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April 22, 2026April 22, 2026 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 3 Comments

Raspberry Pi RP2350 board offers NB-IoT cellular connectivity, GNSS, and Wi-Fi indoor location

Raspberry Pi RP2350 board NB-IoT cellular

Challenger+ RP2350 NB-IoT is a Feather-compatible board pairing a Raspberry Pi RP2350 microcontroller and a certified NB-IoT cellular module with built-in GNSS, suitable for long-range, low-power connectivity. It looks to be a variant of the earlier Challenger+ RP2350 WiFi6/BLE5 board that replaces an ESP32-C6 WiFi 6, BLE, and 802.15.4 module with an STMicroelectronics ST87M01 NB-IoT and GNSS module. It still offers Challenger+ RP2350 NB-IoT specifications: Microcontroller – Raspberry Pi RP2350A MCU CPU Dual-core Arm Cortex-M33 processor @ 150MHz Dual-core 32-bit RISC-V processor @ 150MHz Up to two cores can be used at a given time Memory – 520KB internal RAM 8KB OTP Storage Package – QFN-60; 7×7 mm Memory – 8MB PSRAM Storage – 8MB SPI flash Cellular connectivity Module – STMicro ST87M01-1301 LTE Cat NB2 (NB-IoT), 3GPP Release 15 Worldwide regional bands coverage – B1, B3, B5, B8, B20, and B28 Single-tone / Multi-tone / Extended TBS and 2 […]

April 1, 2026April 1, 2026 by Debashis Das - 1 Comment

Digi IX25 – A rugged 5G RedCap/eMBB industrial cellular router

Digi International Digi IX25 is a rugged, industrial 5G cellular router designed for critical and enterprise applications. Built around a 1.2 GHz quad-core Cortex-A53 processor, this router combines cellular networking, edge computing, remote management, and secure connectivity into a single device, simplifying deployment across utilities, oil & gas, transportation, kiosks, ATMs, and digital signage. The platform comes in multiple variants, including 5G eMBB (Enhanced Mobile Broadband), 5G RedCap (Reduced Capability), and LTE-only, with some models supporting Wi-Fi 6E and others not. Other features, including dual SIM + eSIM for remote provisioning, four Gigabit Ethernet ports, GNSS, serial, and GPIOs, stay the same across all varieties. It is designed for harsh environments with −40°C to 75°C operation and certifications like C1D2, ATEX, and MIL-STD-810H. Digi IX25 specifications: Processor – 1.2 GHz quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 processor (could be NXP i.MX 8 family or MediaTek/Rockchip based chips) System Memory – 1 GB DDR […]

March 3, 2026 by Debashis Das - No Comments

Quectel RM255C mid-tier 5G RedCap M.2 and LGA modules support LTE Cat 4 fallback, multi-constellation GNSS

Quectel RG255C NA (Left) and RM255C GL (Right) mid tier 5G RedCap GPP release 17 modules

Quectel has just announced two new 5G RedCap modules, the RM255C-GL (Global, M.2) and RG255C-NA (North America, LGA), both of which are 3GPP Release 17-compliant 5G RedCap (Reduced Capability) modules designed to bridge the gap between LTE Cat 4/6 and full-featured 5G. Both the modules support 5G Sub-6GHz SA with LTE Cat 4 fallback, peak data rates of up to 223 Mbps downlink and 123 Mbps uplink, and backward compatibility with Rel-15/16 networks. Additionally, the modules support optional multi-constellation GNSS via Qualcomm IZat Gen 9VT technology along with various interfaces such as USB 2.0 and PCIe 2.0 (plus UART, SPI, I2C, SGMII, PCM on the RG255C-NA). Both support dual SIM, DFOTA, and embedded protocol stacks, and are suitable for industrial IoT, smart grids, video surveillance, mobile hotspots, wearables, and other medium-speed applications. Quectel RM255C-GL and RG255C-NA specifications: Connectivity 5G NR – 3GPP Release 17 RedCap (Reduced Capability) Sub-6 GHz Standalone (SA) […]

February 16, 2026February 16, 2026 by Debashis Das - 16 Comments

xSDR – A tiny M.2 2230 SDR module with Artix-7 FPGA and LMS7002M RFIC (Crowdfunding)

xSDR single sided M.2 software defined radio with 2× RX TX channels up to 3.8 GHz

Wavelet Lab’s xSDR is a tiny, single-sided M.2 2230 software-defined radio (SDR) module designed for integration into laptops, embedded systems, and edge computing devices. A successor to the company’s previous uSDR, the “x” in xSDR stands for “extended,” adding 2×2 MIMO support and a wider frequency range to the same tiny footprint. The module is built around the Lime Microsystems LMS7002M RFIC and an AMD Artix-7 XC7A50T FPGA as found in the LimeNET Micro 2.0 Developer Edition board. This combination allows for a tuning range of 30 MHz to 3.8 GHz and a sample rate of up to 122.88 MSPS, making this SDR suitable for cellular research (LTE/5G), spectrum analysis, satellite tracking, and high-speed data links (with two modules). Wavelet Lab’s xSDR specifications: RFIC – Lime Microsystems LMS7002M programmable RF (FPRF) transceiver IC FPGA – AMD Embedded XC7A50T (Artix-7) with 52,160 logic cells RF capabilities Channels – 2×2 MIMO (2x […]

January 16, 2026January 15, 2026 by Debashis Das - 7 Comments

ESP32-S3 multi-radio Smart Home gateway features Ethernet, Zigbee, Thread, Z-Wave, Wi-Fi, BLE, and optional 4G LTE connectivity

SLZB Ultima multi radio smart home gateway with ESP32 S3 Zigbee Z Wave, Matter or Thread

SMLIGHT SLZB-Ultima is an ESP32-S3-based, multi-radio smart-home gateway with dual Zigbee/Thread radios, optional Z-Wave 800, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth LE, Ethernet with PoE, USB host expansion, and optional 4G LTE connectivity designed for advanced Home Assistant and DIY applications. The device also integrates an IR receiver and transmitter for controlling legacy appliances, GPIO and I²C for hardware expansion, a buzzer, physical buttons, service LEDs, and 12 on-board WS2812B RGB LEDs on the front for status indication. These features make it suitable for an all-in-one smart-home and IoT gateway rather than a simple coordinator. SMLIGHT SLZB-Ultima specifications: Main SoC – ESP32-S3 CPU – Dual-core LX7 microprocessor @ up to 240 MHz with Vector extension for machine learning Wireless – WiFi 4 and Bluetooth 5 with LE/Mesh Audio – Built-in buzzer and optional microphone for ESPHome Voice Assist Networking Wireless Dual Zigbee / Thread radios (Texas Instruments CC2674P10 + Silicon Labs EFR32MG24) Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n […]

December 12, 2025December 13, 2025 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - No Comments

nRF9151 SMA DK development kit offers cellular IoT, DECT NR+, and 5G NTN satellite connectivity

Nordic Semiconductor’s nRF9151 SMA DK development kit is designed for building IoT applications using LTE-M/NB-IoT cellular IoT, DECT NR+, or 5G NTN (Non-Terrestrial Network) satellite connectivity. The development kit offers three ways to connect a SIM card, namely a NanoSIM card slot, an MFF2 SIM footprint for eSIM or software iSIM, and a 10-pin SIM connector. It also includes two SMA connectors for GPS and LTE antennas or lab equipment, multiple current measurement connectors, and Arduino UNO headers for expansion, notably the nRF7002 EK for adding Wi-Fi 6 locationing capabilities. nRF9151-SMA-DK specifications: Wireless System-in-Package – Nordic Semi nRF9151 CPU – Arm Cortex-M33 @ 64 MHz Memory – 256KB RAM Storage – 1MB flash Connectivity Multimode LTE-M/NB-IoT/NB-NTN modem with DECT NR+ support and GNSS. 700-2200 MHz LTE band support. Power Class 5 20 dBm Power Class 3 23 dBm 1.9 GHz and 915 Mhz DECT NR+ band support Security – Arm […]

June 23, 2025 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - No Comments

Airgain introduces plug-and-play NimbeLink Skywire Cat 1bis embedded modem for industrial IoT applications

Airgain NimbeLink Skywire Cat 1bis plug and play module

Airgain has recently launched the pre-certified NimbeLink Skywire Cat 1bis Embedded Modem, which it claims is the “industry’s first plug-and-play Cat 1bis modem for end-application use in industrial IoT”. We’ve already seen several Cat 1bis modules for industrial IoT applications such as the u-blox SARA-R10001DE and Cavli C17QS, among others. What Airgain highlights here is its module’s plug-and-play ability through the Skywire interface (two headers), while other modules typically need to be soldered on the PCB. Airgain NimbeLink Skywire Cat 1bis modem specifications: Based on Quectel EG916Q-GL module Cellular 4G LTE Bands LTE-FDD: B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B7, B8, B12, B13, B18, B19, B20, B25, B26, B28, B66 LTE-TDD: B34, B38, B39, B40, B41 SIM card Micro (3FF) SIM slot Verizon MFF2 SIM Data rates – Up to 10 Mbps downlink and 5 Mbps uplink Variants North America (TC1bisNAG model) – AT&T, Bell, Rogers, Telus, Verizon networks Worldwide (QC1bisWWG […]

April 29, 2025April 30, 2025 by Debashis Das - No Comments

Inventia MT-718 PS battery-powered IP68 industrial telemetry logger integrates environmental sensors, cellular IoT connectivity

Inventia MT 718 PS battery operated telemetry logger with IP68 protection

Inventia MT-718 PS is a compact, battery-powered industrial telemetry logger designed for monitoring, logging, and data transmission in industrial and environmental applications, especially in areas where grid power supply and access to infrastructure are limited. It supports 2G/4G LTE Cat 1 or NB-IoT/LTE Cat M1 (eMTC) connectivity, and comes with an IP68-rated waterproof housing, allowing operation under 2 meters of water for up to 24 hours. Key features include five binary/counter inputs, two analog inputs (0–5V with 4–20mA conversion option), and built-in pressure (0–10 bar), temperature, and humidity sensors, as well as RS-485 with Modbus RTU support. The logger also features two digital outputs, can store up to 60,000 records at 1-second intervals, offers an optional OLED display, and supports OTA firmware updates. It is powered by replaceable alkaline or lithium batteries for long-term, maintenance-free operation and includes tamper detection via a lid sensor. The MT-718 OS can be used […]