About Modem Interfaces
You can add one modem to a supported Firebox or XTM device. In Fireware v12.1 and higher, the modem is available as an external interface and appears in the list of Firebox interfaces. You can specify the modem interface when you configure these features:
- BOVPN and BOVPN virtual interfaces
- Dynamic DNS
- 1-to-1 NAT
- SNAT
- Dynamic NAT
- SD-WAN routing Tip!
- Traffic management — Applies to modem interfaces for outgoing traffic only
- Multi-WAN
- Mobile VPN
The modem interface also appears in the Aliases list. You can add the modem interface to policies on your Firebox.
For mobile VPN connections to a modem interface that has a dynamic IP address, you must:
- Register the modem interface with a dynamic DNS provider
- Configure dynamic DNS on the Firebox
- Specify the domain name for the modem interface in the mobile VPN settings
For more information about dynamic DNS, see About the Dynamic DNS Service.
To configure a modem interface, see Configure a Modem Interface.
Modems and Multi-WAN
You can configure a modem interface to participate in multi-WAN. By default, modem interfaces do not participate in multi-WAN. For information about multi-WAN methods, see About Multi-WAN Methods.
When you configure a modem interface as a multi-WAN participant, link monitor is not enabled for the modem by default to prevent unwanted bandwidth consumption. To configure the modem interface to monitor the default gateway or another source that you specify, you must enable link monitor. For more information about link monitor configuration, see About Link Monitor.
You can configure branch office VPN connections to fail over to the modem interface. For more information about VPN modem failover, see Configure VPN Modem Failover.
Multi-WAN is not supported on the Firebox T10, or XTM 2 Series devices without the Pro upgrade. Multi-WAN is supported on Firebox T15 devices with Fireware v12.3 or higher. Although multi-WAN is not supported in certain cases, modem failover is supported for the Firebox T10 and T15. This is true even after an upgrade to Fireware v12.1 or higher, which converts modems to external interfaces.
Modem Failover
If your Firebox is configured for modem failover, and you upgrade from Fireware v12.0.2 or lower to Fireware v12.1 or higher, the upgrade automatically converts the modem to an external interface with modem failover enabled. If all other external interfaces become unavailable, traffic automatically fails over to the modem interface.
For more information about modem failover, see Configure Modem Failover.
Supported Firebox and XTM Devices
These Firebox and XTM devices support modems:
- T10
- T15
- T30
- T35
- T50
- T55
- T70
- M200
- M270
- M300
- M370
- M400
- M470
- M500
- M570
- M670
- XTM 2 Series
- XTM 3 Series
- XTM 5 Series
To use a 3G/4G USB cellular modem with an XTM 330 or 5 Series device, you must use Fireware v11.7.4 or higher.
USB dial-up modems are not supported.
Connect a serial or 3G/4G modem to a USB port on the Firebox.
- To use a serial modem, you must have a dial-up account with an Internet Service Provider (ISP).
- To use a 3G/4G modem, the Firebox must use the minimum version of Fireware OS that supports the modem and you must have a 3G or 4G data plan with a wireless service provider.
Supported Modems
You can configure these modems on your Firebox:
| Carrier | 3G/4G USB Device | Vendor ID | Product ID | Fireware OS Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A (UK and NL) | D-Link DWM-221 | 0x2001 | 0x7e19 | v11.10.7 or higher |
| N/A (UK and NL) | D-Link DWM-2221 | 0x0BDB | 0x1926 | v12.0 or higher |
| AT&T | Netgear 340U2 | 0x1199 | 0x9051 | v11.10.2 or higher |
| AT&T | Sierra 313U | 0x0f3d | 0x68aa | v11.7.4 or higher |
| AT&T | Sierra Elevate 4G | 0x1199 | 0x68a3 | v11.8.3 Update 1 or higher |
| AT&T | Netgear BEAM | 0x1199 | 0x9051 | v11.12.2 or higher |
| AT&T | Velocity MF861 | 0x19d2 | 0x1405 | v12.1 or higher |
| Bell (CA) | Huawei E8372 | 0x12d1 | 0x14db | v11.10.7 or higher |
| Deutsche Telekom | Huawei E3372 | 0x12d1 | 0x1506 | v11.10.7 or higher |
| Deutsche Telekom | Huawei E3372 | 0x12d1 | 0x14dc | v11.12 or higher |
| NTT / DoCoMo (Japan) | NCXX UX302NC NCXX UX302NC-R |
0x11f6 | 0x1035 | v12.2 or higher |
| NTT DoCoMo / au by KDDI / Softbank (Japan) | Fuji Soft FS040U | 0x1C9E | 0xF133 | v12.2 or higher |
| SFR (FR) | Huawei E3372 | 0x12d1 | 0x14dc | v11.12 or higher |
| Sprint | Franklin U602 | 0x1fac | Unknown | v11.7.3 or higher |
| Sprint | Sierra 250U | N/A | N/A | v11.7.3 or higher |
| Sprint | Franklin U301 | N/A | N/A | v11.9.1 or higher |
| Sprint | Netgear 341U | 0x1199 | 0x9055 | v11.8.3 or higher |
| Sprint | Netgear 341U (revision) | 0x1199 | 0x9057 | v12.2 or higher |
| Sprint | Franklin U772 | 0x1fac | 0x0232 | v11.12.2 or higher |
| Telcel (MX) | Huawei E3372 | 0x12d1 | 0x14dc | v11.12 or higher |
| Telus (CA) | Netgear 340U2 | 0x1199 | 0x9051 | v11.10.2 or higher |
| T-Mobile | ZTE MF683 | 0x19d2 | 0x0157 | v11.7.3 or higher |
| T-Mobile | ZTE MF190 | 0x19d2 | 0x0117 | v11.9.3 or higher |
| T-Mobile (NL) | Huawei E3372 | 0x12d1 | 0x1506 | v11.10.7 or higher |
| T-Mobile (NL) | Huawei E3372 | 0x12d1 | 0x14dc | v11.12 or higher |
| Telstra (ANZ) | Huawei E8372 | 0x12d1 | 0x14db | v11.10.7 or higher |
| Telstra (ANZ) | Sierra 320U | 0x0f3d | 0x68aa | v11.8.1 or higher |
| Verizon | Pantech UML295 | 0x10a9 | 0x6064 | v11.10.2 or higher |
| Verizon | Novatel USB551L | 0x1410 | 0xb001 | v11.7.4 or higher |
| Verizon | Novatel U620L | 0x1410 | 0x9022 | v11.10.5 or higher |
| Verizon | Global Modem USB730L1 | 0x1410 | 0x9032 | v12.1.1 or higher |
1 The D-Link DWM-222 and Verizon Global Modem USB730L modems require more power than the USB port can supply on T10 or T15 Fireboxes. You may experience poor modem performance or frequent modem reboots. To use these modems with your Firebox, you can connect a powered USB hub to the Firebox and connect the modem to the hub. Other modem models might be affected.
2 To use the Netgear 340U with your Firebox, you might have to disable the Identity Morphing feature on the modem. For more information, see the Knowledge Base article NETGEAR AC340U modem not working with Firebox.
These serial modems are also supported:
- Zoom FaxModem 56K model 2949
- MultiTech 56K Data/Fax Modem International
- OMRON ME5614D2 Fax/Data Modem
- Hayes 56K V.90 serial fax modem
For XTM 21, 22, and 23 devices, you must use an IOGEAR GUC323A USB to Serial RS-232 adapter to connect a serial modem to the USB port.