Enabling IPFire for 5G

**siosios** · 05-13-2023

Are you using IPFire through a wireless connection? Do you need more bandwidth and lower latency no matter where you are? Then, we have you covered with support for 5G interfaces which also helps making 4G connections faster!
IPFire is now offering support for a new kind of wireless modem using the Qualcomm Management Interface - or QMI for short. It is a new way that is commonly used by 5G modems to talk to the operating system, but it is also used by newer 4G modems. It enables to communicate faster than before when every mobile 4G or 3G modem was emulating a serial interface like it has been used in dial-up modems of the 56k kind, or even slower.
Emulating this interface had a couple of downsides which have now been removed and more control is being given to the baseband which makes setting up 4G and 5G in IPFire even easier. Instead of typing rather complicated phone commands, now, you will only need to type your APN and - if your provider requires it - your username and password.

The Legacy Modem Interface

To IPFire, any 2G/3G/4G simply used to be a modem. Just like the 56k serial modems that we all used to have, it is controlled through exactly the same interface. Instead of using an actual serial connection, it is being emulated over USB. But since there is some emulation, and because the interface was designed for a different century, it is not the fastest any more.

Is 5G here?

5G has not been rolled out just yet. Hardware is not readily available everywhere yet, and cell towers have not been upgraded unless you are in a big city. But it is happening fast...
IPFire users require more and more bandwidth as more and more applications are being rolled out. With fewer services on premise and video calls, data usage is only going up. And we like to work from wherever we are. Bringing IPFire with you, whether you are living in a remote location in the woods, you have a mobile home in a caravan, or whatever other application you have for a firewall that is on the move, we have you covered now.
This is just another step to make IPFire ready for the future and widen its application. Please send us feedback on how well this is working for you, and if you would like to support our work, please help funding our developers with your donation!

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