Remotely manage, troubleshoot and recover Teltonika routers using SMS — independent of internet connectivity.
About SMS Commands
Teltonika routers running RutOS support SMS-based management, allowing authorised users to remotely monitor, troubleshoot and recover devices using simple text messages.
Unlike RMS, VPN access or the router's web interface, SMS commands do not rely on a working internet connection. As long as the router is powered on, connected to a mobile network and capable of receiving SMS messages, SMS commands can be used.
When SMS commands are most useful
SMS commands should be viewed primarily as a recovery and troubleshooting method. Routine configuration changes should normally be made through the router web interface, Teltonika RMS or VPN access.
Important for KeySIM Users
All KeySIM SIM cards are assigned European mobile telephone numbers. If you intend to send SMS commands directly from a mobile phone, your mobile provider must allow international SMS messaging to European numbers.
Some mobile providers restrict international SMS messaging by default, which may prevent commands from reaching the router.
The preferred approach for KeySIM customers is to send SMS commands directly from the KeySIM management portal:
Quick Reference
These commands resolve the majority of real-world IoT router issues. Click any command to copy it.
Replace keysimiotsim with your own administrator password
keysimiotsim status
Start here — confirms router is alive, GSM connected and password is correct
keysimiotsim reset_conn
Reset mobile data session without rebooting — faster and less disruptive than a full reboot
keysimiotsim reboot
Full router and modem restart
keysimiotsim cellular apn=key
Set APN to key — use when router has wrong APN configured
keysimiotsim cellular apn=key service=lte roaming=1
Combined fix — correct APN, force LTE and enable roaming in one SMS
keysimiotsim cellular roaming=1
Enable roaming — allow SIM to use alternative networks where coverage is stronger
keysimiotsim switch_sim
Switch active SIM slot on dual-SIM routers
keysimiotsim rms_status
Check whether router is connected to Teltonika RMS
keysimiotsim rms_on
Enable RMS if it has been accidentally disabled
keysimiotsim vpnstatus
Check VPN tunnel status — use when remote access to equipment has failed
Authentication
Before a router will process an SMS command, it must verify that the sender is authorised. RutOS supports password authentication, authorised number authentication, password and number authentication, or no authentication. Password authentication is the most common configuration.
The password precedes every command
The administrator password appears at the start of every SMS command. Throughout this guide, keysimiotsim is used as the example password. Replace this with the actual administrator password configured on your router.
Example format: your_password command
Every Teltonika router ships with a unique factory-default administrator password printed on the device label. If the router is factory reset — by SMS command, the reset button, or the web interface — all custom configuration will be erased and the password will revert to this original value.
Without the factory-default password, regaining access to a factory-reset router may require a site visit.
For every deployment, record:
All commands below use keysimiotsim as the example password. Replace this with the administrator password configured on your own router before sending any command.
keysimiotsim status
Returns information about the router's operational status, including uptime, network registration, mobile connection status and general device health.
Use: Always send this first when troubleshooting any router. A valid response confirms the router is alive, GSM is working, the SIM is receiving SMS, and your password is correct.
keysimiotsim reboot
Performs a full restart of the router and modem.
Use: A site is reachable by SMS but no longer passing traffic. A full reboot forces the router and modem to restart cleanly and reconnect to the mobile network.
keysimiotsim reset_conn
Disconnects and reconnects the mobile data session without rebooting the full router.
Use: Device is powered on and GSM is connected but has stopped passing data. Resetting the mobile connection is faster and less disruptive than a full reboot — try this before rebooting.
keysimiotsim more
Requests the next part of a long SMS response split across multiple messages.
Use: A status or diagnostic response is too long for a single SMS. Sending this command retrieves the next section of the response.
keysimiotsim userdefaults
Restores previously saved user default settings.
Use: Your organisation has a standard known-working configuration saved as user defaults. If a change has caused problems, this restores that baseline without a full factory reset.
keysimiotsim restore
Resets the router to factory settings. All custom configuration will be erased and the administrator password will revert to the original factory-default password printed on the device label.
Use: Router has become heavily misconfigured and cannot be recovered by any other method.
keysimiotsim mobileon
Enables the mobile modem and data connection.
Use: Mobile data has been disabled during testing or maintenance and the router now needs to be brought back online.
keysimiotsim mobileoff
Disables the mobile data connection.
Use: Investigating unexpected data usage and wanting to temporarily stop mobile data traffic while troubleshooting.
keysimiotsim cellular apn=key
Changes the APN used by the router to key — the KeySIM APN.
Use: Router was previously used with another SIM provider and still has the old APN configured. One of the most common causes of connectivity failure when reusing routers.
keysimiotsim cellular apn=key service=lte roaming=1
Sets the APN to key, forces LTE mode and enables roaming in a single SMS command.
Use: Router is offline after being installed with incorrect mobile settings. This combined command corrects the three most common configuration issues in one step.
keysimiotsim cellular auto_apn=1
Allows the router to automatically detect APN settings from the SIM card.
Use: Testing with multiple SIM providers before finalising deployment, and automatic APN detection is preferred during the test phase.
keysimiotsim cellular auto_apn=0
Disables automatic APN detection so the router uses the manually configured APN.
Use: Managed IoT deployment requiring all routers to use the KeySIM APN explicitly rather than allowing automatic selection.
keysimiotsim cellular service=lte
Restricts the modem to LTE operation only, preventing it from dropping to older network technologies.
Use: Router keeps dropping from 4G to a weaker legacy network, causing slow speeds or VPN instability. LTE-only mode can improve stability where LTE coverage is consistently available.
keysimiotsim cellular service=auto
Allows the modem to automatically select the most suitable network technology.
Use: Routers moving between areas with different coverage conditions. Automatic mode allows the router to use the best available service at each location.
keysimiotsim cellular roaming=1
Allows the router to connect to roaming networks.
Use: Multi-network IoT SIM needs to use alternative networks where coverage is stronger. Enabling roaming allows the SIM to use the most available network at the deployment location.
keysimiotsim cellular roaming=0
Prevents the router from connecting to roaming networks.
Use: Router at a fixed site should remain on a specific network only and not roam to alternative carriers.
keysimiotsim cellular auth_mode=pap
Sets the APN authentication method to PAP.
Use: Private APN for CCTV, SCADA or building management requires PAP authentication.
keysimiotsim cellular auth_mode=chap
Sets the APN authentication method to CHAP.
Use: Managed private network for industrial routers or secure retail connectivity requires CHAP authentication.
keysimiotsim cellular auth_mode=none
Disables APN username and password authentication.
Use: Standard IoT SIM APN does not require credentials, and authentication settings need to be cleared after a previous configuration.
keysimiotsim cellular username=user
Sets the APN username. Replace user with the required username.
Use: Private APN for CCTV, BMS or industrial monitoring requires specific credentials supplied by the network provider.
keysimiotsim cellular password=pass
Sets the APN password. Replace pass with the required password.
Use: Router being deployed for secure telemetry or SCADA connectivity requiring APN credentials.
keysimiotsim switch_sim
Changes the active SIM slot on compatible dual-SIM routers.
Use: Dual-SIM router has lost service on the primary SIM. Switching to the backup SIM can restore connectivity without a site visit. Note: on most Teltonika dual-SIM routers, only one SIM is active at a time.
keysimiotsim rms_status
Checks whether the router is currently connected to Teltonika RMS.
Use: Router has disappeared from RMS. This command helps confirm whether the RMS connection itself is the issue, or whether the problem is with the internet connectivity.
keysimiotsim rms_on
Enables the Teltonika RMS service on the router.
Use: RMS has been accidentally disabled during maintenance or testing. Once enabled, engineers can resume full remote management via the RMS platform.
keysimiotsim rms_off
Disables the Teltonika RMS service.
Use: Temporarily disabling RMS access during a security audit or while investigating remote access permissions.
keysimiotsim monitoring_status
Reports the current status of the router's monitoring service.
Use: Checking whether a router used for telemetry, energy monitoring or remote equipment management is correctly reporting monitoring data.
keysimiotsim vpnstatus
Returns the current VPN connection status for configured profiles.
Use: Engineers cannot connect to equipment behind the router via VPN. This command confirms whether the tunnel is up, saving time before attempting further troubleshooting.
keysimiotsim vpnon profile_name
Starts a specified VPN profile. Replace profile_name with the name of the VPN profile configured on the router.
Use: VPN tunnel used to reach a remote SCADA system, CCTV recorder or BMS controller has disconnected and needs to be restarted without rebooting the router.
keysimiotsim vpnoff profile_name
Stops a specified VPN profile. Replace profile_name with the name of the VPN profile.
Use: A VPN route is suspected of causing connectivity issues and needs to be temporarily disabled for testing.
keysimiotsim sshon
Enables SSH command-line access to the router.
Use: Engineer needs command-line access to investigate advanced issues when RMS and web interface are unavailable.
keysimiotsim sshoff
Disables SSH access to the router.
Use: SSH was enabled temporarily for troubleshooting and should now be disabled again for security.
keysimiotsim webon
Enables access to the router's web administration interface.
Use: Web access has been accidentally disabled, preventing normal configuration via the fixed IP address.
keysimiotsim weboff
Disables access to the router's web administration interface.
Use: Reducing remote access exposure on routers used for payment systems, industrial control or security infrastructure.
keysimiotsim config_reload
Reloads the router configuration without performing a full reboot.
Use: Configuration changes have been made and services need to be refreshed without fully rebooting the device.
keysimiotsim fw_upgrade
Triggers a firmware upgrade process where supported and configured.
Use: Fleet of routers needs to be updated for security or stability reasons. Requires the router to have been configured with a firmware upgrade source.
keysimiotsim iostatus
Returns the current status of configured digital inputs and outputs.
Use: A pump, generator, alarm panel, gate controller or industrial sensor connected to the router — checking whether an input has triggered or an output has changed state.
keysimiotsim ioset
Changes the state of a configured digital output.
Use: Router is connected to a relay controlling a gate, pump, alarm, generator or power reset circuit. The output needs to be triggered remotely without visiting site.
keysimiotsim wifion
Enables WiFi on supported routers.
Use: A retail pop-up, temporary office, construction cabin or mobile unit needs local WiFi restored for staff or equipment. Note: not all Teltonika models support WiFi.
keysimiotsim wifioff
Disables WiFi on supported routers.
Use: Router is used only for wired equipment and WiFi is disabled to reduce unnecessary access points and radio exposure.
keysimiotsim wakeup
Sends a Wake-on-LAN packet to a device configured on the local network.
Use: A remote NVR, server, industrial PC or digital signage player needs to be powered on without sending an engineer to site. Requires Wake-on-LAN to be enabled and configured on the target device.
keysimiotsim uci
Executes UCI configuration commands directly on the router. Allows advanced settings to be changed when RMS and web access are both unavailable.
Use: Advanced administrators only. Used for SCADA, CCTV, private APN or industrial automation configurations that require low-level changes.
How to Set Up a Teltonika Router with Port Forward Rules on the KeySIM VPN
This guide provides step-by-step instructions on how to configure and troubleshoot remote access to a Teltonika router, or to a device connected to the router's LAN, using the KeySIM VPN.
Whilst this guide covers the key settings and the most common causes of connectivity issues, it should be noted that this type of setup involves a degree of technical complexity and should ideally be completed by professionals with networking experience.
KeySIM can provide pre-booked router setup training and guidance; however, we cannot provide instant telephone support for ad hoc troubleshooting. It is therefore important that your technical team is familiar with configuring and diagnosing router, firewall and port forwarding issues.
Before configuring remote access or port forwarding, ensure that you can successfully connect to the KeySIM VPN.
If you are experiencing problems connecting to the VPN, please refer to our KeySIM VPN Setup Guide before continuing. If you require a copy of the guide, please contact our support team and we will be happy to assist.
The Teltonika router must be connected to the internet before remote access or port forwarding can function.
If the router is not online, check the following:
key. Please refer to our APN setup guide for further details.If all of the above checks have been completed and the router is still unable to connect, we recommend performing a factory reset and configuring the router again from the beginning.
After completing a factory reset, remember to reconfigure the APN to key.
If you have confirmed that the SIM is activated, performed a factory reset and updated the APN to key, but the router is still unable to connect to the internet, please contact the KeySIM support team for further assistance.
Before configuring port forwarding, first confirm that you can remotely access the Teltonika router itself via the KeySIM VPN.
Within the Teltonika router interface navigate to: Administration → Access Control
Enable remote access on either port 80 or port 443.
Important
If you intend to use port 80 as the external port within your port forwarding rules, you must first change the router interface management port to avoid a port conflict.
To access the router interface remotely, enter the SIM card's private IP address into your web browser.
You can find this address within the KeySIM Portal by selecting the SIM card and locating the field labelled: Assigned Private Static IP Address
For example: 100.65.100.1
Within the Teltonika router interface navigate to: Network → Firewall → Port Forwarding
Create a new port forwarding rule and carefully check the following settings.
1. Avoid Port Conflicts
Ensure that the external port selected for the port forward does not conflict with the port used for remote access to the router interface. For example, if the router interface is accessible on port 80, select a different external port for the port forwarding rule.
2. Confirm the LAN IP Address Range
The router and the connected device must be operating on the same LAN subnet. For example, if the connected device uses an address within the 192.168.0.x network, the Teltonika router LAN should also be configured within the same subnet.
3. Verify the Internal IP Address of the Device
Install the Topology package via System → Package Manager, then navigate to Status → Network → Topology and run a network scan to discover the internal IP address of the device you wish to access remotely.
4. Confirm Remote Access Is Enabled on the Device
Ensure remote access is enabled on the equipment you are attempting to access, and confirm the correct internal service port. This varies by manufacturer, so you may need to consult the device supplier or access the device locally.
5. Check the Device Default Gateway
The default gateway configured on the connected device should be set to the IP address of the Teltonika router. If it's incorrect, the device may not respond to traffic arriving through the VPN connection.
Once the port forwarding rule has been configured, connect to the KeySIM VPN.
To access the remote device, enter the SIM card's private IP address followed by the external port number specified in the port forwarding rule.
For example, if:
SIM Private IP Address = 100.65.100.1
External Port = 5000
You would enter the following into your web browser: 100.65.100.1:5000
If the service you are connecting to uses HTTPS, enter: https://100.65.100.1:5000
If you are still unable to access your remote device, first confirm that you can successfully connect to the Teltonika router interface over the VPN.
If router access is working correctly, this confirms that the VPN connection is operational and narrows the issue down to either:
Carefully reviewing each of the above settings will resolve the majority of connectivity issues.
Support Information
KeySIM can provide pre-booked training and guidance relating to Teltonika router configuration and the KeySIM VPN platform.
However, port forwarding, firewall configuration and LAN networking require technical expertise. Customers should ensure that installers, IT providers or technical teams responsible for deployment are familiar with diagnosing and troubleshooting networking issues.
If you require assistance, please contact the KeySIM support team.
If SMS commands are not resolving an issue, contact our team. For hardware, pre-configuration or deployment support, speak to Solwise.