Hi All, I hope you can help with a UMobile Data SIM problem I'm having.
I've been using a UMobile Data SIM in a (no brand) 4g Router for several months and it worked fine. Last week the old router died and I bought a new TP-Link MR200 LTE Router. This router has a SIM slot.

When I inserted the UMobile SIM it would not connect to the mobile network.
I looked through all the possible config options, tried some, but still no connection. This is the same SIM that worked perfectly in the old router just days ago.

I figured maybe the new router is faulty.
So I took the SIM card from my mobile phone (Digi network) and tried that in the new router. Worked straight away!

I put the UMobile SIM in my mobile phone - it worked right away (allowed personal hotspot allowed connections from all devices).

So - new the router works (with a Digi SIM).
The UMobile SIM works (with mobile phone, data mode).
But the UMobile SIM refuses to work in the router.

I've dug deeper and tried selecting network Band manually (1,3,7,8), also tried dropping the router to accept 3G only. Upgraded the Router Firmware - nothing works.

Anybody seen this before? Any suggestions?

This post has been edited by Colada: May 19 2025, 05:02 PM

Thanks for those replies.
Stryfox, do you mean a TP-Link forum on LowYat? I'll look for it.
SVchia78, the package I buy from Umobile is their 40RM one (Uprepaid 40). It worked fine on the 'no brand' router. I guess your reference to "*ahem*-ed" means 'cracked'? The answer is I don't know - it was bought on Shopee. Supposed to have a 5 year warranty by the way, but when I tried contavting the seller I got the message that the seller has been banned from Shopee!
PRSXFENG, this router is set up in a home that is only occupied one week per month. I don't want to pay a monthly fee for a fancy high speed data package that will hardly be used and I'll have to sign a contract on. I preferred this ad-hoc arrangement, which I can drop anytime.
Yesterday I went to the Umobile outlet where I bought the SIM card. They too said it had to do with the router and the 40RM package. I asked them about their higher speed 50RM package, which they said would be compatible with the router. But then they told me the 5G package SIM would only pick up a signal up to the 8th floor of a condo, so it too would not work for me! The apartment is on the 11th floor. I expressed surprise at that, but they told me they had a Japanese customer who couldn't get his 5G SIM to work because he was in a 13th floor apartment.
Anyone know if this is true?
My Digi 5G SIM works perfectly on the 11th floor (when I plug it into the Archer MR200 router).

Yeah, I thought the '8th floor' rule is a bit pessimistic.

Anyhow I have an update on progress.

Yesterday I went back to the shop where I bought the TP-Link 4G router. They tested it with my Umobile SIM and agreed it isn't compatible. They were very nice and took it back, giving me a credit note for the full amount. I'm satisfied with that cos I plan to buy a new printer soon and will use the credit there.

One interesting thing they told me is that the Telco's have a way of 'killing' cracked routers remotely, and that rather than my old router just 'dieing' it may have been 'bricked' by Umobile remotely! Anyone ever heard of this?

Anyway they suggested I should go to a nearby mall which sells 'no-brand' 4G routers which might work for me.
So I did that, and found a new no-brand router there. The shop tested my Umobile SIM in their router and it worked.
I asked what their guarentee on it was if it got bricked or died - they said one for one within 12 months. So I bought it.

Got it home and set it up. All works, EXCEPT, weirdly, my TV can't connect to the internet through it. All my other devices hook up no prob. But the TV - it connects to the router, but stubbornly insists 'No Internet'! I'll keep trying.

So there you go folks, if you didn't already know it, be careful when buying a 'branded' 4G LTE router to use with a prepaid SIM.

Lots of great info with your replies folks, thanks.

Svchia78 that's it in writing! Only phones allowed. Thanks for pointing this out and I now see what's going on. This was not pointed out to me by the salesman at Umobile, even though I explained clearly why I was buying the package and how I'd use it (on a router).



You are absolutely correct sir. Only they don't 'insist' clearly enough when selling the package! I had no idea I was buying a scam.



But do they forbid use in a router? Chrono-Trigger says it's forbidden by Celcom.

I'm scared now that my new no-brand router or Umobile SIM card will soon be blocked.
Is Hotlink my best alternative (I'm gonna switch as soon as my current credit with Umobile expires).

I think the plain truth is people don't use all the massive data packages when the SIM is in a phone, and the telco's know this. I'd love to see data on how much of those huge packages actually gets used in reality.
But when the SIM is in a router connected to multiple devices in the home, there's every likelihood that the data will all be eaten.
So it's a scam indeed, and they're all at it.
Where's the regulator?