Cell signal Failure

My 2Gig panel is reporting a cell failure. Signal strength reported as 13/31 but I get an error message stating it is not registered.

Any ideas??

Jim

If you are noticing cellular communication failure but showing a decent signal strength, the first thing to try in troubleshooting is to power down the system fully, wall transformer and battery, wait 5 minutes, then power it back up, plug in battery then transformer.

Wait a few minutes for a full boot up and for the panel to acquire cell signal, then run a cell phone test from your panel. Any luck?

Before I powered it down I ran a cell test. Error message was the module was not registered.
Rebooted and ran the test. This time it stated it was connecting to CS and then timed out. Ran it again and the error was: it could not acquire network registration.

One more thing. My panel has a low battery warning.

There may be a local disruption to the CDMA network the device connects to. Note that CDMA devices will experience a service sunset in the next few years though that typically shouldn’t affect signaling now. The carrier may limit resources over time.

Can you try the steps found in the video below to reconnect? Let us know if you run into issues.

Well it looks like I need a new module. Nothing worked.
When I ran a coverage coverage check, the results were a 3G ATT module or a 4G Verizon.
I am thinking Verizon.
Is one superior to the other?

Should a new module need to be obtained, the 4G LTE Module would be the way to go at this point, if coverage is equal. With the 3G sunset looming, the 4G LTE would offer more longevity. Keep in mind that you would need to have firmware 1.19 or higher in order for compatibility. You can find the Verizon 4G LTE module for the GC2 here.

Regarding the low battery, is the battery currently plugged in? How old is the battery?

I currently have firmware version 1.16. Can I flash 1.19 directly from version 1.16?

The battery was old. I have just swapped in a newer battery that I had in storage. Still shows low power but I am hoping it will eventually charge. I am assuming a low battery has no other effect if power remains to the system, correct?

The battery was old. I have just swapped in a newer battery that I had in storage. Still shows low power but I am hoping it will eventually charge. I am assuming a low battery has no other effect if power remains to the system, correct?

No it shouldnt. The new battery can take a few hours to charge completely.

I currently have firmware version 1.16. Can I flash 1.19 directly from version 1.16?

You can go from 1.16 to 1.19. Keep in mind an OTA would require a cellular connection unless your panel is connected to broadband via the Go!Bridge.

Otherwise you will need the 2GIG USB Firmware Update Cable. You can go directly from 1.16 to 1.19 with the cable. Keep in mind that 1.16 is the most recent firmware version for the TS1 secondary panel and is compatible with later version on the main panel.

Thanks! I only have a main panel, no TS1. So that won’t be a problem.

I thought I’d share an update with everyone.
I was preparing to install a new cell module. I received a new panel battery and I decided to put it in to fully charge before I installed the new module.
As soon as I plugged in the new battery the old cell module began communicating with the central station.
EVERYTHING was back to normal.
My thought is a low battery keeps the communication going. A dead battery stops communication completely, even with transformer power to the panel.
I hope this helps someone else!

My thought is a low battery keeps the communication going. A dead battery stops communication completely, even with transformer power to the panel.

This is not accurate, your cell module can function with or without a battery inside the panel, but a damaged battery may have had unknown impact or leeched voltage from the system.