Technical Details
Pinout
Pin Descriptions
| Pin Number | Pin Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 5V PWR | This pin is connected to the 5V power net. |
| 4 | 5V PWR | This pin is connected to the 5V power net. |
| 8 | PCI RX | This pin functions as the serial data input to the module for UART communication. |
| 10 | PCI TX | This pin functions as the serial data output from the module for UART communication |
| 31 | RI | This pin is Ring indicator functions as the indication for receiving call or SMS, can be calibrated to HIGH or LOW using the AT commands. |
| 33 | DTR | When the module is in sleep mode, DTR pin allows to wake up the module up by pulling it to LOW. |
| 35 | W_DISABLE | This pin is used to turn Airplane Mode on the module, by pulling it HIGH. |
| 37 | PERST | The pin is used to hardware reset the module, by pulling it HIGH. |
| 6,9,14,25 30,34,39 | GND | This pins are connected to ground. |
Layout
Connection Types
USB: Most of Mini PCIe modules have USB drivers for Android, Linux, and Windows operating systems. The Base Shield that loaded with a module like Quectel EC25 LTE, can be attached to a minicomputer(especially Raspberry Pi), mobile phone or laptop with USB then works as a 3G/4G USB Dongle Modem. Drivers for modules, please visit the module product pages.
UART: If you insert one of the Quectel Mini PCIe modules, the UART pins will be available to use, with 3.3V power domain, directly connected to the UART port of Raspberry Pi. But the maximum data rate will be lower than USB. It'll be around 900 Kbit/s Downlink and Uplink (UART)
Compatible Mini PCIe Modules
| Manufacturer | Module |
|---|---|
| Quectel | EC25, LTE-EP06, EC21 , EC20 Mini PCIe LTE IoT Module, UC20 , LTE-EP06 |
| Telit | LM960, LE910V2, HE910,LE910C1, LE910CX, and more |
| Thales | PLS62W, mPLS8, mPLAS9 |
| Sierra | AirPrime MC Series |
| Huawei | ME909s-120, ME909s-821, and more |
| Simcom | SIM7100, SIM7230, and more |
| ZTE | ZM8620, and more |
| U-Blox | MPCI-L2 Series |
Please check the following Quectel Mini PCIe pinout(EC20,EC21,EC25,UC20) diagram and the Base Shield connected pin table for full compatibility. The other Mini PCIe modules from different vendors can be used with the Base shield. Generally, these modules' USB, power supply, status led and SIM Card pins match with Base Shield Pinout, they can be used via the USB connection without struggling but it does not mean full compatibility, some features may not work. The AT Command Interface cannot be used without UART connection. Please, consider USB connection needs special drivers for each operating system.*
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For the best working condition, use at least a 2A adapter or power source.
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We don't recommend usage of long and low-quality micro USB cables between Base Shield and Raspberry Pi. It causes data and power loss. Thus, the cable included the package works greatly.
| Sixfab Base Shield Mini PCIe Pinout | Quectel EC20,EC21,EC25,UC20 | Quectel LTE-EP06 | Sierra Telit Huawei Simcom ZTE U-Blox |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pin[8] USIM VDD | OK | OK | OK |
| Pin[10] USIMDATA | OK | OK | OK |
| Pin[11] UART_RX | OK | NOT CONNECTED | NOT CONNECTED |
| Pin[12] USIMCLK | OK | OK | OK |
| Pin[13] UART_TX | OK | NOT CONNECTED | NOT CONNECTED |
| Pin[14] USIMRST | OK | OK | OK |
| Pin[17] RI | OK | NOT CONNECTED | NOT CONNECTED |
| Pin[20] W_DISABLE | OK | OK | OK |
| Pin[22] PERST | OK | OK | OK |
| Pin[31] DTR | OK | NOT CONNECTED | NOT CONNECTED |
| Pin[36] USB_DM | OK | OK | OK |
| Pin[38] USB_DP | OK | OK | OK |
| Pin[42] LED_WWAN | OK | OK | OK |
Compatible Boards
- Raspberry Pi 4, 3, 2, B+, A+,Zero i.e. RPi which contains 40W GPIO header.
- Asus Tinker Board
- Rock 64*
- Orange Pi*
- Samsung ARTIK's Eagleye board*
- Latte Panda
Note 1: The modules' default drivers may not work with all these mini computers. There may need some Kernel work to implement the drivers. We're working on Quectel Modules' drivers to make them ready for each mini computer on the list. Please take a look at our support section for details.
Note 2: This compatibility list created by assuming you've connected the Base Shield to the device via USB. UART communication can be work with every device in the list easily which have 3.3V level UART port.*
Dimension
Electrical Characteristics of Pins
| Pin Number | Description | Min. | Typ. | Max. | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5V PWR | Power Supply | 4.8 | 5.0 | 5.25 | V |
| PCI RX, PCI TX | IO | 3.0 | 3.3 | 3.6 | V |
| RI | IO | 3.0 | 3.3 | 3.6 | V |
| DTR | IO | 3.0 | 3.3 | 3.6 | V |
| W_DISABLE | IO | 3.0 | 3.3 | 3.6 | V |
| PERST | IO | 3.0 | 3.3 | 3.6 | V |
LEDs
- PWR LED: When the module is powered up, this RED led turns on.
- SGNL LED: This BLUE led indicates the status of the connection. When the connection is established and data is being transmitted/received, this led will blink at special intervals. Otherwise, if there is no connection, the led will remain off.
Updated over 3 years ago