Cellular networks vary greatly around the world, so it is always best to use a cellular modem recommended/sold by the local network. In the USA, Verizon offers the USB730L for instance.
Unfortunately, there are lots of USB cellular modems on the market, and we don't have the resources to test them all. We really appreciate your feedback if you've tested a model not listed. The drivers in our DigiSnap Pro Controller attempt to support as many modems as possible, but any model not listed here will need to be tested before support can be confirmed. In some cases we may be able to modify our code to support additional modems, but this requires additional work on our part and a lot of patience and help from a customer.
The settings in the DigiSnap as well as the cellular modem's internal configurations must be set properly before a successful connection can be established. Here are some things to try if your modem doesn't seem to connect:
1) Connect the cellular modem to your PC, and verify it connects. It may require initial setup, such as an APN, or disabling the SIM PIN. Your cellular provider can help with the setup on a PC. Once you have determined (and recorded) the proper settings, it should be easy to apply those settings to the DigiSnap Pro.
2) When configuring with the DigiSnap Pro, please note that it takes up to 60 seconds for the internal networking hardware to 'boot', and it may take an additional few minutes for the cellular modem to connect to the cellular network.
3) When using the Multitech MTD-H5 'universal' modem you will need to configure the APN setting in the Android app. This can be found under Cellular Modem in the Network Settings page. The APN information can be obtained from your cellular carrier.
4) Cellular data connections can sometimes be slow or intermittent. If you are having issues with images not transferring successfully you may need to increase the length of time that the networking hardware is powered on. This can be done by experimenting with the Network Connection Timeout setting under Network Settings. If you are still experiencing issues with image transfer another option would be to reduce the captured image size/quality using settings on the camera itself.
5) If you wish to minimize network traffic and do not need all images, or full quality images transferred remotely there are settings under Image Transfer Settings that can help with this. Image File Selection is used to determine what types of image files are transferred. Tiny Thumbnail will be the lowest quality and the smallest size. Network Data Reduction can be used to reduce the number of transferred photos (1 of N transferred).
The following USB cellular modems have been tested by Harbortronics or reported by customers as working with the DigiSnap Pro. If you have tested another model, please let us know!
Cross reference this list with the list of modems supported by your cellular carrier to find a match.
The MultiTech MTD-H5 is marketed to be 'Universal' in that they are advertised, certified for, and 'should' work in networks over much of the world (see data sheet for details). It requires the customer to buy and insert a SIM card and configure the APN in the DigiSnap Pro Controller. Please verify that the SIM card provider has adequate 3G coverage at your project site. Keep in mind that many coverage maps will show LTE coverage in areas where the older 3G network has been decommissioned. These cellular modems only support 3G, so they aren't as fast as a newer 4G modem. It's always best to use a cellular modem recommended/sold by the local network.
Customers have reported the following modems do not work with the DigiSnap Pro. They could be incompatible, or it could have been a temporary issue. If you have further information about any of these models, please let us know.