Netgear Nighthawk M1 (MR1100-100NAS) blocked by TMobile?

TL;DR -The 100GB plan apparently uses unique T-Mobile infrastructure which is incompatible with the 5200. Lesser plans (e.g., 50GB) will work just fine.

Apologies for the delay in responding. It took me 1.5 hours and four agents to finally get to the bottom and resolve the problem by converting my account back to a 50GB plan.

cam_s_hunt wrote:

My situation mirrors @evodoc with a few small differences:

• Purchased a Netgear Nighthawk M5 5200 a little over a month ago.
• A month ago, at a local T-Mobile store, purchased a pre-paid 50GB plan & SIM. Worked flawlessly.
• Yesterday went to a (different) T-Mobile store, set up a Small Business account, and purchased (and paid a year upfront!) for a 100GB/month mobile data plan.
• Upon SIM insertion, identical behavior (e.g., "Mobile Broadband Disconnected. Your data connection is disconnected", defaulted to AT&T, selection of T-Mobile "doesn't stick", etc.).
• I've been on the phone with T-Mobile support (and currently am as I type this) for the past 25 minutes. I've had repeat the narrative and supporting details (IMEI, SIM #, etc.) multiple times.
• Agent is trying very hard (and is impeccably polite), but I know they are flustered and frustrated as well.

I will update when I have further information.

Any updates?

My situation mirrors @evodoc with a few small differences:

• Purchased a Netgear Nighthawk M5 5200 a little over a month ago.
• A month ago, at a local T-Mobile store, purchased a pre-paid 50GB plan & SIM. Worked flawlessly.
• Yesterday went to a (different) T-Mobile store, set up a Small Business account, and purchased (and paid a year upfront!) for a 100GB/month mobile data plan.
• Upon SIM insertion, identical behavior (e.g., "Mobile Broadband Disconnected. Your data connection is disconnected", defaulted to AT&T, selection of T-Mobile "doesn't stick", etc.).
• I've been on the phone with T-Mobile support (and currently am as I type this) for the past 25 minutes. I've had repeat the narrative and supporting details (IMEI, SIM #, etc.) multiple times.
• Agent is trying very hard (and is impeccably polite), but I know they are flustered and frustrated as well.

I will update when I have further information.

Some Definitive Answers

Our experience with an unlocked Netgear NightHawk M5 for T-Mobile 5G in our mobile medical vans:

The reason was the current premium device that T-Mobile sells does not offer external antenna capabilities, and does not have an ethernet port so we use our own WiFi solution, and use the 5G device as a Modem only.

We activated the data line through T-Mobile and were told that we can use any 5G capable HotSpot device as long as it is unlocked.  We bought the device directly from Netgear and it is confirmed to be unlocked.

When we turned it on and were presented with the error message:

"Mobile Broadband Disconnected. Your data connection is disconnected"

“APN Setup Required.  To connect to the internet, please setup your APN.”

Support Call 1

Called T-Mobile and escalated to specialized support.  The support agent checked the APN settings and noted they were correct.  They had us log into the Admin panel of the device (192.168.1.1) and try to change the cellular settings found in Advanced Settings.  When we tried to change the cellular provider from AT&T to T-Mobile, the selection would "not stick".  It would default back to AT&T.  They referred us to Netgear saying they can trouble shoot that as they are working off the Netgear support manual available online, and do not have support for this device.

Support Call 2

We called Netgear support… USER BEWARE! After collecting the info about the device and the user, they said that they will send an email with the video link for YouTube on how to set up the device, and if we would like Pro Support we need to pay.  The rep was not willing to have the Pro Support help and stated that they have limited information and is unable to help set it up.  When questioned as to why this is the case, they stated "these devices are not meant to be plug and play, or self install".  The support costs $199.00 per year, but if you buy now they will discount it to $119.00.

After diligently educating them on the idiocy behind this move, and how it's extortion, they reluctantly put me on hold asking Pro Support to help us get this working.  After trouble shooting for a hour, they concluded this is a T-Mobile issue.

Support Call 3

Called T-Mobile back.  They escalated support to a specialized agent who after researching the issue from a higher level rep, stated that they are unable to provide an APN dedicated to this device because we have activated the data line on a Personal Plan.

To provide APNs for devices such as this, T-Mobile requires a Business Plan.

Support Call 4

Will be calling T-Mobile later (since I need to get work done and I’ve spent 4.5 hours working on an issue that should NOT exist) to change the plan to a Business Plan and see if this works.  

I will post an update once I have a definitive, reliable answer to this issue, but I will add this… if John Legere was still at T-Mobile, and I emailed this to him, heads would roll.  Shame on the weak, short-sighted leadership at T-Mobile for stifling the innovative culture that John worked so hard to invent in the cellular industry.  The bean counters once again proved that they don't get it. 

commanderpost36 wrote:

thepetersms wrote:

Joe-

Yes, T-mobile has blocked these devices by their IMEI #s. I would like to hear an official reason as to why they're doing this. My hope is that they will expand coverage for their home ISP through 4Glte.

Same thing happened to me with my Netgear Nighthawk M1. I have a feeling I know who your provider is and they're complete garbage when it comes to customer support.

I have used a NightHawk MR1100 for 5 years now on T Mobile and pay for Unlimited HotSpot on the military one plan with no issues. I get speeds up to 100 Mbs at times. 

Thanks, you just answered my question. I have the regular Tmobile home internet which sucks big time so I went out and bought the new netgear nighthawk M5 mobile router. I tried using the sim from the Tmobile internet Gateway router but it doesn't work on the nighthawk. Now I guess I'll have to purchase an Hotspot Plan from Tmobile to make it work otherwise, I'll have ro return this $700 router back to netgear.

I bought an unlocked Netgear Nighthawk M1 gigabit NAS mobile router. Call T-Mobile have them update the IMEI to the account and now I'm getting an MM#6, why? So like any rational individual I decided to remove the T-Mobile SIM card and place a different carrier SIM card in the device in this case, Verizon, process of elimination, and what do you know, the device comes up working with all five bars LTE and all. So T-Mobile why is this device being blocked? Now I'm going to have to go to the T-Mobile store reluctantly get one of T-Mobile's substandard overly priced Broadband devices for over $300 when I have my own device that is perfectly capable of working on any GSM/CDMA network unimpeded. After 15 years I think it's time for me to take my business elsewhere. This is why I don't like mergers.

Does this mean that AT&T and Verizon phone sim card data still work on the netgear nighthawk? Time to switch carriers?

I have used a NightHawk MR1100 for 5 years now on T Mobile and pay for Unlimited HotSpot on the military one plan with no issues. I get speeds up to 100 Mbs at times. 

thepetersms wrote:

Joe-

Yes, T-mobile has blocked these devices by their IMEI #s. I would like to hear an official reason as to why they're doing this. My hope is that they will expand coverage for their home ISP through 4Glte.

Same thing happened to me with my Netgear Nighthawk M1. I have a feeling I know who your provider is and they're complete garbage when it comes to customer support.

I have used a NightHawk MR1100 for 5 years now on T Mobile and pay for Unlimited HotSpot on the military one plan with no issues. I get speeds up to 100 Mbs at times. 

thepetersms wrote:

Joe-

Yes, T-mobile has blocked these devices by their IMEI #s. I would like to hear an official reason as to why they're doing this. My hope is that they will expand coverage for their home ISP through 4Glte.

Same thing happened to me with my Netgear Nighthawk M1. I have a feeling I know who your provider is and they're complete garbage when it comes to customer support.

I can confirm that the TMO technical escalation desk confirmed that they have blocked my Netgear Nighthawk M1 as it detected it was a Mobile Router, but my SIM was on a (valid TMO) phone line.  I was told that my router would not work as phone plans have unlimited data.  But when I mentioned that the phone plan i has a built-in high-speed data cap on the phone SIM I was using, I was told that it didn't matter.   There was no escalation, no options.  Just purchase a new Hotspot plan.  Makes no sense.  I am returning my router, and will use an old samsung to share internet.  A bit ridiculous, and looks to me like either a cash grab, or a blunt solution to a narrow technical issue (inability to cap internet based on IMEI).