How to get the unlock code prompt on AT&T Nighthawk MR1100

[OkieBobby]

I have a AT&T Nighthawk MR1100 through OTR Mobile. They are switching to T-Mobile based service so I had to get the unlock code and a T-Mobile post paid SIM. When I put the T-Mobile SIM in and power it on I am not getting a prompt to enter the unlock code nor can I find it anywhere through the device manager. Does anyone know how I can get to where I enter the unlock code?

[JohnPeng · Accepted solution]

If you can connect to T-Mobile network without entering the code, your device was unlocked.

Thanks

[JohnPeng]

You need to contact AT&T or OTR Mobile to get the unlock code.

You can enter the code by visiting 192.168.1.1 and log in as admin.

Thanks

[OkieBobby]

I already have the unlock code. My issue is I don’t get a prompt to enter it nor is their any place that is listed to enter it when I log on to the device management page.

[JohnPeng]

You need to power on the device with T-Mobile SIM in order for you to enter the unlcok code.

Thanks

[OkieBobby]

I have done that and still get no prompt or anywhere to enter the code. Nothing when it powers on, nothing when I login to the device’s management page. Is it possible that it just happens to be unlocked already even though I was lead to believe it wasn’t?

[JohnPeng · Accepted solution]

If you can connect to T-Mobile network without entering the code, your device was unlocked.

Thanks

[stephmolson]

Can you tell me how you got your hands on an unlock code? We've been waiting over a week for the unlock. WE've got the T-Mobile Sim, but can't use OTR's sefvice, which of course we have already paid for.

[geekster]

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@OkieBobby wrote:
I have a AT&T Nighthawk MR1100 through OTR Mobile. They are switching to T-Mobile based service so I had to get the unlock code and a T-Mobile post paid SIM. When I put the T-Mobile SIM in and power it on I am not getting a prompt to enter the unlock code nor can I find it anywhere through the device manager. Does anyone know how I can get to where I enter the unlock code?

---

I too am an OTR customer and the answer to your question is actually on their web site buried and I just happened to stumble across it.

https://otr-mobile.s3-ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/Nighthawk+unlock+guide.pdf

My question for you though, how do get an unlock code to put in there.  Do I just need to buy this device unlock?

https://www.otrmobile.com/product-detail/5e6bcedca3689e11a28dc3b3

I haven't been all that happy with their lack of customer service.  When they are there, they are great.  Right now with COVID-19, the timing is less than ideal for all of us trying to switch from AT&T Legacy Plan over to the T-Mobile BLAST plan.  I got the SIM card today but I have no idea how to get it activated in the Nighthawk.

[OkieBobby]

I actually followed those exact instructions and still never got a prompt to enter unlock code. The only answer I’ve seen or got that made any sense then was my device came from them unlocked.

As for how I got an unlock code, I clicked a link that took me to the AT&T website and the section to request the unlock code. The post I found it on is no longer up but I believe it can probably be found with a Google search. If you do find it be sure to watch your inbox and junk folder for emails. I had one go to each.

[geekster]

Thank you very much for your quick response.  I went ahead and used that link to have OTR send me an unlock code.  The way you describe what happened when you tried the instructions to get the unlock code prompt, I am wondering about something, and it has to do with which SIM card you had in your Nighthawk when you tried it.  See, I had gotten the new SIM card and was going to try and get it activated, and that's when I got the prompt for the unlock code.  You have to keep in mind that the old SIM card is meant to work on the AT&T network and with an AT&T device.  The new SIM card switches you over to the T-Mobile network (much better anyway in my opinion) and so the device is saying "hey that ain't right" and proceeds to want to unlock the device in order for a foreign SIM to work.  That's the only thing I can think of that could be causing you the headache.

[OkieBobby]

I never got it with the T-Mobile SIM either. That’s why I’m assuming it was already unlocked. When I got my T-Mobile SIM, which I just went to a T-Mobile store and bought one for $10, it still didn’t work and was told that I needed a static IP and it would take 1-2 days and I would get an email with instructions on how to proceed. 3 days go by and no email then I saw a post on their Facebook page from someone in a similar situation and on a whim he factory reset his Nighthawk without a SIM in it and then put the T-Mobile SIM in and rebooted it and it was working. I followed the same thing and mine was working as well. So the static IPs must have been assigned but they just never sent out an email letting us know. Still haven’t received an email and it’s been about 10 days. Just got lucky stumbling across that post on the OTR Facebook page.

[IIIGrimReaperII]

If your Netgear nighthawk is not AT&T branded it should be unlocked. Mine is AT&T branded and sadly this one I inserted the TMobile sim that OTR sent me and it is now locked and unuseable. I tried factory reset and it still says device locked. Inserted AT&T sim factory reset, still locked. Anyone have an idea how to recover it from being device locked?

[geekster]

Yes, I wrote about this very thing and you can see my answer in Reply 10 of this same thread on that topic.  In short you need to unlock the Nighthawk in order to use the SIM card they sent you and yes, that SIM card will work in your Nighthawk once you unlock it.  Fortunately OTR has their own unlock service and it's only $30 for the service.  I just ordered it and still waiting for the unlock code with the instructions in my email.  The reason for the SIM they sent you is so that they can get your service off of AT&T and switch you to the T-Mobile service which is far more reliable and faster and that's why it's called the BLAST plan.  Be patient with OTR, I can attest to the fact that their customer service has been extremely good but they have been closed like many businesses by the COVID-19 virus.  I am waiting for them to call me and get me switched over.  Hope all that makes sense, if not feel free to ask.

This the link on the OTR website where you will find the service listed.

https://www.otrmobile.com/products

[IIIGrimReaperII]

Thanks. And no I have had 1 on blast for past week I think maybe a bit more. Honestly for me about the same as it was on ATT far as speeds, bit slower. I was getting max 77 Mbps down and 14 Mbps up on ATT. I am getting max 38 Mbps down 6 Mbps up on TMobile. But with understanding. I live closer to Dallas and the number they give me is for Minnisota. Ping times are around 40 ms higher then I was getting to Dallas which was usually 37 now I am at near 80ms. TMobile appears to be using ATT towers here so great on that, but the push to MN is a mistake. If you just watch TV that isn't an issue, if you play online games it is. I have had OTR since Sept. last year and your right that the CS has been great. The downside is at least when they were with AT&T was losing broadband data, and having to get in chat with them. All fine and good, unless like me it has happened the past 2 Saturdays(I have 1 still locked to AT&T). I spent a total of nearly 3 hours in chat hold today, just to get them to reset the data. Yes them going to blast and covids was the perfect storm for OTR. BTW they said they will unlock legacy customers devices for free, and the cost for the new plan lowered to $65 a month. 

[geekster]

Thank you very much for bringing me up to speed.  I've only been with OTR a few months, first on the Velocity 2, a nice little device but I have more devices than it can handle and the Nighthawk has been awesome.  And I just read on their website this notice they put out that they will waive the cost of the Unlock. Thanks again for all the encouraging news and I look forward to the switch to T-Mobile.  I use them as my carrier and know I will get good reception here in Arkansas, anything beats the hell outta Comcast, or as Trump calls them, CONCast, he's not shy about telling the world the truth!  Very good to hear from another satisfied OTR customer, take care and Godspeed!

https://otr-mobile.s3-ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/Corona+final+final.pdf

[IIIGrimReaperII]

I live South of Fayetteville and it's not horrible, but not great. personally I am using this till Ozarksgo installs fiber, rumor has it as "by summer" for my area. 

[IIIGrimReaperII]

BTW you can up both wifi power and connected devices by using a router connected to the nighthawk. Just make sure to go into the nighthawk and shut off DNS server so that the router assigns IP addresses. I use linksys EA6900 for around $60. 

[bighay3712]

Thank you to everyone on this feed. We have not succeeded yet in setting up our new device but we alot further along. Thank you!! I found this helpful guide on AT&T's website while I was doing my own research and thought I would share since it is MUCH better than OTR Mobile's guide to Unlocking your device. 

Netgear Unlock Guide - AT&T (Page 18) 

Thanks Again!

[GracieAllen]

Not sure what everyone else is finding now, but it's 4/9 and I FINALLY got through to OTR Mobile end of last week.  Talked to "Jake".  He assured me they would send me a TM Sim, and whatever is necessary for the static IP.  BUT, he stated, "the company we're working with to unlock the Nighthawk is 3500 devices behind."  "It may be QUITE A WHILE before you get an unlock code from them."  I suspect "quite a while" will NOT be measured in hours or days...

He THEN referred me to DC-Unlocker, saying "You SHOULD be able to unlock the device there."

First, their whole site looks more than a little sketchy, and second they charge and want BITCOIN or some such...  This doesn't pass the smell test.  I rummaged around and found a lot of complaints about them being a scam, and since this is OTRs fault, I'm not paying some bunch of scammers and hope I actually get this thing unlocked.

I got the email yesterday that OTR Mobile is shipping the new Sim card, but if they can't unlock the Nighthawk I'll have a Sim, and a ridiculously expensive hockey puck.

How are other people getting the device unlock code promised by OTR Mobile?

[thecattlemanswi]

I upgraded as a legacy customer to the new blast package in early April and received my SIM card last week.  The card arrived in an empty envelope; no order sheet, no instructions, nothing.  I finally got around to swapping the SIM cards out only to discover that it wasn't working.  After LONG hours of researching on the internet, but the OTR Moible webpage has NO information; I discovered through chat spots like this that I needed a unlock code, which they were supposed to send me through email.  No email had arrived. 

So I spent a long 2 hours waiting online for the "live chat" option.  The representative told me that the company they hired to unlock the Nighthawk devices (which I purchased from OTR) was on lockdown in NYC and was thousands of units behind; therefore they had no way of knowing how long it would be before they received my unlock code.  They also had no way of knowing how long my ATT Sim card would continue to function (How do they not know this??)  They referred me to DC Unlocker or CellCorner; they would not reimburse the cost of the unlocking.

I went with their company because I had heard their CS was great; not so much.  All of this information could easily be sent to customer that have received SIM Card but not Unlock code.  All could be published on their website.  They do not want to do this because they would not be able to charge you the auto monthly fee; thus they do not publish.

So there it is - unlock it yourself or pay and wait.

[GracieAllen]

Yes, in recent chats with OTR Mobile I've gotten much the same information.  Their chat people are apologetic, but the whole situation is totally screwed up.  Sims take forever, most aren't activated, they HAVE no unlock codes, devices are locked, you can't reach support in a reasonable amount of time, and AT&T is happily turning hotspots into hockey pucks while hordes of people are being forced to work from home.

No matter HOW this all comes out, OTR Mobile has shot itself in the foot, a portion of customer base has lost confidence in them, there are a lot of very pissed off people, and those that stay with OTR Mobile will be stuck with a network that, in my experience, is far less capable or widespread than AT&T.

And, of course, there's plenty of blame to spread around:

Disgust for AT&T pulling this when they did.  And worse, not putting it on hold until the current crisis is past.  AND for refusing to unlock devices that are locked to their network, REGARDLESS of where they came from.

And ire for Netgear, who provided the devices and COULD unlock them, but refuses to do so.

But, it is what it is, and since OTR can't get the unlock codes a bunch of people will be going to someplace like dc-unlocker, which looks like it's run by a bunch of foreign teen-agers, with their bitcoin silliness and the large number of people screaming it didn't work and that it's a scam.

[J_Cleaver]

I went to 192.168.1.1 and it asked for username and password. Admin login didn't work.  Any advice?

[J_Cleaver]

Did you go through CellCenter?  thanks

[CJinx]

I completely disagree with OTR's customer service being good. It has been absolutely horrible. I put my request in for an unlock on March 17 and still have yet to receive an unlock code. Live chat takes on average 2 and a half hours to get in touch with someone who tells you to just wait longer. There have been no updates given for weeks at a time. I can't request an unlock with ATT since I bought the device through OTR mobile. ATT claims that I am not the owner. I asked OTR to take my device off their account so that I could make the request myself and they said no. It is absolutely atrocious. I am half tempted to file a grievance with the states attorney generals office, consumer protection division for fraudulent business practices.

If anyone has any recommendations for other Internet providers (I don't get wired where I live) I would probably pay double what OTR is asking just to get away from them.

[GracieAllen]

I can't fault your sentiment about OTR Mobile, though in their defense (and yes, it pains me mightily to defend them) they're dealing with a situation for which they had little time, and I suspect even less desire, to prepare.  And when it hit, in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, they were completely overwhelmed, from whatever their daily support volume is to over 8000 calls/chats per day (or so I've been told).  I've only been a customer since January, and I've spoken to support a couple times in January and February.  At THAT TIME, they were quick and efficient, and the answers I got were reasonable.

Fast forward a month, and they're a complete shambles.  Phone is unavailable, chat is their only communication, and people are trying constantly for days or weeks to get to chat with someone.  And when they do, they find that NOTHING will be handled quickly.  Yes, they'll send you a new Sim.  MAYBE.  If not, as in my case, you go through the whole process again.  And the second time, they'll send you a new Sim.  Fortunately, this time it arrived.  I haven't tried to unlock the device because at this moment I'm still functional on AT&T.  This, of course, can change at any moment, and my Nighthawk hotspot will become a useless doorstop until I get it unlocked.  But I'm NOT touching it 'til then.

BUT, AT&T won't unlock Nighthawks purchased from OTR Mobile, NetGear won't unlock Nighthawks at all, and for whatever reason OTR Mobile also says they CAN'T unlock the devices.  So you have a Sim and a hockey puck instead of a hotspot. 

OTR Mobile contracts with SOME COMPANY to do provide unlock codes, and things are slow.  Periodically, unlock codes dribble into OTR Mobile and go out to frustrated, angry, desperate customers.  Then THAT company stops functioning - I've heard variously that they were simply overwhelmed and that they shut down because of the virus.  Don't know which and don't care, but in theory, OTR Mobile contracts with a different company.  One they say is "very small". 

Once again, occasionally, a few hundred codes drop into OTR Mobile.  When asked WHEN I WAS LIKELY TO GET MY CODE, I was told by the person on the chat "They're at least 3500 codes behind.  We have no idea.  My manager says the new company hasn't met a single milestone." 

On the two chat occasions, both OTR Mobile people recommended I go to DC-Unlocker to get the device unlocked.  I checked their website and was uncomfortable (think foreign, teenage hacker group), and was reluctant to give them an IMEI number, and even more reluctant to give them money.  Then I went online to see how their reputation is.  There are some people out there screaming that what DC-Unlocker provided didn't work and that its a scam.  Add to that their system where you end up buying credits or bitcoin or whatever, so your payment isn't recoverable, and it wasn't confidence inspiring.  BUT, since Morgan, on the chat, assured me that OTR Mobile would REIMBURSE users (exactly HOW OTR Mobile will do this wasn't explained) for the cost of having their devices unlocked by DC-Unlocker, I figure when I HAVE to switch, I'll take the chance on them.

BUT, if you want to get converted to T-Mobile, remembering that even WITH the new Sim, unlock code, and, theoretically, all the information needed to get the static IP address, you may STILL join the ranks of people who have been unsuccessful getting all this to work, you're going to have to pay someone to unlock your device.  Or wait for your code to show up at OTR Mobile and hopefully get to you.

So, yes, OTR Mobile, looks terrible, and has failed miserably to provide even the barest minimum of support expected by most of us who have been paying for what they provide (I've heard that payments were still charged even when users were disconnected but I don't know this to be true). There are things OTR Mobile COULD have done: 

1.  Send an immediate message to every customer stating that not a single customer would receive another bill or be charged a cent until they were successfully migrated to T-Mobile. 

2.  Keep the same fee.  If AT&T is $60/month, a much higher-cost company than T-Mobile, surely T-Mobile CAN'T charge more for their generally inferior service. 

3.  Tell EVERY customer that a new Sim will be sent ASAP.  No need to contact anyone, no need to sit for hours or days to reach a chat person.  Nothing.  Just a new Sim. 

4.  If OTR Mobile REALLY IS incapable of providing the unlock codes themselves (which I find hard to believe, certainly for devices they sold), contract with a large, reputable company to get unlock codes as quickly as possible.  There HAS TO BE ONE SOMEWHERE. 

Just those 4 things would have, I believe, mitigated the anger and frustration experienced by thousands of their customers.  And if, diety help us, DC-Unlocker IS the best choice, OTR-Mobile should have contracted directly with them to provide unlock services for every customer that needs it.  No having us contact OTR Mobile OR DC-Unlocker. For any device OTR Mobile sold, they must have the IMEI and could handle it.  Of course AT&T should also be able to unlock the devices, as should the company that made and sold them.

I also fault AT&T for dumping this on OTR Mobile then continuing in the face of the current crisis.  They COULD have told OTR Mobile that their ejection was postponed for the duration of the current situation, providing a few months of service while OTR Mobile, in a calmer environment, moved people to the replacement service.

In any case, as far as I'm concerned, all involved have handled this poorly, but it's pointless to be mad at a virus, and AT&T for sure doesn't give a damn how much chaos, frustration and pain they cause, leaving us with OTR Mobile to be the brunt of our ire.  Which they deserve, but they're not the only ones.

As for the question you actually asked, there are a number of other providers - I know they exist because they've been mentioned in the many threads out there.  Unfortunately, the mentions are buried in the thousands of posts and I recall mobilemusthave.com.  There's a site somewhere that supposedly lets you compare a bunch of different providers but I can't find the reference to it.