Peplink MAX BR1 Mini SIM Card Setup

The Pepwave MAX BR1 Mini is a rugged single-modem LTE router used in vehicles, kiosks and remote cabinets. It has two nano SIM slots on one modem, and a ThingSIM connects once a custom APN is set and data roaming is ticked.

Specifications and menu paths checked against Peplink's own documentation on 3 November 2026; sources are listed at the end. Menus can move between firmware versions, so if yours differs, follow the manual for your version.

What the MAX BR1 Mini Is

A compact LTE router with Wi-Fi and Ethernet, managed locally or through Peplink InControl 2. The current version is HW3. With one modem, only one SIM is active at a time.

Which ThingSIM Suits the MAX BR1 Mini

Compatible. Peplink's datasheet lists LTE bands 1, 3, 7, 8 and 20 on all three EMEA and global versions (MAX-BR1-MINI-LTEA-E-T-PRM, -LTEA-B-T-PRM and -LTE-E-T-PRM), covering the 4G bands used by all four UK networks. It takes nano SIMs (4FF): order a physical ThingSIM and push out the nano size. Peplink lists BYO eSIM on selected versions with firmware 8.4.0 or later; check your version before ordering a ThingSIM eSIM.

In a vehicle or as a site's main link, start on UK 4-network 5 GB at £8.85 a month and check usage after the first month.

Insert the SIM

1. Activate the SIM in the ThingSIM portal when you are ready to test; billing starts that day.
2. Power the router off, push out the nano SIM and insert it in the slot labelled SIM A.
3. Power the router on.

Set Up Mobile Data on the BR1 Mini

1. Open the web admin and go to Network → WAN, then click Details on the cellular WAN.
2. In Cellular Settings, for SIM A set Operator Settings to Custom. In the APN field, enter the APN shown in your ThingSIM portal when you activate the SIM, and leave Login and Password blank.
3. Tick Data Roaming for SIM A. A ThingSIM connects to UK networks as a roaming SIM.
4. Leave SIM PIN blank unless the SIM has a PIN.
5. Save and apply the changes.

Two SIMs and Failover

Both slots share one modem. Under the SIM Card option in Cellular Settings, choose a custom priority for SIM A and SIM B (and Peplink's remote SIM and SpeedFusion Connect options), or alternate between the two periodically, and set when to fall back to the preferred SIM. One UK 4-network ThingSIM already uses all four UK networks.

Check It Is Working

The Dashboard shows the cellular WAN status; click it for the IMSI and ICCID. Status → WAN Quality charts signal strength and quality for the past hour. The cellular LED blinks while connecting and is green when connected.

Troubleshooting

• Connecting forever: check Data Roaming is ticked for the slot the SIM is in, and that Operator Settings is Custom with the portal's APN.
• Managed by InControl 2: a profile pushed from InControl can overwrite local settings. Set the APN there instead.
• Signal but no data: check the SIM is activated in the ThingSIM portal, the APN matches the one shown in the portal exactly with no spaces, and data roaming is allowed. Then work through signal but no data in order.
• It worked, then stopped: look at the SIM's usage in the portal. A ThingSIM pauses when it reaches its monthly allowance; upgrade the plan straight away or wait for the reset.

Common Questions

Does a ThingSIM work in a Pepwave MAX BR1 Mini?

Yes. Insert the nano SIM in SIM A, set Operator Settings to Custom with the APN shown in your ThingSIM portal and tick Data Roaming.

Can the BR1 Mini use both SIMs at once?

No. It has one modem, so one SIM is active at a time and the other is a backup.

Related Guides

• Vehicle tracking
• Setting up a 4G router with a data SIM
• Peplink routers
• APN settings: how to set up the APN on a device
• How much data does my device need?
• The best IoT and M2M SIM cards in the UK
• The UK 4-network 5 GB plan
• Compare every ThingSIM plan

Sources

Checked on 3 November 2026.

• Peplink MAX BR1 Mini HW3 product page: www.peplink.com/products/mobile-routers/br1-mini-hw3
• Peplink MAX BR1 Mini HW3 datasheet, bands and eSIM: download.peplink.com/resources/peplink_max_br1_mini_hw3_datasheet.pdf
• Peplink MAX BR1 Mini HW3 hardware reference guide: download.peplink.com/manual/br1_mini_hw3_hardware_reference_guide.pdf
• Pepwave MAX user manual (firmware 8.6.0), cellular WAN: manual.peplink.com/pepwave-max-user-manual