# Peplink MAX BR1 Mini SIM Card Setup > Set up a ThingSIM data SIM in a Peplink (Pepwave) MAX BR1 Mini HW3: SIM size and plan, the cellular APN and data roaming settings, SIM A and SIM B failover, and troubleshooting. Device setup · Published 3 November 2026 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](/sim-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](/sectors/vehicle-tracking) - [Setting up a 4G router with a data SIM](/setting-up-a-4g-router) - [Peplink routers](/devices/peplink) - [APN settings: how to set up the APN on a device](/apn-settings) - [How much data does my device need?](/how-much-data-does-my-device-need) - [The best IoT and M2M SIM cards in the UK](/best-iot-sim-card-uk) - [The UK 4-network 5 GB plan](/plans/uk-4-network-5gb) - [Compare every ThingSIM plan](/plans) ## Sources Checked on 3 November 2026. - Peplink MAX BR1 Mini HW3 product page: [www.peplink.com/products/mobile-routers/br1-mini-hw3](https://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](https://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](https://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](https://manual.peplink.com/pepwave-max-user-manual/) ## Recommended plan 5 GB, UK 4-network: £8.85 a month per active SIM, ex VAT. Source: https://thingsim.com/peplink-max-br1-mini-sim-setup