.vodafone.ie APN will incur out-of-bundle charges as if no bundle was present.
The bundles can be viewed by expanding the ‘Mobile broadband add-ons’ at the bottom of the ‘Buy an add on’ page in My Vodafone:
If a Vodafone SIM that was used in a router/SIM is to be later used in a phone or vice versa, this setting can be changed by going into the ‘Manage My Details’ link at the top right in My Vodafone, then go into ‘Change personal details’ and then ‘Edit details’ and change the account type drop-down to select ‘Mobile Broadband User’ or ‘Mobile Phone User’.
Rural Wi-Fi
- 3ireland.ie (data SIM, private IP address)
Tesco Mobile
- tescomobile.liffeytelecom.com (phone SIM)
- tmidata (data SIM)
Note: Data Roaming must be enabled to connect.
Post Mobile
- isp.postfone.ie (phone SIM)
Note: While Post Mobile uses the same MCC/MNC as Vodafone (272-01), Post Mobile is actually a true MVNO using Vodafone’s network service for connectivity, including 4G. ASPIDER-NGI provides the NVME service including Internet data for Post Mobile.
48 / 48 Months
- 48months.liffeytelecom.com (phone SIM)
Note: Phones that were previously configured for Tesco Mobile may automatically set the APN as tescomobile.liffeytelecom.com. This also works for mobile data.
Virgin Media
- internet (phone SIM)
- internet.ie.upcmobile.com (hotspot APN)
Lycamobile
- data.lycamobile.ie (phone SIM)
Note: Lycamobile has 4G access as of 28th May 2020, previously limited to 3G.
iPhone Personal Hotspot note
To enable the personal Hotspot feature, go into Settings -> Mobile Data -> Mobile Data Options -> Mobile Data Network. Under “Personal Hotspot”, add the corresponding above phone APN and leave the username/password fields blank.
If the Mobile Data Options menu does not have a Mobile Data Network item, you will need to clear the previous mobile operator profile. In this case, go into Settings -> General -> Profiles. Touch the operator profile, then touch ‘Remove’.
Note: The menu steps may be different depending on the iOS version. I also received a report that the APN settings are inaccessible with Post Mobile.
Other
If you have come across any other data APN names, feel free to mention them below.
Thank so makes a lot of sense have you any idea how to change the apn setting of a three sim, I am using in a mobile router?
Hi Sharon.
The APN settings are in the router not the SIM.
If its a Huawei router, get the Hi Link app on your phone.
This is the easy way to adjust Huawei routers.
If not, you should be able to access the router settings via the router’s web interface.
Connect your laptop or other device to your router.
Enter the router’s IP address into the URL line of your web browser.
(Do not enter in the search line!)
You may find the address on a label on the back, or inside the battery cover/compartment of the router.
The address is usually 192.168.1.1
Sometimes 192.168.1.254
If neither of these work, use an app, tool or some other way of discovering what the router’s IP address is.
Good luck
Dave
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. Seriously, thank you, you have saved my sanity.
Great info on this and all the other 3G/4G topics, many thanks for the effort making the site!
Which one should I use for 3 sim in 4g tp link mr200? In a ruarl area
For a data Three SIM use: 3internet
If the SIM was a former O2 data SIM use: open.internet
For a Three prepay phone SIM, it normally uses: 3ireland.ie
I have been using the APN “3internet” with prepay three phone SIMs. €20 per month. Port forwarding and DynDns work well with this APN on huawei mains powered modem/routers.
Hi Dave, I also got the three prepay phone sim.
but I’m unable to get a public IP on my Huawei B525 with the APN 3internet.
I have a WAN IP that starts with 10.207… and that is different from what I get on whatismyip.com
Any specific configuration you did? I would also like to have remote access to my pc.
thanks in advance,
Cory
Hi Cory.
Editor Sean provides a great resource for all this stuff.
The two different public IPs issue, is probably the trouble.
When I came across the problem I was unable to find a way around it.
It might be due to Three piggybacking on the O2 network!?
A legacy that still hasn’t been resolved in some areas.
I use http://www.canyouseeme.org/ to test for open ports.
Just tested a DVR to make sure Three haven’t started blocking WAN access.
Give your LAN device (server, camera, DVR etc.) a static Local IP address. (Disable DHCP).
Find out which ports it uses for web access.
I use the “Fing” app for android.
There is no special set up on my B525
On the router’s web interface…
Login as admin
Go to Settings>Dial Up>profile management>new profile
Add a new profile for Three
Set the APN: 3internet. No user or password required.
Go to Settings>Security>Virtual Server
Add one or more forwarding rules for the LAN device using the ports and IP address you assigned it.
Go to Settings>Security>DDNS
Add your dynamic DNS service.
This allows you to use a URL that will track the public IP address of your modem/router, which changes after every reboot.
Firewall settings don’t have to be altered.
Curiously… At Settings>Dial Up>Connect
I have to leave Mobile Data Off!!!
I can also leave Data Roaming, Disabled in my area too.
(Manorhamilton, Co. Leitrim). If Three is using the O2 network in your area, you might have to switch roaming on.
Dave
Dear Dave,
Thank you for the detailed explanations!
Indeed the problem was that I was having two IPs. I kept having them until I completely switched off and on the router.
This might have come from the fact that I tested a sim from eir and that I never switched my router off after changing the sim.
Now I have a public IP. And, following your instructions, I got the port forwarded and the ddns setup in no time!
By the way, on the router interface, the data ‘off’, is a button so when you see ‘off’, it means it’s ‘on’, and you can click to turn it ‘off’. (When I do this, my connection is reset and I get a new IP.)
Thanks again,
Cory
Cheers Cory.
No matter how many times we tell other people “just switch it off and on again”, we do forget to do it ourselves.
So that’s a toggle button… Ha!
Duh! Now I deserve a Homer award!
Good luck.
Dave
Yeah, I was using the reboot option from the system menu.
I thought it was cleaner than the hard power off and on…
Thanks!
I recently bought a second hand huawei b315 router to use with a tesco 7.5gb broadband pay as you go sim i had to reboot router as previous owner has lost original password now after entering admin for both user & password i can log in but all the settings have been erased could someone kindly help me with settings to be added to get internet to.work thanks.
These steps are based on the Hauwei B525, but should be similar with the B315:
Profile name: Tesco
User name: admin
Password: admin
APN: tmidata
After a minute or two, it should pick up the signal and automatically connect.
Hi Sean,
Great post. Thanks for taking the time to do it.
I am with virgin mobile. Using a 4G mobile sim on a Huawei B593s-22 router. The default router settings are Auto and password is private.
I can only find an apn for virgin mobile sim and not data sim.
https://www.virginmedia.ie/customer-support/mobile/device-support/?page=device/oneplus/3/topic/mobile-internet-apn/setup-internet-apn-on-your-phone/12
My 4g drops in an out from 10mbs down to 1mbs and none. During the day its constant at 12.
My question is. Are they recognising I am using a mobile sim package on a router and suppressing the signal? Or is this common?
Is there data apn settings for virgin media? I think they use the three network.
I really dont know how they manage to call 10Mbs a 4G service!!! How are they getting away with it.
Virgin media only do a mobile handset SIM from what I can tell, which means they unlikely have any data SIM APN settings. I also don’t recommend trying any other APN entry with a bill pay SIM even if you come across other APN settings. With some networks such as Vodafone and certain Three bill pay SIMs, using the incorrect APN can cause all data to be treated as out-of-bundle, which could run up a massive bill.
As the maximum speed you get is 12Mbps, have a check at the router’s signal information. First check its home screen to make sure it is in 4G mode. Then, go into the top System menu, then into Diagnosis on the left and click Wireless status check. If the RSRP figure is more negative than -102dBm and the RSRQ figure is frequently more negative than -12dB, try moving the router around to improve these figures, i.e. try getting the RSRP within -100dBm and the RSRQ figure within -12dB. The more negative the RSRQ figure, the more interference the router is picking up. In 3G mode, you will see an ECIO reading instead of RSRQ.
Unfortunately, the contention on the Three network is quite severe in some areas, so the speed drops to 1Mbps is most likely due to too many people on the mast or even congestion on its uplink, if the mast is microwave fed. Another option you can try is see how a Three prepay phone SIM performs in the router. This will rule out the Virgin media end completely as although Virgin Media operates on Three’s cellular network, the data splits off separate ways with the core network, similar to with DSL providers.
Hi, Niall
What settings appart from the APN did you configure. Do you virgin Media as an network operator of just the 3 Network?
Thanks Sean, I have an eir data only sim plan sold for use in a dongle but it works fine in a dual SIM phone too when in Ireland.
When ‘free’ data roaming was introduced in 2017 I was not able to get it to work in the phone while roaming. I tried many APNs, visited eir stores and contacted eir support several times. I made a couple of trips to NI to test suggestions. – eir’s bottom line was “that is an old data plan, no longer marketed, very cheap and it does not support roaming”.
Well today, I used one of the APNs you list broadband.myeirmobile.ie (data SIM with Eir branding) and it works on my dual SIM phone while roaming. Thanks
Hi Sean
I wonder if you can help me configure a new 4G lte router I recently purchased on the internet.
I cannot get it configured to my 3 sim – I have tried 3ireland.ie as the APN and also selected the connect while roaming option – and still nothing. I have played about with some of the other settings with no joy.
The thing is my sim connects no probs using an older Mifi device I have – but this is an attempt to upgrade to get a better signal. Sending the router back is not really an option as it came direct from China.
I appreciate any assistance you can give.
Thanks
Have a check what bands the router supports. Unfortunately, many Chinese phones and data devices lack support for 900MHz (3G band 8) and 800MHz (4G band 20), which the Irish networks use extensively in rural areas. 2100MHz (3G band 1) and 1800MHz (4G band 3) are used more in built-up areas.
Unlike DSL routers, generally the APN name, username and password are the only settings required on a cellular router. Pretty much every Three SIM (broadband and phone) will connect with 3ireland.ie or 3internet as the APN and the username/password fields left blank. If it’s an old O2 broadband SIM, you can try open.internet as the APN.
Sean, you are a life saver. I was trying unsuccessfully to use a TESCO phone SIM in my HUAWEI B525 router. The APN was automatically set to tmidata but it was not working. I changed it to tescomobile.liffeytelecom.com and hey presto it works perfectly.
Thanks, Tom
Hi Seán,
I just wrote an epic post but the bloody thing didn’t send, was told its spam!!!
Anyway, first off thanks for the site, its brilliant. My issue is I bought an outdoor router, with very good reviews on Amazon and elsewhere see below:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/YF-P11K-outdoor-3g-4g-CPE-and-indoor-AP-with-WIFI-function/32820615371.html
I put it up on a 20 ft pole beside my mobile home in Wexford, tried inputting the APN for a Vodafone X sim, unlimited weekend data. Tried every combination imaginable, called Vodafone informing me it will not work, unless its a vodafone router.. but was offered the APN settings ‘live.vodafone.com, user- dublin, password – dublin, authentication – PAP’ they also gave proxy and port, but I don’t think this is needed, cant find it on the router anyway.
Have you any suggestion before my wife calls Tusla for strangling my 4 kids 😉
Yours Faithfully,
Internetless Pat
Make sure the version you received is the version with 800MHz support. They mention an optional version on the page, which lacks the 800MHz band that Vodafone uses. I am not familiar with that unit, so am not sure what settings to try. Generally the APN setting is the only thing that needs configuring and the username/password fields left blank. Check that it shows it is on the Vodafone network with a signal or dB strength reading. If it says “No Signal”, “No Service” or similar, then it probably lacks the 800MHz band or the Vodafone network is rejecting it for some reason.
Try the SIM again in a phone to check that data works fine in 4G mode. If it now only connects in 3G mode but connected in 4G before, then it’s likely the Vodafone network has blocked the SIM from its 4G network (it’s happened on me before). In this case you’ll need to contact Vodafone to re-enable 4G on the SIM and keep the SIM in the phone until it connects in 4G first.
If you need post here or anywhere else, I always recommend writing it up in Word or Notepad first as the spam filters have got very strict lately.
Hi Seán,
Thanks so much, I tried as you suggested but no joy. I took the sim out and put in a phone and it picked up 4G immediately. There’s literally no signal when placed in the unit.
As you say it could be the version of unit, I emailed them to confirm, in the meantime I’ll try another sim. I have a spare meteor one I can test.
Thanks again.
Hi Pat,
Sorry tob comment on an old post but wondering if you ever got anywhere with this? I have a prepay sim in a vodafone huawei router and receiving signal, but no internet.
Thanks
Kate
Hi Seán,
In your experience which sim would be the most convenient to use, with little obstacles by the providor..I see 24 months( go conquer) on 3 network might be an option.. Or Postmobile, the only 3rd party that Vodafone allow on their network.
What’s your favourite/workable choice please?
Cheers,
Pat
I’m not sure what you mean by obstacles. If you mean by the cheapest for light or occasional use, Postmobile would be the one to go for. E.g. a 1GB add-on costs €5 and lasts 60 days. A 35 minutes or 35 texts add-on costs €3 and lasts 60 days. All three add up to €11, which works out at €5.50 per month for light use: https://postmobile.ie/add-ons/ The 48-Month network would be the next cheapest at €10 for 3GB, 60 landline & 300 mobile minutes and unlimited texts per month. Both virtual networks only provide 3G (HSPA+) access, which I wouldn’t worry too much given how congested the 4G network is in some areas, especially on the Three network.
If you need mobile data, you’ll need to buy a data bundle regardless of the mobile provider. They all charge at least 10c/MB out-of-bundle which will gobble up credit, such as by an app or website displaying a video ad. If you need tethering support (sharing data to a laptop, tablet, etc.), avoid Lycamobile and Vodafone. Lyca blocks tethering and Vodafone prepay charges for tethering with iPhones and many Android 7+ handsets. From what I’m aware of, Three, Eir and the other virtual networks work fine with tethering.
Hi Sean, thanks for the info, I set up my Huawei router with my three sim but I was thinking of trying the eir one as they have improved their data, just wondering if it’s possible to set up with it? Above it seems to say it can’t but not sure if that has changed
Th aks
I recently tested Eir’s new phone SIM in a router and it works with the “data.myeirmobile.ie” APN. It also worked fine with the “broadband.mymeteor.ie” APN that my Huawei B525 router set by default.
When you get the SIM, place it in a phone and turn the phone’s data off. The SIM splits up into nano and micro segments and snap back together to form the full size again. Send the text ’20 calls and data’ to 50104 before topping it up by €20. Don’t turn data on until you get a text confirming the plan is active. I suggest waiting until the phone goes into 4G mode (which can take an hour) before transferring the SIM to your router.
Hi Seán,
Have you tried gomo.ie yet. I use an Eir payg sim in my router. Speeds are good, usually 20 down and up. Seems a good deal, Especially for the first 100k customers.
As GoMo was launched today (15th October 2018 at time of writing) and must be ordered online, I don’t think anyone has actually tried the service at this time of posting. However, I reckon it will work much like a SIM from Eir’s own network, particularly since the data fair use policy is identical.
I am curious to see how the other networks react, particularly as it includes 4G access. For example, PostMobile and LycaMobile don’t offer 4G and Tesco Mobile only offers 4G on its €15/month plan. Then again, it depends how quickly GoMo gets its 100,000 customers and what rates it intends charging afterwards. Going by their equivalent service in France (Free Mobile), they charge €10/month for the first year, then €20/month afterwards.
My main concern would be how well Eir’s network copes with the additional data traffic. Unlike Three and Vodafone, Eir mainly uses Band 20 masts in rural towns and villages. Three and Vodafone have a lot more 4G+ (Band 3 + 20) masts, which offer three times the bandwidth. Unless Eir get busy adding band 3 to its 4G masts, I reckon their network is going to face severe contention in the coming months.
Hi Sean,
I ordered a Gomo sim recently and everything is working great in the phone.
I had the idea to insert the sim into my huawei router, but it is asking me for simlock code and says that if I enter the incorrect code 10x, the device will be locked.
It tells me I need to contact my service provider for the code. As the router was initially purchased from Vodafone as part of my broadband contract, I contacted them. They say that they are only able to provide me with this code on mobile plans and not broadband plans?
I contacted Huawei, but they refer me back to the ISP.
I am currently using the phone as a wifi hotspot, but would love to use the sim to its full potential as the router definately gets better signal and handles the amount of users connected better than the phone does.
Is there anyway work around in the router setting for this or do you know how I can get a hold of the simlock code.
Many thanks in advance.
Did you try putting the sim into the phone and turning off the need for a pin code? Maybe I’m picking you up wrong in what your problem is now so sorry if I am but I had an isdue something like that and that’s how I fixed it.
Unfortunately, none of the service providers provide an unlock code for their mobile routers or hotspots, just for mobile phones only. The only way to unlock them is with modified firmware, which is risky and involves disassembling the router and requires a USB A-A cable (same USB plug on both ends). You can try searching YouTube for videos showing the unlocking process and links to modified firmware.
Instead, I recommend getting a used or refurbished unlocked router such as the following, which will work with Eir:
https://smile.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07ZFVMJN4
Did you get a Credit Card Sized Card from GOMO when you got the SIM?
Usually, it’s about the size of a credit card, and you can extract out a full size SIM, Micro Sim, or Nano SIM, from the card, depending on what you need to put it in.
On that Card, is your PIN, and the PUK code (in case you lock the Card with the wrong PIN).
If you don’t have that, you may need to go back to GOMO and ask them for a new SIM.
Hi there,
I am trying to connect an old Nokia 6310i to the internet (GPRS) I am currently with Eir. Do you know what settings i need? I can post the headings etc within the menu if it’s something you or your readers thing they can have a crack at.
Kind Regards
Hi Jimmy, I still use a 6310i and 6210 as second and third phones. I know nothing about its internet capability but would not expect you could get anything useful. The 6310i was sold from 2002 to 2005 and networks, web sites and browsers changed dramatically in the 15 years since.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nokia_6310i
Hi paul, Thanks for the info. I actually have this phone years but time I used it probably 2008 I remember the gprs internet worked on it. It’s just bugging me know that I can’t seem to get it to connect to eir internet, I have the little G in the top left corner when it’s trying to connect but it says connection timed out then
hi there, I switched to Gomo last week, number ported over fine, I can make and received calls, but cant get data or use internet unless on wifi. I have tried to contact them on chat and they gave me new apn settings, they don’t work. im stumped. even did a factory reset on my galaxy a7. any idea? thanks
The only APN setting that’s required to connect on GoMo is the APN field, which is data.mymeteor.ie. Just make sure this APN is ticked on the main APNs list.
The only other thing I can suggest is try a factory reset without restoring anything to see if it connects, again making sure the data.mymeteor.ie APN is ticked in the APNS list. I came across this post with a similar issue:
https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=111610321&postcount=134
Hi, I’m trying to set-up my Gomo sim with TP-link 4G lte router. I can’t seem to connect to the Internet.
Thanks David
I haven’t used a TP-Link 4G router to date, so am not familiar with the menu. Try finding a page for setting the APN and try either data.myeirmobile.ie or data.mymeteor.ie Set the Network mode to Auto and the APN type to static. Username and password fields should be blank.
Try the SIM also in a phone just to make sure data works. I know someone who received an inactive SIM and had to contact GoMo to activate it.
This worked for me Sean, much appreciated – thank you!
Any luck david . I’m just going to attempt it now
Hi. Would any of you know why my gomo SIM card in a d link router works in cork city but when I take the router to my mother’s house in the country the internet will not work. Full reception.
Hi, we will be renting a place for 2 months not far from my parents, over dec and jan. Blackrock, Dublin.
What is the best Modem/non contract or contract sim combi I can use for internet usage (4 teens :0 ) lots of netflix viewing and social media etc. (don’t mind contract as we are looking to buy and can continue to use it at a later date until we get a more permanent set up)
is this option workable for what we are trying to do?
the Candywifi and others like it are horrendously expensive to use the way we need to use it.
thank you!
I suggest getting the modem and SIM separate, as this will avoid any long term contract. For the router, I suggest getting a mains-powered desktop router such as the Huawei B315 or B525. These cost around £100-£150 on Amazon and look and work much like a traditional Internet router. The B525 is a higher end model with 4G+ and 802.11ac Wi-Fi.
If you have an Irish bank account with online banking, I suggest getting a Three voice SIM, which you can pick up at a three shop. These cost €20 and come with 28 days of unlimited data. The SIM will work in the router and shouldn’t need any configuration with the Huawei B315 or B525 models, i.e. just insert the SIM and switch on. After 28 days, you’ll get an “Out of credit” webpage, in which case you send a €20 top-up from your online banking to the SIM’s # to activate another 28 days.
If you have an unlocked smartphone, you can use it as a trial run before purchasing the router, i.e. purchase the Three SIM and put it in your phone. If Netflix streams fine in the evening, you can then order the router. I heard some who only use their phone for Internet, i.e. run it as a hotspot, however, this may not work well with 4 devices and the connection may be interrupted each time you make or receive a call due to Voice using the 2G/3G network.
Thanks for great advice and clear instructions. I just bought a Huawei B525 and was having difficulty getting a foreign SIM to work in it. I accessed the B525 from desktop and following your advice I figured out the APN was incorrect. The mistake I made was to try setting up the APN for the network the SIM is roaming on – in this case Vodafone – instead of setting up the APN for the foreigh provider of the SIM. Once I set up the recommended profile for the SIM provider all worked well. So far B525 is great and probably more than I need and it claims to take up to 64 users.
First… great site and advice above. Thank you for your service to the community.
Complex enough setup but working fine, apart from one thing…. that I’m hoping you can help with.
Do you know what the 3internet apn dhcp servers are?
(An internal device needs to know that so the service don’t keep dropping out every hour while it tries to renew its lease)
Thanks
I have a tp link router and a gomo SIM card it won’t work though Is there a way of changing some setting or something to get it to work together or do gomo sims not work in routers?
In the TP-Link router’s web interface, go into Network, then Pin Management in the left menu (this may vary depending on the router model). Type in your GoMo SIM pin number and tick “Auto-unlock PIN upon Power-on:”, then Apply.
If your router doesn’t have somewhere to put in the PIN #, put the SIM into a mobile phone and go into the phone’s security settings to turn off the SIM pin. On my HTC U11 phone (Android 9), this is in Settings -> Security -> Advanced -> SIM card lock -> Untick “Lock SIM card”.
After this, it should be just a matter of going into Network -> LTE Dial Up in the left menu, then set the APN to data.mymeteor.ie and Save.
Thanks very much for that I’ve done the first bit but I can’t change the dial up setting but it’s in faded writing uneditable if you understand me? Any other advice?
Try clicking the ‘Create’ button to see if it will let you create a new profile. Set the Profile Name to GoMo, APN to data.mymeteor.ie, Authentication Type to PAP, leave the other fields unchanged and Save. On the main LTE Dial Up screen, choose “GoMo” in the ‘Profile Name:’ drop-down field and Save.
If it let you create that profile and still does not connect, you can try ‘None’ for the Authentication or data.myeirmobile.ie for the APN field.
Thanks a million. That’s seems to have worked for me now. Unfortunately the Signal isn’t great but that’s nothing to do with settings I don’t think.
Hi Séan,
I had difficulty in setting a tplink MR 6400 router to use 3G only as that’s what my local mast supports. Got it to work with your suggestion to create GoMo profile above. The router worked fine on normal settings for a 4G mast but would not work by just changing the 4G to 3G. Only worked when I created the GoMo profile.
Thanks for the tip
Very helpful. Got GoMo sim working in this router (TIANJIE 4G Wifi Router mini router 3G 4G Lte Wireless Portable Pocket https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32813214067.html) I purchased on AliExpress thanks to the comments on here.
Congratulations on a fantastic site .. I’m using a three mobile sim in a 525 router and it’s working brilliantly. The problem I have is that I simply cannot get email to send on my desktop in Outlook (I can receive mail)? I have tried everything .. changing smtp .. ASN on router but nothing works .. any ideas? Many thanks
You will need to get the SMTP server name from your e-mail provider. In the past, it was possible to send e-mail using the ISP’s own SMTP server, however, most ISPs including Three have shutdown their SMTP server, mainly due to being abused by spam. You can try using the incoming POP3 server as the SMTP server with “Requires Authentication” checked.
If you are using a Gmail account, the SMTP settings are here:
https://support.google.com/mail/answer/7104828
Hi Sean,
Thanks so much for your fast reply! I didn’t mention it’s an eircom email.. so presuming I’ll just have to just bite the bullet and set up a new email. Do you think gmail will have any SMTP issues? Thanks again
I strongly recommend changing to another provider as soon as you can as Eir plan charging €5.99/month for the Eircom e-mail service from the 31st March:
https://www.dublinlive.ie/news/dublin-news/eir-email-webmail-charge-broadband-17684066
I can confirm that Gmail works fine with both Outlook and Thunderbird over the Three network as my e-mail account is with Gmail. It’s also a lot simpler to configure as both have the IMAP and SMTP settings built-in for Gmail. When you add a new e-mail account to either, it will just ask to type your username and password, Gmail will ask to confirm that your are adding a new e-mail client and then it’s set up and ready to use.
Thanks again Sean for all the info.. a new gmail account is definitely on my to do list! Just a pain when you’ve used a personal email address for so long with so many apps and accounts .. but I’ll have have to begin to change them all one by one.. No way I’m going to pay over €70 per year for a service that’s not fit for purpose
Great Info again Sean…
I find the using a three phone SIM handy. 750GB data, port forwarding unblocked.
Get what you are saying about 4G congestion… Set a modem to 3G only last month, and it got 4 times the speed.
I use Lyca for some farm cameras.
Slow, a pain to set up, but cheap.
Didn’t know postmobile was that economical!
Must give it a go for data!
Thanks again!
Anyone know apn settings for Vodafones V sim?
Supposed to work with CCTV systems.
Anyone know the apn settings for vodafone V sim? The sim for cameras.
From the information I could find, Vodafone appears to use the same International V SIM across its global network. The APN settings are as follows:
APN: ciot.vodafone.com
Username: vodafone
Password: vodafone
MCC: 901
MNC: 28
Authentication method: PAP
APN type: default,supl
Roaming: Yes
According to Vodafone’s T&C’s, the SIM will not work in unauthorised devices, which likely includes dongles, routers, etc. Going by this page, it needs to be set up with its V Vodafone App to activate the device, which I presume whitelists it on the network.
Hi Sean,
Wonder if you can help please. Got a replacement broadband (tends n300 4g lte) and sim from rural wifi yesterday and was instructed to allow 8 hours to get connected.
The sim has connection but The router was still missing apn settings and was not connecting. Today, I tried to insert 3ireland.ie in apn field but that didnt connect either when attempting to connect with that profile. Is there more I need to do?
Thanks.
SA
It has been a while since I heard from anyone using rural Wi-Fi, so am not sure if they are still using Three’s APN. With most LTE routers, when you create a new APN profile, you need to select that profile on the connection settings. If your router’s web interface has a Wizard, you can try going through that as it should let you choose the APN profile you created. Choose ‘LAN Mode’ as the Ethernet type if it asks. Turn on the Roaming setting as Rural Wi-Fi is a mobile virtual network operator.
A few other APNs you can try are 3internet, internet and open.internet For example, before iD Mobile closed down, its mobile broadband used “internet” as the APN with the Three network. If you end up needing to contact Rural Wi-Fi’s support, it would be great if you can let me know the APN they use now and I will add it above.
You’re a gent for replying thank you. I will try those out and will let you know on the outcome.
Stay safe.
Youre a gentleman. Helped a lot more than gomo themselves.
Have a nice day!
Last month I got a Three “all you can eat” broadband SIM for my Huawei B818 router. Dropping the SIM into the router it defaulted to APN “open.internet”.
My online records on Three.ie are peculiar, indicating that I haven’t used any of my 750GB data allowance in the past month. However, and while my router connection has generally been 4G/LTE, on my account there is a long list of “unbilled events” for “GPRS” data service events (charge EU 0). These correspond to my data usage.
Thinking something might be misconfigured, I phoned Three and their help-desk:
— confirmed that “open.internet” is the correct APN to use, and
— noted that all data usage gets recorded as “GPRS” data service events. This seems an odd way to record: is it what people generally see in the accounting?
Thanks Sean for your very informative website. I’m in rural South West with marginal outside mobile coverage. The router is inside at an upstairs window and gets a poor/fair 4G (Band 20) signal, but enough for 5-10Mb (which is pretty good considering that Three’s maps say there’s no “4G” coverage).
I tried Vodafone, which had a slightly better coverage here but kept dropping. Also, with my router there was a Double NAT problem on the Vodafone network that could only be resolved by using a VPN.
Hey does anyone know if vodafone x will work in a tp link mr6400 I tried it but it not connecting to the Internet and I looked online for a apn. Thanks
The APN is live.vodafone.com. I saw a few mention on Boards that Vodafone seems to be blocking its new Unlimited Vodafone X prepay SIMs from working in a router or with tethering. My best guess would be that they are either blocking by DNS or checking the TTL. You can try setting your PC’s DNS to 1.1.1.1 (Primary) and 1.0.0.1 (Secondary).
Thanks for the reply I haven’t a laptop or pc cud I try changing it on the tp link settings. Thanks
GoMo Network
I just bought an LG mobile phone from Hong Kong to use with GoMo network, calls/texts no problem, mobile data not working.
APN not set so I entered “data.mymeteor.ie” but still no luck however I did get it to work using “hicard”
Hope that helps someone,
Later,
P.
Hi Sean,
Sorry if you have already answered this question before. I have a vodafone B528 router and I got a new vodafone phone SIM with the PAYG Smart Extra €20 per moth for 20GB. When I put the SIM into the router what do I need to change the APN to?
Thanks
Mark
For a Vodafone phone SIM, the APN needs to be set to live.vodafone.com
Thanks – I was at a loss as to why this my mobile sim wouldn’t work in the router, now sorted!
Thanks Sean. All up and running now.
Hi Sean,
I came across this article “https://kenstechtips.com/index.php/sim-cards-for-your-tablet-dongle-router-or-iot-device” which suggests Ofcom in the UK has enforced the EU’s Open Internet Access Regulation which says that mobile networks shouldn’t discriminate based on the device or the equipment you’re using to access their network. I was wondering why that has not been enforced in Ireland or if you would be aware of any plans to do so or if this is something you would know about?
Thanks
Tom.
Interesting point from Tom Finnerty above. I have a GoMo sim in a router in Cavan along the Fermanagh border. All winter it picked up a signal from a mast in Belturbet. For the last 3 months it wont work unless I change the setting to allow mobile data and it picks up the signal from Fermanagh. This does not happen to my phone as it can still get a signal from the Belturbet 3G mast. I have an external aerial on the router pointing in the direction of the Belturbet mast. I was wondering if GoMo can “interfere” with the sim in the router to make this happen!
Anybody have similar issue?
Hello! I unlocked my HUAWEI B528 broadband router last night (the new Vodafone app now has an option to request the NAC on the home screen, I received the NAC instantly). I want to know can an Eir Sim with unlimited data be used in it or have they restrictions in place? I would look to get the Eir €9.99 sim only plan for 12 months. I take it there are settings to update?
Hi Neil, I have an unlocked B528 and both Eir and Three sims work in it without any adjustments, only Vodafone needed adjustment for me.
Hi Sean,
I have a few 3 sims running in Huawei B593s-12 speedport lteII routers. Never any problems until now. I tried to get another working and got a phone sim and it would not work in a known working router, but it would work in a phone. So I then got a 3 Data sim and had the same issues. I changed a working sim out and popped in new sim but no joy.
I tried all the recommended apn changes but can’t get them to work.
Any ideas greatly appreciated.
I wonder if Three did something with its new SIMs that require a specific APN. It’s been a while since I configured a B593, but from what I recall, the APN configuration required two steps – First to create an APN profile and second step is to choose that APN profile in the connection settings. By default, the router chooses the SIM’s default APN, so even though the new SIM is also a Three SIM, it may have chosen the default APN while that new SIM was inserted and then reverted back to what was chosen for the previous SIM once the SIMs were swapped back.
Make sure the router also shows a signal with the new SIM. If it showing no signal/service, try changing the network mode to Auto or 3G temporarily. I had issues in the past where I had to let my router connect in 3G mode first before it would allow a connection in 4G mode, i.e. forcing 4G-only would prevent it connecting at all.
If the new SIM has a PIN, I suggest using a phone to disable the PIN on the SIM. I’m not sure if the speedport version of the B593s can handle a SIM pin.
You have a great memory. You have to add a new apn then go out and select it. It shows good signal but no Internet and when you select a different apn it comes up with a no connection error. It has a sim pin section and apparently a default pin is 0000 but I’m not sure on this.
It seamed to accept it but still no Internet.
I’ve used two new 3 phone sims in Huawei B535’s this week with no issues.
Hello Sean, You seem to know a lot about Mobile Broadband. I would be so grateful if you or other contributors could help me … I have been pulling my hair out trying to set up port forwarding on my Huawei b525 s-23a router to communicate between my NVR cctv box and my computer / Mob phone. I went through previous advice given to others on this and other blogs but to no avail. virtual server correctly set up, upnp set up, http ports set up correctly etc. on “canyouseeme.org”, my designated nvr and cctv http ports are open. apn set to 3ireland. ddns with no-ip setup. public ip on the router and on the website are the same. I have gone through many youtube and web information sites. My only conclusion was that 3.ie was cgnat. However, why are my designated NVR and cctv ports displayed as “open” on the canyouseeme website?. Also some people on the comments section seem to have successfully set up port forwarding with their devices. Why is 3.ie mobile port forwarding not working for me? Reception with 3 is excellent and everything else works great!!. Hope you can give me some advice … much appreciated!!
The Three network is unfortunately gradually moving areas to carrier grade NAT, however, based on what you mention, it looks like you still have a public IP address.
When you test the port forwarding, are you using another ISP? From my own past testing, incoming connections do not work within the Three network. If you were trying to connect with a mobile on the Three network or someone else’s Three broadband connection, this will unlikely work. In this case, connect to a VPN and try connecting to your home network. You can use the free VPN in the Ookla Speedtest App if you don’t have a subscription. This will start the connection from outside the Three network. Alternatively try connecting from another ISP such as a fixed line broadband connection.
thanks sean for your prompt reply. actually after i messaged you, i connected to my other huawei router which has a 48 sim card. thankfully everything worked perfectly. So your advice confirmed what i had done wrong. For 3 days i was trying the external ip/dns address through the same router i set up for my cams and nvr and even though the ports were shown as “open”, the nvr and cam addresses would not open on the web browser. Thanks again Sean … We need more technically minded people such as you, who know what they are talking about!! i have kept away from fixed line subscription broadband, and up until now, i have been extremely happy with mobile broadband pay as you go. Unfortunately cctv and other server port access seems to be the one big problem with mobile broadband. 48 months (48.ie) is great value at the moment at 7.99 pm .. 100gb monthly data allowance, unlimited voice and sms. however, the ports are all closed as it apparently uses cgnat. this is why i switched back to my old 3.ie sim card after reading some of the comments on your blog. Thankfully it was the right decision. 48 can still be used to receive the NVR data on another modem or mob phone.
To continue from my previous message … besides 3 ireland mobile (3.ie), are there any other mobile carriers in ireland that still have open ports or have they all gone cgnat ( closed port) ? I would imagine that this would be devastating for farmers and other people who rely on cctv mobile internet connections. Trying to connect a fixed line broadband connection to a remote cow shed, or warehouse would not be practical if not impossible in many cases!!
I’m not aware of any other mobile provider that offers a public IP address or port forwarding. In the worst case scenario that Three moves your account to CGNAT, there are two other options I can think of. The first requires purchasing a mini PC (around £150), but has no ongoing cost, whereas the second option involves signing up to a third party static IP address provider:
Option 1 – Install a mini PC that you can remote desktop access to. These are about the size of two slices of bread and run most applications that work on a basic Windows 10 laptop. Install Chrome Remote Desktop, which just requires a Gmail account to configure. It works over a CGNAT, so does not need any open port. To access your CCTV, you can remotely access the mini PC with the Chrome Remote Desktop app on another PC, phone or Tablet, then access the CCTV from there.
Option 2 – VPN with a static IP – Works like a privacy VPN, but assigns a static IP address instead of a shared IP and allows port forwarding. You would need a router capable of automatically connecting to a VPN (the Huawei B525 and newer routers have built-in support for L2TP and PPTP VPNs), which you can then port forward to the CCTV or other device to provide remote access to. You would just need to make sure the VPN provider forwards the ports you need access to.
Hi Sean,
Perhaps you can help me with the following problem. I am using my gomo sim in my Huawei B818-263 (IMEI867193041846143) router. Surfing on the internet is fine. But my telephone that I plugged into the router doesn’t work. It is working with sim cards from other providers. Any idea why it is not working with gomo? Any suggestions? Thanks, Bert
I’m not fully sure either, unless the mobile network is not recognising it as being voice capable. You can try setting the router to 3G only temporary to see if it will call out. I do know that setting it to 4G only will prevent the phone port from working as the router needs to switch to 3G whenever a call takes place.
Just in case there’s a problem with the voice service on the SIM, try the SIM in a phone to see it will call out.
Thanks Sean. It still doesn’t work. I have a house and a farm at different places. At home only Eir is working, at the farm only Vodafone. So I have to work with two subscriptions, which is very expensive. At the moment I am using T-mobile from the Netherlands. When I am at home and put the sim in the router it works for Data and fixed telephone, at the farm as well. The only problem is that in the Netherlands there is no data limit, outside 25GB. Watching Netflix, it’s gone in a week time. It’s a pity that there is no Irish provider that offers the same service when you go from one place to another that you automaticly jump from e.g. Eir to Vodafone. It is also strange that when I place my Gomo sim, which is served by Eir, in my router at home that I can only use data and can’t make calls throuhg my fixed telephone. When I place my T-mobile sim, which is locally also served by Eir, I can do both wihout any problem. I don’t see the logic. Do you? Kind regards, Bert
It makes me wonder if GoMo blocks the voice functionality on their their SIMs when placed in a non mobile handset. It’s quite possible they do this to prevent what’s called SIM box fraud, i.e. where someone runs a call provider using multiple SIMs with unlimited call plans to route incoming international calls as local calls over the mobile network.
Hi Sean, im trying to use a anpost mobile sim unlimited data plan €15 in my huawei b525s-23a router, doesnt seem to work also strangely if I try to put this sim in my dual sim phone with another card it won’t work, but does work if its the only sim? I’m hoping its just apn settings?
For the router, it’s likely just an APN setting. Add a new profile with isp.postfone.ie in the APN field. Leave the rest of the fields unchanged and then select it from the “Profile name:” drop-down field and apply. I have used a Post Mobile SIM in a B525s-23a successfully before, but it’s been about a year and no longer have a Post Mobile SIM handy to check again.
I’m not sure about about the dual SIM phone, unless it’s trying to use the other SIM for data. With most dual SIM phones, there’s a menu to select which SIM to use for calls, texts and data. Check also that mobile data is turned on when both SIMs are in. I also suggest checking the APN settings in case it’s trying to connect with the APN settings of the other SIM, i.e. that the chosen Access Point Name shows isp.postfone.ie.
Thanks Sean I tried changing the apn settings today and it works now , simple when you know how, I thought that the sim card was protected in some way from. Me using it in a router, I’ve been paying 3 €40 per month for a mobile broadband service for the last 2 years and its been terrible, average less than 1mb, the vodaphone/anpost is slightly quicker but will save me €25 per month, we can’t get fiber where we live and also in a bit of a hollow for good signal, once again Thank you for your help.
Hi there, absolutely excellent references on this site, used it many times but now have my own question.
I have a huawei b535-235, the one with the telephone port. I’ve got it up and running, connected many devices to it, but cannot seem to get the landline operational. I’ve tried 2 different phones, but no luck on dialling. The sim is Gomo 9.99 a month. So is there some sort of block on router/landline calling, or am I just not very good at this? One more quick question if I may. Is there a proven sim only plan that has all you can eat data that can be put in a router AND allows a connected rj11 landline? I apologise if I haven’t made complete sense. Or any sense
Thanking you kindly.
Unfortunately, it looks like Eir/GoMo blocked the voice capability on their SIMs when not in a mobile handset. Another user Bert ran into the same issue a few posts above where their GoMo SIM would not call out either in their router. However, when they try their Dutch SIM, it calls out fine despite roaming on the Eir network.
I have been able to call out with a Three SIM, so a 48 SIM may also work. If there is a VoIP section in the router’s web interface, another option would be to sign up to a VoIP service, which would give you a landline # and would work over the telephone port. IrishVoip (link) charges about €25 per year for the service which includes a phone #. Their calls rates are 2c/min to landline and 5c/min to mobile #s. I use Goldfish for my landline #. It’s a little more expensive at €5+VAT/month, 1c to 2c/min (offpeak/peak) to landlines, but never had any downtime since joining them a few years ago.
Thanks so much for the detailed reply, really appreciate it. The good thing is that it is easy enough to try sims out for a month. There is a VoIP interface thingy but haven’t looked in to it as yet. Incidentally, and not sure if I can mention it, but the b535 is a good price on Spanish Amazon at the mo. If I can’t, apologies. Thanks again, stay safe.
I am dealing with the same problem Sean and I am also using the Gomo sim in my router. I tried almost everything but it doesn’t work. I am also using a Vodafone sim with mobile broadband and call credit on it. That works perfectly in my Huawei B818-263 router. I don’t have clue why the Gomo-sim isn’t working.
Kind regards,
Bert
Hi Sean, over the past week or so I’m noticing vast download speed differences between the Eir contract SIM and the Eir phone SIM, when put in a 4G modem.
Examples are Eir contract SIM – ~8Mbps. Phone SIM – ~40Mbps
Other location(different customer) Eir contract SIM – ~8Mbps. Phone SIM – ~28Mbps. The contract speeds are much more volatile and can be below 1Mbps at times during the day.
The Eir contract SIM also has a much higher ping than the phone sim. ~50 vs ~20 for the phone SIM.
I’m hoping this is a short term issue as it’s causing me a lot of issues as I install antennas for 4G customers.
It looks like Eir has traffic shaping on its mobile broadband SIMs as a few others have run into the same issue. Even GoMo SIMs are reportedly performing a lot better, with a few examples posted in this forum thread. As you’ll see in the thread, I tried getting one person to check the cell #s, APN settings, etc. but he ended up cancelling his contract SIM within the cooling off period. It is like Eir’s mobile broadband is falsely treating traffic as having exceeded the fair use allowance.
Thanks Sean.
I wonder if what Eir are doing would be an issue with ComReg? It’s a bit of a disaster.
Hi Sean,
Great resource. I’m wondering if you’ve come across something like this before. I just got a Postmobile SIM on the 15EUR unlimited plan and put it in and old Android handset (Moto G3) I have, planning to use the hotspot for wi-fi. The connection speed is good when I use the browser or speed test on the phone, but when I connect to the hotspot, I can’t get any data to work. The connection to the wi-fi is sound and I can ping the phone, but I can’t connect to the internet at all. Have you seen this before? I’m wondering if it could be APN related. I am using the APN settings that An Post has on their site (isp.postmobile.ie, MCC 272, MNC 01), but no joy. I know the hotspot is configured properly, because I was just using a 48 and Virgin sim in it and was getting internet okay.
Interestingly, it also won’t connect to 4G, and just stays on H. Regardless the speed is quite decent and about twice as fast as 48 and Virgin were giving me.
When Android sets up a Hotspot connection, it uses whichever APN entry has ‘dun’ or ‘DUN’ in the APN type field, which means Dial-Up Networking. Go into your Post Mobile APN settings and add “,DUN” to the APN type field. For example, if the field has “default,supl” change it to “default,supl,DUN”. With Vodafone prepay SIMs, this is necessary to prevent the phone using the SIM’s separate undeletable APN that Vodafone uses to charge for Hotspot usage (the only network in Ireland that does).
Wow, you know your stuff. That did the trick. Thanks a million.