Nokia cell booster (femetocell)

Hi All,

There are some steps that are required to get the booster to work.

Make sure that you follow these instructions to activate your device:

1. Reset your modem to clear out old settings. Press and hold the red reset button for 30 seconds. Please note, it will clear out personal settings. 
2. Download the AT&T Cell Booster app from your app store, or go to AT&T Cell Booster, or scan the QR Code on the Cell Booster. 
3. Follow the steps to register and set up your device.

After registration and set-up is complete, the device will go through an activation sequence in the Network. Device activation can take up to an hour to complete.

You will receive an email and SMS notification once the device has completed activation and is enabled for use. The device LED's will turn solid white in the following sequence as steps are completed: Power > Internet > GPS > LTE > Status.

• Note: You can also check the device status in the portal by selecting the arrow next to the device on the Home page to get additional status for that device including any errors encountered during activation.

The email or SMS notification will show the activation progress as well as any specific errors occurred during activation.

• Activation Failure: On the Home page, if the activation failed, a red circle with an exclamation point will appear on the Cell Booster image along with the error and instructions. You should follow the instructions provided to resolve the trend.

Initial troubleshooting steps are always to power cycle the device by unplugging the power cord and plugging it back in or to disconnect the device and attempt registration again.

Also, under How do I troubleshoot issues with my Cell Booster? you will find useful tips to troubleshoot your AT&T Cell Booster:

• Check the status of your device in the mobile app or on the web in Device details.
• Connect the GPS antenna to your Cell Booster and stick the GPS antenna on a window.
• Power cycle your Cell Booster and make sure the device lights are solid white.
• Disconnect your Cell Booster through the app or web and try online registration again.

Find and fix AT&T Cell Booster issues is a great way to find help with common problems. From Internet Light Flashings to Dropped calls or poor voice quality you will learn additional steps that you can take to help get your device up and running.

There is even advanced help for firewall and routers.

Give this a try and let us know how this works.

Lar, AT&T Community Specialist

@OttoPylot  did you get one working? 

@formerlyknownas and @Bryanchiappelli I have not received mine yet. The MicroCell uses ports 123 UDP, 443 TCP, 4500 UDP, and 500 UDP but it appears that AT&T has changed the port requirements. I don't know yet about IPSec-passthrough or Block Fragmented Packets. I have questions for the Mobility Broadband and Network Services team but they haven't gotten back to me yet. 

The open ports are the responsibility of AT&T because the user can't force the ports open unless they have closed them or dedicated them in their router to something else. Even if the ports are open on the endusers side, they have to remain open all the way to the Mobility Servers which the user has no control over. My guess is that there is a network configuration issue on the backend (AT&T's side) because the MicroCell is still in use. I brought my DPH-154 back online a couple of weeks ago to start testing it again and it has been rock solid even thru a couple of power cycles because I was messing around with my network. I warned AT&T about this but they know best.

As soon as I can get some answers and get my Cell Booster I will update my Tech Guide. As far as Support goes, they probably don't have a clue like they did with the MicroCell so it's going to be another painful learning curve for all involved. I'm pushing for answers but.....

@OttoPylot thanks for your reply.  I don’t understand why my router can’t see this device.  It sees my old 3g microcell without issue using the same network cab;e.  Do you know if the new microcell (Nokia) has a default IP or an application that I can use to configure via a direct Ethernet connection?  

@Bryanchiappelli If the Cell Booster is like the MicroCell, there is no configuration possible. In other words, it's a closed box so there are no config settings like there would be with a router. Zero user access.

AT&T is having some issues on their backend with another service so there may be something going on in general on their end. I won't be getting mine until probably next week so until I get one in my hands, and get some information from the Broadband Mobility group, there's very little that can be done at this point in time. I'd just leave it connected and maybe it will straighten itself out.

Do you have WiFi-C capability? That's really preferred over the femtocell.

@OttoPylot Thanks - I do have WiFi calling.  I received the 4G femtocell from ATT unsolicited and at no charge.  It’s crazy they’d send me something that’s not ready to use.  Also I talked and chatted with several ATT support people and no one has any knowledge or very little knowledge of this device.  After receiving the 4G femtocell, I registered it with ATT and received an email confirming registration.  The email also said we’ll let you know when you can use it.  It’s hard to believe they’d send me something that they’re not prepared to support.

@Bryanchiappelli As someone who have used all versions of the MicroCell (see my Tech Guide) since day one, it is not surprising that AT&T jumped the gun on sending some of these units out without having them ready to go as soon as they were registered/activated. And as far as Support goes, it doesn't surprise me that online support is as clueless about the new femtocells as they were about the original femtocells. That's why I wrote the Tech Guide in the first place.

If you have WiFi-C that works well for you, and are happy with it, then you don't really need the new Cell Booster (femtocell). Maybe once the 5G version is released that might be useful but if 5G at your home is like it is at my home, you're better off sticking with WiFi-C.

I'll keep everyone updated as best as I can and hopefully the updated Tech Guide, when ready, will be of use to some if they can't get the answers they need from Support.

Those are great questions, @Bryanchiappelli! There are a couple of steps that you can try to get that AT&T Cell Booster operating in your home.

For information about those ports, we invite you to visit Firewall & Router. There, you will find instructions on how to install the AT&T Cell Booster behind a firewall or behind a router with firewall capabilities.

Make sure to scroll to the bottom to view the section UDP Ports where you will find the following details:

Note: If you have a firewall enabled, the below UDP Ports need to be open to prevent the firewall from blocking communication with the network. Please contact your Internet Service Provider for assistance.

• UDP/ 500 IPSec Port
• UDP / 4500 IPSec Port
• UDP/ 123 NTP Port (Timing Synch)

Also, under INSTRUCTIONS & INFO at Flashing Orange “Internet” LED, are Basic Troubleshooting Steps which can help resolve that trend that you are experiencing on your device. The set of instructions even recommend the Firewall & Router center provided above.

Give this a try and let us know how this helps.

Lar, AT&T Community Specialist

At the risk of asking the obvious, did you make sure to plug your ethernet cable into the yellow WAN port on the Cell Booster, and not the silver LAN port?

If you can't see the device on your network in your router then it wouldn't be a port issue.  It'll get an IP dynamically via DHCP from your router.  And just FYI, the Cell Booster registered on my network with the name 'Askey Computer Corp' for it, likely the producer of the network adapter in it.

@Nemesis_Prime Good point. The Cell Booster should be a simple plug and play device like its predecessor but experience taught me that that wasn't always the case so going over basic setup questions is always helpful, that's why they were included in my previous Tech Guide and will be included in the updated one.

AT&T is still having connection issues on their end of things so hopefully that will all get straightened out in the next couple of weeks as more of the Cell Booster go online thru various providers and home internet setups.

We are getting a bit ahead of ourselves but some users in the past found that dedicating port forwarding to a static ip address, based on the femtocell's MAC address, increased stability and performance. My guess is that will help some users, and will be included in the Guide as well. 

Don't expect Support to help you with port forwarding because that is beyond what they are supposed to do given the wide variety of routers, modems, and gateways out there (if it's not an AT&T gateway) and they don't want to mess with someone's network who is not an AT&T internet subscriber. If it's not AT&T equipment, then you should consult the router and/or gateway's mfr on how to do that.