No MMS on Microcell

I tried several of the Tech Guide links in various locations and they all work for me.

The answers provided are about what I expected.  Nothing stands out as a potential source of the problem.

I do have a few questions regarding your networking devices.  Why are you using the Arris telephony modem?  Are you using another VOIP product (ie. Xfinity Voice) on your network?  Also, why are you using a VPN router like the TP-Link R600VPN?

Like Otto, I'm more puzzled as to why your iPhones demonstrate this MMS/VVM problem.  The Android's issues with MMS/VVM are common knowledge.  I've had no problems with MMS/VVM on my iPhone 4s, 5 or 6.  I can send and receive MMS pictures of 2-3 MB file size over the Mcell with WiFi turned off.  That has worked over a variety of iOS versions.

Lacking an obvious direction to proceed, I suspect your router settings may need to be tweeked.  Your TP-Link router is somewhat complex because of its VPN capabilities and there may be some settings that need to be modified in order for the Mcell to work properly.  It appears that the router's ALG settings are enabled by default.  You may need to disable one or more (there are 4) ALG settings.  I'm also assuming that the VPN Passthrough settings are enabled but the IPSec Passthrough must be enabled for the Mcell to work.

After reviewing your router manual, I wouldn't begin to offer suggestions concerning all the possible router settings that could negatively impact your Mcell.  My level of understanding of that TP-Link router is not adequate to do so.

I would try temporarily connecting the Mcell directly to your Arris modem (router removed from network) and see if the Mcell will send/receive MMS.  If you can do so, then there is something going on with the router that is preventing MMS/VVM from working.

Thanks Avedis. I hadn't picked up on the fact that the Arris is a telephony modem. The SIP ALG settings could be a factor. They shouldn't be because the MicroCell doesn't use those protocols but quite often SIP ALG is not impleneted correctly by the mfr and that could cause some NAT issues.

Until his hardware configurations can be confirmed as meeting the minimum requirments and the problem is traced back ( the direct connection to the modem bypassing everything else is a start) there's not much we can do. He intimated that he has quite a few devices on his LAN so this could be another example of a complex setup that just isn't going to be compatible with the MicroCell unless changes are made.

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@Avedis53 wrote:

I tried several of the Tech Guide links in various locations and they all work for me.

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Please provide me a working link.  The one provided by OttoPylot in the previous post did not work for me.

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@Avedis53 wrote:

 

I do have a few questions regarding your networking devices.  Why are you using the Arris telephony modem?  Are you using another VOIP product (ie. Xfinity Voice) on your network?  Also, why are you using a VPN router like the TP-Link R600VPN?

 

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Arris cable modem is branded (AKA supported) by Comcast, and provides one of my telephone lines (Xfinity Voice).  Other telephony services include Vonage VoIP.  All inbound VPN features on this router are currently disabled.

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@Avedis53 wrote:

 

I would try temporarily connecting the Mcell directly to your Arris modem (router removed from network) and see if the Mcell will send/receive MMS.  If you can do so, then there is something going on with the router that is preventing MMS/VVM from working.

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OK, as I said earlier, I'm willing to try anything at this stage.  I will connect MicroCell directly to cable modem and report back here.  BTW - MicroCell in DMZ did not fix the VVM issue.

Also, IPSec Passthrough is enabled and the 4 ALG options are all enabled.

What further info can I provide?

We can't provide you with another link. The link in my sig works for me and Avedis so something is up with your connection.

If you are using Comcast VoIP and Vonage, that's probably your problem. Too many conflicting VoIP services and the MicroCell gets the short stick. To test, disable all other VoIP services completely and try the MicroCell again. My feeling is that you are going to have to choose between your VoIP services.

OK, the Tech Guide link worked today (was getting 404 errors previously).  Only section I see as specifically relevant to my environment is the Vonage conflicts.  That one I can easily remove from this equation...  Unplug!

However, the Comcast Voice VoIP service will be more difficult ot remove, since it is embedded in my cable modem.  How would you suggest I disable that VoIP service?

I've still to try MicroCell directly connected to cable modem also.

BTW - the 'Alternate Connection' method cannot be valid with the new Black MicroCell since it does not contain a WAN/LAN port combination.  You may wish to update that section in the Tech Guide next time around.

404 errors sounds like you were getting misdirected somehow.

The alternate connection method does state that you can't do that with the DPH-154 because it is missing the Computer Port and the external antenna port. EDIT: the Introduction mentions that the Computer and external antenna port are missing on the DPH-154. I left the alternate connection procedure in the Tech Guide for those who still have the older MicroCell but I can make it a bit more clearer being as it appears that more and more users are getting the newer MicroCell.

Disabling Comcraps' VoIP is something you will have to work out with them. The direct to modem connection will rule out any issues with your router. Is your current connection require the use of switches or what ever to connect the MicroCell to the router and/or modem? I forget.

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@OttoPylot wrote:

 

Is your current connection require the use of switches or what ever to connect the MicroCell to the router and/or modem? I forget.

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Yes, I have both managed and unmanaged switches.  Specifically for the MicroCell path - currently, there is one unmanaged switch and one managed switch between the router and MicroCell. Is there specific information or configuration regarding switches that must be checked?  I have not seen any mention of this so far in my quest...

What we need to help you is a detailed description of your setup. Every setup is different but the more complicated your setup is, the more likely you are to have MicroCell issues.

What you need to do is ensure that the minimum router requirements are being met (you apparently haven't done so yet), and once that is confirmed, connect the MicroCell directly (single ethernet cable) to the modem, no switches or other connection schemes in-between. What we need to determine is where in your hardware setup the problem lies. The best way is to create the simplest pathway from your modem to the MicroCell, modem -> single ethernet cable -> MicroCell. If that connection works to your satisfaction, then you will have to put your network back together one step at a time until the MicroCell stops working as expected. There is no other way.

Managed and un-managed switches between the router and MicroCell will cause issues because the MicroCell needs to maintain an unbroken, secure VPN connection 24x7 to the AT&T Mobility servers. The MicroCell was, and is designed for as simple of a connection as possible.

From the brief description you've given us it sounds like you have multiple devices running concurrently, you are load balancing via managed switches, and are using a telephony modem which more than likely has defaulted VoIP settings that are incompatible with the MicroCell. Again, please explain your setup and hardware in a bit more detail.

I'm in the same boat! I just upgraded to the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and, while I can receive text messages, I cannot receive photos via text. This only happens at home when I'm on the MicroCell. Once I leave the house and get to an area with cell service, the MMS photos come through perfectly. That's never happened before I got the new phone. The Samsung tech support checked the phone and the settings, and there were no issues. I replaced my old MicroCell with a new one, and that still hasn't solved the problem. AT&T is sending me a new SIM card, but I don't know if that's going to solve the issue. Could it be that the phone and the MicroCell are not compatible?

Thanks!

From a purely technical stance...MMS requires real tower data in order to function. The MCell provides a small amount of what can be called "simulated mobile data" in order for MMS to work. However on certain newer Android devices, it just doesn't work. My iPhone 6S Plus works (without iMessage) for MMS. My LG V10 does not. Just spins, and spins and times out basically.

Read the Otto's posts. It takes a lot of networking know-how to troubleshoot this issue. In the end it may be a limitation that can't be overcome. MicroCell can't replicate true mobile data and some devices need true mobile data to send/rec MMS properly.