Why GL-Inet IMEIs may be INVALID by ATT & Cricket

Marble68 · 2021-03-03T18:28:35.895Z

While the X750v2 is considered not compatible with either of those networks, if you check the IMEI they may say it is invalid.

TMobile will accept the IMEI, perhaps, but ATT & Cricket will not.

This is because the check digit on the IMEI is incorrect.

I bought the AT&T Certified SPITZ v2, and when I checked the IMEI while signing up. They said it was invalid.

After doing research, I learned that the IMEI’s last digit is a “check” digit and follows the Luhn algorithm.

As explained here:

Check IMEI Number by Luhn algorithm. – VAIBHAV KUMAR GUPTA (VKG) BLOG (wordpress.com)

The IMEI that came with my SPITZ had the wrong digit at the end.

I calculated the correct check digit and tried the IMEI again, replacing the last digit with the correct one, and the IMEI was no longer considered invalid.

They still rejected the device as being incompatible with their network (both ATT and Cricket).

However, if you get a new device and cannot sign up due to an invalid IMEI, follow these instructions:

Copy all the digits of your IMEI except the last digit. (e.g., 49015420323751? )
Starting from the right, double a digit every two digits (e.g., 5 → 10)
Add all the individual digits together (e.g., 10 should be considered 1 + 0)

4 + (1 + 8) + 0 + 2 + 5 + 8 + 2 + 0 + 3 + 4 + 3 + (1 + 4) + 5 + 2 + ? = 52 + ?

When you have your total, round up to a number divisible by 10 (e.g., 52 up to 60).
Subtract your total from the rounded up number (e.g., 60-52 = 8).
The result is the “check digit”.
Take the first 14 digits of your IMEI and put the check digit at the end (e.g., 490154203237518)

That will be a valid IMEI and can now be checked with the provider.

If you check your IMEI with Cricket and it says Imei is invalid then this may be your issue.

If you do correct the check digit with Cricket, you will then get an error that says:
Apologies! This 4G LTE Wireless Gateway GL-X750V2C4 is not compatible with the Cricket Network due to network changes.

While you still cannot sign up for service with Cricket, the IMEI is now valid and your device is properly identified.

Hope this helps.

expresspotato · 2021-03-04T00:13:36.346Z

Can’t you change the IMEI to something supported on Cricket (so long as you never use it on ATT/Cricket/any sub brand again)? I believe this command works on the Quectel cards to change it:

AT+EGMR=1,7,"123456789101213"

Marble68 · 2021-03-04T00:22:19.669Z

The only IMEI BYOD that I know are supported for new service, right now, on Cricket are Netgear MR1100, LB2120, and the M5.

I’ve been checking IMEIs for weeks.

It’d have to be one of those. Those use the Snapdragon X16 modems I believe.

The moment they detect the device isn’t a netgear, it’s end of line.

expresspotato · 2021-03-04T00:35:12.750Z

You can find IMEI’s for those models easily online through a google image search. However I should point out it may be illegal in our country to re-write your IMEI to that of a device you do not explicitly own.

Marble68 · 2021-03-04T00:39:49.504Z

exactly - and the IMEI can get burned.

I’ve gathered IMEIs from ebay used listings and image search to try and identify devices that are compatible.

Changing the IMEI may technically function, but legality etc. issues introduce issues some don’t want to deal with.

One option might be to buy a mechanically broken, but clean IMEI, compatible device and use it’s IMEI under refurb / repair exception to IMEI modification. But I’m not a lawyer, so I’m not ok with that route.

The ANSWER for GL-Inet is to get their devices on the whitelisted IMEI list - ASAP.

Right now, if your device dies on ATT/Cricket, you have to buy a netgear or go grey area and fiddle with the device’s IMEI number - just, like you said, make sure you’re not breaking the law.

I’m not qualified to tell if its illegal or not, so I personally defer to not doing it.

expresspotato · 2021-03-04T00:51:01.484Z

I doubt GLiNet is going to do anything. Sell it and get a netgear or change the IMEI. Your call.

Marble68 · 2021-03-04T00:55:48.633Z

I’m way past that - and this is not the point of this post. The point of this post is why the IMEI is invalid and why, and what it takes to make it a valid IMEI. That has nothing to do with carriers.

I personally really LIKE Gl-Inet. I own and have used their stuff for years.

But I totally disagree that they’ll do nothing. They just invested cash to get the x750v2 “AT&T Certified”. Then AT&T doesn’t put them on the post 3G whitelist.

The moment their gear can be activated, I’m all in on their gear - because of OpenWRT.

alzhao · 2021-03-04T04:00:09.193Z

We are definitely working on this and hope to solve asap.

scagney · 2022-01-01T22:20:05.273Z

Did this ever get resolved? I used to be able to use my Mudi on ATT. But now trying to register the IMEI, ATT’s website says it isn’t compatible with their network.

alzhao · 2022-01-03T04:56:33.341Z

AT&T is a mystery.

You’d better send an email to support at gl-inet.com with your current IMEI and get some help.