Data connectivity FAQ

1. What are the requirements to establish a data session?
2. What is a private static IP and how does it work?
3. How does the 1KB stepping work?
4. Supported protocols
5. Does EMnify apply any throttling or data consumption limit?
6. Can I limit the consumption of my SIM cards
7. Ping to EMnify SIM cards
8. Can I prioritize one specific operator?
9. Does EMnify support IPv6?
10. What does the message "Location update rejected from SGSN XXX (YYY) for IMSI ZZZ. This operator is currently not supported for this IMSI. A different IMSI or operator will be used for the network registration" mean?.

What are the requirements to establish a data session?

For your device to establish a data connection, the following conditions must be fulfilled in order:

• The SIM has been registered on the portal and it is assigned to a Connected Device. Please ensure that the status of the Connected device is "Enabled"
• The SIM has been inserted into the device and the device is powered on
• The APN on the device is set to “em” . No username or password is required. 
• Please ensure that data roaming is enabled. This option is not available in many devices
• Please check that your device does not have a “SIM lock” that limits its use to a specific operator

What is a private static IP and how does it work?

All EMnify SIM cards have a private static IP address by default.

A static IP address, once assigned to a device, remains the same. In contrast, a dynamic IP is assigned to a device each time the device establishes a connection to the network.

Private IP addresses are not routed on the Internet and no traffic can be sent to them from the Internet, they only supposed to work within the local network.

How does the 1KB Stepping work?

Supported Protocols

Yes, we support TCP, UDP, and PPP. We do not support GRE as well as PPTP due to the fact that it is outdated and has many well-known security issues.

Does EMnify apply any throttling or data consumption limit?

EMnify does not we throttle your connection. However, external factors may have an effect in data connectivity, such as distance to the cell tower.

At EMnify we set a monthly usage limit on all customers accounts. The limit is based on the customer's service usage and goes up accordingly. It is set in Euro and takes into consideration the cost of Data and SMS.

 Why does EMnify set such a limit?

This limit is set to prevent non desirable device misbehavior or hack. The connectivity services offered by EMnify have a cost and the limit is set based on the customer's specific expected usage. In some cases, we noticed high consumption peaks due to device misconfiguration, bug or sometimes hack. The set limit prevents the consumption from reaching unexpected levels which would lead to very high invoices.

Where can I see my monthly account limit in the EUI?

The limit is not visible on the EUI. To have more information about it, simply send an email to our support team who will make sure the limit is properly set.

What happens if the limit is reached?

If the limit of an organization is reached, all existing PDP context will be closed and new PDP contexts will be rejected. In other words, all endpoints linked to the account will go offline and stay offline until the limit is upgraded and the account unblocked.

How can I make sure I will not reach the limit?

The EMnify team constantly monitors the customer's monthly limit and makes sure it is increased accordingly to the customer's data and SMS usage. Consumption peaks are usually caused by device bugs misconfigurations or hack.

To prevent devices from exceeding the expected monthly usage, you can set usage limits (SMS or data limits are available). To prevent hacks, you can use the endpoint IMEI lock. We also strongly advise you to enable the two way authentication on your account.

Can I limit the consumption of my SIM cards?

Yes, it is possible to set Data and SMS limits. Please read this article

Ping to EMnify SIM cards

The static IP of the device is a private one by default, in order for the customer to access the devices they can setup an OpenVPN, a Transit Gateway or an IPsec connection.

EMnify provides an OpenVPN connection free of charge. Please visit our VPN and Cloud Connectivity section for additional information, or follow our OpenVPN setup guides:

• Windows
• Linux
• MacOS

And last, keep in mind that inter-device communication is not supported. Your devices can communicate with private IP address ranges in your infrastructure using VPN and a NAT / port-forwarding solution, but this is something that has to be built by you.

Can I prioritize one specific operator?

EMnify does not steer to specific networks, and we recommend the users to select the automatic mode and let the device choose the best available network. We do not recommend applying any steering, but in case you would like to do it this must be done manually on your devices. There is no option available in the portal to prioritize operators, as the network selection is done by your devices. Blacklisting an operator will not force your devices to switch to a different operator in case this in not configured on your device.

Does EMnify support IPv6?

At the moment EMnify supports IPv4 only.

What does the message "Location update rejected from SGSN XXX (YYY) for IMSI ZZZ. This operator is currently not supported for this IMSI. A different IMSI or operator will be used for the network registration" mean?

EMnify's SIM cards have multiple IMSIs. If one specific operator is not supported by the IMSI in use, it will try to attach to an alternative operator (if available) using the same IMSI, or it will use a different IMSI to try to attach to the operator.

If your tariff includes the operator for which you are getting the error message, your device will have to perform an IMSI switch. If you notice that you are getting the same error message using different IMSIs, please contact our Customer Support team.

In case you have additional questions, please contact our Customer Support team