Quectel CM Tool - Introduction and Setup Guide

Overview

This guide provides a concise overview for setting up and using quectel-cm, the connection management tool for Quectel cellular modules. It highlights the essential steps required to establish connectivity efficiently. For comprehensive technical details and advanced configurations, consult the official Quectel user manual corresponding to the specific module.

Install Required Tools

Before starting, ensure that the required build tools are installed on the Linux system:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y build-essential wget unzip

Requirements

• A modern Linux distribution (Raspberry Pi OS, Debian, Ubuntu, etc.)
• Linux kernel 3.4 or later

RmNet Interface Mode Configuration

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The configuration steps below are demonstrated using the EG25-G module.

The Quectel module must operate in QMI mode to function with quectel-cm. This mode is enabled by default at the factory. However, if it was previously modified, reconfiguration is required. The following AT commands apply to Quectel USB modules that support theAT+QCFG="usbnet" parameter (for example, EG25/EC25 series).

Configure the module to QMI mode using the following AT commands:

AT+QCFG="usbnet",0
AT+CFUN=1,1

The module will reboot automatically. After waiting approximately 10–15 seconds, verify that the QMI device is available:

Terminal

ls /dev/cdc-wdm*

Output similar to the following should be displayed: /dev/cdc-wdmX

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Compatibility note: At Sixfab, we currently stock and support the EG25/EC25 series and the RM502Q series of Quectel modules. While quectel-cm supports most Quectel modules that implement the QMI protocol, USB network configuration and AT command behavior may vary across different module families.

For detailed compatibility information and advanced usage, please refer to the official Quectel QConnectManager documentation

Download and Compile quectel-cm

Download the QConnectManager package and compile the quectel-cm utility:

cd ~
wget https://sixfab.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Quectel_QConnectManager_Linux_V1.6.5.zip
unzip -q Quectel_QConnectManager_Linux_V1.6.5.zip
mv Quectel_QConnectManager_Linux_V1.6.5 quectel-cm
cd quectel-cm
make

This process generates the quectel-cm executable in the current directory.

Connect to the Network

The system is now ready to establish a cellular connection.

Find Your APN

The network operator’s APN (Access Point Name) is required. Contact the network operator if the APN is unknown.

Example APNs:

• Sixfab SIM: super
• Other operators: Consult the respective provider.

Start the Connection

Run quectel-cm with the appropriate APN:

sudo ./quectel-cm -s YOUR_APN &

Replace YOUR_APN with the correct APN (for example, super for Sixfab)

Verify the Connection

After a few seconds, confirm that the wwan0 interface is active:

ip a show wwan0

An assigned IP address should be visible on the interface.

Test Internet Connectivity

ping -I wwan0 -c 3 8.8.8.8

Successful ping responses indicate that the connection is established.

Stop the Connection

To terminate the connection:

sudo killall quectel-cm

Frequently Asked Questions

lsmod | grep qmi_wwan

Need Help?

For issues not covered in this guide, consult the following resources:

• The Quectel forum for community support and previously answered questions
• Quectel CM Tool Documentations