RM520N GL User Guide

Overview

RM520N-GL is a 5G sub-6GHz module designed for IoT/EMBB applications. Adopts the 3GPP Release16 technology and supports 5G non-standalone (NSA) and standalone (SA) modes. Designed in an M.2 form factor, RM520N-GL is compatible with Quectel RM50xQ 5G module, LTE-A Cat 6 module EM06, Cat 12 modules EM12/EM12xR/EM121R-GL, and Cat 16 module EM160R-GL, which facilitate the migration from LTE-A to 5G. This industrial-grade module is for industrial and commercial applications.

The RM520N-GL series nearly covers all the mainstream carriers worldwide. Integrated GNSS receiver (supports GPS, GLONASS, BDS, and Galileo) greatly simplifies the product design and makes positioning capabilities quicker and more accurate.

Integrates built-in network protocol, and multiple industry-standard interfaces and supports multiple drivers and software functions (such as Windows7, 8, 8.1, 10, USB/PCIe drivers under Linux, Android. etc), which greatly expands its application in IoT and eMBB fields including Industrial Routers, Home Gateways, Set Top Box, industrial laptops, consumer laptops, Industrial PDAs, Rugged Industrial Tablet PCs, Cameras and Surveillance and Digital Signage.

Features

Designed for IoT/eMBB applications, support 5G/4G/3G, M.2 form factor.
Full coverage of multi-network standards including 5G and LTE-A.
Supports NSA and SA modes.
Multi-constellation GNSS receiver available for applications requiring fast and accurate positioning in any environment.
Supports multi functions: DFOTA and VoLTE (optional).
Supports 3GPP Release16.

Selection Guide

5G Sub-6		RM500U-CNV	RM500Q-GL 5G HAT	RM502Q-AE 5G HAT	RM520N-GL	RM530N-GL
5G Standard		3GPP R15			3GPP R16
5G Chip		UNISOC	Qualcomm
5G		Sub-6 GHz				Sub-6 GHz & mmWave
Region/Operator		China, EMEA, Asia-Pacific	except Americas	except China	Global
Operating Temperature		-30°C ~ +75°C
Extension Temperature		-40°C ~ +85°C
Module Size		30.0 × 52.0 × 2.3 (mm)
Module Weight		8.8g	8.7g			8.8g
Power Supply		3.3~4.4V, Typ. 3.7V	3.135~4.4V, Typ. 3.7V
Power Consumption		78μA @ shutdown; 5.1mA @ hibernate; 57mA @ USB 2.0, idle; 71mA @ USB 3.0, idle	70μA @ shutdown; 4.0mA @ hibernate; 32mA @ USB 2.0, idle; 54mA @ USB 3.0, idle	80μA @ shutdown; 4.2mA @ hibernate; 39mA @ USB 2.0, idle; 54.5mA @ USB 3.0, idle	195μA @ shutdown; 4.7mA @ hibernate; 41mA @ USB 2.0, idle; 60mA @ USB 3.0, idle	173μA @ shutdown; 5.1mA @ hibernate; 51mA @ USB 2.0, idle; 69mA @ USB 3.0, idle
Frequency Band
5G	5G NR	-				n257, n258, n260, n261
	5G NR NSA	n41, n78, n79	n41, n77, n78, n79	n1, n2, n3, n5, n7, n8, n12, n20, n25, n28, n38, n40, n41, n48, n66, n71, n77, n78, n79	n1, n2, n3, n5, n7, n8, n12, n13, n14, n18, n20, n25, n26, n28, n29, n30, n38, n40, n41, n48, n66, n70, n71, n75, n76, n77, n78, n79
	5G NR SA	n1, n2, n3, n5, n8, n28, n41, n77, n78, n79	n1, n2, n3, n5, n7, n8, n12, n20, n25, n28, n38, n40, n41, n48, n66, n71, n77, n78, n79		n1, n2, n3, n5, n7, n8, n12, n13, n14, n18, n20, n25, n26, n28, n29, n30, n38, n40, n41, n48, n66, n70, n71, n75, n76, n77, n78, n79
LTE	LTE-FDD	B1, B3, B5, B8	B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B7, B8, B12, B13, B14, B17, B18, B19, B20, B25, B26, B28, B29, B30, B32, B66, B71
	LTE-TDD	B34, B38, B39, B40, B41	B34, B38, B39, B40, B41, B42, B43, B48
	LAA	-	B46
UMTS	WCDMA	B1, B5, B8	B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B6, B8, B19		B1, B2, B4, B5, B8, B19
GNSS		-	GPS / GLONASS / BeiDou(Compass) / Galileo / QZSS (only RM520N-GL and RM530N-GL support)
Data Rate
5G mmWave		-				DL 4.0Gbps； UL 1.4Gbps
5G SA Sub-6		DL 2Gbps; UL 1Gbps	DL 2.1Gbps; UL 900Mbps	DL 4.2Gbps; UL 450Mbps	DL 2.4Gbps; UL 900Mbps
5G NSA Sub-6		DL 2.2Gbps; UL 575Mbps	DL 2.5Gbps; UL 600/650Mbps	DL 5Gbps; UL 650Mbps	DL 3.4Gbps; UL 550Mbps
LTE		DL 600Mbps; UL 150Mbps	DL 1.0Gbps; UL 200Mbps	DL 2Gbps; UL 200Mbps	DL 1.6Gbps; UL 200Mbps
UMTS		DL 42.2Mbps; UL 11Mbps	DL 42Mbps; UL 5.76Mbps

Recommended Carrier Board

RM520N-GL adopts the standard M.2 Key B slot, which is compatible with the Waveshare's 4G/5G module with M.2 slot. The two commonly used carrier board for 4G/5G M.2 tests is listed below:

Adaptable 4G/5G
Model	USB TO M.2 B KEY	M.2 TO 4G/5G HAT
Module Interface	M.2 port	M.2 port
Communication Interface	USB 3.0	USB 3.0
Application	5G Dongle with access to Windows/Linux computers	4G/5G Module designed for Raspberry Pi
OS	Windows/Linux	Raspberry OS/OpenWRT and other common Linux systems for Raspberry Pi

USB TO M.2 B KEY

1. Hardware Connection

【Hardware Preparation】

RM520N-GL × 1
USB TO M.2 B KEY × 1
5G SIM card × 1

【Installation Guide】
Please refer to the following diagram to install the Nano SIM card (5G function should be enabled) and 5G module, and then install the heat sink, cooling silicone, and 5G antenna, see the following figure:

Using the USB TO M.2 B KEY board, the RM520N-GL 5G module can be plugged into a Linux host board such as a Windows computer/laptop, Raspberry Pi, or Jetson Nano via the USB 3.0 interface.

2. Connecting with Windows

2.1 Driver Installation in Windows

Refer to the hardware connection above and connect the module to the Windows PC via USB TO M.2 B KEY.
Install Windows-related drivers:
- RM520N-GL Windows NDIS Driver
- RM520N-GL Windows MBIM Driver
- Comparison of device manager recognition before and after driver installation (the following figure is a screenshot of the actual test under the Windows 10 system).

2.2 5G Network Speed Test

Under the Windows system, it is recommended to use MBIM mode for 5G networking.

In general, after installing the driver according to the section 2.1 Windows Driver Installation, the computer device manager and network connection can be identified normally.
RM520N-GL network card, as shown in the following figure:

At this point, as long as the SIM card and band of the RM520N-GL 5G module that is connected to the RM520N-GL 5G module are available in the test area, the 5G network can be obtained automatically, as shown in the following figure:

If the driver is installed and the Quectel USB AT Port (COM) is identified, but the RM520N-GL NIC device is not identified, it is possible that the factory default of the 5G module is not MBIM mode or you have modified it to other modes in use. At this time, you can try to use SSCOM or QCOM serial assistant, open Quectel USB AT Port (COM) to send AT command to set to MBIM mode, the command is as follows:

AT+QCFG="usbnet",2
AT+CFUN=1,1

After confirming that the module can normally access the Internet through 5G, we can use network speed test tools to test the speed of 5G Internet access, the following figure is a screenshot of the actual test with speed test software:

Note:
①The actual speed measurement results are affected by the network coverage, network congestion, and base station distribution.
②As the power consumption of the 5G module is large when testing the speed, the USB TO M.2 B KEY must be connected to a full-power USB3.0 interface for speed measurement, to avoid insufficient power affecting the speed measurement or reset the module to reconnect.
③If the NIC is identified as normal, the NET light is not on, and you cannot connect to the network, you can refer to FAQ.

2.3 GNSS Positioning Test

Connect the passive GPS antenna to ANT3 of the module (corresponding to L1 of GNSS), note that the lettered side is facing down and the antenna is placed in an open outdoor test (note that GNSS positioning test cannot be performed in rainy weather).
Then SSCOM or QCOM serial assistant opens Quectel USB AT Port (COM) to send AT commands:

AT+QGPS=1        //Open GPS positioning
AT+QGPSLOC=0     //Get GPS position

When you just turn on GNSS positioning, you usually need to wait for a few minutes to get the data of GNSS positioning.

With GNSS positioning enabled, you can open the Quectel USB NMEA Port (COM) through SSCOM, QCOM serial assistant, or other positioning software to see the NMEA GPS positioning data output from this port, as shown below:

GNSS positioning test completed, AT command can be sent to Quectel USB AT Port (COM) to turn off GNSS positioning:

AT+QGPS=0        //disable GNSS positioning

3. Connect to other Linux main control such as Raspberry Pi/Jetson Nano

Note: Linux system usage, same as M.2 TO 4G/5G HAT Raspberry Pi Linux Usage section.

M.2 TO 4G/5G HAT

【Hardware Preparation】

5G SIM Card x 1
RM520N-GL 5G HAT (with case) x 1 (kits included as shown below):

【Installation Guide】

Use the double-plug USB 3.0 cable to connect the 5G HAT, and then connect the external 5V power to the Type-C power port of the 5G HAT. As shown below:

Raspberry Pi Board	Pi 4B	Pi 3B/3B+	CM4-IO-BASE
USB adapter	USB3.0 adapter	USB2.0 adapter	USB3.0 adapter
Connection Diagram

If it is used for PI4B, there is a matching case with the following installation schematic:

【Raspberry Pi 5G Networking Guide】
Working with Raspberry Pi O

It is recommended to use it in the newest Raspberry Pi OS with driver-free support.

Software

Driver

Datasheet

RM520N Series AT Command Datasheet

Related Link

RM520N-GL Module

Question:What if it powers off?

Answer:

As the 5G power consumption is relatively high, and the host computer's USB port may not be able to provide it with sufficient power, please refer to the USB dual plug cable to provide the module with sufficient power, as shown in the figure:

Question:How to switch the card slot?

Answer:

RM500U-CN and RM500Q-GL modules support installing two SIM cards at the same time, and you can enable one SIM card to work with AT commands:

*Select SIM card 1 by default, and check it with the following command:  
 AT+QUIMSLOT?
*Switch it to SIM card 2 with the following command:  
 AT+QUIMSLOT=2
*Switch it to SIM card 1 with the following command:  
 AT+QUIMSLOT=1
*Query whether the corresponding card slot identify the SIM card:  
 AT+CPIN?

If the corresponding SIM card can not be identified, it may because the DIP switch has not enable the corresponding module, please make the DIP switch corresponding to C turn on:

Question:How to set Ethernet port mode?

Answer:

Quectel/Qualcomm:

AT+QENG="servingcell"
at+qcfg="pcie/mode",1
at+qcfg="data_interface",1,0
at+qeth="eth_driver","r8125",1
AT+QMAPWAC=1
at+qmap="mpdn_rule",0,1,0,1,1,"FF:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF"

Quectel/Spreadtrum:

AT+QCFG="pcie/mode",1
AT+QCFG="ethernet",1
AT+QNETDEVCTL=1,1,1
AT+QCFG="ethernet",1
AT+QCFG="nat",0

Question:What should I do if I have an unstable network with severe packet loss after dial-up?

Answer:

Please use the following commands to set it to the stable router mode:

AT+QCFG="nat",1

Question:What can I do when the NET indicator is not on and the network is not registered?

Answer:

Please check whether the SIM card is connected to four antennas.
Please check hardware connection is right and check the network with the following AT Log:

AT+CMEE=2
AT+CPIN?
AT+COPS?
AT+QCSQ
AT+QENG="servingcell"
AT+CGDCONT?
AT+QNWPREFCFG="mode_pref"

Question:Can the 5G base board connect to other modules with M.2 B KEY interface?

Answer:

The following modules that support it after testing:

Fibocom: FM650-CN FM160-EAU	
SIMCOM: SIM8202G-M2 SIM8262E-M2 SIM8262A-M2
Quectel: (AA version) RM500U-CNV RM500Q-GL/RM502Q-AE RM520N-GL RM530N-GL

5G modules are NOT included. If used with other modules and the pin compatibility should be tested.

Question:Which platform is the RM50X module based on?

Answer:

RM500U-CN: based on Spreadtrum platform.
RM500Q-GL: based on Qualcomm platform, supports GNSS positioning, mainly for domestic use.
RM500Q-AE/RM502Q-AE: based on Qualcomm platform, support GNSS positioning, mainly used abroad.

Question:Why does it keep rebooting after connecting to the Raspberry Pi?

Answer:

It is because the 5G power consumption is high, and the Raspberry Pi is limited in power supply, you can power it with 5V (3A) through Type-C interface.

Question:Why can't it connect to the network after rebooting the Raspberry Pi?

Answer:

When using the external power supply, the Raspberry Pi reboots and RM500U does not reboot. You can use the command to reboot the RS500U.

Question:The module has been powered on, why does the input command not respond?

Answer:

Use the following command to turn on the echo, and press Enter after entering: (Blind typing is required here):

ATE1

Question:How to check the frequency band of the operator?

Answer:

It can be inquired at the following website: https://www.frequencycheck.com

Question:How to confirm whether the Raspberry Pi hardware serial port is ttyS0 or ttyAMA0?

Answer:

Raspberry PI 2B/zero, the user serial port device number is ttyAMA0;

ls -l /dev/serial*

The following command line can be used to confirm that serial0 is the serial port device number selected, as shown in the figure below:

Question:Why does the USB power supply fail to power off when the computer is used, but the power goes off when the Raspberry Pi is used, and the NET light does not light up for a while?

Answer:

The USB power supply capability of the Raspberry Pi is worse than that of the computer. It needs to be connected to an external power supply. Please set the switch to EXT PWR, and connect the HAT interface to a 5V 3A power supply:

Question:What dial types does the RM500X have?

Answer:

There are the following dial types:

AT+QCFG="usbnet",0 driver type is NDIS(QMI));
AT+QCFG="usbnet",1 The driver type is ECM;
AT+QCFG="usbnet",2 The driver type is MBIM; (RM5XXQ support)
AT+QCFG="usbnet",3 The driver type is RNDIS
AT+QCFG="usbnet",5 The driver type is NCM;

Question:Does RM530 belong to Qualcomm platform?

Answer:

Yes.

Question:How does FM650 switch to the Ethernet port to connect to the network?

Answer:

Please use the following command to enable the Ethernet port to access the network.

AT+GTUSBMODE=36
AT+GTAUTOCONNECT=1

Question:What can I do when the driver installation fails?

Answer:

For ABS modules, you can manually update it with the driver.
For Qualcommm modules, you can manually install the driver.
Ensure the module is normally on -> Open Device Manager -> Other Devices -> "Corresponding file folder after unzipping the drivers" -> Update the driver demo -> Browse the PC to find the corresponding driver demo files -> Select a path to store the driver file according to your system -> Finish.

Question: Does RM520N-GL 5G for Jetson Nano have a limitation on the version of Jetson nano? Does it support Jetson orin nx?

Answer:

Jetson Nano series can be supported, the hardware structure is customized for ordinary JETSON-NANO-LITE-DEV-KIT, if you use other Jetson nano version, the adapter needs to be changed to a dual male adapter cable to connect; if it is an orin nano, please use this verified Jetpack 6.0 (Ubuntu) version of the system, some of the validation is not possible, some of them are not suitable for Jetson nano. Ubuntu 22.04), some system drivers are not supported.

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