Arduino Mega 2560 with Arduino GSM Shield 2

Projects Programming
1

Hi. I'm trying to interface Arduino Mega 2560 with Arduino GSM Shield 2 and I uploaded the code in the IDE (File>Examples>GSM>tools>GsmScanNetworks). My sim doesn't have pin so I left the line

#define PINNUMBER ""

as it is.

The board connections from mega to the gsm shield are pins 10,3,7,5v,grd to pins 2,3,7,5v,grd, respectively.

But the output I always got was this:

GSM networks scanner
Modem IMEI: 0
Scanning available networks. May take some seconds.

Current carrier: 0
Signal Strength:  [0-31]

What might be the problem? Thanks in advance for your answer.

2

The board connections from mega to the gsm shield are pins 10,3,7,5v,grd to pins 2,3,7,5v,grd, respectively.

That's a bunch of useless words that tell us NOTHING.

Draw a picture. Take a picture. Do something to show us how the thing is REALLY connected that does NOT involved a bunch of useless words.

3

from GSM Shield to Arduino Mega

pins:

2-->10
3-->3
7-->7
GND-->GND
5V-->5V

41765488_335299370551771_954194621951377408_n.jpg

4

If you were using the shield as a plug-in-on-top-of-the-mega board, all the pins would line up. Where do you get the information from that pin 2 on the shield should connect to pin 10 on the mega?

5

Okay, never mind.

Have you tried the SIM in a phone?

6

I tried to stack the shield with the board and find a way to connect pin 2 of gsm shield with pin 10 of arduino mega (see attached picture). I tried to upoad he code and still nothing worked.l

However, I remove my Arduino IDE 1.8.5 and installed the 1.6.4 version. I uploaded the code and it worked. But the code doen't recognize the carrier of the sim card.

41672825_1091617880997205_6042177451054858240_n.jpg

7

The code doesn't seem to be the problem as status is being printed out to the serial monitor. The problem appears to be with the shield/carrier connection. I don't have a GSM shield so I'm working half-blind here, you've read this? What I read near the middle is

Developer versions of the GSM shield required you to press press the Power button on the shield for a few moments to turn the modem on.

Might that apply?

8

I've tried that. Actually, before i upload the code, I always make sure to have the shield turned on first

9

Try a different SIM?

10

Jenifer3096:
I tried to stack the shield with the board and find a way to connect pin 2 of gsm shield with pin 10 of arduino mega (see attached picture). I tried to upoad he code and still nothing worked.l

However, I remove my Arduino IDE 1.8.5 and installed the 1.6.4 version. I uploaded the code and it worked. But the code doen't recognize the carrier of the sim card.

If I see it correctly in the picture:
a. you bent the shild pin D2 so Not to insert in Mega D2
b. you use a cable to short between shield D2 and D10
c. shield D10 pin is inserted in Mega D10

That is, Mega D10 goes to shield D10 & shield D2. (shield D10 & shield D2 are shorted together)
Correct?

11

Yes @demkat1

12

If power comes from Mega (usb or external) there may be an issue because of current. S,

Does the ON led on shield light up bright and continously or it is ON but with varying brightness?

13

Just read here:
https://arduino.stackexchange.com/questions/29751/arduino-mega-connection-to-arduino-gsm-2-shield

Since use Mega, why bother with SoftSerial and not use hard Serial1 instead?