Verizon SIM with static APN registers but doesn't connect [RESOLVED]

Note This issue is resolved as of the 18.4.54.41 release.

Problem

A newly activated Verizon SIM with a static APN (for example, ne01.vzwstatic) is inserted into a 63xx-series router. The 63xx-series router is able to detect the SIM and seeing an available Verizon network, but the 63xx-series router is unable to establish a cellular connection. The LED behavior on the front of the 63xx-series router will be a flashing white status/LTE LED, and intermittent 5 bars of signal strength.

Background

It can sometimes take longer than the 63xx-series router anticipates for the Verizon SIM to finish its registration process on the Verizon network. As a result, the 63xx-seris router tries establishing a cellular connection before this SIM finishes registering, which results in a failed connection. The 63xx-series router interprets this failed connection as it not using the correct APN, so it resorts to its fallback list of APNs to try alternate Verizon APNs with the SIM. Since the correct APN was already tried, this fallback list of APNs will try APNs that are not provisioned with the SIM. The result is the 63xx-series router gets stuck trying a fallback list of APNs, of which none will work with the given SIM.

Solution

Firmware versions 17.8.128.37 or higher resolves the connectivity issues. You can use the following instructions to upgrade the 63xx-series router to the new 17.8.128.37 firmware:

Upgrading firmware

Manual Solution

Users can lock the 63xx-series router to keep trying the same APN. This allows the 63xx-series router to retry the same APN that the SIM card is provisioned with. Even if the 63xx-series router cannot establish a cellular connection with the SIM initially, it will keep trying with the same APN until it connects.

To implement this manual solution, update the configuration profile of the Digi 6350-SR/6355-SR with the following configuration changes:

In Modem -> APN, set the appropriate static APN (for example, ne01.vzwstatic).

Enable the Modem -> APN lock checkbox.