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[cancunia]

I bought a used B535-232 yesterday and have been pleasantly surprised by the internet speeds on a Lebara SIM but for some reason my ID Mobile SIM won't work. The router says that there's no SIM. ID Mobile have agreed to send me a new SIM, but as the old one works fine in my phone, I wondered if there's anything odd about ID SIMs.

It should work according to:

https://kenstechtips.com/index.php/sim-cards-for-your-tablet-dongle-router-or-iot-device

"Until 2018, the terms and conditions on many mobile phone SIM cards would prevent you from using the SIM card in devices other than a mobile phone. However, this changed in 2018 as Ofcom ruled that this was a breach of net neutrality as defined in the Open Internet Access Regulation:"

[meritez]

Could the B535 be blacklisted on 3?

[cancunia]

Could the B535 be blacklisted on 3?

I also have a Three SIM that seems to work, there's no credit on the SIM so can'y fully test it but the router recognises the SIM, whereas the ID SIM just gives a 'no SIM inserted' message. The B535 was used by Three as their main 4G router for a while, but that would have had some Three branded firmware.

[Alex Atkin UK]

You may have to activate it in a phone first.  I couldn't get the Three SIM to work until I did that.

[cancunia]

You may have to activate it in a phone first.  I couldn't get the Three SIM to work until I did that.

Sorry for any confusion I've caused.
The Three SIM is just for testing and has no data or mins credit. It's the iD Mobile SIM that I want to get working in the router, it's working fine in my phone.
I have another iD SIM arriving shortly & will try that, then report back.

Update:
Totally impressed that iD Mobile sent me a new SIM that arrived next day. Activated the SIM in my phone , but unfortunately, still no luck with the new SIM in the router. It may be an APN thing, but there's no possibility to add or change the APN info with the iD SIM in the router. I'll keep looking for a solution.

[Alex Atkin UK]

If you can't change the APN then that would suggest its a locked-down firmware.  It should be in Network Settings, Internet Connection, Profiles.

I'm using the CPE Pro 2 H122-373 and that let's you change the APN.  Even the one locked/branded to Three lets me add my own APN.

[cancunia]

The APN setting is only not possible with the iD SIM inserted, I can add APNs while using the other SIMs. Apparently, locked routers pop up an unlock menu if you put in a different SIM. I've bought a second B353, the second one is a B535-333 which has an RJ-11 socket for a phone in addition to the 4 RJ-45 LAN sockets. The second router will not arrive before next week so I'll keep investigating the original in the mean time.

All the indications are that the router does not recognise the iD SIM at all. When comparing the iD SIM with the others, the iD SIM has a larger centre section. While it seems unlikely, I'm now wondering if the SIM doesn't make proper contact inside the router.  I tried the iD SIM in my Proroute 4G router and it works fine. Apparently I can get another SIM FoC at Currys and may try that next time I'm in town. 

[meritez]

Over on the Mikrotik forums, there's a recommendation to back the simcard with tape etc to ensure contact is made.

[cancunia]

Over on the Mikrotik forums, there's a recommendation to back the simcard with tape etc to ensure contact is made.

Thanks for the info, was it this thread:
https://forum.mikrotik.com/viewtopic.php?p=935784&hilit=sim+card+tape#p935784

I get exactly the same indications with no SIM card in the router so am guessing that either the iD SIM is somehow invalid or simply not seen by the router.
The second router has just arrived so will try that one next.

Update:
My iD SIM works without any problems (so far) in the B535-333, the differences between the 2 are that the 333 uses a 'nano' SIM as opposed to the 'micro' in the 232 and possibly more relevant is that the 333 is on V11 firmware as opposed to V10 on the 232.

[Alex Atkin UK]

Yeah I think there was an update of the encryption scheme or something on later 4G SIM cards, could be the 232 is too old to support it?  Although I might be thinking of changes from 3G to 4G tbh, its so long ago now.

[cancunia]

Huawei tell me that the latest firmware version for the B535-232 is V11, mine is on V10. The challenge will be to find a genuine V11 to put into the 232. Huawei also told me that, based on the serial number, it's a Three router, so I'll see what Three have to say about getting me a copy of the firmware.
I've read elsewhere that V11 disables some of the band selection features in V10 so I might just leave it as it is and sell it:
https://www.ispreview.co.uk/talk/threads/b535-three-firmware-update.38149/