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NetMonitor in Nokia phones (3/7)

[Part 1][Part 2][Part 3][Part 4][Part 5][Part 6][Part 7]


  1. What is it ?
  2. Do I need it ?
  3. Does my phone use more power with NetMonitor enabled ?
  4. How to activate it ?
  5. Which NetMonitor version can be activated in my phone ?
  6. Does NetMonitor activation void warranty ?
  7. NetMonitor menu in my phone has different number than 10. Is it normal ?
  8. NetMonitor menu in my phone has 11 number, hovewer previous position has 9 number. Is it normal ?
  9. How to use it ?
  10. Can I damage my phone ?
  11. Glossary
  12. Description of the individual tests
  13. You can also use a program...
  14. Can I use NetMonitor without SIM card inserted, without PIN number entered or when SIM card is not active ?
  15. How can I disable NetMonitor ?
  16. Do I need to disable NetMonitor before sending my phone to the service ?
  17. Is it possible to re-activate NetMonitor after disabling it ?
  18. Is NetMonitor available in analog Nokia phones ?
  19. Does NetMonitor allow to use phone like broadcast station ?
  20. I don't have all described tests in my phone. Why ? Can I increase their number ?
  21. Does NetMonitor allow to identify place, where is my interlocutor ?
  22. Does NetMonitor allow to identify place, where am I ?
  23. What are NetMonitor codes ?
  24. Is it the truth, that in phones with additional hardware changing frequency band NetMonitor doesn't work correct ?
  25. Where can I find description of FBUS/MBUS protocol and commands connected with NetMonitor ?
  26. I have non existing networks on the list of forbidden networks...
  27. How to check frequency band (900 or 1800 Mhz), where phone work in this moment ?
  28. Can I use DLR-2/DLR-3 cables for activating netmonitor ?
  29. Can I activate netmonitor using Init File Editor (Nokia 9110) ?
  30. Can I force phone to use one frequency band (900 or 1800 Mhz) only ?
  31. How to change settings in tests ?
  32. My phone has very short snandby time - it is possible to see the reason of it ?
  33. Is netmonitor available in English version only ?
  34. Information sources
  35. Additional information
  36. Does using/activating netmonitor cost anything ?
  37. Does using netmonitor is legall ?
  38. Which entries on SIM card are used in netmonitor tests ?
  39. Can I activate netmonitor in 3310 using soft working with 3210 ?
  40. After activating netmonitor/BTS TEST my phone can't find network...
  41. Netmonitor shows different battery capacity than info on it...

12. Description of the individual tests


Existence of the individual test in your phone depends on:

Help screens for tests are written with bold font, concrete (example) values in tests with italic (I put them there, where I didn't have more details about test).

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Test 1
Information about communication with cell

abbb ccc ddd
 e ff g mmmm
 nnn     ppp
    oooo
CH RxL TxPwr
TS TA RQ RLT
 C1     C2
    CHT

Interesting thing: In firmware in Nokia 3210 and 3310 there are strings which shows info about data transmission state ("officialy" these phones don't have this function)...

In Nokia 3110 this test looks similiar:

abbb cccc ddd
 e ff g qqrr
s Bttuu mmmm
w ppp oonnn z
 CH RxL TxPwr
TS TA QPM RAR
Ro BsiCLK RLT
S C2 CHT C1 B

Level of received signal (RX) is connected with phone transmission power (TX): the weaker the former, the stronger the latter (take a look at example indications of 6110 using SDCC and TFR channels):

RXTX
from -38 to -49 dBm19
from -68 to -75 dBm9-14 (0,032 - 0,316 Watt)
from -79 to -85 dBm7-9 (0,794 - 0,032 Watt)
from -85 to -93 dBm5-7 (2 - 0,794 Watt)

For curious people: some of these data can also be found in Nokia service programs (for example in WinTesla in "Testing" / "RF Information" menu).

Using CCCH or CBCH channel by the phone (if the cell doesn’t support cell broadcast – you can check this in test 7) depends on its firmware version and whether cell broadcasting has been enabled (or not) by the user. For example: Nokia 5110 v 5.04 uses CBCH channel, if you enable this feature in Menu 2-5 or Menu 4-2-2 (and CCCH channel, if you disable it). I think, that cell broadcast should be disabled when it is not supported by the network – probably you can save some battery power. It has been corrected in version 5.07 (when CB is not supported by the network, the phone uses CCCH regardless of "Info service" and "Cell info display" settings).

Additionally, ccc (RX) parameter can be used to set the direction of your antenna (especially directional one) much more precisely than when using the indicator on the left side of phone’s display ! I also have a piece of advice for you: never touch the antenna (in any case, you can check how it affects level of received signal just by holding it with your fingers) !

TA parameter can be also used (apart from calculating the distance to BTS) to measure speed (for example of the care you’re driving). I’m serious! But this can be done only when:

  • the road is straight (no bends)
  • the phone uses only one BTS
  • BTS must be located near the road

A little bit of mathematics:

From Pitagoras’ theorem:

a2 = c2 + e2
b2 = c2 + f2

So:
e =
f =

Now d = e - f =-

If you know:

  1. the way traveled by the car (on the drawing: length of "d" segment; it can be calculated form the lengths of "a" and "b" segments (multiples of 513 m (for simplification) read from TA) and c (described later))
  2. time, in which TA has changed (measured by a stopwatch)

you can measure your speed.
Inaccuracy of this measure depends on:

  • distance between BTS and road (segment "c")
  • velocity itself
  • distance between car and BTS (with longer distance inaccuracy depends less from "c" segment)

And here is a concrete example:
The original value of TA was 2 and after 15 seconds it has changed to 1. You will get following results:

  • 123,120 km/h (BTS 0 m from road)
  • 124,320 km/h (100 m from road)
  • 128,160 km/h (200 m)
  • 135,600 km/h (300 m)

You can assume, that "c" segment is 100 m (or 0 if you count in memory - then d = e - f) and the inaccuracy of the measured velocity is 5 km/h.

In Nokia 2110i/2140 this test looks like follows:

When transmitter works - call or Location Update
CH  C1 RXl
Pwr TS  Ql
TA RLT  RA
During standby
CH  C1 Rxl
Pwr TS  Ql
TAXXXXX RA

In Nokia 2120 this test looks as follows:

Digital mode
rssi DVC d
chan  l  a
S   BB  TT
Analog mode
rssi  s  d
chan  l  a
CS-state

and in Nokia 2160 is different:

DCCH mode
rssi DVC S
chan  Pw A
CS-state

DTCH mode
rssi   s d
chan   l a
CS-state

ACCH mode
rssi   D d
chan  Pw A
CS-state
AVCH mode
rssi DVC S
chan   l a
CS-state

for Nokia 6160 it looks like follows:

DCCH mode
rssi DVC S
Bchan Pw A
CS-state
 

DTCH mode
rssi DVC s
Bchan Be l
CS-state
 

ACCH mode
rssi D d
Bchan Pw A
CS-state
 
AVCH mode
rssi s d
Bchan l a 
CS-state
 

This test in Nokia 6185/6188 is, of course ;-), different:

CDMA control
CSST CHAN SP
PPN EC/SO XF
LOS XHO FR B
-Rxx-Txx FER

CDMA traffic
CONV 0450 NP
8000 2
000 0D9 00 0
-093+006 000

AMPS control
RSSI S D
CHAN P A
CSST SID E
XTBY MINMAX 
AMPS traffic
-095 2 3
0273 0 0
CONV 16427 0
Y
CDMA AMPS
  • CSST - Cellular State: IDLE, CONVE, PLIOS, TIME, SYNC, RELE, PAGE, TRFIN, W_OR
  • Chan - Channel
  • PPN - PseudoNoise offset
  • EC/SO - Energy per chip per noise
  • B - Current network/frequency. a,b are A and B 800 MHz AMPS (analog). A-F indicate the digital block in use
  • Rxx - Receive power in dB
  • Txx - Transmit power in dB
  • FER - Frame Error Rate
  • In CDMA traffic screen you have current used codec too (one from these below):

    • 8000 - 13 kbit/sec
    • 0001 - 8 kbit/sec
    • 0003 - EVRC
  • RSSI - Received signal strength
  • S - Slot (1-3)
  • D - Digital Colour Code on analog control channel (0-3 or - for not locked)
  • CHAN - Channel
  • CSST - Cellular State: IDLE, CONVE, PLIOS, TIME, SYNC, RELE, PAGE, TRFIN, W_OR
  • SID - System ID (Cantel = odd number)
  • MINMAX: Minimum and Maximum RSSI over last time period ?

Test 2
More information about used cell

 aa b c Bdd 
 ee f 
 ggg hh iii
 H=j mm nn
PM RAR Ro BC
RelR QLF
CRO TO PenT
H MAIO HSN

In some phones (for example, Nokia 8810 or Nokia 5110 with older firmware) you will see parameters in two first lines only...

In Nokia 3110 this test looks as follows:

aaabbbccccddd
aaabbbccccddd
aaabbbccccddd
w           z
S CH C1 rx C2
1 CH C1 rx C2
2 CH C1 rx C2
S    1N 2N  B

Description of the parameters can be found in menu test 3 (in this model cccc parameters are always preceded by minus).

This test looks similiar in Nokia 2110i/2140 (description is also in test 3):

aaabbbcccc
aaabbbcccc
aaabbbcccc
Serv cell 
1. neighb
2. neighb

In Nokia 2120 this test looks as follows:

ENCR  CIPH
DTX  XSTBY
CS-state

and in Nokia 2160 is different:

DCCH mode
mode   DTX
ENCR  CIPH
d    Be TA

DTCH mode
mode   DTX
ENCR  CIPH
d    Be TA

ACCH mode
mode
XSTBY
       SID
AVCH mode
mode
 
       SAT

and here is for Nokia 6160:

DCCH mode
mode M C
FB E SP pc
net SID..
 

DTCH mode
mode DTX
ENCR CIPR 
d a TA S
CODEC...

ACCH mode
mode
XSTBY
 SID      
 
AVCH mode
mode
 
 SAT      
 

and for Nokia 6185/6188:

CDMA control
PN1
ECK         

 

CDMA traffic
PN1 PN3 PN5 
ECK ECK ECK
PN2 PN4 PN6
ECK ECK ECK

AMPS control
X F S N N C
SLEEP EMC
SCC STC M
RSSCPLCC CAL
AMPS traffic
2 2 1 0 4 1
00015F927B13
0029B 0A0 2
140 372 0000
CDMA

  • PNx: CDMA PN offsets handoff canidate listing. Shows only the current offset while idling. Shows 1 to 6 additional choices during traffic.

Test 3
Information about current and neighbor cells

aaabbbcccddd
aaabbbcccddd
aaabbbcccddd
   ef gh
SCH C1 rx C2
1CH C1 rx C2
2CH C1 rx C2
    1N 2N

Meaning of these lines:

  1. information about current cell
  2. 1st neighbor cell
  3. 2nd neighbor cell
  4. e,f concern 1st neighbor cell, g,h concern 2nd neighbor cell

If you want to see, if actual used cell is barred or not, see on test 19 (it depends on setting in that test)

Sometimes phone shows, that both C1 and C2 for channel are equal -99 - it means probably, that it wouldn't be able to log into it...

In Nokia 3110 this test looks like test 4.

It looks similiar in Nokia 2110i/2140 (desciption is in test 4 too):

aaabbbcccc
aaabbbcccc
aaabbbcccc
3. neighb 
4. neighb
5. neighb

In Nokia 2120 this test looks like test 4 in Nokia 2160.

In Nokia 2160 this test looks different (is displayed in DCCH mode only):

RS SS SI b
NA ND
 

and here is for Nokia 6160:

RS SS SI b
NA ND
MA MD MO
 

and for Nokia 6185/6188:

OWNNUMBER
ESN-00000000
ESN-HEX
SL P MD PC

Test 4
Information about neighbor cells

aaabbbcccddd
aaabbbcccddd
aaabbbcccddd
  ef gh ij
3CH C1 rx C2
4CH C1 rx C2
5CH C1 rx C2
  3N 4N 5N

Meaning of the lines:

  1. 3rd neighbor cell
  2. 4th neighbor cell
  3. 5th neighbor cell
  4. e,f concern 3rd neighbor cell, g,h 4th neighbor cell, i,j 5th neighbor cell

Meaning of the letters is the same as in test 3 (i is the same as e, j is the same as f)

Sometimes phone shows, that both C1 and C2 for channel are equal -99 - it means probably, that it wouldn't be able to log into it...

In Nokia 3110 this test looks like test 5.

It looks similiar in Nokia 2110i/2140 (description is in test 5 too):

aaabbbcccc
aaabbbcccc
aaabbbcccc
6. neighb 
7. neighb
8. neighb

In Nokia 2160 this test looks different:

bVo mod bs
Tbat1 Tb2
Wpwm FCmAh

In Nokia 2120 this test looks like follows

ChargV:NNN
ST hex des
B:LLLL KKK

but it was not implemented.

In Nokia 6160 this test looks like follows

SID #####
NN NT NR
Alphatag  
 

and for Nokia 6185/6188:

CSST CHAN
A B
SID
SD IT TM CAP

Test 5
Information about neighbor cells

aaabbbcccddd
aaabbbcccddd
aaabbbcccddd
  ef gh ij
6CH C1 rx C2
7CH C1 rx C2
8CH C1 rx C2
  6N 7N 8N

Meaning of the lines:

  1. 6th neighbor cell
  2. 7th neighbor cell
  3. 8th neighbor cell
  4. e,f concern 6th neighbor cell, g,h 7th neighbor cell, i,j 8th neighbor cell

Meaning of the letters is the same as in test 3 (i is the same as e, j is the same as f)

Sometimes phone shows, that both C1 and C2 for channel are equal -99 - it means probably, that it wouldn't be able to log into it...

In Nokia 3110 this test looks like test 6.

This test allows you to recognize, how many neighbor cells can "observe" phone in the same time. Examples: in Nokia 6150 you can see info in all rows (8 cells), in Nokia 5110/3310/6210 only in first row (6 cells).

In Nokia 3310/6210 parameters "ef" are never displayed (you can see "xx" only)... These models during standby mode can see only 6 cells, during call 8...

In Nokia 2160 this test looks different:

ROM SW
EPROM SW
Prod type 

And here is for Nokia 6160:

S bandorde
NC NP IRC
RSCO RSLO
 

and for Nokia 6185/6188:

1YNC_OK_097B
SYNC_FAI4CC1
FOCC_WOR587C
WORD_OK_3E65

Test 6
Information about preferred and restricted networks of the inserted SIM card.

aaabb  aaabb
aaabb  aaabb
aaabb  aaabb
aaabb  aaabb
LReg   1_For
1_Pre  2_For
2_Pre  3_For
3_Pre  4_For

In Nokia 6250:

LReg   1?For
1?Pre  2?For
2?Pre  3?For
3?Pre  4?For

Meaning of the individual lines:

last registered network1st forbidden network
1st preferred network2nd forbidden network
2nd preferred network3rd forbidden network
3rd preferred network4rd forbidden network

What are these lists stored on SIM card for? Because:

  1. the phone doesn’t have to waste its power while trying to log to the network, which is forbidden for SIM card (it is checked only once and then stored, so the phone doesn’t have to repeat this procedure anymore)
  2. when you have automatic network selection enabled, your phone in first turn searches for networks it was previously using ("preferred").

The list of "preferred" and "forbidden" networks is written by the phone (Nokia saves last chosen networks). Preffered networks can be also edited – for example in Motorola and Alcatel phones (not in Nokia). Sometimes it is done by the operator (he writes preferred and forbidden networks to the SIM card before selling it (it's known, that you cannot log to competitive network – it can be stored in card programming phase). Both these lists can be changed using a Czech program called SIMedit (www.compelson.cz/simedit.htm)...

URL http://kbs.cs.tu-berlin.de/~jutta/gsm/gsm-list.html contains list of the MCC and MNC parameters for different networks.

Using this menu you can check (probably – NOT ALWAYS!), where SIM card was used lately (in your country, abroad) and where its owner was traveling

In Nokia 2160 use this test, when you want to "disable" NetMonitor tests.

And here is for Nokia 6160:

PSC PSD   
FSC FSD
XSC XSD
 

Intelligent Roaming Database (IRDB) statistics:

This lists the total count of SOCs and SIDs in each category. The database has a total memory limit of 82 entries, which may be distributed amongst these categories:

PSC = number of Partner SOCs
PSD = number of Partner SIDs
FSC = number of Preffered SOCs
FSD = number of Preffered SIDs
XSC = number of Forbidden SOCs
XSD = number of Forbidden SIDs

Partner SOC/SID = treated like the home system by the phone
Preffered SOC/SID = preferred over neutral (undefined) systems when available
Forbidden SOC/SID = rejected by the phone as service providers

and for Nokia 6185/6188:

CDMA
SID NID
BASE ID
P_REV
MIN_P_REV   
AMPS
0ORD_COR0CE3
WORD_FAI0E76
CTRL_FIL787D
SAT_V_OK0004
 
CDMA

  • SID - System ID:

    • [17500] - Clearnet PCS
    • [16422] - BCTel Mobility
    • [16xxx odd number] - Cantel AT&T
    • [00000]: Second SID assignment

Are lines 3,4 CDMA specs ? [ANSI] for 1900 MHz, [TSB74] for 800 MHz CDMA

Test 7
Information about current (recently monitored) cell

E A H C I BR
a b c d e fg
ECSC 2Ter MB
h    i    j
Serving Cell
system info
bits
 

Last two lines are present only in dual phones (GSM 900/1800 – for example Nokia 6150 and 3210):

If your phone wasn’t logged to any network, some default values are shown.

In Nokia 6160 this test is different:

User
interface 
display
 

and here is for Nokia 6185/6188:

CDMA
CSST         
DATE
TIME
 
AMPS
1AT_V_FA0000
FVC_S_FA0000
WFLG_INT7046
NORMALRXFE25
 
CDMA

  • CSST - Cellular state: [IDLE], [CONVE], [PLIOS], [TIME], [SYNC], [RELE], [PAGE], [TRFIN], [W_OR]
  • DATE - CDMA Network date
  • TIME - CDMA Network time

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[Part 1][Part 2][Part 3][Part 4][Part 5][Part 6][Part 7]



Marcin Wiacek (WWW)
Last modification: 5 January 2002