troubleshooting ICMP (ping) failures between a Quectel EC25 cellular module and a host PC over a USB ECM interface, despite successful IP assignment and network registration.

Subject: Issue with Ping Failures on Quectel Module (Unable to Ping from Evaluation Board to Host PC and vice-versa)

Problem Statement: We are encountering a persistent issue with our cellular module setup where the module is unable to ping its own IP address or the connected host PC’s IP over a USB ECM (usbnet=0) interface. Despite successful IP assignment and verified network registration, AT+QPING consistently fails with response code 569.
This issue is blocking two-way communication testing between the evaluation board and the host system, and may indicate an internal routing or ICMP handling issue in the firmware.

Environment and Setup
Parameter Value/Notes
Module Manufacturer Quectel EC25
Firmware Version EC25EFAR06A06M4G
Interface Mode USB ECM (AT+QCFG=“usbnet”,0)
OS Windows 11
Cellular Network Vodafone IN (LTE)
SIM Status Active + Internet Plan Enabled
Evaluation Platform QNavigator_V1.6.8

Steps Already Performed

  1. Verified Windows recognizes the ECM interface and assigns IP (10.161.170.51).
  2. Host PC can successfully ping module:
     ping 10.161.170.51 → Successful
  3. Module fails to ping PC or its own IP:
     AT+QPING=1,“10.161.170.51” → +QPING: 569
  4. Attempted AT+QIACT=1 → returns ERROR
  5. Verified AT+QCFG=“usbnet” is set to 0 (ECM mode)
  6. Checked signal strength, registration, and attachment:
    AT+CSQ, AT+CREG?, AT+CGATT? → all OK
  7. Tried AT+QNETDEV? → returns ERROR
  8. Windows Firewall was fully disabled to rule out any interference with ICMP requests or adapter detection — but the issue persists.

Current Issues

  1. AT+QPING from the module always fails with code 569 (no route or ICMP timeout).
  2. Even pinging its own IP (loopback) fails.
  3. The module appears reachable from host, but cannot initiate outbound pings, even with a correct PDP context.
  4. Attempted with all available USB network modes using AT+QCFG=“usbnet”, (i.e., modes 1, 2, and 3), but:
    • In all other modes (besides 0), the network adapter on the host becomes unstable — it appears briefly for 5 seconds, then disappears for 2–3 seconds, and keeps cycling this way.
    • In these unstable modes, no reliable ping or connectivity is possible from either side.
  5. The module’s network adapter on Windows stays in the “Identifying…” state and does not transition to a “Private” network profile, which may be preventing full IP stack initialization or ICMP/routing functionality on the host side.

Questions for Qualcomm Support

  1. Is AT+QPING expected to work in ECM mode to the module’s own IP?
  2. Could firmware or hardware routing/filtering cause the 569 result?
  3. Does ECM mode require additional setup to support ICMP from module?
  4. Is there a known limitation or patch for this behaviour?
  5. Should AT+QNETDEV? work in ECM mode?
  6. What does QPING: 569 exactly indicate internally?
  7. How can we enable successful ICMP communication from the host PC to the IP address assigned to the module (evaluation board)?

hi,

I have been reading this post for quite some time. May I ask if further support is still needed?

Thanks